FAQs on Reef Set-Up 12
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Related FAQs: Reef Set-Up
1, Reef Set-Up 2, Reef Set-Up 3, Reef Set-Up 4, Reef Set-Up 5, Reef
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Small Marine Aquariums
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Would LOVE Your Opinion On My 225 Gal Reef...
(Hee-hee...Opinions are what we do best!) -- 09/24/09
Greetings everyone at WWM!
<<Howdy Jamie'¦Eric here>>
Wishing that all is well with you.
<<Okay for a Thursday, thanks [grin]>>
I apologize in advance for the multitude of questions I pose.
<<No worries>>
I've finally got to the stage of "setting up" my 225
gallon reef tank and I'm really excited to see what you think about
it.
<<Neat!>>
As I've done much studying on your WONDERFUL site, I've planned
this according to the future inhabitants
<<Excellent>>
- Reef system with live rock/sand, mainly soft corals, some SPS
(maybe), peaceful type fishes. Here is a "thinking list" of
creatures with associated questions:
<<Okay>>
Kole Yellow Eye Tangs - will they be more territorial if I get a
"pair" or will they enjoy their lives better?
<<A pair 'might' work out, but this tank is still a bit
small for such in my opinion'¦is a gamble>>
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse - 1 male and 3 females OR Red Fin Flasher
Wrasse in the same combination?
<<Beautiful fishes, but they do suffer when kept with other
'boisterous' fishes'¦better kept when the system is
designed around 'them'>>
Blue/green reef chromis - school of 5 or more?
<<7 to 9 if you wish'¦but'¦I think a better
choice for a 'schooling' fish would be a small Cardinalfish
species. There are several choices among the more 'social'
species. A couple options might be the Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia
nematoptera), or the Longspine Cardinalfish (Apogon leptacanthus).
Aside from the fact that I find the Cardinalfishes more interesting
than the Chromis species mentioned, if careful about species selection
it my experience that losses from conspecifics aggression are a mute
point'¦unlike the so-called 'peaceful' Chromis
species>>
Yellow Longnose butterfly fish - again, I'm wondering if having a
pair would make them more territorial?
<<Another gamble I think'¦ Dr. Ellen Thayer is of the
opinion that just about any marine species available to the hobby can
be kept in pairs'¦given the right conditions/environment.
Unfortunately that often equates to just sheer volume and the size of
the system. For these 'roaming' fishes, 12sqft just does not
'equate' most of the time>>
Midas blenny vs. Linear blenny vs. starry blenny - which one do you
think will do better in this system?
<<I don't think it matters much, but any of these may prove
to be trouble for the Gobies and/or Dragonettes you have
planned>>
Goby and pistol shrimp pair - their behaviour is so interesting that I
can't go without a pair,
<<Do try to acquire as such>>
BUT is this system so big that they will disappear?
<<Maybe'¦but then I have seen this happen in tanks as
small as 20g. Despite our wishes, animals don't always take up
stage 'front and center' for our viewing pleasure>>
Pair of skunk cleaner shrimps, crabs, hermits...
<<Mmm, I'm not a fan of the Crabs/Hermits'¦ Too
opportunistic for my tastes'¦though I do think I'm in the
minority in the hobby re>>
Here is a list of I would like "with caution", and in need of
your thoughts, again.
<<Okey-dokey>>
Mandarin goby - I would wait for a long time to get them because
I've learned that my system has to be teaming with copepods for
them to be successful,
<<And best supplemented 'continuously' via an inline
plankton producing refugium>>
but I was wondering if they would not do well because of the other more
"aggressive" feeders that I've got above.
<<This is a valid concern. These slow moving feeders (ever watch
how they carefully scrutinize everything?) are easily outcompeted for
available natural foods>>
Blue throat trigger - I've heard and read some success there?
<<I kept a male/female pair in my own SPS dominated 375g reef
display>>
Are they worth the risk though?
<<Not the flashiest, but an interesting and intelligent
fish'¦and quite docile as Triggers go'¦in my
experience. A single specimen would likely be a fine choice for your
system>
Dimensions on this tank is 72"L 24"W 30"H. It will have
a Lifereef LF1 Berlin Filter Systems, the LifeReefugium, and the
Lifereef protein skimmer.
<<I see>>
For wave action, I'll be installing two gen2 Vortech propeller
pumps Mp40w --
<<Nice>>
I'm not sure where to really put them as the choices are on the
back wall of the tank versus the "left" wall so I don't
have to look at them, but I'm not sure if that will be enough flow
for this size tank.
<<Mmm, unfortunately it is not always possible to hide such (I
have four big ole' Tunze pumps in my display)'¦best to
place them on opposing walls. As for whether they are
'enough''¦time will tell>>
The lighting system I'm planning on is the Hamilton Technology
Belize Sun 6ft 250 W HQI 10K + 4x96W CF with LED.
<<Nice units>>
I like the more "natural" or in my mind
"snorkeling" type look so I think the 10K is the one that is
less blue.
<<The higher the Kelvin Temperature the more 'blue' in
the bulb>>
I did have a canopy but after trying to figure a good way to cool the
lighting system I thought it would be easier to just go without it.
<<Indeed this is so>>
I'm thinking of using egg crate so that my fishes don't jump
out to become fish jerkies.
<<Though any fish can jump from your aquarium, the Flasher
Wrasses are the only real threat re among your proposed
selections'¦and just so you know, they 'can jump
through' the ½' grid of the
eggcrate'¦especially when 'pursued'>>
I do wonder about salt creep if that water is exposed like that - what
do you think?
<<I prefer an 'open' system myself'¦ Any salt
creep is minimal (as long as you don't have a lot of
'bubbles')'¦>>
I still can go back to the canopy with a retro fit kit of the same
caliber but I have to raise it to be at least 12 or 14 inches so that I
won't melt the top of my tank.
<<Personally, I wouldn't bother with the canopy>>
I am planning on at least 4 -5 inches of live sand. The rockscape will
be extensive with lots of caves and niches covering most of the back
wall with maybe a few small islands near the front of the tank.
<<Do be sure not to overdue/to leave plenty of swimming room for
the fishes and growing room for the corals>>
I'm so excited to be sharing this plan with you as it has taken me
months of planning to settle down on this.
<<I'm happy to conspire with you>>
I look forward to reading your thoughts and suggestions for adjustments
and changes so please feel free to share your thoughts.
<<No problem'¦have done so>>
I can modify most things with the exception of the tank and Lifereef
filtration system as I've already placed an order and Jeff is
building it as we speak.
<<Ahh'¦anticipation!>>
Thanks again for making this site available for fish lovers everywhere
and thanks for taking the time.
Jamie Barclay
<<It is a collective effort'¦happy to share. Eric
Russell>>
46 gal. Bowfront Upgrade to Reef 6/22/09
Hey Crew,
< Evening >
I have been doing a lot of reading on your site lately because I am
getting ready to upgrade my 46 gallon bowfront setup to a reef.
< Excellent start. Reading and research go along way towards a
healthy aquarium. >
I don't have any livestock in the tank right now because of a
terrible outage we had recently. This is the first time we have been
out for more than an hour in over ten years so I don't think I need
to worry about that again anytime soon. But anyway back to the
aquarium. I have about 65 pounds of live rock sitting on top of about a
3 inch crushed coral sand bed.
< Crushed coral can be a waste trap. You may want to consider adding
a couple of inches of sand before it becomes a problem.>
I have 3 powerheads on a wavemaker that total 480 gph. Is this
sufficient?
< 10 Xs turnover is a minimum. I prefer about 20 to 25 Xs. >
I am thinking about getting a couple new powerheads if I need them.
< I would add at least one more or swap one for a larger powerhead.
>
As for filtration I have a remora skimmer that does an awesome job and
I also have an emperor 400 HOB filter for chemical filtration. I
considered upgrading that to a canister filter, but I would rather use
the money for better lighting.
< Save it for lighting. Canister filters can become nitrate
factories unless properly maintained. >
I am looking at a power compact fixture with a total of 192 watts.
Would this be enough to keep LPS or even SPS corals? Maybe an anemone
down the road?
< You could keep LPS under the PC with proper placement. Not enough
for SPS or anemones. I would save my money and look into a T5 fixture
with individual reflectors. Much more efficient lighting. >
If not could I just put another fixture next to it to add another 96
watts? I have enough room above the tank for that but I just didn't
know if it would work. The fish I would like to keep include 2
ocellaris clowns, a midas blenny, a Kaudern's cardinal, a purple
Pseudochromis, and a bicolor angelfish or a coral beauty -- I
haven't decided yet. Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
< Fish stocking list looks ok. The Midas blenny could become
aggressive with age and dwarf angels can be coral nippers.
GA Jenkins>
-Aaron
Expanding reef tank
Tank Upgrade, Moving on Up 6/18/2009
Hi,
< Hello!>
I have a 29 gallon reef tank with 4" sand bed, 50 lbs of live
rock, Candycane, torch, and various mushroom corals. This tank has been
running pretty well ( for about 3 yrs) and without error except for a
population
of aiptasia .Which I cant seem to get rid of..
< Even the most diligent of reefers has fought the aiptasia battle.
>
I have recently acquired a 55gal Truvu which I want to switch over
to.
< I love upgrades!>
I am very nervous about taking the sand out and moving it over
there
< I would be too. >
and if I should buy someone's live sand and rock from a similar and
well running tank to add to mine or should I just but some aragonite
and let my sand bed seed that ? and when I move my sand won't
all the detritus being stirred up stress out my corals ? I already have
the full setup and same lighting watts per gallon my 29 has. Thank you
for reading this.
< I went through the same thing about 2 years ago. After much
consideration my process was as follows::
1) New sand. I bought enough sand for the new setup and used a cup of
my tanks to seed it.
2) I added just a few pieces of "live" rock
3) I waited a few weeks for any cycle and to let the bacteria
population multiply.
4) A week before the move I did a water change in both tanks.
5) The day of the move I moved everything over. Water, corals, rock and
fish.
I used buckets and enough of the old tanks water to cover corals. I
then pumped the remaining water into the new tank.
Next I began dripping the fish. Then I added the water from the buckets
and the corals. The fish where added when the drip was done. It took me
a bit but I had no loss of life and after a few weeks I began to slowly
add more live rock to fill in a bit. I hope this helps GA Jenkins
>
Adam
Tank Set Up, Return Pump and more 6/15/09
Hello Crew,
<Hello Henk.>
I am setting up a new tank, and am having it made according to
following dimensions:
47.2*27.6*27.6 (120cm*70cm*70cm), about 150 gallon.
I chose for these dimensions because I will have a 10cm (4 inch) wooden
trim at the bottom of the display tank, and a trim of about 5cm (2inch)
on the top.
The bottom trim is meant to cover most part of the Deep Sand Bed in the
display tank.
There will be an internal overflow box in the center at the back of the
tank, with two standpipes of 2 inches.
The sump will be divided into 4 parts, with one part where the water
enters, second compartment with skimmer and Ca reactor, third part
actual sump with the return pump, and a fourth part will be a refugium
with DSB and macro algae. The refugium will be fed with water directly
coming from the display tank, with a means to control the water flow.
Water from this refugium will then flow over into the part where the
return pump is located.
<Just do be sure to run this restriction off of a T, allowing
anything that is restricted by the valve to still continue on from the
overflow line to other parts of the sump.>
I am planning to start out with some of the easier LPS, but would like
over time to focus on SPS.
Now, for my questions... Regarding the return pump, I read on your site
the determining factor for the size of the pump is the flow the
overflow can handle, and I have not been able to find how much flow two
2 inch standpipes will be able to handle safely (and preferably without
too much noise)?
<A single 2" internal diameter line will handle 1350 gph or so
without issues....this does assume there are no horizontal runs in the
overflow plumbing.>
Here in Beijing, the German Messner pond pumps are quite popular with
reef keepers (seems to be the most widely used import return pump
here), but I have not really been able to find any information on
European or American message boards or websites regarding the use of
these pumps in marine settings, so I am wondering whether or not these
pumps are a good choice. I am not sure if you have heard of people
using these pumps as return pumps?
<I have never used one, but these are submersible pumps, therefore
no "saltwater seal" needed. You will be fine with one of
these.>
As for the return into the display tank, I have the option for choosing
either 2 or 4 returns, is 4 always better than 2?
<Not always, it can be too large/too many, diffuse flow too
much.>
I plan to supplement circulation with 2 Tunze 6105 stream pumps and a
multicontroller.
<Nice!>
I am just wondering if I choose 4 returns all located at the back of
the tank, won't I have too much laminar flow, compared to when I
would choose two returns pointed towards the sides of the tank, where
the Tunze pumps will be located?
<Oh, no, just place them in the back. You can use PVC 45 deg elbows
or a product called LocLine to direct the flow from each
output.>
I am currently considering a return pump of about 2100gph. I assume
there won't be much loss, the return pump only would need to pump
about 5 feet up in a straight line, before either being divided over 2
or 4 returns.
<The loss is surprising, I would go with four 1/2" or two
3/4" returns for the flow you will end up with.>
Would you advise more flow through the sump, since the overflow might
be able to handle more?
<No, this is plenty. Other issues arise, such as noise and micro
bubble problems with too much flow through the sump.>
Finally, as to the lighting, if I want to keep my options open to have
clams and grow SPS in the tank and not only at the top third of the
tank.
Will two 150W metal halides suffice for a tank with this depth, or
should I go for the 250W lights?
<250s if you want to be able to set stuff wherever you want.>
I have been reading and learning plenty from your website, and I hope I
could run the above questions by you, since it is my first marine tank
and people here in Beijing seem to implement a method of reefkeeping
quite different from what is advocated on your website (usually with
non-flood safe overflows, apparently no DSB tanks here at all, and
heavy in-sump mechanical filtering with filter padding).
<Heee, too many people here too!>
Henk Naert
<Scott V.>
Dream Reef Follow Up -- 06/13/09
Hi again!
<<Hello Mike>>
I e-mailed you a while back with the plans for my 120x54x34h dream
aquarium
<<Ah, very nice! Some 950 gallons'¦>>
(the subject was "My Dream Reef Aquarium").
<<Hmm'¦I'm not finding it>>
I thought that you might like to know the changes I have made to the
list re lighting, current, and skimming.
<<Great!>>
I would appreciate any input.
<<Certainly>>
After really looking into it, I did decide to use four 400w MHs instead
of the ten VHO fluorescents.
<<A much better choice in 'my' opinion'¦ Better
penetration, aesthetics, bang for the buck'¦though I do think
you could have gotten by with 250w lamps and a good reflector (e.g. --
Lumenmax/Lumen Bright)>>
While the VHOs would work,
<<Mmm'¦depending, here>>
it would mean putting all of the more light-demanding corals in the top
1/3 of the tank.
<<Likely, yes>>
This is not really something that I would like to do. I forgot to
mention that in the last e-mail. I added two more of the Rio
Polarios,
<<I find these interesting units'¦but wonder if they
justify their cost. If you are of a mind, do let us know your
thoughts/observations of these units after you've had them for a
bit>>
so now there is a turnover of a little over 23 times per hour.
<<Good>>
I also decided on an ASM G-5 instead of the G-4X to go along with the
Marineland Pro 300.
<<Wise'¦ And though I think the ASM unit to be a much
better piece of gear than the Pro'¦for what you have invested
here I'm surprised you didn't just opt for an appropriately
sized quality skimmer from the start (e.g. -- Euro-Reef, H&S,
Bubble King, etc.)>>
On another note, what are your thoughts on polycarbonate as a building
material for an aquarium?
<<I don't think I have ever seen it used; and maybe
there's a reason for that? Maybe it's not 'stiff'
enough at the thicknesses commonly used in acrylic aquarium
building'¦maybe it discolors over time'¦or maybe
it's just the difference in price (acrylic appears to be about 30%
- 40% cheaper)'¦admittedly, all speculation on my part.
Perhaps this is a question better put to someone who builds such tanks
for a living, maybe you could try sending this question to Tenecor and
see what they have to say about it>>
I have looked into it a bit and have found some very mixed opinions as
well as mixed information.
<<I don't think I'm am going to clear this up for you
either [grin]>>
And on another, what would be a reasonable estimate of the weight of
this system once fully set up?
<<Figure 10lbs per gallon (don't forget to include
sumps/refugiums), and then add another 10% just for safety sake if/when
figuring load capacity/reinforcement needs of the floor where this
system will reside>>
Thanks!
-Mike-
<<Happy to share'¦ EricR>>
Re: Bulkhead depression - final follow-up 2/1/09 Hi
guys/gals.. <Hello.> Hope you are about to enjoy the super bowl
right about now. Thought I'd answer back to your ?'s to my
?'s. <Sure.> I'll summarize for you:
Re: Durso
fluctuating <<Do you have any slurping or flushing
sounds?>> Yes, but I've continued to research on your site
and have come across the air tube method down the air hole. So I'll
give that a shot when I get a chance. I've got the fluctuations
stable now with just a slightly bigger hole. <This will remedy your
issue so long as you are not flowing too much relative to the size of
the bulkhead.> The humming sound I was hearing was the flex PVC pipe
coming through my wall - from the sump on the other side, and then into
the back of the stand. Turns out it was just touching the hole I made
in the stand for the return line to come in. So I simply drilled it a
little bigger and it cut the hum in half! <Great!>
Re:
Fuge lighting I've been reading on your site about the LOA
fuge light (65w) so I picked it up at Home Depot today. I'll have
to figure out how to wire it up as it doesn't come with a cord :(.
Can I place this directly on top of my acrylic fuge cover or is that
too risky? <You can so long as it is supported as such you are
confident it will not fall in! As for wiring the thing, a cheapo
pigtail available at the same Home Depot will do. If you look through
the electrical PVC goodies you will also find a 1/2" female
threaded waterproof PVC fitting that will seal the cord where it enters
the light.> BTW, my fuge water level is only about 5 1/2" high
in a 14" X 12" X 16" square not a lot of water. Knowing
the low water level, how should I set this up? 1/2 sand bed with algae?
I do have a full 3.5 - 4" DSB in the main tank (65 gal tall).
<That would be fine.>
Re: Skimmer - Vertex IN80
I've read on WWM the head height should be about 1" below the
junction where the collection cup goes in (I think it was a EuroReef
reference, which looks very similar to the Vertex). Can you verify? I
realize it's not an exact science, just trying to get a ball park
since I'm new at this. <That is the ball park, yes, a good place
to start.> Re: Some other banter.. I probably
don't have enough life in there to really get things going. I only
have a few pieces of donated rock rubble and one bucket worth of old
water from a neighbor's water change. I still need to buy my main
light for main tank as well so I'm not in a rush. Will add some
more rock this week and start to ramp it up slowly. <Sounds
good.> Thanks in advance! :) <Welcome, have fun, Scott V.>
New Marine Tank Setup (Proceeding Slowly) --
01/30/09 Hello, <<Hey Mel>> Your web site has been
a great source of information during my investigation into keeping a
reef tank... <<Ah, excellent>> Now I think I need a bit of
reassurance (or not!) that I am on the right track in converting my
freshwater cichlid setup into a marine setup.
<<Okay'¦how can I help?>> This has so far taken me
about two years of research and financial saving after I got interested
in the Astrocoeniidae family... <<Wow'¦good for you.
Most folks tend to 'rush right in' and then pay the price for
doing so later>> My tank is 180cm x 42cm x 60cm (approx. 130
gallons) <<Hmm, if my conversion and calculation is
correct'¦this tank is closer to 180 gallons U.S.>> which
is NOT drilled in order to accommodate a sump. <<I see'¦
Perhaps you could utilize a pair (for redundancy) of siphon overflows
for this>> I already have a six foot metal halide lighting system
which includes three 400W 20000K metal halides and four 4ft T5
actinics. <<Okay>> I also have a sand bed with a plenum
underneath and will be purchasing live rock to fill about one third of
the display. I am thinking about purchasing a Tunze Wavebox and Tunze
Reefpack (500L). <<Great gear... I am a big fan of Tunze's
product line'¦I use several models of their Stream pumps, and
the Osmolator 3155 on my own system>> I am leaning towards buying
the Tunze Wavebox and Reefpack instead of the Aqua C Remora Pro, four
Tunze Turbelle Stream 6065's and a couple of Eheim classic 2217
canister filters (Yes, yes, I know canister filters are not the
greatest option but I already have them and will clean them out once a
week religiously!!). I am interested in keeping members of Acropora and
Montipora in this setup - what would be an easy-to-keep coral species
to start off with that won't upset these later on keeping in mind a
reasonably maintainable six inch zone of clearance between colonies?
<<I have found Montipora digitata (particularly the bright green
variety) to be quite easy to maintain and would consider this a good
species for a novice such as you. When you decide to move forward with
other genera/species, consider obtaining aquacultured specimens (frags
from other hobbyists are a great source) as these are generally hardier
and easier to keep than wild collected corals>> I am aware that I
will need to master the art of keeping my water parameters at specific
levels consistently and so will begin with livestock very slowly.
<<Ah yes'¦ Do consider letting the system run empty (but
go ahead and add the live rock) with the lights and filtration
operating (put the lights on a timer/s to replicate about a 12-hour
lighting cycle) for several months or longer before you begin stocking.
This will do much for establishing sustainable colonies of beneficial
micro- and macro-fauna in the absence of predatory fish/inverts, as
well as give your system some time to find its 'balance' re its
water chemistry>> The fish species I am interested in include
Anthias, Chromis, Pseudochromis fridmani, Amphiprion percula (no
anemone), Paracanthurus hepatus and Gobiodon citrinus. <<I
don't recommend G. citrinus (or similar species of the genus) for
new 'SPS' tanks. These fish can overly stress young/small
Acropora frags/colonies to the point of demise with their
branch-hopping and polyp-picking behaviors>> Any advice would be
greatly appreciated. <<I hope I have given you some food for
thought>> Thank you, Mel <<Happy to share. Eric
Russell>>
Re: Marine System, reef set-up
11/20/08
Hello Scott (and Crew of course)!
<Hello Michael....I feel like watching Night Rider now for some
reason.>
Thank you so much for your much needed advice... YET AGAIN =)
So it seem as though most of my freshwater equipment can be thrown out
the window... a pity but on the flip side, it is truly a relief to get
a feel for where I should be heading with my tank! Thank you for that
guidance once again!
<Very welcome.>
(Truly frustrating over here in Hong Kong due to language barriers, my
LFS owner is absolutely amazing when it comes to picking out good
specimen but we hit a wall when we try and discuss anything more
complex).
<Even without language issues many LFS here in the states sadly fall
into the same category.>
Scott, do you think the below setup will be adequate for a reef
setup?
Equipment
1) 75 Gallon Tank
2) Euro Reef or AquaC Skimmer
3) 3 Tunze Turbelle Pumps (combined water flow of approximately
11,000
LPH)
4) One Air Pump
5) One Chiller
6) Two Heating Tubes
7) One Metal Halide Light (150W)
1) Aragonite Substrate (1 Inch)
2) 50 pounds live rock, more to come gradually
<Sounds fine, but do just keep the air pump around for a back up.
With the Tunzes/skimmer you will have plenty of gas exchange. Air pumps
in marine tanks can just be a pain with bubbles in the
display.>
Thank you once again for all of your amazing advice and do take good
care!
Michael
<Welcome again, do enjoy the new setup. Scott V.>
Re: Marine System 11/26/08 Hello Scott! (And Crew!)
<Michael!> Thank you once again for your much need guidance! =)
<Very welcome.> I apologize for my belated response, my beloved
(???) company sent me away again... I get this uncanny feeling that
they are sapping me of every last ounce of energy before sacking me
heehee! What a wonderful industry I work in =P <!!> Night
Rider!!! Who can ever resist... I watch the US channels here in HK and
they always have the super old reruns of all those shows I grew up on,
brings back good memories... Boy am I getting old hehehe <Ah, and
there is a new Night Rider too!> Anywhoo~ I followed your advice and
ridded myself of all the old F/W equipment (mainly canisters) and am
now contently watching my fish FIGHT (struggle rather) against the
output from the 3 Tunze NanoStreams! Thank you for enlightening me, I
sincerely do appreciate it! (All occupants survived the changes!)
<It is quite shocking how much flow these fish can handle.> Just
a quick update on the ongoings in my little saltwater world... I am not
sure if you recall but I had a small 17 gallon tank which I used to
de-chlorinize/mix my salt (bought a plastic tub to do this in
instead)... this tank had now been "converted" to a small
saltwater tank which will house live rock only... with the hopes that I
will be able to breed food stuff for my main tank (micro inverts...
hopefully)! Setup: 1) 17.24 gallon tank 2) 1100 LPH canister filter for
expanded water capacity (will be removed once I purchase a better
skimmer) 3) Nano Skimmer from a company called Dymax with 200 liter
capacity (absolutely HATE their products but I had no other option...
if you have an opinion on this brand would love to hear your
thoughts!) 4) T5 Light Fixture with deep blue T5 bulbs (8W *2) 5) One
small wave maker (Chinese Brand, very low flow, will be upgraded to a
Tunze Nanostream once stock is available) 6) 100W heating tube 7) high
speed fan to help with the heat in the summer months 8) 2 inch
substrate (aragonite) 9) No live rock yet but will add in soon So that
is it for me I guess =) Oh Scott, I did get a chance to
"contribute" a little bit... not much by any means but a
start none the less! =) <Thank you very much.> Lastly, thank you
in kind for all of your great advice. I understand that with this
structured community and the wonderful web as your platform, responding
to avid hobbyists/fanatics must seem like a walk in the woods.
<Sometimes, but rarely!> However, for people like me, sites like
yours are invaluable. Just your insight on my questions alone have
saved me priceless hours of reading and researching. Not to say that
reading and researching is bad but this is an alternative means for
people without the time or resources to approach an absolutely amazing
hobby without having to shy away due to personal
constraints/limitations! Thank you once again Scott! <Thank you
Michael for the encouraging email!> Most sincerely, Michael
<Talks soon, Scott V.>
R2: Plans For New 340 Gallon Tank -- 11/30/08 Eric,
<<Hi Adam>> You mentioned you had a similar 300 gallon
setup... <<375 actually'¦96x30x30>> How did you do
your stand? <<I built it myself in place (my system is within a
wall)'¦and then had it verified as adequate by a structural
engineer (along with the under-floor reinforcements)>> Material?
<<Wood>> The guy who is building my tank suggested I just
go with a wood stand, as it is what he uses for all of his tanks in the
store and everything that he does for customers. <<Will work
fine, with proper engineering/consideration>> I am worried about
the longevity of the stand. <<Mine has been in use for five
years'¦no visible deterioration>>>> I don't
want the thing to come tumbling down in 10 years.
<<Indeed>> I looked at these plans for a 300 gallon 8'
x 30" tank, but they don't seem sufficient for something just
shy of 2 tons!
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member-tank-projects/5534-steveks-300-gallon-reef-tank-build.html
<<It does look a bit 'anemic' for the task'¦but
then I always tend to over-engineer my projects>> I thought about
using 2" X 6' s instead of 2 x 4 s and 1 x's? <<Mine
is built with 2x6 and 2x4 material. The vertical supports are spaced in
the front similar to those in the link; accept they are doubled 2x6s
support a 'triple 2x6 beam.' The rear vertical supports are
doubled 2x4s on 16' centers supporting a 'double 2x6 beam.'
The ends are enclosed with doubled 2x6s, and the interior of the field
is supported with doubled 2x4s hung with galvanized joist-hangers. All
laminations (doubled and tripled boards) are 'glued and
screwed' for rigidity with polyurethane glue and treated deck
screws. The top of the stand is covered with a layer of
¾' exterior plywood, screwed to the deck'¦and a
layer of 6mil plastic (runs up the sides of the wall interior about
1.5') under ¾' plywood was also placed under the
stand before construction began>> I've also considered
concrete block with a metal frame on top to support the tank?
<<Have heard of similar'¦but prefer my wood-built stand.
Have also seen all-steel welded and powder-coated
stands'¦nice, if you can afford it>> Also if wood is to
be the material of choice, treated or untreated? <<I used
untreated because of fears of contamination due to the close proximity
of the 75g sump and 55g refugium under the tank. In retrospect I
don't think this is much of a concern'¦and although I
don't see any issues with the untreated stand, if I were to do it
over I would use treated lumber just for the peace of mind/possible
longevity re moisture concerns>> I have 3 more weeks to get a
stand completed... tying to get plans set and commence... ;) I'm
getting excited! Adam <<Do let me know if you have any further
questions. Good luck! Eric Russell>>
Corrected-The reef epic continues - Seeking final advice
prior to set up Seeking final advice prior to set up
10/19/08 Salutations! I would first like to thank you all for
a fantastic site! I have read so much valuable information I am almost
overloaded. <This is a good thing!> This is why I bring forth the
opportunity below. Situation: 3 Year long 180 gallon reef project.
Experience: 5 years running a 75 gallon w/50 gallon refugium...and all
the joys and nightmares of keeping an unplanned experiment that is this
old tank set up. Goal: 180 Gallon section of gorgeous coral reef (SPS
and others) with fish and a clam or two. Low maintenance self
sustaining eco-system that is also somewhat eco-friendly. Progress thus
far: Build 36" tall stand and cabinetry etc...Check Tile floors:
Check Move tank into house: Check Design/implementation plan: 1. Build
Plenum and add sand (Carib Sea Sea-floor special grade) 2. Fill with
freshwater 3. Stabilize 4. Add molly's 5. Add salt over a 1 week
period 6. Add dead base rock, Texas Holey rock, DIY reef rocks 7. Wait
a month - then seed with good coralline algae <I would add some
actual live rock also, more biodiversity.> 8. Wait a month 9. Start
adding fish (Slowly) Equipment: Plenum (add sulphur beads to plenum
dead space) <Skip this, with an adequate refugium you will not need
this.> Predator-PDFS-1 Skimmer 2-1500 GPH Overflows (planned) - CPR
Overflows <Do consider actually drilling for an overflow, you will
be glad you did. http://www.reefercentral.com/drilling_video.html>
750-1000 Watts light - MH and VHO (Considering LED Setup for heat and
power benefits) <The LEDs are nice, the T5 lighting is better/more
cost effective for the time being.> 30Gallon sump/refugium/mud bed
Sulphur denitrator - In-line UV Sterilizer <Again, a properly set up
and maintained system of this sort will not need the two above.> CA
reactor (Eventually) <A great addition to a reef.> RO-DI Auto Top
off <This too, great!> 2-6kgph internal powerheads (considering 1
or 2 EcoTech Marine powerheads) Rainbow Life-guard 6000 or larger
return pump. Chiller 1/3 hp Questions: 1. Is this design overkill?
<No, except for the denitrator and UV IMO.> 2. Do I need this
much circulation? Roughly 3kgph average (with a peak potential of
7.5Kgph) <The flow can work, depending on how it is implemented (not
too laminar; one direction).
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/circmarart.htm> 3. Am I creating more
problems by having the plenum with sulphur media and sump, and sulphur
denitrator? <I think so, would skip this.> 4. Will I do more harm
by NOT introducing truly "wild" liverock? <Live rock is
beneficial, should be introduced.> 5. Local home improvement store
sells fiberglass screen rated to handle large pets...would you
recommend it? <Yes, this is fine for many apps, including
plenums.> Thank you, Shaun Drutar <Welcome, Scott V.>
New system design critique & questions, reef
9/29/08 Hi to all you WWM gurus, <Hello Chris.> It's
been quite some time since I last wrote to you but here I am back!
First off, the obligatory but still very much heartfelt thanks to you
all for the wondrous resource you provide to all us inadequate reefers
out here. <Thank you.> I have been an obsessive reader of the
daily FAQs for around 4 years now & have hardly missed a day! I
have also read probably most of the marine section over this time as
well (sadly my memory is not up to the job of remembering all of the
advice therein!) I also have Bob's CMA book, Anthony's Coral
prop book and their joint effort - reef invertebrates - all of which I
recommend without hesitation (when is the next Natural Marine Aquarium
book due Bob? soon hopefully!) <No idea, perhaps Bob
may.><<Unfortunately all are on hold. RMF>> For clarity
I have put my specific questions at the bottom of this email however
any comments you have in addition regarding my plans are as ever more
than welcome. <Okay.> Anyway, the reason for my email is the
planning of my new reef system (mainly SPS with some LPS & of
course fishes!) The plan so far is - Main Display/Coral growing tank -
60" L x 26" W x 20" H Main tank with approx 18"
water depth which should give me around 460 litres/122 US Gallon. This
will be fitted with a "coast to coast" weir along the back of
the tank (60") drilled for two overflow drains of 32mm (1
1/4") each draining to sump. Lighting will be 1 x 150w MH & 1
x 250w MH probably with 6500k Iwasaki bulbs (supplemented with actinic
tubes) 0In this tank I plan to have patches of sand (retained by glass
walls) for Fungia & slipper corals etc, probably Caribsea 0.5-1mm
grain, initially 20 - 30kg of Ultra grade Fiji LR (light & porous)
in an open structure (possibly 2 sea mounts) supported on eggcrate.
Most water motion will be supplied by Koralia/Tunze style diffused
/stream pumps - I'll be shooting for around 20,000 litres per hour
here. Livestock will be mostly SPS with some LPS and moderate fish load
(I want to plan for moderate to high here) Refugium tank - Slightly
above this (just enough to gravity drain to main tank) & off to one
side will be a 24" x 24" refugium with a tank height of
18" & a water depth of approx 14" - gives me around 132
litres/35 US gallon water capacity. This is drilled for a 20mm
3/4" drain through side of tank (no weir fitted currently) which
will drain to main tank. I aim to supply this with a dedicated pump
feed either from the main tank or the sump supplying around 750 litres
per hour/200 US Gph with no additional flow in the fuge. <I would
definitely make the drain on this refugium larger, a ¾'
is only good for 150 gph reliably and they do clog/plug very easy.>
With this fuge I am aiming to generate plankton/pods & other live
foods for the system and nutrient export, to this end the fuge will
have Chaeto and a thin substrate of Caribsea Fiji pink 0.5mm - 1mm
grain less than 20mm deep with LR rubble This will be lit by 2 x 6400k
energy saving bulbs (30w each - equivalent to 2 x 150w conventional
bulbs) There will be no predatory critters in here just Nassarius &
Ceriths & hopefully good populations of sand critters. Sump - To
the side of the Fuge (giving "L" shaped setup to all 3 tanks)
will be the sump, 42"L x 21.5"W x 22"H with a water
depth of approx 15" which will give me around 221 litres/59 US
Gallon water here (leaving a "spare" capacity to full of 103
litres/27 US Gallon for pump failure) Chamber design yet to be decided
but 1st chamber will be where drains from main tank are & Deltec
APF600 skimmer and fluidisers for carbon & Rowaphos (all sitting in
chamber - raised if need be) with Schuran Pico Calcium reactor feeding
to this chamber (to be upgraded at a later date when calcium uptake
outstrips this reactor). At the other end of the sump will be the
return pump chamber with auto top off and Oceanrunner 3500lph pump
returning to main tank - this should give me around 2-2500 litres per
hour (530-660 US Galph) at my estimated maximum of 1.5metres of head
(likely to be less than this & thus slightly more flow) also here
will be the fuge feed pump if I decide to pump from here rather than
from the main tank directly. So, a total system volume of around 813
litres/ 215 US gallons This system is going in my basement where I have
loads of space so footprint is not a real issue here <Great!> Now
- onto my questions! 1. I would like to run a DSB of around 6"
depth of sugar fine aragonite sand (unlit) mainly for NNR however any
free live foods produced here are clearly more than welcome!, I
potentially have an area available in the sump of 21" wide by
around 17" long, should I use this space or use a separate
container fed from & draining back to the sump? <Either will
work the same, if you have the space a separate container gives you
that much more volume and it could make things easier to manage going
modular.> I am tempted more to use the separate container and leave
the space in the sump for settling and possibly LR (I want quite an
open display without too much LR) . <Sounds good.> Would you
recommend in sump DSB or remote in this instance - if remote approx
what size would you shoot for (surface area), how much water depth
above DSB and what flow rate approx. <Many people have had great
success with just a simple 5 gallon bucket as a remote DSB. If you have
the room and resources the larger the better with DSBs.> If in sump
will the flow rate through the sump be adequate or need tempering?
<You may have to diffuse the flow as to not blow the sand around,
but the amount of flow should be workable.> 2. Is the substrate for
the fuge suitable for my intention? (live food production &
nutrient export), should I have the LR rubble on top of the thin sand
bed or separated by a divider? <The substrate is good, I would put
some LR rubble or even rock in there. LR is a food production media
too. More info here, it is constantly being added to:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/podreprofaqs.htm> 3. Is the flow through
the fuge adequate in this size of fuge? I think my lights here should
be fine. <Oh yes, both will be fine.> 4. What quantity of LR
should I be shooting for bearing in mind the nutrient export from
Chaeto harvest & NNR activity of the DSB? - I am figuring maybe
around 40kg in total of super porous & light "ultra" Fiji
- am I in the right ball park here of do I need to go cap in hand to my
wife for an extension of the budget! <Filtration wise this will be
fine. Since you want little rock in the display, aesthetics in the rock
count are out. Do keep in mind that many fish require quite a bit of LR
in which to graze and hide.> 5. Does the flow through the sump seem
about right (considering this is quite a wide sump at 21 1/2")?
<Yes, this will be fine, a very practical/manageable flow.> 5.
would you bother with my "sand islands" in the main tank or
just go for a thin sand substrate all over? <I personally would not
bother with the islands, but it is your taste that counts here!>
Many thanks as ever. Cheers Chris <Welcome, have fun with this
project, Scott V.>
Re: New system design critique & questions, reef
10/1/08 Hi Scott, <Hello Chris.> Thanks for the reply.
<My pleasure.> I agree with adding another drain to the refugium
- hole cutter ordered - lets just hope I don't pop the tank in the
process! <Go slow with light pressure. Let the hole saw do the work
and all will be fine.> I've decided to go for a remote DSB -
what size should I be looking at for a system this size? Would a
18"x12" bed be about right at 6" deep? <This will
work, no definite size guidelines here. Just that bigger is better.>
Aragonite is fiendishly expensive in the UK, what are the issues with
using some aragonite mixed with silica sand to cut down the cost
considerably? <A few. The shape, silica sand tends to be
sharper/more angular which leads to easier "packing out". The
sharpness can also be detrimental to snails and such in the sand. You
will also lose some buffering ability. That being said, some do use
silica sand for this purpose, it does work. If it were me I would not
mix. There is nothing inherently wrong with mixing the two, I would
just either go the cheap route and place all silica or buy aragonite as
funds are available. I would hate to see you spend the money on half
aragonite, mix with silica, only to want all aragonite in the future.
For more info pro and con visit
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marsubfaqs.htm and the linked files
above.> or coral sand? <Not crushed coral, the large type.>
(it's not a good time for a 2nd mortgage!!) If this size of DSB is
about right what flow rate over should I be shooting for? <A few
hundred gph up to your total sump flow, assuming the flow is diffuse
enough to keep the sandbed in tact.>probably with around
4"-5" of water depth over the sand bed. <This will be
fine.> Also I've decided to go for 2x150w Halide (possibly
adding another 1 or 2 later). <Sounds good.> Cheers Chris
<Talk soon, Scott V.>
Natural Reef Tank? Set up, op. -- 09/22/08
Hi, <<Hello Sue>> I have been working with my son for the
last 5 years on our reef tank, sharing the learning and the expense. He
has moved on to college and I have the reef tank. <<Good to know
you're staying in the hobby>> I have been reading everything
I can on this hobby. <<Wise of you>> I have more time to
reacquaint myself with the Wisconsin Reef Society and Reef Central.
<<The/a local hobby club is an excellent resource. Posting
queries on the NET such as you are doing here is a helpful recourse in
many instances, and certainly welcome'¦but nothing beats
having a knowledgeable hobbyists available to come 'lays eyes'
on your tank if/when a 'situation' develops>> In doing
this, I am quickly becoming overwhelmed by the numerous items used by
the members to maintain the reef systems. <<Oh? Taking your time
and reading/researching should these 'items' should help with
this>> I do understand many differing corals need differing
lights and so on. <<Indeed'¦ We often encourage
hobbyists to 'specialize' for these very reasons. How specific
depends on the individual wants/likes of the aquarist'¦but by
at least not mixing organisms from differing niches of the reef one can
'narrow' the requirements of their system and ultimately
increase its chances of success>> What I am concerned with
is----I have only live rock, sand, protein skimmer, power heads working
for my tank. <<Not uncommon'¦and can be quite successful
as such'¦though the addition of a sump and refugium would be a
very worthwhile addition, in my opinion>> We started off with an
expensive Eheim canister filter but emptied it and just run water
through, a kind of sump. <<I see'¦ These units, though
pricey as you state, are of very high quality. But unless one is very
diligent about maintenance (cleaning the unit at least once a week),
they are usually best left off reef systems. Keeping the unit in
service but empty as you have done is fine, and does provide some small
increase in system volume. It also makes the unit available for
'emergency' use re some chemical media. Speaking of which, you
might want to consider utilizing a small bit of carbon in the canister
filter on a punctuated yet regular basis. Running a cup or two of
carbon in the filter for a few days (3-4) every two-three weeks will
help to improve the REDOX of the system, help remove nitrogenous
solutes, and help keep the water clearer>> I have kept the fish
load very low, one fish our damsel, sadly passed on while we were on
vacation. I did add a Sixline wrasse, and tried a magenta Pseudochromis
who is in the time out tank now. <<Mmm, did you research these
fishes beforehand? Both can be big trouble in smaller systems>> I
have beautiful frogspawn coral, gorgeous open brain, xenia, some polyp
type coral sprang up years later from a live rock and those are growing
well, some indo/pacific mushrooms. <<So'¦leaning toward
that common favorite the mixed garden reef>> I also have a short
spine sea urchin for years, dwarf variety reef crabs, Nassarius snails
and a couple turbo snails and some grape Caulerpa in the tank.
<<Do read up re this genus of macroalgae as it can quickly become
problematic in reef displays by overgrowing sessile inverts and/or
releasing noxious chemicals>> I use compact fluorescent 10K
actinic at about 260 watts. The nitrates are never up, no ammonia; the
alkalinity is up around 8.2-8.4 steady, <<I'm guessing you
are referring to the pH here, rather than the alkalinity>>
salinity I run about 1.026 to 1.028, <<I would strive to keep
this closer to NSW values (1.025/1.026)>> calcium drip made from
a milk jug and small tubing, nothing fancy. Will my tank be fine using
this method? <<I suspect it will/has been'¦but you tell
me'¦is it running fine?>> I was not feeding often maybe
1 time a week but with our new fish now feed 2 times a day, Formula 1,
2, Cyclops-eeze--all frozen, once a week DT's phytoplankton (live),
occasionally Zooplex, Phytoplex. <<Do be cautious re overuse of
the liquid supplements'¦some even refer to these as no more
than 'pollution in a bottle'>> I use Lugol's iodine,
<<Most any system can benefit from iodine/iodide
supplementation'¦but be very cautious here with this very
strong iodine solution>> molybdenum and strontium, these I add
per bottle recommendations every 4 days. <<There is still a need
to test to determine dosage, even a need for such. Many systems can
supplement these ions quite easily and economically through frequent
partial water changes>> Hopefully, I am not over feeding now.
<<Is easily done'¦ But I am a big proponent of feeding
your fishes/reef, and a couple small feedings a day is much preferred
over your previous mentioned feeding regimen>> I try to adjust by
the look of the critters and testing; if not what is my tank's
normal, I adjust also with a small water change. <<Ah! A fine
methodology>> I use RO water from the grocery store---very cheap
by the gallon. <<Mmm'¦you don't mention the size of
this tank, but even so, I suspect an RO-DI filter would pay dividends
here>> I was having some issues with algae growth a couple years
ago and so switched as we have higher phosphates in the drinking water.
<<A good move>> Although, I have also increased the calcium
a bit and that has helped too. <<Yes'¦maintaining
Calcium and Alkalinity towards the higher end of the scale is thought
to hinder the growth of some nuisance alga>> Not much algae,
occasionally a little more Cyanobacteria than I want. <<Based on
some personal experience; keeping your salinity from going above NSW
levels may help here. As will reading (if you haven't already) the
articles and other hobbyist's accounts on the website. Start here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm >> But, I do not have
as many snails, reef crabs and cleaner crew as are recommended by some
companies in the tank. <<These 'recommendations' are
generally unsustainable populations. Many of these critters (e.g. --
'reef' crabs) are opportunistic omnivores that will consume
much more than the nuisance organisms. You can use these 'cleanup
crews' if you wish (some here like them, some don't), but be
careful not to employ too many as they will only perish and contribute
to fouling the system>> My questions: 1. I am happy with my tank
but am changing lighting to T5 6 bulbs 54 watts each (my lighting
fixture is going, the bulbs are good but fixture is not). <<The
T5s are an excellent alternative/upgrade>> Will that be too
bright for my mid-ranged frogspawn? <<I don't have enough
detail on your system (size/depth of tank, placement of the livestock,
etc.) to say with certainty, but these animals are quite adaptable to a
wide range of conditions and, as long as properly acclimated to the
lighting, will be fine>> 2. Can I keep the light fixture over
open water on legs or over a glass covering- or do some people hang the
T5 over the open water and how close to the water do they have to be (
the compacts are on legs and over glass)? <<My preference is to
NOT cover the tank to foster better light transmission. Whether
supported on legs or suspended is up to you and what works best with
your tank configuration'¦but either way, it is generally
recommended to keep fluorescent bulbs within about three inches of the
water's surface to maximize light penetration>> 3. What other
corals would be found in the Indo-Pacific area that would complement
what I have (I would love your opinion)? <<My preference would be
to steer away from the Corallimorpharians and 'polyps' and
stick with Euphyllids like your Frogspawn with maybe the addition of
Anchor coral (Euphyllia ancora) and/or Bubble coral (Plerogyra spp.).
Adding some color variances of Brain coral (Trachyphyllia sp.), with a
few Plate corals (Fungiids) scattered on the substrate should make for
a nice display. Do keep in mind; the Euphyllids will require adequate
separation from everything (some as much as 10') to prevent them
stinging/killing their neighbors with their long sweeper
tentacles>> Do the mushrooms I have belong? <<A few low in
the tank might be okay for a time'¦but these most noxious of
organisms have a way of propagating throughout a tank'¦and to
the detriment of many of the other organisms>> 4. I thought I
read somewhere that it is now thought beneficial to place a tank under
a window with window light but I cannot find where I read that again,
is that true? <<Hmm, I doubt you would be able to position the
tank such that this would prove of much benefit'¦or at least
be worth the possible swings in temperature (drafts or heat
build-up'¦depending). I would not do this solely for this
reason>> 5. I would love some reassurance that having a reef tank
doesn't have to cost tons of money- <<This is generally in
relation to the 'size' of the system'¦but even then,
once the initial costs are done, a balanced system can be left to grow
without undue maintenance expense>> -i.e.: corals will grow to
cover open areas, <<Ah yes'¦ Many hobbyists are in a
rush to fill every open space in their tanks (and then have to deal
with the problems of overcrowding in the long term), but selecting a
few choice specimens and giving them the room and time to grow will
make for a healthy and attractive (and more natural) display>>
once the initial expense of live rock, sand, lighting and protein
skimmer not much else is needed except maintenance (and up to date
light bulbs)- <<Indeed'¦as long as you can resist the
urge to 'add just one more coral/fish'>> -I do plan to
add a refugium as I think that is a great idea for copepod growing.
<<As well as for fostering other planktonic and epiphytic life,
increasing bio-diversity and water volume, etc.'¦a whole host
of benefits>> 6. Is there something I am missing as reading the
forums on Reef Central has my head swimming with so many items people
have? <<You have the basic components'¦as well as a bit
of time/experience with this system. You stated you make adjustments to
the system based on the look of your critters'¦well, what are
they telling you now? If your system is healthy as is, there no need to
be concerned with other's 'items'>> I truly
appreciate your information. <<We're happy to share>> I
have many of the books but see that new ones are now written and plan
to update my books as well. <<Very good>> I enjoy reading
the questions and answers; I love reading the articles and keep them
handy for reference. <<There is indeed much info available on the
site, and may I suggest a Google search on marine
setups/maintenance'¦keep reading/researching!>> Thank
you on the Wet Web Crew!! Sue Milwaukee, Wisconsin <<A pleasure
to assist. Regards, EricR'¦Columbia, SC>>
Re: Natural Reef Tank? -- 09/24/08 EricR
<<Hello Sue>> For some reason I thought I had put the size
of the tank in the email. I cannot believe I did not do this.
<<Helpful info for sure'¦but no worries>> Anyways,
it is 75 gallon the depth from top to top of sand is 20 inches. The
substrate is aragonite. I have about 125-150 pounds of live rock mostly
Fiji some Tonga (unusual shaped). <<This is an awful lot of
rock'¦where will the corals have room to grow'¦fish
to swim?>> The tank has been up and running for 5 or 6 years. I
have about 2-3 inches of aragonite. <<I am a big proponent of
DSBs'¦I would add another inch or so to boost this substrates
usefulness>> Early had up to 4-6 inches but was told by the one
who wrote the book to take it down a bit. <<There are varying
opinions for sure, and the grain-size of the substrate also plays a
role'¦but I would still add an inch or two here. My own reef
system sports a bed of sugar-fine Aragonite from 6'-8' inches
in depth>> The first year we had large amounts of Caulerpa, then
removed all. <<This genus of Macroalgae can be very
useful'¦and also very problematic. It is likely best that you
removed it>> During this time we did develop hair algae and just
removed this mechanically. <<A little 'hair algae' is not
necessarily a bad thing as it provides a bit more bio-diversity and
habitat for same'¦and is certainly 'natural'>>
The tank is running just beautiful as it is set up with the protein
skimmer, powerheads, compact fluorescent lights, heaters, an expensive
Eheim canister being used as a sort of make shift sump. <<Mmm
well, perhaps better left alone then'¦ rather than worrying
what others are doing to/in their systems>> We currently have
some grape Caulerpa in the tank, if which will be removed and put into
a refugium when I can get one added. Which I hope will be in the next
couple months. <<The refugium will be an excellent addition, but
I will urge you here to reconsider replacing the Caulerpa with a more
'user-friendly' species of Macroalgae like Chaetomorpha linum
(https://livecopepods.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=8)>>
I had mentioned that I had a magenta Pseudochromis and Sixline wrasse
that did not get along so the Pseudochromis is in a small timeout tank,
a 10 gallon for which I have purchased a 29 g BioCube. I had sent an
email to the Crew about the wrasse and Pseudochromis. The Crew thought
given the tank size and live rock the pseudo and wrasse would be OK but
to watch. <<Generally a 'gamble' with both
species>> We all underestimated this Pseudochromis. <<Not
uncommon>> I have decided to keep the Sixline in the 75 gallon
tank. <<This fish too can be quite the little
terror'¦and will likely make it difficult to add other fishes
of similar size/shape/habitat>> I am trying not to create the
"garden variety" type of coral reef tank for my home.
<<Ah good'¦I myself like to gently steer folks towards
specializing a bit by selecting a particular species to keep, a
particular habitat/niche of the reef to replicate, or even to just make
sure they choose animals all from the same ocean as I believe this
makes for a better, healthier, easier to keep, and certainly more
'natural' display in the long term. But even so, there's no
disputing the popularity of the mixed garden reef>> In my plant
gardening, I have native prairie plants specific to the soil and area I
live. <<Ah, I see'¦and no doubt this makes tending your
garden all that much easier/successful>> I am trying to do the
same with my tank, although even with reading the books, I am still
somewhat confused by which corals grow together in the reef.
<<Unfortunately there is still little hobby data re (though maybe
someday when ScottF gets his book completed and published'¦),
but some useful Intel/ideas can be gleaned from diving books and
non-hobby 'coffee-table' books on the world's
oceans/reefs>> I have not been able to scuba the reefs but have
snorkeled lagoons. <<An excellent way to observe what life
grows/interacts/gets along'¦or not>> I have seen plate
coral and Acropora, closed brain all in the same lagoon. For now if I
can fix my compact fluorescent (I think the ballast on one light is
out) I will keep these until I can afford a T5 set up. So I think the
LPS is good for the current lights. <<Okay>> Once the T5 at
about 350 watts I hope that the LPS will be fine. <<As stated
before'¦if acclimated to the new lighting, all should be fine
(see here, and the associated links:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acclimcoralslight.htm )>> What I am
also looking for is a South Pacific, French Polynesia reef tank--so
when speaking of niches is this what lives in a certain area or what
goes together only with light as a consideration? <<The
former'¦generally speaking these are the different reef zones
(fore reef, back reef, reef wall, reef crest, rubble zone, reef flat,
etc.). But even so, incorporating 'all' the same life found in
these niches in to a home aquarium is not always practical. I once saw
a picture of a rubble zone in which a largish rock provided home to
eleven different species of coral, both hard and soft. It was a
spectacular visage, but replicating such in the home aquarium would be
very difficult re negative interactions between
species'¦something obviously of less impact on a natural reef
with its volume (millions of gallons) of water change/movement>>
I have not yet started to feed the Zooplex or Phytoplex sticking to the
frozen Cyclop-Eeze, formulas 1 and 2, mysis shrimp. Should I just not
use the Zooplex and Phytoplex? <<I wouldn't'¦
Addition of these easily abused and likely unnecessary and, in my
opinion, products of questionable utility runs the risk of too easily
upsetting the 'balance' your system seems to have achieved.
However, I would suggest broadening the menu a bit with frozen Glass
Worms if you can get them, as well as New Life Spectrum pelleted
food>> In the 75 gallon tank I do not have much room on the
substrate for coral. <<I suppose not, considering all that rock
you have>> The frogspawn I have is huge and branching.
<<And will need room to expand>> I do have the open brain
on the substrate and he is huge also. <<Depending on the
individual/species/color (if it has a funnel or convex shaped skeleton
or is of a 'red' color variety) this is likely an appropriate
placement>> To keep the ten inch space rule I would be able to
add 2 more coral on each end of the tank. <<Proper spacing, even
of like/same species, is very important to reduce the likely hood of
negative physical interaction'¦which consequently, happens
most often at night/when the lights are out and you don't
immediately notice>> I could add the bubble and the hammer/anchor
if it is not branching as you recommended. <<All are aggressive
species with strong stings'¦but are also better suited to the
direction your little 'biotope' is taking over more chemically
noxious Corallimorpharians, Zoanthids, and soft
corals'¦especially given the size and make-up of your
system>> I have seen photos of plate coral on their side up
against the rock???? It looked unnatural and so I did not think I would
do that; is that OK to place them this way?? <<I would simply
place them 'flat' on the substrate. These organisms do have the
capacity to 'move about''¦and will likely find
positions to their liking on their own as long as you start them off
right>> I was referring to pH not hardness! Glad you caught that,
I have been working so many days in a row I cannot think straight!
<<I do understand'¦in the middle of an 'account
implementation' myself>> Off after one more day of work (in a
poison center)! <<Bet you're looking forward to that>>
The pH of 8.2 to 8.4. For the specific gravity it seems that the coral
did better slightly higher than NSW so just try to keep that where all
occupants of the tank were happy. <<Perhaps a difference in
readings from the testing device\method used'¦and fine like
you state>> I can adjust slowly down as I strive for 1.026 and
range between 1.025 to 1.026. I had thought to top off the tank with
salt water to maintain the same salinity--using less if the tank is
more concentrated. <<Mmm, best to not do this'¦to big a
risk of large swings. Use freshwater for top-offs'¦and adjust
salinity only as/if needed'¦and can likely be done with your
frequent water changes>> Because that will add more minerals that
are natural to the reef, rather than adding the strontium and
molybdenum which is what I had been doing until I reviewed the forums
of Reef Central and our local reef society. That way I cannot over dose
these chemicals. <<Especially on a tank this size,
supplementation of bio-minerals is easily done with frequent partial
water changes>> Given that most of the "clean up crews"
are too many critters and starve: 1. Would GARF from Idaho be a trusted
place to provide what a tank needs? <<You can get these critters
from most anywhere'¦but I suggest that 'you' do the
research and decide how many/much you need>> 2. How many crabs,
snails, sand sifting critters are needed? <<Avoid any
'sand-sifting 'starfish'¦the tank isn't large
enough and even then, these critters are very efficient at decimating
the beneficial substrate infauna. Crabs and snails (assuming the
so-called 'reef-safe' hermit crabs and snails
here)'¦perhaps no more than dozen of each>> 3. Can a
blue Linckia or small red star live in the tank? <<You need to
research these'¦ Avoid the Linckia species altogether (dismal
survival rates), but a small Fromia species could do fine>> I did
read up and actually emailed WetWebMedia about the Pseudochromis and
wrasse. I was told the size of tank should be OK but Ooops, we
underestimated the Pseudochromis. <<A highly territorial and
aggressive genus'¦though there are more captive-bred specimens
becoming available that seem a bit more 'tolerant'>> So,
I am getting a BioCube the 29 gallon just for him. I guess I could put
the mushrooms and star polyps in that tank. <<Indeed!>>
Here I have been so carefully growing these on larger live rock in the
main tank. But, I can devote that tank just to mushrooms and the
Pseudochromis. <<With no more fish additions, this should be
fine'¦and fun/attractive too, I think you will find>>
And, leave the other tank as you recommend. I truly believe to keep
trying to keep the same animals in the niche together as you suggest.
<<Ah, excellent (ScottF'¦we have another!>> I do
not have much open area for substrate, and the open brain takes up most
of the room--he is huge. So is the frogspawn. <<Normally, I would
suggest removing some of the rock to make room for growth and
fish/water movement'¦but'¦I am hesitant to do so here
and now. Perhaps when you become a bit more comfortable with what you
know/are learning'¦>> But I can maybe squeeze in the
bubble coral on one side as the frogspawn is in the center. The
frogspawn is above to the left of the brain. I should put the star
polyps in with the mushrooms, and I have out of nowhere these other
coral polyps I think growing. Not sure if I can move all that live rock
into the 29 gallon and it will be difficult to re landscape the 75.
<<But still likely for the better>> Although it would
definitely give more substrate room so I could lie more of the Fungia
corals down or can these be placed on live rock. <<Most all live
on the bottom substrate'¦I would not put the animals in among
the live rock>> When I get the refugium would you suggest the mud
as I have just received a video from Leng Sy, or a live sand bed?
<<The 'mud system' is interesting'¦but ooh the
price! Tis up to you as either should work fine>> Does the light
over the refugium have to remain on for an unnatural 24 hours?
<<If you go with Leng Sy's mud system then follow the
instructions re'¦if you go with the Chaetomorpha over a DSB
then use a reverse-daylight lighting scheme>> Thank you for your
help. The more I read, the more confused I am. Sue <<Keep reading
my friend'¦you're getting there. I'm here to advise
if/as you need it'¦but there's so much more to be gained
by searching for and acquiring the information yourself. Regards, Eric
Russell>>
R2: Natural Reef Tank? -- 09/25/08 EricR--
<<Hiya Sue>> Thank you, <<Quite welcome>> I
feel by utilizing the BioCube I can keep my beautiful fish (the mean
one), have a place to put the extra live rock that has the mushrooms,
Zoanthids on which then will open my tank to more substrate.
<<Agreed>> I can add finer sand to the top of the aragonite
to increase the bed. Yup, I had 4-6 inches but was told to lower it
down because of H2S potential by a well respected author of the book.
<<Hydrogen Sulfide is a common concern re deep sand beds, but is
a largely overrated concern in my opinion. I have used the DSB
methodology for more than a decade and have never encountered problems
re H2S. Utilizing a fine substrate and good water flow will go far
towards reducing organic buildup which can contribute to the formation
of H2S in anoxic regions of the bed. There is no disputing the toxicity
of Hydrogen Sulfide gas, but there are a lot of hobbyists out there
utilizing deep sand beds with no problems at all re this gas. And by
the way, H2S can form in a 2'-3' bed quite readily as
well'¦especially under live rock. To really reduce/eliminate
such chances you would need to reduce the depth of the substrate to
about ¾' or less. As you can see, opinions will vary
widely. It's up to you to research all aspects and use your own
good judgment to make a decision>> While Leng's idea might be
a good one, I am comfortable with what I am doing now so will just
continue. <<Okay>> Where can one find the macroalgae you
recommend? (For sale) <<I sent you a link in my earlier response
re, but here it is again:
https://livecopepods.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=8
>> And, now the BioCube. I am getting this with live sand, some
unknown corals as I am getting this from someone in the Wisconsin reef
club who has to get rid of some of his tanks, per his wife.
<<Uh-oh>> It will be arriving just in time for my days off
so I can spend time and have some fun. <<Neat>> I am moving
the larger rocks with the mushrooms so that will be plenty of rock for
the BioCube and open space for substrate placement in my tank. The
seller will be bringing this over with his live sand and small amount
of water. I do have water made and sitting in a 5 gallon container--not
enough but I think I will have to go slow, add slowly to what he has
brought over. Then I will have to acclimate each rock with mushroom to
this new tank and put them in. Then I can put my fish and some
frogspawn frags --I can grow this from a mm size to a large piece.
<<Do test the water before adding the livestock'¦even
with the old water, rock, and substrate just 'moving these
around' may disturb the bio-filter enough and/or release organic
compounds and cause this tank to cycle>> For some reason we like
each other. And, then once they are doing well give them away. Should I
keep his live sand, I do not know anything about him or his tanks?
<<If the sand is pulled just before he delivers the
tank'¦give it a sniff when you get it and if it doesn't
reek, go ahead and use it. Otherwise, you can rinse it well in clean
saltwater and reuse then, though you will likely have rinsed away much
of the infauna>> Will the tank recycle when I add the live rock?
<<Maybe (see above re)>> How long will I have to wait
before I transfer this live rock to the tank once I have added enough
water? <<If there is no rush, it can only help to let the water
age a day or two before adding the rock>> You have been much
help, and a great support in my efforts to create the correct
bio-niche. <<Ah'¦gratifying to know>> I plan to
take my time finding those corals and making sure I have adequate
placement. <<You and your system will be happier for the
effort>> My branching frogspawn is huge and probably time I give
some away. But with the opening of the substrate I can add 1 -- 3 more
corals so that may be just enough for me. As for fish... The only fish
in addition to the wrasse I really want is the yellow watchman
goby---what is your thought? <<Should be fine>> And, a
blenny--of this I am not certain, perhaps a bicolor if one fits in my
niche I am creating. <<A little research will tell>> I am
happy with just one fish also. So which ever direction you recommend I
will follow. <<I love fishes'¦ The addition of a couple
small fishes will add some 'movement' and interest to the
tank>> And, while snorkeling we were surrounded by blue green
chromis and thought perhaps a group of 3-5. <<These rarely remain
a 'group' in small systems, in my
opinion/experience'¦with the dominant individual causing the
demise of the rest'¦in true Damsel fashion>> Although
increasing fish makes the reef harder to care for which makes me
hesitant. <<Fishes will increase the burden on the system
greatly, yes'¦but if not overdone are quite
manageable'¦and are an attractive and even required (in my
opinion) addition to any reef system>> I am glad you told me
about the Linckia. <<Ah yes>> They are so pretty but I do
not want to endanger their life nor deplete the oceans. <<Best
left to advanced hobbyists for sure>> Sue <<Regards, Eric
Russell>>
The New Setup, Marine 9/1/08 Hi guys,
<Nick> How are you all? <Speaking for myself, great.> After
having had some experience with a couple of freshwater aquariums I have
decided to check out the marine tanks. There is a local business that
is offering a deal on a complete setup. I would like to use the tank
for a full reef setup but after reading about the needs of lighting for
corals and things I would just like your opinion before I go ahead and
make a costly mistake. Tank: 48"L x 18"W x 20"H
Filtration: 1100 LPH internal canister filter, under the tank trickle
filter with 2100 LPH return pump and protein skimmer <If you plan on
a full blown reef with live rock, I would skip the trickle and canister
filters altogether. These turn into nitrate factories; your live rock
can provide the biofiltration. http://wetwebmedia.com/reeffilt.htm and
the related FAQs will give you more info on this. Do also look into the
protein skimmer provided, they are not all equal.> Heating: 200 Watt
heater Lighting: 4' Twin T5 High Output Light with 14000K tubes
I've read that many setups have blue light actinic tubes. Do I need
them or is the lighting in this setup sufficient for what I need?
<Actinics are really not needed for your corals, we humans in
general just like the look they provide for the tank. The lighting
above is a good start, depending on what you wish to keep you will
likely end up needing to add more light than this.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlgtganthony.htm> I look forward to
your reply. Thanks. Regards, Nick <Welcome, Scott V.> PS Can you
please recommend any decent reading material to help make the change to
marine as smooth as possible. Thanks again. <I would start with Bob
Fenner's book 'The Conscientious Marine Aquarist'. The
second addition was recently released (yellow Lemonpeel Angel on the
cover). Just reading through the pages of WWM can provide you with a
wealth of knowledge. Do continue educate yourself before dropping the
big bucks on a system. I think all of us have many hundreds, if not
thousands of dollars worth of equipment we would not have bought after
some education. Welcome to reefing!> Just to let you know how it
came together...
SW set-up trilogy 8/21/08 Thank
you all for your tremendous advice. When answering questions, the crew
often asked for feedback on how things went, so here is an update.
Mostly just an update for your info, but there are one or two questions
near the end. Most specifically about the specifig gravity of my new
batch of salt water. I know it is a little long but I am using it to
track my progress for my own use in addition to letting the crew know
how well things went so far. Enclosed below is just the text of my
aquarium diary. You can see the version with pictures included on the
following web site... http://mysite.verizon.net/ah30k/myaquariumdiary/
<http://mysite.verizon.net/ah30k/myaquariumdiary/> . I am still
missing a few pictures since my digital camera is MIA, but I will
eventually find it and upload the missing pics. Thanks again! ah30k
--------------- Below is a diary of how I set up our family marine
tank: Here is how our progression played out, from the impulse buying
of a 175g tank via eBay to the current state of the aquarium. Thanks to
all the help from the Crew at WetWebMedia.com who answered my many
questions and were one of the few unbiased source of advice I could
find on the net! Partial motivations are acknowledging the advice from
others which was successfully put into practice, seeking additional
suggestions and simply documenting my travels down the road. Day 1 of
the journey began 7/2/08 with an impulse buy of a new larger tank to
upgrade the family's small freshwater system. I bought a used tank
with all the fix'ins off eBay and picked it up about a week later.
The tank is a 175g Oceanic Reef Ready tank with hood, glass tops and
stand. Photo 1 - eBay Purchase I researched galore for what seemed like
months with little to show for it. I often seemed to take backwards
steps and wondered if I would ever actually be able to add any
livestock. Since the tank is so large and heavy I knew I would have
little ability to move things around once established. One worry seems
to be power so I routed an unused 240v/30a electric dryer outlet (we
have natural gas for our dryer) on the opposite side of the wall into
the tank area and now have two dedicated 120v/30a circuits for the
tank. Don't tell the building inspector! Based on WWM research, I
figured I would need more circulation and drainage than the reef-ready
tank could provide. The stock tank only had two 1' Durso
standpipes, one in each overflow box. I decided to go with an
additional closed loop system containing two additional 1 ½
bulkheads on the back wall and a custom return manifold. Before
bringing the tank inside, my glazier neighbor drilled the two
additional drain holes on the back wall for a closed loop system. He
laughed at the internet groups that claim drilling tanks is easy for
rookies, thanked them all for keeping him in business and kindly
offered to help me drill the glass. He used a vacuum mounted
professional drill from his shop with a professional hole-saw to drill
my tank and refugium. Anyone need an unused glass-holes.com hole saw
for a 1 1/2 bulkhead? Never been used! No offense to glass-holes, but I
could not turn down the professional help! While the tank was outside,
I painted the back panel with a blue top-center area fading to black
area which camouflaged the drain holes and overflow boxes. I thought
this was a good compromise for the blue which I think looks good and
the black which hides the internal mechanicals & plumbing. I also
painted the one exposed overflow area on the side of the tank which
would be visible from the living room. I was less concerned with
aquarium safe paint for the external surfaces and went with standard
Rustolium spray paint. Everything was looking great except for the
white nuts that mount the bulkheads! I then painted the nuts with what
I sure hope is aquarium safe paint. It would be nice to be able to buy
these nuts in black but I could not find any. Photo 2 - Tank with holes
and paint Time to move the tank inside and start the fun work! I built
the custom return manifold and plumbed an eBay'ed Iwaki MD-70-RLT
(which claimed to be new and sure looked it) via the two new bulkheads
on the back glass. I used the same paint I used on the bulkhead nuts
for the manifold and laid on about three or four coats of paint on the
exposed areas. Photo 3 -- Unassembled return manifold Photo 4 - Return
manifold in tank Photo 5 - Closed loop system So far, so good and I am
feeling pretty good. It seems to be coming together. Based on my
research, I decided to go with a refugium, DSB (in the refugium) and
skimmer as the main filtration method. As a result, I removed the
wet/dry and bartered (two lbs of fresh coffee beans from a family
member) for a 50g tank to use as the refugium which would be located
under the tank in the stand. Darn! The 50g tank I hoped to use for the
refugium does not fit under my stand due to the support frame around
the refugium tank sticking out a ¼' more than the tank
on both the front and back. Plan B is to plumb through the floor, under
the laundry room and to the garage (about 5 or 6 ft away). I know
climate may be challenging in the garage but I can hopefully insulate
the tank in the winter cold or summer heat (PA). This may turn out to
be OK in the long-run since it will cut down on the noise and make
maintenance easier. I am holding off on partitions in the refugium for
now. I'll use the moveable partitions I read about here after
things are up and running. WWM - Pressure Locking Baffles Based on WWM
research that 1' Dursos will only yield 200 -- 300 gph, I converted
the two stock ¾ returns to Durso drains to improve flow. To
get return lines back to the tank, I threw two quick temporary return
lines over the back edge of the tank for now. I plumbed the refugium
& T4 pump in the garage to the main tank under the laundry room. I
hope the turns do not introduce too much back pressure; I used dual
45° elbows rather than one 90° elbow whenever
possible to ease the flow. I took about 30 trips to Lowes and must have
spent a fortune on fittings, pipes, tools and acrylic panels but things
are looking up! Photo 6 - Refugium in garage and associated plumbing I
fired up the tank for a leak test on 8/10/08. Man this is nerve
wracking but I have been waiting for this! I put the garden hose in the
refugium and plugged in the T4. Nothing! A quick Google search
suggested priming the pump. I started sucking on one of the 1'
return lines while my son sealed of the other return but quickly
started to worry about a big circular hickey on my mouth for the next
week and aborted Plan A. Plan B is to find another source of suction.
While using the house vacuum is to be very much discouraged, I thought
I could be careful and pull out before the water made it into the
vacuum. Success and now the T4 is pumping from the refugium into the
main tank. Man, the T4 is transferring the water into the main tank
faster than the garden hose can keep up so I need to keep unplugging
the pump to let the refugium refill. It is SUPER quiet as well. Very
impressed with the Velocity T4 (also now called the Poseidon PS4 I
think) so far. All looks good so far. Uh, oh. Water is dripping into
the cabinet under the tank. Found a loose hose clamp and a pin hole
leak in one of the used drain pipes from the original standpipes. To
fix the drain without emptying the whole tank, I removed the top
portion of the converted 3/4 standpipes to lower the water level in the
tank leaving the leaking one high and dry. Water level dropped just as
planned. Oops! If he water drops in the main tank, where does it go?
Uh, oh. Out in the garage there is a waterfall coming from the refugium
all over the garage floor. It is coming from the overflow bulkhead I
installed but never plumbed. My impatience with getting the system
running burned me. Had I actually plumbed the overflow out to the yard
it would have been a non-event. Not much was damaged and I guess a leak
is better in the garage than in the family room. Fixed that leak and
successfully ran the refugium/tank combo. Although the Dursos are not
gurgling at all, the overflows are still a little loud from the falling
water about three inches. It seems to be more coming from the areas I
cut into the overflows to make room for the manifold so I may seal that
area up a bit with silicone. I think I can raise the water level by
raising the Dursos but I am really not in the mood for the extra work.
Feeling confident, I fired up the Iwaki closed loop system and
manifold. Darn that pump is SO much louder than the T4 which is nearly
silent. The Iwaki sounds like a shop-vac and is not very wife-friendly!
Note the irony in the fact that the silent T4 pump is now in my garage
and the loud one is in my family room. This is definitely not good!
Back to Lowes and time to move the Iwaki into the garage as well. BTW,
Lowes has a much more impressive selection of plumbing fittings than
Home Depot. I was so ready to move on to the next step and am not too
pumped (no pun intended) about going back to plumbing work ?. I was
kind of pleased with how the closed-loop looked and now I have to cut
it out. Oh well, so goes like and if this is my big problem in life, I
guess I am lucky. Photo 7 - Garage area with refugium and closed-loop
pump Success! On to the lights'¦ Ahhhhh! HO, VHO, T5, MH, HQI,
shallow water, deep water???? What to do??? I have about 25
½" of water depth after accounting for sand (72"
wide) and want to keep anemones and eventually corals. I have a hood
with about 7" of clearance but can and will likely leave the three
top access panels open to improve ventilation. Looks like T5-HO and MH
retrofits are the way to go since I have more than two feet of water
but I am really running short of cash! Since I hear you should really
establish your tank for a year before adding the non-fishes I will only
do the T5s for now. I can add HQI retrofits later. I ordered two
Current Nova Extreme 36' T5 HO retro fixtures (each has individual
reflectors on 1x39w 10k and 1x39w 460nm bulbs) for a total of 2x39w 10k
& 2x39w 460nm or 156 total watts. I know this is woefully
under-powered but I want to see how well these retrofits fit under the
hood. From there I can plan out the extra space for two or three 250w
HQIs and more T5s. For now I really only need enough light to get the
LR cured, tank stabilized and introduce the first couple of fish. Also,
I read on one of the ReefCentral Tank of the Month selections of
someone with even a deeper tank running with just T5-HOs. We'll
see. Time to drain the tap water, make a batch of DI filtered water,
de-chlorinate (DI doesn't dechlorinate does it?), order the LR and
aragonite and add the salt. The saltwater should be ready to go by the
time I have time to pick up the LR. On 8/16/08 I made a tank full of
water but am totally stumped by the SG readings I am getting. A dunk of
the measuring device tells me my SG is off the chart high. I used a
bucket of Instant Ocean (160g) plus some more of a second bucket to the
manufacturer's specifications thinking I had about 200g of water in
the main tank and the refugium. Why am I so high on the SP???? I will
check again when I return from a business trip later this week but I am
nervous because I am bringing home 200 lb of WSI LR with me from the
airport. If I can't get the water right very quickly then I risk
leaving the LR out of water too long. Wish me luck! ======== Estimates
of future below here (planning) ======== Next steps are to get the LR
in the tank and start thinking of the refugium design. I read that DSBs
want raw unfiltered water and skimmers like constant water levels so I
came up with the following design. Area #1 is the tank return area with
nothing in it. Overflows into the DSB area. Then overflows into the
skimmer area and finally overflows into the return area. Photo 8-
Refugium Design I am using 1' of sand in the main tank. I know this
½' < x < 3' zone is dangerous by some accounts
but I want enough to come close to the lip of the stand surrounding the
tank and am not willing to go DSB in the main tank. I don't think
it would look good and don't need the extra expense of all that
sand. Maybe a risk but I am thinking of sticking with just shy of
1'. If this is super trouble as opposed to just a little dangerous,
please someone let me know. <<A really good write up of your own
personal experiences. Emails such as this are invaluable to others
seeking info in the hobby. Many thanks for sharing this with us /
viewers. Regards. A Nixon>>
Questions from a Newbie 8/13/08 New to the
saltwater world, been reading a lot. Have had a 55g freshwater tank
for over a year. I have purchased an up and running 55g saltwater
with 5 fish, couple crabs, bunch of hermits and snails and a
shrimp, live rock (27 rocks, don't know how to estimate lbs)
and sand (about 2" deep). Uses 2 fluval cartridge filters, 204
and 404. (Nitrates 160, Salinity 1.030 when I got it! Nitrates 40,
Salinity 1.023 now, working the nitrates down with water changes.)
I have also purchased a 120g tank with a 30g sump that I am
planning to startup. <Okay.> My questions: 1) The setup came
with one overflow box, 1" bulkhead. I'm thinking of using
2 overflow boxes, 1" B/H in each or a rated 1200 GPH, but from
reading your site planning on 600 GPH, then using a
¾" return to a Current Switching Valve (3iQ
Ventures) fed from a Rio 20HF HyperFlow for the return pump (870
GPH at my head height that I will adjust with a ball valve) and 2
Hydor Koralia #2 Powerheads (600 GPH each) for a total of about
1800 GPH total circulation. How does this setup sound? <There
are many numbers floating around about how much a 1' drain can
flow, 300 gph is the actual number. Also, consider running an extra
overflow or two for redundancy, if two will flow what you are
running, use three or four overflows. One will likely fail in time
and this will keep the water in the tank. Do also consider drilling
this tank before setting up, it is a far more reliable method to
transit water to the sump.> 2) The sump (pic attached) has
½" openings between chambers. This seems very
limiting to me. Will I have to reconfigure or will this work?
<This is a bit small, but can work. The issue you may run into
with higher flows is higher water velocity through these openings.
This means that the baffles will be less effective at stopping
bubbles.> 3) I am planning a 5" DSB in the refugium in the
sump. Do I still need a DSB in the display tank or can I go 2"
deep there? (looking for ways to reduce startup costs, but willing
to invest if best for the long run) <You can run a DSB in one or
the other, the more the better. If you do not run a DSB in the
display, 1' or less is all that is needed/wanted.> 4) Not
sure the best way to start the new tank and transfer the fish, sand
and rock. I'm thinking of filling the new tank with new water
and half of the live rock from existing tank, then cycle for a
month or until all the numbers look good. Then move the fish and
the remaining rock. With this plan, I'm not sure how to move
the sand without making a mess of either the existing tank before I
move the fish or the new tank after it is up and running. I'll
obviously be buying a bunch of new sand but would like to use the
existing also. Your thoughts? <I would just move everything at
once. One move is less disturbing, moving half your rock out
disrupts some of the filtration on your existing tank, and you
should not need to cycle/cure your existing rock in the new system.
You may even consider bringing the Fluval filter over to the new
system for the first few weeks to help out.> Thanks for your
help and for your great site. Jeff Gaines
<Welcome and thank you, Scott V.> |
|
Setting Up Plumbing on a Large Reef Tank -- 07/25/08 Hello
all, <<Greetings Larry>> I've just taken delivery on a
used 540 gallon tank (8' x 3' x 3'). <<Very
nice>> It is drilled in back with two 2" bulkheads in the
top corners (about 2" from the top), four 1" bulkheads evenly
spaced between the 2" bulkheads, and five 1" bulkheads evenly
spaced around 6" from the bottom. <<Wow'¦lots to
work with here'¦excellent>> When I get it set up, it
will be primarily stocked with LPS from the Faviidae and Caryophyllidae
families. I plan to have flow at a rate of about 10 times volume per
hour (5400 gallons per hour). Do you think that will be an appropriate
turnover for the system? <<I'm a big proponent of heavy and
vigorous flow Larry'¦ Some may disagree, but I would plan on
at least twice this volume of flow. In tanks of size such as this, the
5400gph you are planning will be disappointing'¦and deficient
for the overall best health of your corals/system>> I expect to
get about 3700 gph flow from my existing pair of Tunze 6000s unless I
alternate them with the 7095 controller, which would reduce the flow
rate. <<As the owner of an eight-foot long reef tank myself, and
outfitted with seven Tunze Stream pumps of differing
models'¦these pumps will have trouble providing sufficient
flow along the entire length'¦best to run them opposing each
other and together on the controller set to 'Pulse' for maximum
effect/water movement in this large tank, in my opinion>> I would
like to feed by sump about 600 gph as this is the flow rate required by
my protein skimmer. <<That's fine'¦though you
certainly have the overflows to go a bit more with any
problem'¦how 'bout 1200gph?>> The remainder of the
flow I would like to get via closed-loop(s). <<You have the
throughputs!>> I'm stuck in figuring out how to tie all of
the bulkheads together appropriately to achieve my circulation goals.
<<I would 'tee' the deeper intakes to one or more likely
two external closed-loop pumps>> The prior owner used the corner
2" bulkheads as feeds to his sump and the four 1" bulkheads
along the top as returns from the sump. If I did that, I don't
think that I will get sufficient flow from the remaining bulkheads to
generate the volume that I desire. <<Not true necessarily. The
hydro-dynamics of a closed-loop are much different than those of a
gravity drain. If you have a 2000gph pump with a 1' intake port,
then you only need one 1' bulkhead to supply the pump. Granted,
using bigger or multiple supply bulkheads will reduce the
'force' of the water flow at the intake if this is a
concern>> I am considering running the 2" bulkheads to the
sump, building a return that goes over the back instead of through the
existing bulkheads. <<okay>> That would leave me nine
1" bulkheads for closed-loops. <<More than
sufficient>> I could then run two closed-loops, each fed by two
of the bulkheads along the top of the tanks and returning by two of the
bulkheads along the bottom of the tank. <<This is
okay'¦as long as the upper bulkheads are deep enough to not
become 'exposed' by fluctuating water levels'¦and will
certainly make keeping the intakes clean/open much easier than if they
are deep or buried within the rockwork>> I would either close off
the fifth bulkhead along the bottom or split one of the returns three
ways instead of two. <<Okay>> Is this a reasonable/viable
plan? <<It is>> Am I off base or missing something?
<<Perhaps only in your perception of how many bulkheads are
'required' to feed the closed-loop pump. But as
stated'¦more bulkheads will mean less suction force per
bulkhead and less chance of 'trapping ' livestock against the
intake>> Also, do you have any recommendations for pumps that
would be appropriate for running the circulation? <<Ah
yes'¦ Large Iwaki pumps for the closed-loops and an Eheim
submersible for the sump return. Dolphin and Sequence pumps would give
higher flow rates for the closed-loops, but you would need to increase
the size of the intake bulkheads in the tank to match that of the
chosen pump model. Though you 'might' be able to keep from
starving the pumps by utilizing more than one intake per pump as you
have planned>> I could use my Iwaki MD-100 for the sump, but it
generates much more flow than I am planning for the sump and has high
energy consumption. <<Would work for one of the
closed-loops>> I would prefer something more efficient than the
Iwaki. <<All things considered (quality, longevity)'¦a
difficult task>> Thanks for your help! Larry <<Larry, if
this tank is going to be positioned in/near a frequently used family
living space you may well find the closed-loops and their associated
pumps to be too much noise. If this is the case, you may want to
consider spending the money re on more and bigger Tunze Stream pumps to
provide for the flow in the tank'¦energy consumption will be a
fraction of as well. Regards, EricR>>
Re: Setting Up Plumbing on a Large Reef Tank -- 07/26/08
Okay, I was having trouble figuring out the flow as I was looking at
the throughput for 1" bulkheads on an open-loop, which is
considerably more limited. <<Ah yes>> I'm not certain I
understand why a 1" bulkhead has different throughput for an
open-loop than it would for a closed-loop, perhaps you can elaborate a
little. <<The open-loop or 'gravity' drain is just that,
it relies on gravity and the weight of the water to make passage
through the plumbing. Air entrapment, turbulence, bends, et al,
severely hamper and restrict the flow rate on a gravity drain
system'¦though much of this can be alleviated by using
large-diameter (1.5' and greater) plumbing and throughputs. On a
closed-loop, the water is 'pumped or drawn' in to the plumbing
by the direct connection to the pump volute. The 'power assist'
so to speak, enables the water to flow much more smoothly and
efficiently through the plumbing enabling a much smaller diameter
throughput to flow at a much higher rate than a gravity system.
Essentially, merely matching the plumbing and bulkhead to the size of
the input on the pump is sufficient to meet the flow demands of that
pump>> I will look into upping the total flow for the tank.
<<Okay>> I am hesitant to go with 20 times volume as I have
seen my Euphyllia unhappy when they get too much flow. <<A good
point...and improper 'application' of the flow can cause damage
to this fleshy coral from moving/abrading against its sharp skeleton.
Still'¦I think you can apply more flow if cautious in your
placement of these animals>> I have to be careful with the setup
in my existing 225 gallon tank to insure that they are somewhat
sheltered. <<Yes>> Of course it is easier to dial back flow
than to increase it. <<Indeed>> The setup you describe on
the Tunzes is exactly how they are set up in the existing tank. Since
they are not on full force, let's say I am getting around 2500 gph
out of the Tunzes. I could increase the flow through the open-loop. As
you rightly point out, the 2" bulkheads certainly support it.
<<Yes>> What if I used the top row of bulkheads as the
prior owner did, with the 2" for outlet to the sump and the
1" as returns. <<A quick word here'¦ Even if you
upsize to a 1200gph pump, you only 'need' one of those 1'
returns. You can certainly use more, but the flow strength from
multiple returns will be quite meager. Another option and one which I
employ on my own system is to use multiple 'return pumps.' With
your 2' drains, a pair of Eheim 1262s would not be a problem at
all. This would give you a combined flow rate of 1800gph before
headloss, and the redundancy would make your system all the more secure
in the event of a pump failure (do also try to put the pumps on
different circuits or at least different GFCI outlets)>> That
leaves five 1" bulkheads near the bottom to play with. I could use
one as an input to a Sequence Dart and return the water to the other
four via an Oceans Motions 4 way. <<I like this but for the
match-up of the 1' bulkhead and the chosen pump. The Sequence Dart
'has a 2' intake' for a reason. I really think the 1'
bulkhead would starve this pump of water and create a micro-bubble
nightmare for you. You could use one of the 2' throughputs to feed
the pump'¦though you may have to supplement the remaining
2' drain with one or two of the 1' bulkheads if you do this,
depending on the size of the sump return pump(s) you choose>> Or,
I could do two separate closed-loops, running each with a Dart.
<<True, though you would need t use both 2' throughputs
here'¦and turn to the 1' throughputs to feed the sump thus
limiting your pump choices there>> Since the Darts are rated at
around 3500 gallons per hour, how much actual flow would I get in those
scenarios? <<The closed-loops will give you pretty close to the
rated flow capacity of the pumps as long as you match your plumbing to
the inputs 'and' outputs of the pump volute (note that the
output port on the Dart is 1.5'). Reducing either will effect the
flow rate, while reducing the intake diameter may well create more
severe issues. Perhaps a bit more exploring of
pumps/options/configurations? Be chatting, Eric Russell>>
Query Marine Setup, 7/20/08 Hi <Hello> I have a 150
litre salt water tank running with: 1 Clown Fish; Yellow Tang;
<Needs a bigger tank.> 10 kilos live rock; 2 Banded Shrimp; 2
Anemones; 2 soft corals; <May have problems with allelopathy
combining corals and anemones in this sized tank.> 1 Red Stripped
Sand-sifting Gobi; and 1 Valentino Puffer. I am running the system with
the following: Berlin Air Lift 90 Gallon Skimmer; Deep Sand Bed Filter;
Wet and Dry Trickle Filter; Refugium (with live rock, sand and
Caulerpa). I am currently running the system in this order, I was
wondering if this is the best and most effective order to run it in?
<Should be fine.> Also, can you recommend, or is my current
skimmer the best for my system? <Generally with skimmers you get
what you pay for, see here for more on the more common models,
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i1/protein_skimmer_impressions.htm
.> Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers! Shaun
<Chris>
Upgrading to 120g tank, reef set-up -- 07/16/08
Hello all...I am fairly new, since February, and have learned a
lot since I got the fever. Thank you very much for being a big
part of the learning experience. <A pleasure to share> I
have a 75 gallon mixed reef tank with about 80 pounds of live
rock, two Koralia 2 pumps, and Sea Clone, ( I know, now) skimmer.
The LFS gave me direction and when I looked around, this is the
way they were setup and they have Sea Clones on everything.
<Good that they use what they promote... Are these
modified?> This is also the only skimmer they sell. <Mmm, I
would not do this though> I was running compact fluorescents
and have just upgraded to T5, HO lights. Early on, I was told
that I had everything I needed to keep the reef alive and
thriving. I have as livestock, a Yellow Tang, Maroon Clown, 4
Blue-Green Chromis, Purple Fire fish, 6 Blue Spot sand sifting
Goby, <Six of these?> male and female Anthias (not sure
what type... male is pink/purple and female is orange/pink),
<A few possibilities here> 1 Cleaner Shrimp and a few
snails and red legged hermits. The rest are, Green Open Brain,
Rose BTA, Small Sebae, <Mmm... these anemones are getting
along... and with the other Cnidarians...> various Zoanthids
Frags, Xenia Frag, Favia Frag, Candy Coral Frag, a couple hammer
frags and a purple Ricordea frag and a few mushroom Frags. Some
of these I had purchased and some I have inherited from a
neighbor that had to move. This is why I am upgrading to the 120.
My plan for the 120 is: The standard? 120 tank, 48" X
24" x 24" with stand. It is "reef Ready"
<See WWM re this term... most such tanks are not adequately
drilled> and I will be installing a DIY sump/refugium that I
will be making out of a 30 gallon long tank and Plexiglas using
silicone as the sealant. <Mmm, Silastic does not adhere well
to Plexiglas... if these are through-put fittings, I'd go
with gaskets, threadings...> I will be using the same T5
lighting, 2 Blue Actinic, 3 White and one Purple, or at least
this is what I received when getting the light. I will be
purchasing an Aqua medic Turboflotor 1000 and OR 2700 Pump for
the sump, and a return pump. I will be upgrading my heater to a
higher grade as well. I plan on going to 2 Koralia 4 units for
the bigger tank, but I thought I read somewhere that with the
sump and refugium, the pump heads may not be necessary. <Good
to have more circulation, redundancy... I would add> I
can't find that article any more, so I'm not sure if I
read it correctly or not. I will be adding more live rock and
live sand into the new tank. I think I have hit all the bases for
the background. The questions I am having are: Should the 30G
tank be big enough for the sump/fuge? <The bigger the
better...> Will the T1000 Skimmer be adequate for the tank or
should the footprint (7.25" X 16") be smaller for this
sump? <S/b fine... I would choose an AquaC, EuroReef or RK2
unit myself...> Are the power heads necessary when using a
sump? <See above. Of use> When transferring everything to
the new 120g tank, do I need to let everything cycle again before
adding the existing livestock, or is this basically doing a major
water change? <More this latter> And finally, is there
anything listed that won't work, something I am forgetting or
something I should change? <Heeeee! Naught that "jumps
out"> Thanks in advance for all the help. Patrick
<Thank you for sharing Patrick. Bob Fenner>
Re: Upgrading to 120g tank -- 07/16/08 Bob,
<Patrick> Thanks for getting back to me. I also sent an
email about the same thing from my Hotmail account. I saw some
response in researching that some emails may have been sent to
spam heaven, <Heeeee... Or spam h, e, double hockey
sticks!> so I thought I would be double sure. Hope it
doesn't get too annoying. <Hopefully> Clarifications:
The blue dot Goby is only one, but it had six blue dots on
it's face, so I thought maybe it was more correct. <I see.
Thank you for this clarification> The two anemones seem to be
doing fine together... <Can indeed "learn" to get
along... in "propitious circumstances"> They are at
opposite sides of the tank. Is it possible to keep them in the
same tank, or should I possibly think of getting rid of one?
<If they're staying put so to speak, all else (esp.
stinging-celled life) apparently co-existing... I would not be
overly concerned> I was reading a little about the "Reef
Ready" tanks, but I may have missed the drilling part. Will
look into that again before it's too late. <Good... do use
the left shared border link to "Ask WWM... a question"
to view the cached view with these words> The sump design I
guess calls for glass baffles instead of Plexiglas. I thought
plexi would be easier to work with, but, I am finding out that
"beneficial" isn't always "easier" <Ah
yes... 'tis so> Looks like the K4 Pump heads stay, which I
think was going to happen any way. In the second email I sent, I
mentioned a few skimmers that I was going to choose from and
would still like your opinion. <Oh, sorry... did not read
thoroughly... Do you re-mention all here? Elsewise I can
resurrect the second (thought duplicitous) email> The T1000,
ASM G-2, MSX Octopus 160 or the Aqua C EV-180. <The last is
superior hands down. Other good choices are makes by RK2 and
EuroReef> Looks like you have mentioned the Aqua C. With the
other choices I have mentioned, would I be going wrong with any
of them? Price is a concern but not a deciding factor. <I
understand... in very short time, the difference in initial cost
is greatly overshadowed by inefficiency costs in poorly designed,
engineered, constructed products in this category of aquarium
gear. Am sure you understand this> Thanks for all the
information, everywhere about everything. Hope all is well with
you and yours as well as the rest of the crew. Take care and
Happy Diving, Patrick <Thank you my/our friend. As a matter of
fact, have just come back out to HI... to visit, dive with new,
old cohorts... Cheers! BobF>
Re: Upgrading to 120g tank 7/17/2008 Thanks
again. The info is much appreciated and priceless. I'll be
looking for the Aqua C EV-180, hopefully at a local
establishment. <A worthwhile investment, I assure you. As a
matter of note, the folks at MarineDepot (.com) are the exclusive
distributor...> It's been a long time since I was
stationed in HI, and I wish I had the interest then as I do now.
Looking forward to going back one of these days just for the
snorkeling. Who knows, I may even take up scuba by then. Take
care, Friend. Patrick J. O'Curran <I do hope we meet...
above and below water. Cheers, BobF>
|
55 Gallon Flat Back Hex Lighting Question, Reef
set-up 6/26/08 Hello! <William> I just recently
went to a club meeting at which Bob Fenner spoke for a few hours and I
must say that I learned a great deal J. <Me too> My question
relates to a new tank that I am setting up. I purchased a 55 gallon
acrylic flat back hex tank (48 long x 20 tall x 16 deep) used from a
LFS used this summer (darn being a poor college student). <Richer
than I was!> It came with a Marineland Canister Filter, Coralife
4x64W PC light, stand, and a 10 inch tall canopy. I recently purchased
a Pacific Coast Imports RPS-1000 skimmer to go with a sump/refugium
that I am putting together to go underneath the tank. The plan is to be
patient and set up the tank when I go back to school in early August so
I am gathering all the pieces for the tank before I go. <Good>
Currently I have a 37gallon tank (30 long x 24tall x 12 deep) with
about 50 pounds of live rock. I am running a Koralia nano, Koralia 2,
and a powerhead from Petco for water flow. I am using a BAKPAK 2
skimmer hanging on the back of the tank. Also a 250w/ 2x24w T5's
combination light by Sunlight Supply (Maristar). The tank has been
running for around 10 months and going strong. I have two percula
clowns, a mandarin, and a peppermint shrimp. There is also a GBTA,
<Mmm... this may eat your Mandarin> and a purple long tentacle
anemone. <And not a good idea to mix anemones! Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/CnidIndex2.htm> A little bit of xenia, some
Zoa's, a green/pink Yuma, and some sun coral (the non light using
kind, can't remember the name for it). The GBTA has been in the
tank for about 8 months and the long tentacle about 6 and a half
months. <Well... looks like they're getting along> My
question is that when I move the inhabitants to the new tank what would
be the best light for the new tank? <Posted... for a two foot depth
of watter... of this length system... two smaller watt MHs of about 14K
temp.> The only thing that I would be adding to this tank is
possibly a few more LPS and maybe a Kole Tang. (would also like to know
if he will be unsuitable for a 55g as I will be keeping this tank for
sure for two more years at school). I am interested in something along
the lines of MH as that seems to be treating the anemone's well and
that is the main focus for the new tank the relationship between the
Percula's and anemone's. I am planning to have about a 3 inch
sandbed in the new tank as the long tentacle is buried very deeply in
my 3-4 inch sandbed in the 37g tank. So I am just wondering what would
be the best wattage lighting for this tank as I don't want to have
too much on the tank, and I don't plan on having sps anytime soon,
the anemone just fascinate me too much to get away from. Thank you so
much in advance I seem to have run into a wall on this one. ~Will Bowen
<And here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marsetupindex2.htm the tray at
bottom. Cheers, Bob Fenner>
Reef Tank Temperature, Livestock, and General Advice --
06/20/08 I have a 55 gallon reef I retrofitted w- 325 watts
of Coralife compact fluorescent 10K &
Actinic (sufficient for corals below) <<Mmm,
is debatable'¦I prefer to see a 70-30 mix of 10K to
Actinic lighting'¦a 50-50 mix may look nice, but it is
not as 'useful' to the photosynthetic organisms>>
under a hood w- a rear opening. I have 2 cooling fans salvaged
(so not sure the CFM) from an old PC, one @ each end, one inlet
& one exhaust. <<A useful employment>> The
temperature consistently stays @ 82 degrees. <<This is not
'terrible' in my opinion>> Prior to adding the fans
it spiked to 86 & I lost 2 clown fish. <<Hmm, would
have expected this to be more of a problem to your corals than
your fishes'¦perhaps there are/were other aggravating
circumstances>> My question is can I get away w- the 82
degrees since there is not a swing in temperature? <<It is
my opinion that, yes, you can. This may not be an 'ideal'
temperature as touted by many'¦but it is certainly
'survivable' in my experience'¦and maybe even
more 'natural,' if you've ever heard/read Dr. Ron
Shimek. As far as temperature goes, I've been diving off the
Big Island of Hawai'i a few times now (and talking/thinking
about it'¦getting the urge to go again!) and the water
temperature was during those visits was 82F'¦and not
just at the surface but down to about a 100ft depth. I would also
like to add that my own reef system often sees temperatures of up
to 85F (with no mortalities re) during the hot summer months here
in SC>> It seems to be pushing the limits I see published
for acceptable range but I have also read in more than one source
that the swing is more important than the actual temperature.
<<That too is debated by some, but having to take unknown
factors/possible aggravating circumstances in to consideration
would deem some measure of stability to be a good thing. In other
words'¦for captive systems, it may be best to keep the
'straws' that could break the camel's back to a
minimum>> How much affect does ambient air temperature
actually have? <<It does have an effect'¦but the
heat producing devices of the system (pumps, lights, etc.) are
generally an overriding factor>> We keep the house @ about
76-78 degrees but I could possibly add a window unit in this room
(assuming I can ever get the window unstuck). <<You would
likely need to keep the room uncomfortably cool to have much
effect here. But adding more/more powerful fans to step up
evaporative cooling is certainly an option'¦I would put
one over your sump as well>> Filtration & Flow: 50
pounds live rock w- 1" sand bed Wet / Dry w- filter pad
& Seachem Purigen & PhosGuard & charcoal (plan to
replace PhosGuard & charcoal w- Seachem's SeaGel) Could I
put the media in the overflow or should they stay where the bio
balls would go? No bio balls. <<I would keep this where you
have it. I am not a fan of placing items within/restricting
overflows>> Excalibur SV1 skimmer in sump 600 GPH return 2
600 GPH Koralia 2 in opposite top corners 1 600 GPH power head
next to overflow behind the rock ¾ of way down tank.
The overflow is off-center @ about 1/3 of the tank length. Is the
above sufficient when compared w- the info above & below?
<<Livestock incompatibilities aside'¦yes>>
Inhabitants as follows: 2 Peppermint Shrimp 2 False Perc's 1
Brittle Star 6 Red Leg Hermits 20ish Astrea (increase) Green
Sinularia Xenia Finger Leather (Lobophytum) Green Stripe Mushroom
(Actinodiscus) Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sinuosa) Ruffled Ridge
(Turbinaria) Candy Cane (Caulastrea) Green Star Polyp (Briareum)
Pink Tip Anemone (Condylactis, (passiflora or gigantea not sure))
<<Mmm'¦trouble waiting'¦in this mix of
sessile inverts>> Mistake w- the anemone? It is new.
<<In my opinion'¦yes. This tank is too small and
likely too densely populated for such an animal. I predict
problems one way or the other>> Water parameters: Salinity
1.023 (should I raise slightly?) <<Yes'¦closer to
NSW levels of 1.025/1.026>> Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite
consistently 0 Calcium 420 Carbonate Hardness KH 8 PH 8.2-8.3
Would like to add to tank: 1 Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus
hexataenia) <<Can be a terror in this relatively small
system'¦even if added last>> 1 Lawnmower Blenny
(Salarias fasciatus) <<Again'¦the size of the tank
may preclude this fish getting enough to eat/being able to meet
its nutritional requirements>> 1 Royal Gramma (Gramma
loreto) <<An excellent choice for this size system>>
2 Kaudern's Cardinal's (Pterapogon kauderni) Would the
additional livestock on the wish list be too much for this tank
& do you see any compatibility issues? <<You don't
list any 'current' piscine livestock'¦if that is
the case then no, not 'too' much'¦otherwise,
compatibility issues are already noted>> I think I may have
done too much to fast but have had no major problems as of yet.
Would definitely like your opinion of the overall system &
any advice on changes that may need to be made. <<Your
'mechanicals' seem fine, though 'I' would likely
upgrade the skimmer to a suitable Euro-Reef or AquaC model. And
you have my thoughts on your livestock as well>> Thanks for
all you do, your site has been my best source of information.
<<Is quite the collective effort'¦we are pleased
you have found it to be of benefit. Regards, EricR>>
Reef Tank Temperature, Livestock, and General Advice --
06/22/08 Thank you so much for the detailed & informative
reply, <<Quite welcome>> you guys are the best!
<<Thank you'¦talented and knowledgeable ladies
here too>> The lights that caused the spike were added in
advance of all corals except for the 1 Turbinaria & 1
Actinodiscus that came with the tank. <<Okay>> I feel
much better knowing someone with your depth of experience is
successful at these temperatures. <<Mmm,
yes'¦well'¦no room for error at these extremes
(85F/86F)'¦But I think your tank's current
temperature of 82F is quite manageable>> I will definitely
add an additional fan over for the sump though. <<Will
help>> As far as current fish there are the 2 False
Perc's that is all. <<I see>> Was the anemone the
only "problem child" you saw in my invert mix?
<<You have a popular 'garden variety' mix of
organisms which are problematic if not managed well'¦but
yes, the anemone is the real 'problem child'
there>> For the Lawnmower Blenny (Salarias fasciatus) would
it be acceptable to supplement feeding with an algae clip?
<<These fish sometimes just don't take to prepared
foods'¦might be best to culture algae on some live rock
in a separate container and 'swap out' as needed Funny
you mention the 6 Line as a terror, <<Have seen such in
almost all instances'¦even in large (300g+)
tanks>> just two days ago at one of our LFS's they had
a Gramma loreto & Pseudocheilinus hexataenia in the same tank
& the Gramma appeared to be the bully! <<Gramma loreto
can be pugnacious'¦and differing
circumstances/conditions govern behavior'¦but this
situation would likely reverse with time as the Pseudocheilinus
acclimates/matures>> I will keep my eyes on Craig's
list for a more suitable skimmer. <<Excellent>> Have
a great weekend (maybe a trip to Hawaii?) <<Ahh, if only it
were that easy! [grin]'¦but perhaps a trip in the not
too distant future>> Thanks <<Happy to share. Eric
Russell>> (I just so happen to have one of my 5
Coralife's dead center that is a 50/50 so I can replace that
with the 10K & get to a 60/40) <<Real good'¦is
a more 'useful' mix. EricR>>
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Custom 85 Gallon, reef set-up/stkg.
6/19/08 First of all thank you for the informative articles and
information posted on your web-site. I have been running FO and
reef tanks for two years now and test my water parameters at least
weekly. The only issues I ever have are phosphate levels. I just
purchased a 36 x 18 x 30 custom tank from my local aquarium
specialist. This tank will used for fish and coral. I plan on
purchasing a refugium, fluidized sand bed filter, 9 watt Turbo
Twist UV Sterilizer and Fission skimmer. My fish bio-load will be
minimal (5-6 fish). Lighting will consist of one 150 watt 14K metal
halide and one 150 watt 20K metal halide. I will have a 50/50
mixture of lace rock and live rock. I guess my question is does
this set-up look sufficient enough? <Mmm... yes...> I do a
10% water change weekly. Feeding consist of brine, mysis shrimp and
romaine lettuce <Mmmm, not this> for my Yellow Tang.
Any information will be greatly appreciated. Nick <I do like the
shape of this volume... Do write back with specifics (e.g. species
you'd like to use) if you'd like. Bob Fenner> Custom
85 Gallon, Cnid. sel, reading 6/22/08 Back to
you WWC... <?> I have looked at some of the compatibility
issues surrounding corals and was amazed... <Me too> My goal
with the new tank is to have a few large <no frags> pieces
that will live together in harmony. <Ok> We like leather
corals, Blastos, zoanthids, Kenya trees, etc... What would be a
good mixture that will last long term? <... for you to read
further. B> |
Re: Filter feeder setup 6/13/08 Filter feeder setup... GARF
non-substrate grunge Hi crew, <Sal... my bro-in-laws name...> I
am going to setup up a filter feeder tank and ive been doing
considerable research. Im sure this will come as no surprise to you,
but the more i read the more confused i get. I am hoping to keep the
non photosynthetic gorgonians in this set up. I called the people over
at GARF since they have a proven track record at keeping these guys.
They are big fans of their GARF grunge. <Mmmm... is "just some
old guy in the back with dead live rock and a hammer..." This
quote from a prev. employee there> They think that i should use this
as the substrate for both my tank and refugium. My only issue with this
is that there are some rather large pieces of rubble, shell etc. Will
this not become a nutrient trap? <Yes> Is this substrate supposed
to be used for a plenum system only ( i don't want a plenum).
Should i install a 4" DSB with sugar fine aragonite and then add
1" of GARF grunge over this in both the tank and refugium?
<I'd skip this sham completely... leave out the
"grunge"> Should i go with the oolitic sand in the main
tank only and grunge in the refugium only? <Just the sand
everywhere> If so what depth? I am not going to have a skimmer on
this tank because this will be a filter feeder tank. Please let me know
what u think. Im trying to do my own research but it seems experience
is much more important. thanks for all your help. Peace, Sal <And
you, Bob Fenner>
Re: Filter feeder setup 6/13/08 Bob, You're bro in
law must be one cool cat. Thanks for the recommendation. I will be
going oolitic sand throughout. One last ? If u don't mind. Do u
agree with the lack of a protein skimmer in this tank? Peace, Sal
<Mmm, no... I would run a good skimmer, if not continuously, then on
a regular punctuated basis... a few hours every day. B>
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Small Marine Aquariums
Book 1:
Invertebrates, Algae
New
Print and
eBook on Amazon:
by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
Small Marine Aquariums
Book 2: Fishes
New
Print and
eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
Small Marine Aquariums Book 3: Systems
New
Print and
eBook on Amazon:
by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
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