Possibly Starting over, what would you change?

[Anonymous]

Since I have had endless problems with this tank I am really contiplating tearing this tank down and starting over. I have seen many pictures of beautiful tanks and either everyone is an artist with Photoshop or my tank really looks like crapola.

Besides the tank what would you change if you were to tear it down and start over? Tank is supposed to be a SPS/LPS/CLAM tank.

Talk 58 RR Oceanic (36x18x21).

20G High All-Glass sump with 2 glass baffles.

MyReef MR-1 SKimmer power by a mag-12

Mag 9 for return.

Blueline 40HD (790 GPH) on a closed loop with a SCWD.

2 maxijet 1200's.

250W PFO HQI pendant and ballast

2x95W VHO Actinics powered by an Icecap 660.

Dual stage temp controller. (Titanium heater and fan)

Pinpoint PH Monitor

80 lbs of LR - Smothered in hair algae and cyano

4-in Southdown DSB - No life just algae growing on it.

What would you add?
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[Unarce]

I would put your LR through the curing process again for at least a week with lots of water flow. Scrub them good and let it sit with no light (maybe in a rubbermaid container). Hopefully it's enough to get rid of the nuisance algae. Your equipment list is fine, but I would lose the DSB. IMO, anything over 3 inches is overkill. Just place about 2 inches of multi-grain and you'll be fine (let me know if you'd like me to explain).

I would go with 20K DE bulb with the actinics, but if you find it too blue for your taste than either the 13K Giesseman or 14K Arcadia will work just as well. The bluer spectrum and shallow sand bed will reduce the likelihood of another algae issue and provide a healthy and natural reef environment.

 

[Emperator]

Talk 58 RR Oceanic (36x18x21).
- sounds good, keep the tank

20G High All-Glass sump with 2 glass baffles.
- sounds good

MyReef MR-1 SKimmer power by a mag-12
- sounds good

Mag 9 for return.
- sounds good

Blueline 40HD (790 GPH) on a closed loop with a SCWD.
- i would switch out the scwd for a SS, scwd's KILL pressure. also, maybe upgrade to a higher flow pump to dual SS's?

2 maxijet 1200's.
- looks ok, maybe think about ditching the powerheads and going with a single gemini pump or a tunze stream.

250W PFO HQI pendant and ballast
- sounds good

2x95W VHO Actinics powered by an Icecap 660.
- sounds good

Dual stage temp controller. (Titanium heater and fan)
- sounds good

Pinpoint PH Monitor
- sounds good

80 lbs of LR - Smothered in hair algae and cyano
- put the rock in a curing bin with no light for a few weeks. throw in a few turbo snails.

4-in Southdown DSB - No life just algae growing on it.
- ditch the dsb. i would go substrate-less.

since you are thinking of going with mainly sps's and clam, you may want to think about investing in a ca reactor so that you can avoid the daily dosing routine. in addition, a good top off system will lessen the burden of manual top offs. i recommend either a litermeter or tunze osmolator.

also timers for the lights.

 

[Anonymous]

I would use some substrate but I would ditch the concept of a DSB.

 

[Anonymous]

Got timers for the lights.

I think since the tank is only 3 ft that the Tunze Stream would be way too much.

Cant do a SS, My canopy is in the way.

I have a top off system that dumps in RO/DI/DI water twice a day.
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[hillbilly]

I would get rid of all that crappy Southdown sand. Bigger pump for the loop. Everything else sounds good. My question is- How long was this tank up before you started adding livestock? It sounds like maybe it was rushed before it cycled out, thus alage blooms. Eric Bomeman, who is a sps guru, says you should add LR- wait 3 months, let alage bloom. Add herbivores to eat algae. Wait a few more months-add stony corals, perfect water now. Wait a few more months, grow a reef. Then add carnivorous fish. This timeline has not failed me yet. I have set up 4 tanks using this as a guide. My 2 cents.

 

[Anonymous]

Tank has been running for 15 months. The contents (except the sand) were from a previous tank that ran for almost 2 years.

I didn't add SPS until 6 months of the tank running. Tank has Frogspawn, hammer, wesophelia and a few shrooms - 2 false percs and a 6-line wrasse. All from previous tank.
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[Unarce]

I would use some substrate but I would ditch the concept of a DSB.

I agree. A properly stocked reef can do without a substrate, but since you want to have SPS, you'll need the larvae of meiofauna to feed them. LPS, softies, and clams will feed on phytoplankton directly. Just keep it shallow.

 

[Anonymous]

What cna I do with the corals/fish while this tank recylces for a few months? I really dont want to give them back to the LFS.
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[Unarce]

Just get 2 rubbermaid containers and use them like shallow vats (one for the rocks and one for your livestock). The corals and fish should be fine in there for the time being.

 

[Anonymous]

The corals will be ok with no light over them for 2 months?

They will be ok with no filtration including skimmer for 2 months as well?
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[Unarce]

Of course you would put the lights over the vat. Skimmers optional, but you want some type of mechanical filtration since it will just be the fish and corals. If you don't want to go through the trouble, some LFS will hold your livestock for a fee (if you want to take that risk).

 

[Anonymous]

My lights are mounted into my canopy. They are not a fixture that can be placed over the tubs.

I guess I will just give them away to the LFS. Or just buy new LR and go from there.

Removing the DSB and replacing everything back into the tank wont be or will it for the livestock?
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[Unarce]

Another option:

Keep the fish and corals in the tank with new live sand and some mixed grains. Create different levels of shelving for your corals out of eggcrate and super glue. Than you could cure the live rock for a couple of weeks and reintroduce them when you determine it's safe.

 

[Unarce]

It might be better to just bring them back to the store, so you can take your time and have a well-planned start.

 

[hillbilly]

Tank has been running for 15 months. The contents (except the sand) were from a previous tank that ran for almost 2 years.

I didn't add SPS until 6 months of the tank running. Tank has Frogspawn, hammer, wesophelia and a few shrooms - 2 false percs and a 6-line wrasse. All from previous tank.

Most likely the sand leached crap into the water then. Yeah, I agree, a shallow layer of sand should give no trouble.

 

[Anonymous]

Is re-curing the LR really neccessary or will they clear up in the tank without the DSB?
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[Unarce]

I'd say it's possible if you want to skip the curing process. The new conditions may put a stop to it altogether. I can't really say from experience. Never had an algae problem.

Use Nature's Ocean or Live Aragonite to make it a bit less stressful for the livestock.

 

[Anonymous]

Would the fish / corals be ok without the filtration of the live rock? Just running the tank with the skimmer?
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[Unarce]

If you use live sand, it can filter the same way the LR does. It will have the same nitrification/denitrification ability.