Feedback appreciated: Here's my master plan

[Anonymous]

Again, thanks a lot to everyone on this site. Your answers to my endless questions have been very educational! Linked off my server is a MSWord doc that contains my master plan. If anyone has time, or is just that bored, take a moment to review what I've put together. The goals of this aquarium are:

• easy inhabitants. There are some difficult things in the species I am considering, but those can wait.
• simple hardware design, again, noob friendly.
• loose biotope: indo-pacific

Do you think 2 powerheads is enough? I have one on the skimmer and one on the 'fuge.

http://www.website-x.com/simple_salty2.doc

 

[liquid]

If I were doing it, I'd remove the glass top (cuts down on light transmission and gas exchange, and also allows heat to build up in the tank) and I'd get a powerhead or two more into the system. I've got 4 powerheads on my 38 and I like the flow in it. I have a RIO 600 (skimmer), MJ 1200, and 2 MJ 900's.

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, thanks for answering my powerhead dilemma. I'm not sure if I'll be able to remove the glass top though, I need it to hold the light strips. Also, wouldn't fish jump out a bunch?

 

[liquid]

You could always build a simple hood to house your light strips in instead of laying them on a glass top. That's what I did. I've got pics up on http://www.liquidreef.com/ of my DIY hood. I've had an open-back hood for 3 yrs and haven't lost a fish yet (knock on wood!).

Another option might be to use eggcrate material instead of glass. You'd at least get a little bit more gas exchange and heat reduction that way. Eggcrate material can be found at your local hardware store and is used in flourescent light setups.

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Me? Build a hood? Uh, bad idea, bad idea. I would make one that catches on fire or something.

Eggcrate sounds good.

Should I find a way to raise the lights up a bit so water doesn't splash on them?

 

[smlacy]

Wow, this is strikingly simlar to what I'm planning, minus the Refigium.

For me, I'm getting ready for:

- 4x65w Compact Flourescent, with 2 x Custom Sea Life moonlight, and a fan for cooling.
- AquaC Remora w/ MaxiJjet 1200.
- 37g Oceanic Tank (hopefully Starphire)
- 2 to 4 MaxiJet 600s (or similar) hooked up to a simple wave controller and timer, for circulation in-tank.
- ~4-5" DSB, (live ocean sand) which turns out to be about 9 gallons of sand, however much that weighs.
- Live Rock to taste, which means quite a lot of big craggy pieces.
- Glass top as I see fit -- on in the winter to reduce heat loss and evap., off in the summer. Its possible this will be Starphire.

I thought briefly about doing a Refugium as well, but decided not to, because:

1. I don't think it'll get a significant enough amount of light without separate lighting.
2. Because there's no overflow, there's a much greater chance 'pods will thrive, and the CPR offers little protection to 'pods anyway.
3. I don't mind having macro algae in my main tank.
4. Its an easy add-on later.

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Why does the CPR offer little protection for pods?

 

[smlacy]

Well, all the 'pods have is a safe way out of the Refugium into the tank, and no safe way back into the refugium. To me that seems like the population would probably quickly decline and never return unless you were replenishing yourself.

I guess this would be okay, and I'm sure its fine for macros. It all depends on what you want it for, I guess.

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

It was specifically for pods - I actually like the splashes of green that some pruned back macros provide in a display aquarium.

Maybe I will skipxor the 'fuge.

 

[ChrisRD]

Well, all the 'pods have is a safe way out of the Refugium into the tank, and no safe way back into the refugium. To me that seems like the population would probably quickly decline and never return unless you were replenishing yourself.

The pods likely won't have a safe way back into any refugium - their main purpose is to be food for fish and inverts in the display tank - it's a one-way trip. :wink:

They will multiply rapidly in the refugium where there is no natural predation. There shouldn't be a need to replenish them very often (if ever).

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm. That's a good point. Maybe I will keep the 'fuge.

*straddles the fence a little more*

 

[ChrisRD]

Because there's no overflow, there's a much greater chance 'pods will thrive

Actually, if anything, the reverse is true. Pods thrive when they are in an environment with no predators - that is definitely not the case in the main tank where your fish and corals are located. The purpose of a refugium is just what the word indicates - a place of refuge - a safe place for them to multiply without predation.

If you have a built-in overflow box in the tank, a sump, refugium, etc. (any place there are no fish or corals present) those are all potential breeding grounds for pods.

 

[ChrisRD]

BTW - Hwarang, the setup looks fine. As Liquid suggested, add a powerhead or two in the main tank for additional circulation (I'd suggest Maxijets). You might also consider a cheap wavemaker like this if you want some alternating currents:

http://www.marinedepot.com/a_wm_asnw.asp?CartId=

 

[Anonymous]

I'm definitely going to get at least one more powerhead in there, probably two but I will start with one and see how that works.

As for the lights ... I think I may just buy a canopy or something. I don't know of an aesthetically pleasing way to NOT use the glass canopy but still suspend the lights above the aquarium.

I am going to hold off on the wavemaker, keep things simple for now. A year from now I plan to be using what I learned from this first reef project and use it to make a pimped out all the bells and whistles pre-drilled 120g tank w/ super plumbing and a phat sump / 'fuge below it on a custom stand bla bla bla bla you know ... living room centerpeice / dream tank.

 

[smlacy]

Right, good point about not having predators in the 'fuge! I was thinking too much about my own setup, which I don't plan on having any 'pod predators in.

So, yes, if you have predators in your tank, then you'll really need one to keep the population from disappearing.

Oh, and on a related note, here's one of my rules of thumb: Choose livestock very carefully, because once you put it in your tank, you'll never *ever* be able to remove it. (this is not necessarily true, but is a good rule to think about when you're buying livestock, esp. crabs, shrimp, and fast swimming fish)

Stay far far away from thoughts like: "I wonder if this fish will get along with my others? Well, if not, I'll just catch him and take him out and give him to my friend."

Steve