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So here's my situation. It's my first saltwater tank that I'll be taking care of solo (I had a 225 gal. with my father a few years back, he did a lot of the major work so I'm not as experienced). I just ordered the "Mr. Aqua 25 Gallon Frameless Glass Aquarium Tank 18 x 18 x 18 Inch" from Marine Depot and I'm going to start off slow and take my time setting it up but I would like some more input on filtration systems. First off I don't know if I should go with the Penguin Bio-Wheel 100B/200B, or with a protein skimmer (if I went this route I have no previous knowledge of the filtration type so I would have to do my reading. I've just been recommended to use one as it provides a better environment for my sized tank. I don't have information to back up that claim made to me either). Also, if I went with a protein skimmer, what sizes are adequate for a 25 gal. cube? Just some background, I only intend to keep live rock, small fish, possibly a few anemones, and starfish for the foreseeable future. Dono fucked around with this message at 08:45 on Dec 6, 2010 |
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Dec 6, 2010 08:30
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I know it's a long shot, but I'm moving to Orlando, FL over the holidays and am going to need a good local guy for some rock and fish. Are there any good online listings for saltwater aquarium stores? Or does anyone happen to know somewhere near or around Orlando that they could recommend?
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Dec 17, 2010 20:28
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Melchior posted:I siphoned my tank yesterday and the top layer of sand was clumped up with dead algae. Needless to say I got a lot of sand in the siphon. Is it possible to put that sand back into the tank after a freshwater rinse? I vigorously stirred it under the tap to remove as much of the detritus as possible until the water pretty much ran clear. I was thinking of doing one final rinse with RO/DI water to get as much of the impurities out as possible. Would this do any harm to my tank? An aside question to this as my tank is just about to go under way. Do I need to constantly clean my sand (every month or so)? I've read where snails (and other cleaning fish/crustaceans) will take care of algae (that isn't growing in my refugium) and other decaying biologicals. Not to mention is disrupting the natural process of phosphates and nitrogens breaking down. I'm also thinking of creating a small anaerobic layer to my tank.
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Dec 30, 2010 16:32
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It really depends on how you plan on setting up that 70/90g aquarium and how big your budget is. If you have the money and time to buy everything all in a weekend and get it going within a month or so then by all means start tinkering with the small tank, but from what I'm experiencing now there is a lot of setup and detail that needs to be taking setting up a tank of about 90g. I don't think waiting till the last minute is a smart idea and I would agree with Ludnix on starting to plan out your aquarium after the move. Especially if you plan on keeping corals in the 90g and if it will be RR or not, you're looking at well over 1,000$ in setup costs w/o any fish or corals added to the cost easily.
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Jan 3, 2011 18:41
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Internet Explorer posted:I think sunlight hitting your tank is generally advised against as it can cause a lot of extra algae growth. Not sure if that is causing problems for you or not? Also, that is a great idea on the scale. I think some people do by volume. The one thing I would do because I'm paranoid is at least measure the mixed water any time you switch to a new container of salt. Doesnt this aslo depend on how much biomass your system can process? His system looked pretty well established and a nice sand bed. I bet with a decent skimmer he could filter algae production from a few hours of sunlight, right? @revmoo- What size tank/dimensions are you running there?
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Jan 5, 2011 03:35
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revmoo posted:65 gal, 3 feet wide 2 feet tall, 18 inches deep. Sump is 20/30gal I can't remember. It's got a Euro Reef skimmer which works fine but a pain in the rear end to adjust. Also running 4x 39w t5 lights so if there was going to be an algae problem it would have already happened. Do you use your refugium to hold more bioload/grow micro algae or anything of the sort? Does anyone have any experience with either the Reef Octopus (rio 1400 pump) or the Urchin Pro (OTP 1000 pump) model skimmers? Dono fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Jan 5, 2011 |
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Jan 5, 2011 17:06
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edited. DP
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Jan 5, 2011 17:30
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revmoo posted:My concern is that light from the fuge will bleed out into the room which I definitely don't want. Does your cabinet have an open bottom or something? ludnix posted:Octopus skimmers are fantastic. The Aqua-C urchin can vary in preformance a lot, just like the remoras. Thanks a bunch, I've really heard both sides to the story on either of them. I think the final decision came today when I got my exact dimensions I'll have for the cabinet I'm keeping my sump in and the Urchin needs an additional 6" to remove and clean the collection cup. Which I could definitely not afford. I have another question: = I'm making a 4" DSB in my 90gal. That's a lot of sand, so what I'm wondering is do I need to use 100% live sand? Or do I just "seed" it? I'm using 0.5mm-0.125mm size sand to create the bed. = Should I use my LPS for live sand or are there outlets to explore online that are noted as reliable for good quality live sand? Dono fucked around with this message at 00:19 on Jan 6, 2011 |
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Jan 6, 2011 00:00
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arioch posted:Deep sand is colonized by bacteria that is different from shallow bed bacteria, so it doesn't matter if your sand is "live" when you buy it. How much seeded sand do I need to fill the top layer? 1"? 0.5"? O just enough to cover a section or two and let it spread?
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Jan 6, 2011 16:24
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Melchior posted:I've got to replace the flooring in the room my tanks are in, so I've been trying to think of a good way to move the tank without disrupting too much. I'm thinking of moving the live rock with corals into my saltwater mixing bin temporarily, and putting the fish in a bucket. Once I get the tank moved I will put everything back in so it runs normally until I finish replacing the floor. Does anyone have any special considerations I should be thinking about? I don't have any spare heaters except one for a 10g tank, so maybe I'll fill that up with some clean water for a bit. You are in luck! I was shmoozing the newbie forums on RC and stumbled upon this thread with 4-5 different guys going through the same issue you are. Hopefully this will give you some help on how to remove and store your corals/fist/etc. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1955682
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Jan 6, 2011 20:57
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And so it begins! Just picked up my 90gal RR tank this morning and I start building a wood finished DIY stand off ReefCentral tomorrow! Just bought/tagged up 80lbs of some nice Hatian/Fiji (I got one really large shelf that looks beautiful) rock that I'll pickup in a week or two (my girlfriend will kill me if I cure it myself and stink up the apartment  ) -R24 refugium from Precision Marine -Reef Octopus skimmer w/ OTP 1000 pump
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Jan 6, 2011 22:20
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Internet Explorer posted:Congrats! I picked up my 90g RR tank a few weeks ago and have been watching Craigslist for equipment. Got some great deals so far. Just need some powerheads and an RO/DI filter, which I am going to get new. Then live rock and sand and that's it. I am also about to start the DIY stand this weekend. I guess we'll see how it goes. Once I get my stand going I'll start taking pictures. I'd be interested to see how yours will turn out as well  I'm skipping the RO/DI system for now. I just dont have the ability in my current apartment. Maybe in 2 years when I can move somewhere better I'll set something up.
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Jan 6, 2011 22:38
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Can anyone recommend a good all-in-one test kit and a good hydrometer? There are so many out there on the market I'm a little overwhelmed. I don't want to limit myself to electronic devices but I'm trying not to go overboard on spending (no more than 75-100$ for it all).
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Jan 7, 2011 22:54
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arioch posted:What do you need to test? I don't really like any of the all-in-ones, instead I just buy the Salifert box for whatever I need to test (which is nothing, right now, since I have a Hanna for alkalinity and don't really need to care about any of the other stuff). Ammonia, pH, Nitrates, Alkalinity, Calcium, and salinity. I'm also not sure if it's worth getting an instrument to determine heavy metals if present in the water (I know it's a rarity, but a pretty big detriment). I'm also using a 4" DSB so Im not sure how much a heavy metal will affect me unless in large quantities?
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Jan 8, 2011 03:03
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Okay so I'm in between a few different 6 bulb T5 lighting setups,but I'm torn between those with and without LED moonlight setups. is there a huge difference I may see in my corals health other than just aesthetics by using the LED moonlights?
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Jan 13, 2011 22:03
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arioch posted:Moonlights are a waste unless you plan on looking at poo poo at night with the lights off. Thats all I needed to hear.
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Jan 14, 2011 04:35
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Just going to use the reefcentral form to make things easy. Size of tank: 75 Age of tank: Not yet running Sump: 20gal Skimmer: Reef Octopus 4 nitrate: N/A ammonia: N/A temperature: N/A but heaters/chillers have already been accounted for Water source {ro, ro/di, tap}: RO/DI and I've already pre-tested my source. Salinity: [eg, 1.024] N/A Alkalinity: [eg, 8.3] N/A Lights [mh/T5/LED, other]: IceCap Reef Illuminations6 x T5 & LED Combo Calcium: [eg, 420]: N/A Magnesium {eg, 1500]: N/A So I'm trying to figure out some livestock for my tank. I am a newbie (first tank), but I've been taking my time. I really don't want to kill any fish/inverts because of something I could have prevented. I would like to include some of the following in my tank: = 3 to 4 small fish who are reef friendly = a few small sps/zoa frags (I'd like to try and grow something from the beginning and really start on my own instead of buying colonies. dumb move?) Any suggestions? Or maybe something I need to alter with my setup? What Kind of water flow will I need (I have two Hydor Koralia Magnum 5 powerheads a friend gave me and work great)?
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Jan 16, 2011 23:42
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I was going to use a Danner Mag-drive 7 for my return pump. Not sure if this might be too much power or not? I only need like 450 gph. Maybe the Mag-Drive 5? I don't want to create too much flow through my sump do I? Also, any help with stocking the tank would be very appreciated. Corals especially. I'm sure I can figure out fish one I know which are compatible with what I want.
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Jan 17, 2011 00:28
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If you can confirm they are aiptasia then I'd suggest peppermint shrimp. Those aiptasia will multiply like a wild fire if you dont take care of them and they aren't pretty.
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Jan 20, 2011 08:55
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So I ordered 160 lbs of fine sand from MarcoRocks, I may or may not use it all (making a 4" sand bed), but how much "live sand" would I need to seed this properly? I was wondering if one-two 20lb bag would be good and just let it cycle for a while?
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Jan 21, 2011 18:20
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arioch posted:Just get a couple cups of sand from local reefers, don't bother with bagged stuff. A few cups will really do the trick? And how quickly will 75 lbs of dry rock seed with like 10-15 lbs of live rock?
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Jan 22, 2011 21:55
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RndmCnflct posted:If you want to seed your tank with a lot of biodiversity you don't need large quantities of anything, you need large diversity of input. Get a single cup of live sand from 3 or 4 different people and that will be enough to seed your sand bed. Get pound pieces of live rock from a few different places and that will be enough to seed the rest of your virgin rock. Even better, cozy up to your LFS and get a few pieces of live rock rubble that are fresh off the plane and not yet cured. Thanks a bunch! I shmoozed at my lfs today and hopefully can go back and grab some rubble in the next week.
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Jan 23, 2011 01:28
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I think I may have asked this differently but I'm still not sure about it. Test kits. Right now I only need the basics, but a month or so down the road Ill need mag/cal/alk tests. Should I buy a master test kit with all included? Ore they reliable compared to the individual kits? Brand of kit? What is the best way to aquascape? Some type of reef-safe mortar? Brands of glue/mortar?
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Jan 24, 2011 18:31
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Well I don't know why I havent noticed this already, but apparently the predrilled holes in my overflow at two different sizes. Is this normal? one is 1 1/4" and the other is 1 1/2". Is there a reason for this, or is my tank the retard of the lot? This is my first time plumbing a reef tank myself.
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Jan 25, 2011 18:38
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What do you think? This are my aquascapes. Sorry for the lovely cell phone pic, I left my nikon charger at my parents house over break. 1.0  1.1  Which do you like best? Dono fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Jan 26, 2011 |
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Jan 26, 2011 05:22
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I also just realized that my apartment doesn't have a GFCI outlet, is there an alternative to installing a while new socket? Like a external surge protector-type device? Is something like this (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202510258/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) appropriate?
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Jan 26, 2011 05:57
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Sorry for the lovely cell phone pic, but my nikon is still dead   Live rock goes in tomorrow as well as the water, and I'll hopefully finish the plumbing tomorrow night!
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Jan 29, 2011 07:11
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Will having my LED moonlights on while cycling promote unwanted growth or algae blooms? They are pretty dim.
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Feb 1, 2011 00:16
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So I have all of my plumbing done, but in my overflow the drain pipe keeps losing suction and draining, then filling back up and it repeats this process on its own. There are no microbubbles that I can see, but could this be a leak somewhere i nthe piping? I put a small tubing down the pipe and it helps but still gargles a little out of the tubing. Any advice will help!
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Feb 2, 2011 00:37
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fanaglethebagle posted:Is it a durso? If it isn't, make it one and it should help you control the gurgling. It's not and unfortunately I've glues all of the piping. Is there a way I can drill a hole on the top, slide tubing in the small hole and seal it?
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Feb 2, 2011 01:12
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fanaglethebagle posted:Yes, make sure that the tube is thick enough to not make an annoying whistling sound. It is, thanks a lot. I have to say how much you learn the first time around building your own tank. What an experience.
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Feb 2, 2011 01:17
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The tube into my drain worked to clear up the noise, but my water level inside my drain keeps dropping and then raising from the tanks water level to just to the opening of the drain. Any idea on what could cause this?
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Feb 2, 2011 02:27
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Internet Explorer posted:Could you post a picture of your plumbing? It sounds like maybe the drain is too large for the overflow? My camera is broken still. I could probably have my gf take a picture later and I'll post it, but the dimensions for the overflow are 5x10x18, 1" drain and a 3/4" return. My overflow setup and sump setup. 
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Feb 2, 2011 17:07
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So I've limited the problem to the size of my air intake at the top of my drain pipe. I'm going to adjust the size of the intake and report back. I'm sure this will take a lot of tweaking. Update: So I increased the size of the tubing into my drain pipe, and the flushing stopping in my overflow, but I have a small gargling noise coming from my air intake. Is that because the intake is not large enough? Dono fucked around with this message at 20:55 on Feb 2, 2011 |
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Feb 2, 2011 20:40
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revmoo posted:Also, how loud are we talking here? I mean, no tank is going to be totally silent. It should be a relatively quiet and steady waterfall sort of sound, but it won't be silent. Then I'm good. It's a pretty low gargle, that you can only hear if you are right up next to the tank. revmoo posted:What kind of overflow kit did you get? I didn't buy a kit, the overflow was pre-built into my tank w/ bulkheads, baffles, etc.
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Feb 2, 2011 22:32
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 Here's the final aquascape for my tank. Suggestions on rock movement or powerhead placement?
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Feb 5, 2011 00:10
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Hypnotized posted:I like it, but not the little rocks in front. I would move those to the sides. Yup you were right, I found some nice spots for them to go and was able to move my powerheads in a more appropriate location. Does anyone have experience with Dry rock being seeded with live rock?
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Feb 5, 2011 01:53
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Yup I've added a lot of good nasty LR, and I wont be putting in my first livestock for about a month. doing weekly WCs also. Not to mention I did this on a tight (reefkeepers version of tight ha!) budget, so I don't think I'll want to waste a lot of money killing livestock.
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Feb 5, 2011 16:34
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Hypnotized posted:Don't do water changes while you are cycling your tank. at all? With all this dry rock my cycle could be well over one month.
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Feb 6, 2011 00:21
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Is there a level my nitrates should be at once I'm done cycling, or does that depend on my bioload? Right now I'm reading: Ammonia- 0 Nitrate- 0 Nitrate- 5-10ppm Been up for about two weeks. Edit: I know for most corals and inverts the nitrates should generally be below 20ppm, and excess should be skimmed or controlled in the sand bed. Dono fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Feb 6, 2011 |
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Feb 6, 2011 22:09
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