Total Eclipse?
I have an 8 day old, 12 gallon Eclipse tank with a single Ocellaris Clown,  8.5 lbs live rock and 1 to 2 inches of live sand. I bought this for my son but I have already fallen in love with it.
<Not hard to do!>
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are all zero and have been for the 3 days that I've been measuring.
<Hmm- if this tank is 8 days old, you will almost certainly see some ammonia/nitrite spikes soon...Please keep this in mind!>
The clown wouldn't eat for the first 5 days so there is a large buildup of uneaten food on the sand so I vacuumed the tank this afternoon, trying to be gentle not to disturb the sand. Within hours, the previously pristine sand turned brown everywhere I that I had vacuumed. Now I'm concerned that I have disturbed the bacteria in the substrate. Is there any cause for alarm? What
can I do to clean this up and prevent future problems?
<Well, it sounds like it might be that there was some organic materials in the sand bed that, once exposed to light, became a perfect substrate for algae growth...Only a theory- but a good possibility, IMO>
I also have noticed a type of hairline green algae growing all over the live rock. Is this most likely and "good" or "bad" algae?
<Well, the vast majority of algae are not "bad"- they are merely unattractive to our aesthetic sensibilities! They do perform a valuable function within closed ecosystems. The just look like crap! "Hair algae" is considered a nuisance because it can overgrow more desirable inverts.>
I upgraded the light on the eclipse to the 36 watt Custom SeaLife Supernova 32 50/50 10K and Blue Actinic).
<A nice choice for this tank. A more "capable" lighting package!>
I have learned so  much in the past week mostly be reading as much as I can from this fabulous site. Thanks for the help!!
Jim
<Glad to hear that, Jim! Hope you keep learning and enjoying the site!>

- Setting Up a New Tank -
Thanks for your time
I have had a 50 gal fish only tank successfully running for 5 months now. I bought a house in June and inherited a salt water tank with no experience.  Tank was a mess, fish had bad fin damage and overrun by algae. I took the fish to a store to hold and gutted the tank. I have been using an emperor 400 and emperor 280 for filtration and do have a sea clone protein skimmer and put in just one 8 pound live rock. Substrate is a mixture of crushed coral and live sand. Everything else is fake, plants and tufa rocks. Tank cycled for 5 weeks till had no ammonia or nitrite and all other tests were acceptable before I reintroduced the fish. I have been doing 25% water changes every 4 weeks and topping off daily.  Water tests stable and all in acceptable ranges.  Everything seems to be fine, fish look much healthier then before. First question:  do I need any other equipment for this fish only tank? <I'd consider a better protein skimmer, some power heads for improving circulation inside the tank, and much more live rock.> Purchased a 125 gallon 6 foot long tank to be predominantly a reef set up with low fish stocking.  I wanted an expert opinion on exactly what type of equipment I will need to run this size tank efficiently.  I plan to cycle the tank per your articles using live rock and live sand.  I am in no hurry to get this up and running I am more concerned about having all the proper electrical equipment in place before adding anything live to the tank.  I have a ton of patience and want to build this tank as correct as humanly possible. Your professional opinion would be greatly appreciated.  Please be specific and detailed if possible, I am truly an amateur when it comes to equipment and some of the verbage used to describe them. <I'm afraid this is the type of thing that would take pages of email and I simply can't spend the time to go into such elaborate detail. Your best bet, especially if you have the time is to go through the myriad articles in Wet Web Media and then the attached FAQs - your questions are not unique and have been asked before, the answers are archived within for your perusal.> Thanks again
Scott
<Cheers, J -- >

- Moving to a New Tank -
Hello,  I am soon going to be setting up a 125 gallon tank for salt water.  I currently have a 35 gal hexagon salt water tank.  After proper cycling, I will be moving the inhabitants of my 35 gal tank to the 125.  I have a sebae anemone and 2 rock anemones.  Could you please inform me of the proper lighting requirements and set-up.  I would rather use the tank hood and fixtures that came with the tank instead of the halide system, if possible. The hood has 4 3 foot bulbs, I believe.  Can any lights be purchased for this set-up that would be affective for my anemones. <Hmm... really, these animals need intense lighting and fluorescents, even VHO or PC will not cut it in the long term. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlgtganthony.htm > I also have 2 mushroom rocks.   Oh, and also, one more question --- I really do not wish to use sump filtration. <It's your best option - increases overall system volume.> Would 2 Emperor 400 filters (with bio-wheels) and a separate protein skimmer be adequate filtration? <That would work, but wouldn't be my first choice.> If not, any suggestions? <Stick with the sump.>
Thanks so much for your time.
Leah
<Cheers, J -- >

Goby/Shrimp Associations: Is 3 A Crowd?
Hey, I know the 2 things I'm going to ask are completely opposite but I would appreciate a response...
<I'd be happy to...Scott F. with you today>
I just got my 55 gallon tank yesterday and I was curious as to what HOB filter you would recommend -- I was thinking of the Penguin 330 since it can  handle up to 55 gallons and it Isn't too expensive.
<The Penguin is a fine filter, although I would be inclined to recommend a protein skimmer as well. There are hang on the tank varieties out there. Whenever you are utilizing a mechanical filter for your primary filtration, I encourage you to clean/replace the media often, so that accumulated organics trapped within the media do not degrade water quality>
My second question has to do with gobies.
I saw a website, http://www.aquaticretail.com , I believe, selling pairs and trios of Yashia Hashe gobies---if I got the kind of shrimp that bonds with the goby, would the gobies fight over who gets to watch the shrimp?
<It all depends, many times, it's one shrimp to one fish, but I have seen a number of associations between two gobies and one shrimp. Generally, this seems to occur in mated pairs of gobies, but I suppose other "arrangements" are possible.>
Thanks in advance. Mike
<Glad to be of service, Mike! Regards, Scott F>

Tank Upgrade (12-22-03)
Hi Cody (or Bob?)<Cody again today!>
I was thinking of moving my old tank now(25gallon) to a new tank which is 180 gallon, <Very good idea!>  which kind of filtration should I use? wet/dry, ok?,  <I would go with live rock and a powerful protein skimmer.>
Can you tell me where to get information about in detail setting up a wet/dry filter? <Yep right here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm.>
Possible to do it my own? Please help me on it, thanks! <Yes it is possible to do on your own but very helpful if you had a knowledgeable buddy that would be very helpful!.  Good luck, Cody!>   
Seng

Sounding board 12/16/03
Hello everyone, great site here, its very helpful.  
<thanks kindly. Anthony>
I just wanted to run this buy you and tell me if this will be ok.  I have a 220g tank with a 100g sump, everything is plumbed down to my basement.  I have 300 pounds of live rock for the display, non in the sump yet.  Their are 6 MaxiJet 1200s in the tank, an Iwaki 100 for the return, a PM bullet 2 skimmer powered buy an Iwaki 55, an ETS 800 powered buy a little giant #4, and a LifeGuard 25 watt uv.  
<your electricity provider loves you <G>>
This was intended to be a reef one year ago, but now is going to be a predator tank. If possible, I would like to have a dogface puffer, lionfish, green bird wrasse, FoxFace, a clown, Blueline, Picasso, and niger triggers, and possibly add a few condy anemones just for something different.  
<too many fishes (look up their adult size in fishbase.org) and the anemones simply do not work here... they will be mauled by the puffers and or triggers, perhaps out of curiousity of nothing else>
Do you think this system will work, and will these fish be ok together.  
<if you eliminate the grouper and perhaps the messy puffer (plus the anemones) you may be fine>
My other question is I have 3 blue wave 1 400 watt metal halides on the tank.  
<way too much light here bud>
I know it is very extreme for a fish only tank, but it is 30 inches deep, and I also like the shimmer of MH.  
<with the high nutrients of this heavy/large fish load... plus the excess light over this tank, you will have algae problems>
My only concern was maybe an algae problem down the road.  
<huge>
Right now it has 20,000k Radiums in it, but it is a little much blue for me.  Any suggestions on bulbs that might cut back the blue but still make my fish and coralline algae look bright and colorful.  Just for the record I also have a 50 gpd ro unit with a float valve in the sump for topping off, but I still plan on dripping kalkwasser for good coralline growth, plus I've heard it helps with unwanted algae.   Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks for your time and help.
<as per above... best of luck. Anthony>

Assuring A Good Start!
Hello Everyone,
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
First I want to say that your site is the best thing to happen to the thousands of aquarists out there.  I have been doing research all over the web and in numerous books for over a month now, and by far your website is the best.
<Really glad to hear that! We have a super bunch of people working on this website every day to share their experiences with you!>
I found a LFS nearby that is family owned.  All the employees here have an average of 10 years experience with marine aquariums (including their own at home).  Their specimens look very healthy and are all vigorous, unlike the specimens at the chain stores around here.  I have been to this store several times and have always found the fish to be very healthy.  Not even  a fin out of place!  They don't seem to be trying to sell me a lot of expensive stuff that I don't need.  
<Glad to hear that! Sounds like a great store...>
They even matched your site's advice that wavemakers are not so good, better to create turbulence with intersecting power head streams.  What I mean to say, is that they seem quite knowledgeable and honest.
<Excellent!>
I have changed over my 56g. show aquarium (30X24X18) from a freshwater to a marine aquarium.  I have changed all the water and substrate (to aragonite's?], medium grade), and added a whole bag (==>50g) of Instant Ocean.  I kept the Aquaclear filter after rinsing it extremely well.  The whole thing is now agitating with the Aquaclear and two large powerheads.  For cost reasons I chose to wait a few weeks to add 25 lbs live rock (there is currently a lot of ocean rock in there (30lbs or so) that was previously live rock [as the previous owners of this aquarium system had a marine aquarium going then tore it down].  I plan to let this all age for a few days while checking salinity before I add livestock.
<Definitely a good practice. However, if you think of your live rock as "livestock" (and it does contain lots of living organisms), you'll really want to coddle it, too. I would not add any fishes until ammonia and nitrite peak and return to zero.>
Question: I want to have tank-raised false percula clowns in my aquarium.  I have been told and have read all over the place that several tank-raised perculas can co-exist peacefully in the same tank.  
<They can, if they are all of similar size, and added at the same time>
The fellow at the LFS stated that I could put 3-4 of these fish in the aquarium to cycle it because they are very hardy. That sounds like an awful lot.  I'm thinking 2, three at the most.
<I'd avoid cycling a tank with fish altogether. The abundant organic material on the live rock will help "fuel" the bacteria and assist with cycling the tank!>
I eventually want to have a reef aquarium (6 months down the road) but for now it will be a FOWLR.  Do you think that is too much of a load for a new un-cycled aquarium?  Also, I have no wish to have damsels in my aquarium.  Just nice peaceful guys.  List: Couple of false perculas, royal gramma, lawnmower blenny, cleaner goby, peppermint shrimps, bumblebee snails. These will be added gradually over the next 6 months.
<Sounds like a nice stocking plan. I'd add these fishes gradually, and call it a day. You'll have a nice mix of colors and behaviours.>
I eventually want to have some reef inverts so I don't want any aggressive fish, large fish, or invert eating fish.  Protein skimmer has been ordered (Bak Pak 2, can't afford those super pricey jobs that are 200 bucks plus).
<The Bak Pak 2 is a well-made skimmer with a good long-term reputation...Just make sure that it cranks out a couple of cups a week of dark skimmate, and you'll be in great shape!>
I just want to confirm after a month of exhausting research :) that I will not overload my aquarium.  I want to have a lovely, healthy aquarium.
<And you certainly will, if you are disciplined and stick to your stocking plan...>
Thanks so much in advance!  Keep up the good work everyone!
Elise, Medical Student
<Glad to be here for you, Elise! Good luck, and feel free to call on us again if you have any additional questions! Regards, Scott F>

- New Tank -
Hi Guys,
Won't take up your time, much. Great site. Got rid of all of my reef equipment last year when trying to sell my house. House never sold and I want my tank back.
I set up a 55 gallon reef several years ago and went thru a lot of learning the hard way. (yes, I tried to make a skimmer from a plastic coke bottle. Damn that Moe!) Thought I would ask you guys to check for any major errors before I make them with my new set up.
I have a 72g bow front-with overflow thru bottom (no more siphon boxes and j tubes!!) I will make the stand and hood.
I have a 29g to use as a sump/refugium. Unlike my last tank, this one will not have a wet/dry. I will let the 90lbs of live rock in the tank take care of most of the biological activity. The sump will be divided roughly into three areas divided by Plexiglas inserts: first, is the overflow collection area where the protein skimmer will be. Maybe some bags of carbon, Phosguard, etc. Second section will be the collection area to return water to the tank. Pump is ViaAqua 3600 which is rated 1057 gph at 10ft. Third section is refugium area with 4-5 inches of sand and small pc lights operating opposite to the tank's. <That's not much of a refugium... any chance you can make this larger?> I will have some plants in here for exporting phosphates, etc. I am not sure what the flow rate into the refugium area should be and how best to get the water from the central sump area to the refugium. I hesitate to add another small pump and am even more hesitant to tap into the main tank return line.
For the protein skimmer, I plan to use the Turboflotor 1000.
For lighting for the main tank, I intend to use 1 x 175 Ushio 10k and 6 x 55w PC bulbs mixed in actinic and 10K.
In my past tank, my water was really polished by a canister filter in addition to my wet-dry and protein skimmer (Amiracle hurricane, never got much from it.) No canister this time just live rock, protein skimmer, chemical bags in sump, and DSB in refugium area. Any concerns here? <Just what I mentioned before... the intended size of your refugium. A DSB of this type is going to have very little impact on the chemistry of your tank.> Idea is to have more micronutrients, food particles, copepods (grown in new refugium area!), etc. floating around and not removed immediately.
My goal is for 90 gal of live rock, 10-12 hard corals, 30-40 inches of fish, clams, shrimp, etc. <That seems like a lot of fish.>
Tank itself will have no substrate, just rock on glass. Return water will deliver into tank thru two 3/4 inch ball socket tubing. No other motion in tank. <This may present problems too... will likely need some power heads in the tank to augment the circulation, get rid of dead spots.>
For algal control in tank, 40-50 turbo grazers and a few hermit crabs for detritus. <This number seems high, and as a clean-up group these aren't really that reliable... do consider some other options: urchins, algae eating fish, etc.>
Water to be done by off-brand 75 gpd ro/di unit.
Salt is Reef Crystals. Calcium maintained by Kent Marine Kalkwasser and Seachem's Reef Calcium, Iodide, and Strontium delivered via Aqua doser. pH is maintained with Seachem's Reef Buffer and Reef Builder products. Carbon is Matrix brand. Any chemical brands that you don't like or, on the other hand, especially like to recommend? <Not really, but will chime in on the doser idea... not sure this will properly dose the items you list in useful amounts. I would plan on adding calcium, iodine, and strontium individually and with testing to make sure these are actually needed. Especially the strontium... should be in adequate amounts if you stick to a regular water change regimen.> Partial water changes would be about 5 gallons every two weeks.
If you see any gaps, flaws in the above please let me know. Basically, I am starting from scratch here and can use any products, designs that I want within my means. Tank and lights are already purchased or otherwise on hand. <Sounds good for the most part. If I were you, I would not etch these plans in stone, but be prepared to flex and change... work out the kinks.>
Thanks for your time and great website.
Mike
<Cheers, J -- >

-Upgrading from a 20gl to a 75gl-
Hi All, <Hi there, Kevin here>
I've kept a 20 gal saltwater tank for about a year and a half now.  I recently found a deal and purchased a 75gal glass tank with Oak stand and canopy, for 175 bucks!!!! <Nice deal!>  I've mapped out the filtration and water circulation system and wanted to pass it by you guys to see what you think or improve on. <Will toss in my 2 cents.>
For circulation I'm planning on a closed loop system similar to the one you described in "Plumbing a Water Return Manifold -goodbye power heads!" Using a mag 7 pump, with 6 outlets on it. <I did something similar to this>  For the filtration I'm planning on getting a CPR CS90 overflow feeding into a 20gal sump, <My personal preference is towards the u or j tube style overflow boxes, do a search on these CPR ones, they can be problematic.> that will house a AquaC ev-120 skimmer. <Good choice> I couldn't go bigger with this, there's no more vertical room. From there I'll have a 10 to 15gal refugium that is higher
than the sump to have a gravity overflow back into the sump. The refugium will have a deep sand bed and LR rubble, with a 36 watt pc light.  This will all be returned to the tank with some 500gph submersible pump.  Haven't decided which one yet.  <Mag pumps by Supreme are a good bang for your buck for a decent submersible> The lighting would be 4x65 watt PC light.  I'm not planning on keeping any light intensive corals in the short run. I can always upgrade that later.  The tank itself will have about 80 pounds of LR and 4 to 5 inches of LS and a bag of crushed coral for texture. <Skip the texture, check out Bob and Anthony's book Reef Invertebrates and other sources for info on sediment particle sizes and why you wouldn't want a bunch of cc in there.>  So what do you guys think?  Is there anything I could improve on? <The comments should speak for themselves, if you have any other questions feel free to hit us back! -Kevin>
Thanks
Jon

How to Double the Cost of Your Hawaiian Honeymoon--New SW Tank (12/11/2003)
Hello and thanks for a great site, <Steve Allen at your service tonight. It's a labor of love for the entire crew.>
My wife & I were planning on starting a freshwater aquarium after our honeymoon in Hawaii.  <Congrats on your wedding. My wife and celebrated 20 years next summer. My how time flies! I wish you two a long & happy life together.> Three guesses where this is headed...  Needless to say after all the snorkeling, I wanted to go  saltwater.  I went to my LFS half hoping they would talk me out of it, instead they handed me a copy of CMA and said "read this and youšll be fine!" <Now that was a more expensive honeymoon than you planned! This addiction--er, hobby--will cost you more than the trip did soon enough.>
Now more money than I care to admit later, I have a few questions about my new setup. I have a 65gal (36x18 floor), 1-1.5" crushed coral, 100lbs "dead rock," 40 lbs live rock, Remora skimmer <a fine product> (w/MaxiJet 1200),  Emperor 400, 2 powerheads for circulation (Powersweep 228 <not a very good reputation for quality--will need to be cleaned frequently.> and Maxijet 600) and 2 x 96watt powercompacts for lights (1 - 10,000, 1  - actinic) <nice lights>.
Quarantine tank is 10gal with glass bead floor/ acrylic hiding places, Whisper hang on filter and a bubbler. <1,000 kudos for going this route. The sad stories on this site from those who chose not to quarantine are legion.> Inhabited by 3 Domino Damsels. <Are you really sure you want these meanies? Read about Damsel aggression on WWM. Dominoes are among the meanest. What are your ultimate plans?>
First the simple questions:
I find the lighting too blue, can I switch the actinic to a 50/50?   I will not be growing corals, but would like feather dusters and maybe an anemone. <Please don't buy an anemone. Very difficult to keep. Most die. Needs even more light than corals. See here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm
Do I lose anything? <Not really in a FOWLR tank with non-photosynthesizing inverts. Purely aesthetic. I was initial put off by the blue too, but I would suggest you wait & see how your fish look under this light. It tends to bring out the colors nicely.>
Remora is not producing nearly the amount of scum you talk about. I get maybe an ounce a day of liquid the color and clarity of a wheat beer.  Do I not have a significant enough bioload yet for the skimmer to be productive? <Bingo! When you start adding fish, you'll get skimmate & will want to get a drier foam by adjusting.>
I read yesterday about overskimming, should I be cycling the skimmer on and off? <Overskimming is overrated. The Remora is pretty much just right for your tank. I'd leave it on 24/7>
Now for the nitrogen cycle:
Both tanks seem way ahead of schedule.  Big tank is 2 weeks in, QT is 3 weeks and Ammonia is gone, Nitrites are under .3 <aim for zero before adding fish>, Nitrates seem to have been present since the beginning. <What source water are you using? RO? You don't want to be adding nitrates with every top-off and water change.> Išve just switched to FasTest which seem much more accurate and current nitrate is at 10.  Still I am sticking to a schedule despite my eagerness. <You are wise. Patience is a great virtue that will save your animals' lives and your money.>  My curves seem way lower (topping out under 2ppm) and shorter than those in the CMA, is this again because the bio loads are so small? <Possibly> I have read that to a smaller degree the tank recycles every time the bio load increases as the bacteria build up to a level equivalent with the new nutrient level. <True. You may not have stressed the system much yet.>
Where are these bacteria? <came from the LR> In the water or on surfaces?  The quarantine tank has a serious brown slime/algae thing going on. <When cycling, you can keep light to a minimum. Give this time and don't over nourish the tank. It will go away.> If I clean it off and then swap out the filter once the water clears, have I removed all the beneficial bacteria? <No> Later on if the tank is unoccupied for a month or more is it still cycled? What are those bacteria living on? <In and on the rock and the sand. On any surface the water is in contact with. On the BioWheels of your Emperor 400, on the filter media in your Emperor.>
In the main tank, I have just added some Caulerpa macro algae.  <IME it makes a real mess in the main tank. It breaks up into pieces that clog the filters & powerheads. Much better kept in a refugium.> This tank has the beginnings of the same brown algae as the QT. <Time & patience will solve this.> I figure its time to get a cleaning crew.  Commercially grouped packages seem like a lot (in numbers not necessarily $$$šs). <The one's I've seen on line are rather expensive. There are a lot of opinions out there on how many of what to have.> I was thinking of 12 Blue Leg Hermits and 2 dozen snails.  The Bumble Bee Snail (Pusiostoma mendicaria) are gorgeous, are they as effective algae controllers as the popular Astrea, Turbo or Margarita snails?  Should I mix and match or stick with one species? <These snails are all compatible and complement each other. I have no personal experience with the Bumblebees, but the others you mention do a nice job and are relatively healthy. They do tend to fall and land on their backs & not be able to right themselves. Be prepared to help them. Consider also Nerites & Cerith. Hermits are OK. Consider a couple of brittle/serpent stars, but not the Green ones because they eat small fish. Search WWM for more info.>
I apologize for throwing so many questions at you, but I am trying hard to do things right and I still seem to be making a lot of missteps, fortunately all have been minor so far, with your help išd like to keep it that way. <We all make mistakes. A goal of this site is to share experiences so that we don't all have to make the same mistakes. We can learn from those of others.>
Thanks,
Arnold Stellema
Santa Rosa, CA
<You're welcome, Arnold. Do read more on WWM about basic husbandry and such. I suggest you consider buying Bob & Anthony's Reef Invertebrates book. There's a lot of great info in there about snails, shrimps, seastars, etc. There is also a comprehensive discussion of refugia and algae. You might want to give some thought to using an CPR AquaFuge HOT refugium instead of the Emperor. It is an excellent product and refugia have many benefits.>

Salty Setup..
>Bob or crew,
First off, this is a wonderful site for aquarium enthusiasts.  I will be setting up a 140 gallon tank with live rock and live sand.  I have read on a website to place the live rock directly on the bottom first and then lay the sand.  Is this your opinion?  
>>Yes.
>Also, my tank will have an overflow that pulls water from the bottom as well as the top.  Because of this, I have thought about an undergravel filter with reverse-flow power heads for the best possible bottom skimming and for oxygenating the sand creatures.  If I do this, I will probably have only this undergravel water circulation in addition to the sump filtration circulation because I am getting close to the tolerance of a 15 amp circuit with the lighting, heating, pumps etc.  What do you think of this idea?  Thank you,  Joseph Rouse
>>Hhmm... well, I don't know that you really HAVE to worry about getting circulation through the sandbed, actually.  Water movement is important, certainly, but unless you've got a huge amount of decorations or live rock blocking good flow, I wouldn't worry about going the reverse flow U/G.  Hope this helps!  Marina

Blue, Blue, New Setup Blues?
>Hello guys and gals at WWM, my name's Jennifer.
>>Hi Jennifer, this is Marina.  A note, not just to you but to those who tend to do the same thing, we kindly request that when one sends queries that some punctuation be used, as well as proper capitalization to the best of their ability.  All this gets archived and we need it to be understandable and "read-able".  Otherwise, we're forced to re-type the whole thing, or not answer.
>I'm fairly new to the hobby.  I have a 50 gal tank now, but that's not what my problem is.  With my neighbor recently moved, I bought his 6' by 3' by 2' 275 gallon tank for a 100 dollars.
>>Wow! That's quite a buy.
>..and have been scouring the web trying to find the best way to set it up.  I know I can't just use my little Prizm skimmer and Biowheel backflow on a tank this size...
>>You are correct, though do know that what is lacking, really, is size (or better said, proper sizing).
>..and I've reached a stage of utter confusion: sumps refugiums plenums wet dry trickle - on and on and on.  I need to know what to do, what will work best for my reef-to-be, but won't be sooooo overwhelming I can't take care of it.
>>Alright, I think you'll want to keep the KISS principle in mind (Keep It Simple, Stupid - not that YOU are, that's just what the acronym stands for.. I can't post what FUBAR means here, unless we're talking 'puter terminology.. <giggle>).  So, NATURAL would be best, yes?  Yes.
>I'm thinking you guys lean towards sumps with refugiums.
>>You think correctly.
>If so, how do I physically assemble one?  Where are the how-to blueprints for dummies?
>>Honestly, those are in many, many books.  I would suggest, for a wider scale/"customer" base for reading suggestions to post on our forums at http://www.wetwebfotos.com/talk  I can recommend some books by Martin Moe, Jr. - "The Marine Aquarium Handbook - Beginner to Breeder" is a good start for someone not familiar with the mechanical aspects of creating their own systems.  However, for an actual refugium, consider looking into the ready-made products, AquaC makes some hang-on-tank models that are quite reasonably priced.  As for what you really MUST have?  An appropriately sized skimmer is a must - manufacturers provide that information with their models.  I feel a refugium is definitely in order.  Utilizing a deep sand bed, either in the refugium or in the tank, would also be beneficial.  Good information on these last two filtration forms are to be found on our site, just use the Google bar at the bottom using those keywords.
>Sincerely, Jennifer Hicks - help before I commit grand scale marine homicide.
>>LOL!  Well, just don't get started without doing the reading on these two things first - deep sand beds, and most importantly, refugiums.  You already know how important a skimmer is, so I don't think you need my help in that department.  After those issues are tackled, you can decide what you want to keep, and address your lighting.  Marina

- Algae & Setup Questions -
Hey fellas... it's been forever since I've chatted with ya... in short my tank has been doing well... ? <Ok?>
My tank is over a year old now and I am getting some algae growth.  I realize this can be good and bad.  I've browsed your website looking for answers and would like some answers from the pros (i.e. YOU).
My tank info:
90 gallon salt water
salt level 23/24
temp 25oc
front of the tank does get some indirect sunlight
2-3" of live sand ~ yep I have to fix this when I move (4 inches all around right??) <Wouldn't hurt.>
Protein skimmer
2 power heads
95lbs live rock
1 cleaner shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 pistol shrimp
15 snails, 20 blue legged hermits, 1 black brittle star 2 percula clowns, three gobies
1.  I am getting more and more 'astro turf' like green algae in small sections of my tank... but it has been spreading over the past 4 months. Can this harm my tank?? <Not all by itself... but could interfere with coral growth if you have any.> How do I get rid of it? <Near-term mostly by hand, log term by improving circulation and being cautious of overfeeding.>
2.  I have some nice burgundy encrusting algae (it's pretty hard and rough) on my liverock, power heads, filter intake, etc...  I was told before that this is healthy for my tank... Recently I've noticed a few small patches going dark green...  any ideas of what this might be?? <Another type of encrusting algae.> Perhaps it ties to my first or next question?
3.  I am also getting some 'sea weedy' looking green algae growing in a clump near the front corner of my tank.  Not sure if this is a really bad (or good?) case of question #1 or if this is a different type of algae? <Depends on what type it is... a picture would help.> My hunch would be it's a different type...  hmm, maybe it is seaweed?? <Maybe.> Is this good or bad?? <I'd like to say good, but it's wise to make sure that whatever it is, it isn't allowed to get out of hand. If it seems to be growing too quickly or in an unsightly manner, trim it back... don't wait.>
4.  At one point I had about 60 blue legged hermits, 50 snails, 2 Mithrax, and a black brittle star.  My pistol shrimp has feasted on most of my hermits (yep, I know they aren't suppose to go after hermits... but I am 100% positive it is my shrimp eating them as I have witnessed it many times... and yep it is definitely a pistol shrimp not a mantis.) <Well... would also expect a good percentage of these to just die from other causes.> My cleanup crew is now about 20 blue legged hermits, 15 snails, my brittle star, no Mithrax...  Would I be correct in saying I should ideally have one crab and snail for each gallon in my tank?? <Don't like ratios like that - I think the balance you have now is probably ok.>
Wanted your advice.  I have my tank at my parents place right now as I just moved into a new house.  I will be building my fish tank into a den in the basement by end of February.  At the time I move my tank I will be removing my predatory pistol shrimp.  I will definitely be stocking up on 'clean-up crew' at that point (i.e. more snails and crabs).  If it was you, would you be stocking up immediately to help fix a potential algae problem?? <I'd look for something larger that actually eats algae as a primary food - many fish do this.> Or would you wait until my tank is ready to go in a 'final resting spot'??? <I'd let the stuff go for a while - the arrival of different types of algae is a sign the system is gradually maturing.>
Thanks for your help guys...
Oh, while I think of it... are you a fan of the 'Marine Clean' products?? You know, water conditioners, sludge removal, live bacteria, etc... ? <Not familiar with, or have not used these products but have seen their names in print. Am skeptical of some of these types of product names that promote something 'super fantastic' that may be neither super or fantastic.> Or are these $20 bottles a waste? <If the product promises you less work on your tank, I'd mark it as suspect.> Last question, is it difficult to turn my tank setup into a 'sump setup'?  What is required? <Need a tank and a sump. Type of overflow can vary - internal overflow is best, overflow boxes work but are a compromise. Sump designs can vary greatly - should research online.> Just a hole and some seals in my tank with a smaller tank below, new filter, etc? <Something like that.>
Your response is greatly appreciated...
Dave
<Cheers, J -- >

Small Tank With Big-Time Components!
Hello again,
<Hi there! Scott F. with you>
I have continued to read through your database of knowledge and I think I know enough to be dangerous, but not enough to be a master fish keeping by any means! (Ha-ha, not even close!)
<Describes most of us! LOL>
Anyway, I think the easiest way to get good advice would be to tell you what I am thinking about doing, and have you
critique it.
<Glad to oblige>
Since I  live in a small apartment, I am only able to house a 29 gallon display tank. I plan on getting a standard wood stand and canopy that you can get at most LFS. Since the stand has a small internal storage area, I plan on using a 5 gallon aquarium for the sump. (I believe that will fit ok)
<Nifty!>
I would like to have three chambers in the sump. The first housing a TUNZE COMLINE Automatic skimmer Model # 3110/2. This will then flow over a baffle into the second chamber holding (I don't know what needs to be in the second chamber)
<How about activated carbon and/or Poly Filter?>
and then placing another shorter baffle to create
a third chamber for the return pump (Mag-Drive 3).
<Sounds great!>
Questions:
1. Should I remove the pre-filter in the CS-50 overflow to let all water / debris flow directly to the skimmer portion of the sump?
<It's okay to have a prefilter to assist in removing gross particulate before it hits the skimmer. I'm not a fan of prefilters in the overflow- better to have a "filter sock" at the bottom of the standpipe which delivers water from the overflow. Either way, be sure to clean and/or replace the prefilter material very often, or it will contribute unwanted organics to the system if particulate starts to accumulate>
2. What should I put in the second chamber...live sand, live rock,
chemical / mechanical filtration????
<I like activated carbon/Polyfilter, as mentioned above, but it's your call>
- I already have 2-3 inches of live and 30-35 pounds of live rock in my display tank.
3. Would a refugium really be necessary?
<Not necessary- but certainly a nice addition>
- If so, would the smallest CPR AquaFuge RF12 Refugium 12 (12" x 4" x 12" ) be ok for a 29 gallon tank?
<Should be fine, if you could fit it nicely>
4. I also have a small 250 GPH hang on power filter (no bio-wheel or bio-media) going into the display tank. Is this necessary or does it build up more Nitrates?
<A mechanical filter is a nice thing to have, but it is certainly not a requirement. If you are going to use mechanical filtration media, be sure to clean it regularly, as advised above. In and of itself, the power filter will not "build up more nitrates", but it can do that if not maintained regularly>
5. Any other suggestions welcome!!!!
<I think that you're on the right track...You've chosen a very capable skimmer, and it's great that you're using a sump in such a modest setup. The extra water capacity will certainly provide a greater degree of stability for your system>
Your help and advice is greatly appreciated! Regards,
Aaron
<My pleasure, Aaron...Best of luck! Let us know how things turn out! Regards, Scott F>

Small Tank With Big-Time Components! (Pt. 2)
Hey Scott,
<Hello again!>
Thanks so much for getting back to me! I really appreciate it! You are right, my system is extremely modest, but I really enjoy it! I certainly want my tank mates to have the best home they can, no matter what size it is!
<Yep- your system sounds great!>
There where just a few things I wanted to expand on if I could.
1. In my opinion, the CS-50 overflow has a poor "to sump" bulkhead
design so I have been looking into making a Durso Standpipe. You
mentioned filter socks; can you buy them?
<Lots of e-tailers offer them>
I am a little lost as to where the filter sock actually goes. Are you talking about attaching a filter sock to the end of the pipe that feeds water into the sump?
<Yep!>
So the sock would actually be in the sump water filtering out medium / large debris as it fills the sump?
<Bingo!>
2. In regards to the second chamber of my sump, you mentioned using
carbon/Polyfilter. I think that is a great idea myself, although I have heard a lot about deep sand beds to keep the Nitrates down. What is your opinion on putting 6+ inches of marine sand in the second chamber and putting one bag of carbon and possibly one bag of ammonia remover in the third chamber with the return pump (or I suppose I could lay in on top of the DSB)?
<It's all up to you, really. A remote DSB is a nice solution if you don't want the look of a DSB in the display, or have animals that can disrupt it>
3. The only other question that I have, is one that I forgot to mention in my last email! I would love to get a Jawfish because I think they are neat little fish! I see that they require about 4-5 inches of sand to burrow in. If I choose to do a DSB in the sump and a DSB in the display tank, will that cause any problems?
<Should work okay, IMO. But there might be some disruption of DSB processes in the display due to the jawfish's burrowing activities>
I have always had a hard time keeping smaller bottom dwellers alive. Could a refugium help provide small food for the bottom dwellers (i.e. Jawfish, blennies, or gobies).
<Yes it can- one of the major benefits of a refugium!>
I will certainly keep you posted with the results! Thanks again for the great advice!
Aaron
<Any time, Aaron! Looking forward to hearing how your system evolves! Regards, Scott F>

What exactly is a skimmer and its benefits?
hi team, great website - I have been keeping FW fish for 6 months with no problems - I have got a new tank it measures 39.5 x 12.5 x 12 (inches) I want to keep 1 x boxer shrimp, 2 x blue damsel, 2 x yellow tail blue damsel and either 1  x red fin shark or 1 x  silver shark or 1 x red tail black shark. 1 x sucking loach and finally!!<well bud these fish are not all marine fish, I would not advise adding freshwater fish to a marine aquarium!> 1 x percula clown.
I already have the following 2 x 240 v 50 hz reliant uno sandwich heaters - 1 x Fluval underwater filter (105 U.S Gal./h) - 1 x aqua air mini (interpret)
im going to get a digital thermometer. and the following Test kits: Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH. and a piece of live rock.
can you see any problems with this as a set up?<Yes, the fish> and what is a skimmer, and how does it work, and what are the benefits?
<Here is a link to DIY protein skimmers http://www.wetwebmedia.com/diyskimmer.htm Read the Faq's about skimmers and then you will know why skimmers are very important>
I have tried to find out and am going round in circles!!<good luck, IanB>
thanks
Jake
ps would you recommend a sand or gravel bottom or a mix?<I prefer aragonite>

Starting Up...Slowing Down...
First, thank you for taking the time to read this - and hopefully help me out.
<We'll do our best! Scott F. with you today!>
I'm attempting a mini-reef in a 55 gallon glass tank with a Coralife 48" 260 Watt(4- 65watt lamps) Deluxe series-double linear strip light. The tank is located in a sunny room but is protected by window film.
I have a mini-chiller, a double whisper filter, a bac-pak protein skimmer, and two rotating powerheads and a heater. The temp. stays between 78 and 80 degrees. I have approximately 1 and 1/2 inches of mixed live sand and aragonite; the salinity is 1.023 - 1.024, and I have approximately 30-40 pounds of live rock (I lost track).
<Sounds good so far. Just keep the filter media clean in the Whisper to avoid excessive nutrient buildup>
The tank has been up and running for over six weeks. It has cycled and the Ph fluctuates between 8.2 and 8.5; Nitrite between 0 and 0.25; Nitrate between 0 and 5.0; ammonia between 0 and 0.25; hardness is 10 and the calcium is 400.
<You're getting there...The nitrite and ammonia need to be undetectable...>
I use Tech - 1; Tech Essential Vitamins; Strontium; Reef Calcium and Reef Advantage Calcium, as per the directions on the bottles.
<Good products; do monitor these parameters, however, if you are using additives>
I use distilled water, or tap water if I'm out, and use PRIME and Aqua Plus tap water conditioner. I had placed 5 red leg hermit crabs and a small colony of button polyp in the tank. I had acclimated them as one would with a new fish on the 7th of
Nov. I purchased zooplankton to feed the polyp, and the hermit crabs dined on the brown algae that had started to grow.
<Good to hear...>
All 5 hermit crabs died within the week, but the polyp seemed to thrive.
<Well, with detectible ammonia and nitrite levels, many animals will suffer...>
Nov. 14th I placed 3 turbo snails, a red spotted Goby and a tree polyp in the tank. Nov. 16th I placed 6 hermit crabs, a sandsifter starfish, a Foxface and a mushroom coral in the tank.
<I think that you need to slow down just a bit between animal introductions. And again, please verify that ammonia and nitrite are undetectable before adding any more animals...>
By the 19th the turbo snails had died, and the button polyp was looking grim (I took it out and placed it in my hospital tank, but it looks like it has died), but the Goby and tree polyp seemed to do well, the starfish was all over the tank, and the hermits were thriving, the Foxface was settling in and eating well.
<Tough fishes...>
The mushroom coral was looking so 
Nov. 21st the starfish had died (algae was everywhere), the tree polyp no longer stretches out - it does respond a little bit to the lighting - but not much, and the mushrooms are peeling and falling off the live rock, but the Foxface, goby, and hermit crabs seem to be doing well.
<Again, it may be due to detectible nitrite and ammonia...>
Have you any idea why I'm having such problems? Both of the polyp's were within 5-8" of the surface, as were the mushrooms.
Have you any solutions? Frustrated in North Carolina.
<Well, Frustrated- it sounds like you have the makings of a very nice system. My biggest concern is the fact that ammonia and nitrite are measurable in the system. My best advice is to slow down for now, monitor water chemistry carefully. Once the ammonia and nitrite are consistently undetectable, you could perform some regular, small water changes. Make sure that your skimmer is doing a good job, and add new additions of animals at a more staggered interval. In short- just be patient-give things a little time, and your system will settle in nicely! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
Judy Durham

- Set-up and Lighting Questions -
Bob, (or JasonC if Bob's diving again)
<Bob is actually around, but you got JasonC anyway.>
I'll cut to the chase. <Ok.>
I've had a 75G salt tank for years, cycling in and out new and 'dead' fish, a few anemones, inverts, etc.  Never had much luck.  Finally decided to do some more research and realized where I had gone wrong (just about everywhere possible).  All that said, my interest in reef keeping has increased 500% since beginning my research and I want to direct all my attention in that avenue.  Problem....$$$$. <Understandable.> Tank set up is as follows: Emperor 400, SeaClone, 2 270G powerheads, 80# liverock.  I've tested all my water conditions, and they're great (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)! <Uhh... aren't there supposed to be some numbers in there?> Just invested in a test kit for Calcium and Iodine, haven't tested those yet.  Biggest concerns are lighting and water movement.  One at a time. <Ok.>
Current setup for lighting is Coralife 'End-cap ballast kit' for two triton bulbs (48" 40W Flour.), and one Blue Moon (48" 40W Flour).  What to do, what to do?  We're expecting a new baby in March, so we (wife and myself) have decided that the baby requires more financial planning than the tank.  Can we get by with the setup we have now?? <Sure... stick with the lower-light corals and you'll be fine - fish don't care about lighting either way so it really becomes an aesthetic decision. No anemones, clams, or SPS corals with this lighting, though.> Here's the kicker.  We have a good light reflector we purchased from the Dr Foster & Smith site (God-send), but the bulbs are more than the recommended 3" from water level... more like 8-10 inches. <I say no worries.> Watts per gallon, I'm pretty low.  Here's my question.  Would I be better off to get an additional 2 Tritons, or other similar bulbs to add (They'll fit, I've checked), or get rid of it all and move into a Meta Halide or PC setup? <Well... if saving money is the order of the day, then I'd stick with what you've got - metal halide will boost heat and your electric bill so you're probably better off at the moment sticking with what you've got. As I mentioned, just select your livestock carefully and you'll be fine.>  I've got new bulbs coming in to replace the ones I have, but could cancel the order if I'm thinking on switching to another setup. Costs are a big part of the picture here, unfortunately, just bad timing (for the tank, not the baby).
Water movement...  I have calculated everything out and as far as GPH rotations, I think I'm good.  I'm working into a possible wavemaker system, or that new SCWD that Foster/Smith has...  Any recommendations??
<The SCWD is a great device - you could skip the wavemaker with this and save more cash. Even so, three or four powerheads in a tank of this size would do a great deal for the circulation - the fish would respond well, and there's still no need for the wavemaker.>
Any and all help you could provide would be most greatly appreciated....
Sincerely yours,
'A Little Dim'
Thomas
Tremont, Illinois
<Cheers, J -- >

- Substrate -
Hi everyone, I love the site and spend at least a hour a day reading everything that's here you guys are just awesome. <Glad you find the site useful.> I need advice, my 180 gal reef ready tank will be here on Tuesday, I need to know if I should use sand or something else. It mostly is holding fish, but I also have 3 LTA which are doing very well eating 3 times a week and growing very very large in the last 3 months. <I take it these are in a different tank right now.> All the info. I been reading says one thing and then another so I guess what I really want to know is with the messy fish don't do a sand bed or what? <It really is just a matter of choice - anything from a thin layer of substrate to a deep sand bed will work just fine - each has its own benefits. You really need to make a decision as to what you think will work for you and your livestock. Start your research here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marsubstr.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm >
Thanks very much
<Cheers, J -- >

- Marine Setup, More Follow-up -
Cheers J
<Good morning.>
Also, I have read that its sometimes best to use a very thin layer of substrate if any at all with live rock, what's the reason for this? <In insures the rock will be sitting directly on the tank bottom. This will prevent the fish that dig under rocks from unsettling the rock work on top of themselves. It's also less likely to become a detritus trap this way - not everyone cleans their substrate as often as is really necessary.>
Do I need a source of ammonia to get the cycle going or will the bacteria on the live rock be sufficient? <The rock should get things going on its own - it's inevitable that some of the live rock fauna will die off in transport and that will provide the ammonia.>
Should I start the skimmer up as soon as I have the water and rock in the tank? <Yes, if you cycle the tank with live rock, you should most certainly use the skimmer.>
My skimmer has the facility to add a biological media to it, will this take away from the bacteria on the rock? <No.>
Much appreciated, again.
David
<Cheers, J -- >

New Marine Setup 
First of all a big thank you to the whole crew for the plethora of information I have gained from your site. I have a few questions I hope to get help with. I am setting up my first aquarium which I hope will house a mix of fix and coral. I have not established a full stocking list yet but as my families interest in this tank stems from "Nemo" it must include at least a pair of clowns and a hippo tang. I have researched this for the past 5 months and finally started purchasing hardware. The setup consists of the 
following: Tank is an Oceanic 90 gallon bowfront reef ready, Oceanic cherry stand and canopy, Durso standpipe, Euro-fill 125 sump, AquaC ev-180 skimmer with Mag 7, Iwaki md40 rlxt return pump, Aqua UV 15 watt UV lamp, Hamilton 48" retrofit light kit with 2-96 watt actinic 03 PC's and 2 Hamilton 175 watt 20,000k MH's and 1 CSL moonlight, I have two 4" fans in the canopy 1 in 1 out, and 1 4" fan in the stand blowing in. I am using an aqua FX Barracuda 4 stage RO/DI and Red Sea salt mix, I have 60lbs Marshall Island LR; 50lbs Fiji and 40lbs Kalini, I currently have 80lbs Carib sea LS and am adding another 80lbs from purearagonite.com. This tank has been setup for less than a week. I have setup the lights on a timer with the actinic coming on for 12hrs and the MH's on for 10hrs. The first question is in regards to temperature, I am currently hitting about 84.4 in the afternoon with the lights on and 83.2 in the evening. From reading your FAQs I believe this to be on the high side (keeping in mind this is San Diego In winter) and am thinking we may be needing a chiller. What would be your recommendation, cost being much less of a concern than quality? 
<If cost is not an object Aquanetics makes a very good chiller also Deltstar are pretty good. that is on the high side and would get one before summer comes> 
The second question would be, with the temp difference from my mixing cans, the sg is reading low at 1.02, what is the best way to bring this up? I have been replacing the evap water @1.5 gpd with salt water to try to bring up the sg ( I know that under normal circumstances I should use straight RO/DI). 
<that's how I would do it just do it slowly over weeks> 
Next, should I be adding a pH buffer to the RO/DI (tank is reading between 7.5 and 8.2,cheap test kit) 
<aeration helps bring up the ph naturally and would try that first> Any advice/help with these questions and the general setup would be appreciated. 
<hope this helps Mike H> 

New Fish Only Setup
>Love your site..... The Faq's have given me an overload of information though, and it always seems to be specifically tailored to each individuals tank.  So here are my questions:
I have a brand new 125 gallon glass aquarium... that I'm intending to do FISH ONLY (I like puffers and yellow tangs mostly, maybe a lionfish but probably not).  DO I use a 4 inch live sand bed AND live rock? (only) for biological filtration?
>>Not necessarily.  
>What is an adequate skimmer for my size tank?
>>The manufacturer will have that outlined based on the brand you go for.  I'll recommend Euro-Reef, AquaC, and CPR.
>Do I have the tank drilled in one of the corners and install that Richard Durso system with a sump underneath??
>>This is a good method of getting the water from the tank to the sump.
>Do I need a sump, [or] is the skimmer with lr and ls adequate with powerheads to move the water around??
>>For fish only..?  Hhh..  If you had a KICK-ASS skimmer, then I'd say yes, depending on what fishes you're housing of course.  I think what you really need are a few books.  "The Marine Aquarium Handbook: Beginner to Breeder", by Martin Moe, Jr., "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist", by Bob Fenner--two GREAT books to start off with that will REALLY help you understand and PLAN (the handbook can even help you build some of this stuff yourself) your system far better than I or our FAQs can, honestly.
>ALL of your help is greatly appreciated.  Chris
>>In a nutshell, yes, you can filter using a DSB (deep sand bed, not just live sand) and live rock, you'll need COPIOUS amounts considering the animals you mentioned.  In my opinion you might do well to utilize a refugium, either hanging on the tank or underneath.  Skimming, absolutely, righteous skimming (Euro-Reef, spendy, but WORTH EVERY PENNY) can run a system entirely.  The nutshell got big, buy hey.  Marina

New Fish Only Setup 
>Thanks for your reply... 
>>You're welcome. 
>I went to my LFS and bought the marine aquarium handbook, while I was there I was talking to one of the helpful people (read sales guy) and he told me that they could setup my system for me for 50.00 an hour. 
>>Heh.. I guess the price has gone up. I did setup and maintenance for a few years, priced either by the job or at $30/hr. This was back in 1990-93. 
>My questions after reading the marine handbook is that I still intend to go FOWLR a deep sand bed (4 inches), invertebrates, Remora Pro protein skimmer.. Sales guy at LFS still says that he recommends a wet/dry filter for this setup.. 
>>Ok. Nothing really inherently wrong with this, especially if you're not using much live rock. Nitrification has to be accomplished somehow. 
>Can you give me advice??? 
>>Since you have the book you'll be reading that nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia and resultant nitrogenous wastes, MUST be accomplished (this is also called biological filtration). Without it your animals will quickly die, especially given the action of ammonia at the higher pH levels of marine systems. HOW this is accomplished can be a matter of debate, and is very much a matter of personal preferences. Wet/dry filtration is a means of oxidation of ammonia (nitrification), the end result of which is nitrate. With me so far? What your skimmer will do is reduce the amount of DOCs (dissolved organic compounds) that will decompose into ammonia, thus leading to HIGHER nitrate as an end result. Avoid that, avoid higher nitrate. The deep sand bed will allow the creation of an anoxic region in which there will grow (VERY slowly, much more so compared to the aerobics of nitrification fame) anaerobic bacteria the further break down nitrate, partial end result of which is good old Nitrogen gas. Now, the deep sand bed can certainly also be harnessed to handle the nitrification bit, but will be better enhanced by live rock. (This also helps with denitrification.) So, my advice is to read as much as you can, including on this site, price things out (for instance, good quality live rock, at a ratio of around 1-2lbs./gallon, and the wet/dry unit), and make your decision based on the pros and cons of each and what WORKS FOR YOU. As I said, this can be rather subjective. As I also said, a wet/dry can work just fine, heck, you can go with an undergravel filter if you want to. Takes a bit more maintenance, but they DO work. Marina 

-Equipment for 125-
I have a 125gal drilled in both corners with a wet/dry filter and crushed coral bed.  it has been up and running for a month with 12 damsels in it and not quite finished cycling.  I am planning on buying or making a skimmer soon and maybe a U.V. sterilizer.  my question is what else should I get to maintain the tank and keep nitrates down. <A good start would be to change the crushed coral over to a deep live sand bed. Instead of a sterilizer, invest in a quarantine tank, it will serve you much better. Here's some links: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fishonsetup.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/QuarMarFishes.htm> it is 6ft so I have room to put a sump or other things under it.  would some live rock or live sand in a sump help. <A sump with a built in refugium containing a deep live sandbed would greatly improve the system. As far as skimmer selection, my choice would be a Precision Marine Bullet 1, and an AquaC EV-180 would be a close second.>  any suggestions to prevent problems. <Just keep on reading! -Kevin> thanks

New Setup 
Hi (Bob?), 
<Mike H> 
First let me say thanks in advance for your help. About 2 weeks ago I was looking to purchase an aquarium (birthday present from my wife). I went to a local "national" pet store, and they sold me a 29g starter system. I rushed home, and anxiously set up the new tank (with crushed coral & decorations). Not researching enough and not knowing any better I went back a few days later purchased a yellow tang (now heavily stressed from the "cycling"). I performed a water change (about 7 gallons), and also purchased a Skilter 250, about 20 - 25 lbs of cured live rock. The system I purchased has the Eclipse hood. I managed to cut the back of the hood to install the Skilter without harming the "built in" filter and have both running (the Eclipse is "rated" @ 250gph, the skilter @250gph). I also purchased 2 books, "The new marine aquarium" by Michael A. Paletta, and "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" (both are a great source of info, wished I had purchased these first). Anyway, when the Tang dies 
< tang will not die do 50% water change your ammonia is high test it every day and do water changes to bring it down> 
( appears to be only a matter of days, as it's gills are rapidly moving, along with black spots (Black spots disease?) 
<keep up on water quality and feeding right and he will come back> should I remove it or leave it to feed the bacteria? Is this too much water flow for a tank this size and should the skilter have the venturi open or should I wait until "cycling" is completed? 
<not too much water flow and yes have the Skilter running full blast> Also in reading through Michael's book, it says a 15 - 20 gallon aquarium could be setup with 1or 2 percula clowns (A. percula), 1 royal gramma (Gramma loreto), 1 or 2 common cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis), 1 brittle star (Class Ophiuroidea), 1 small hermit crab (Section Anomura), 1 to 5 feather duster worms (Families Serpulidae & Sabellidae), and 3 to 5 star shell snails (Lithopoma [Astraea] spp.) with weekly 5 to 10% water changes, plus normal maintenance. At first I thought of trying this after my tank has cycled, but then thought "This sounds like a lot of things going into a small tank". Would it be better for me to have say only 1 or 2 clowns, or could I safely follow those guidelines? 
<take it slow read more look threw past article on this web site will help you out a ton> 
I have since found a LFS that seems to be very informative and reliable and eventually I plan on purchasing a new setup (120g or so). From the information I've read, I can use the live rock from this tank to help "cycle" the new one, plus use this one for a QT (or should the QT be bigger). 
<in the search type in quarantine tanks will give you all info you need> I also thought maybe about using it as a sump, but after further reading it looks to be too small for a tank that size? I'm sorry to make this so long, but I'm finding myself with a lot of questions as I try to be a "conscientious marine aquarist". Again thanks for your help, Joe 
<good luck Mike H> 

- System Design Question -
Dear crew,
Thank you for your most excellent website.  The DIY sections have been very helpful over the past year as I have been designing/building this aquarium.
I just completed construction on my 96Lx38Wx42H (660 gal) aquarium using 1.25" acrylic.  I am now facing a point of no return - drilling holes for plumbing and I am getting cold feet.  Plumbing needs to accommodate approximately 7,000-8,000 gph of circulation. <That's a lot of circulation, will be noisy - you might consider trying to pick up some of this as 'in-tank' circulation, perhaps with some Tunze Stream pumps, rather than trying to move this amount of water through the plumbing.>
I have attached a crude drawing of my system design and am looking for some feedback. Specifically, I am planning to build overflow boxes in the rear corners using 2 x 2" stand pipes in each corner (for a total of 4 stand pipes) to feed the sump and recirculation pumps. My current plan is to drill bulkheads into the bottom of the tank for the standpipes, and 1.5" holes in the top for returns. I am concerned about noise from the standpipes and am wondering if I would be better off plumbing a single 3" standpipe in each corner vs. dual 2" pipes. <Really, the trick to the standpipe is to make is tall enough so as to create a volume of water in the overflow box high enough that water coming into the overflow doesn't have to fall that far - is the primary source of noise in the overflow. I think two 2" drains per overflow will be plenty.> Also, would there be any benefit (noise or otherwise) to plumbing through the rear wall of the tank rather than through the bottom? <None that I can think of, but also no reason to 'not' do this. Either one is acceptable.> I have also considered making the overflow boxes large enough to accommodate Durso standpipe configurations - but the boxes would need to be much larger and would further displace valuable viewing volume in the aquarium. <True, but you have some excess volume that would be well spent this way. I like to fill the overflow box with broken live rock chunks, creating yet another live rock area that sees a lot of water. Makes for a very cryptic water treatment area of the tank.>   
Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Regards
Steve
<Cheers, J -- >