Reefing Help Questions

[Chiefmcfuz]

This thread is for anyone to post a reefing help question. If you have reefing Q post it here and we will try to get it answered as quick as possible. So fire away.

Feel free to link articles and other threads but also with those links please include a brief summary of what the link is or why you are posting that link.

Please keep this serious as it might help someone with a problem that they are having and may even help them.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Should we add salt water to our top off in the reservoir?I figured after time your salinity would drop after the next water change.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

You should always test salinity before adding but for the most part freshwater to compensate for evaporation will usually be freshwater.

 

[thewolfguy]

New to Reefs

Hello there: I am new to the reef hobby, but have been doing fresh water and brackish water as well as some salt water aquariums for a long time now. I just recently purchased a 75 gallon salt water setup from someone. In this setup he included the live sand on the bottom, about an inch of the existing water and 40 pounds of live rock. I did not have the live rock submerged but kept it wet for about 2 days while I set up the aquarium. The rock does not seem any black slime on it from death, nor does it have any odors, so I think I am safe with that. I just now finished setting up the aquarium. The lighting system is a HO T5 2x52 watt (one bulb is blue, one bulb is white), a Amircale wet/dry filter and a protein skimmer. I checked to make sure the specific gravity was fine and it is. I got the wet/dry working fine. In the wet/dry, I did not put in the bio balls because I heard it traps nitrates. I also did not put in any chelicals in the chemical trap, but did put the sponge down by there chemical trap to catch the debris. One of my questions is since this is going to be a reef tank can I add live sand and some live rock in the sump area to make it a refugeum, or do I add it to the area where the bio balls where supposed to be? I do not really want to build a separate refugeum if I do not have to. Here is a link to what the wet/dry setup is supposed to look like. I am also getting 80 or 90 more ponds of live rock from someone tomorrow and adding it for a total of 120 - 130 pouns of live rock, which should be perfect for a 75 gallon aquarium. I know that for a reef tank I have to add one additional 4 or 6 bulb metal halided or 4 bulb T5 light to the aquarium. As for the protein skimmer, I did not set it up as I have to get a pump for it. It is a creative platic research (CPR) protein skimmer and it is large. I would have to say 24" in height and I think the model # is similiar to a SLR4 from that company. From what I gather it looks like I have to get a pump and hook it up to the input and have the output go into the sump area. In the input there seems to be a tiny hose coming out. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am going to assume that this hose it to pump air into the intake and should be hooked up to a air pump. So, to wrap this up, these are the basic questions I have.
1) Will the live rock and sand be o.k. ?
2) Will an additional T5 4x52 watt in addition to the T% HO 2x52Watt be o.k. for the corals I will be getting?
3) Am I correct in assuming that if I just get the pump and connect the air line to the intake of the protein skimmer I will be fine?
4) How do I set up the wet/dry to be a refugeum since I do not have any chemicals in it or bio balls? Here is the link again.http://www.tplastech.com/amiracle/slimlineinstructions.htm
5) The guy did give me what I think is some kind of eel. It is about 6 inches long, light brown, with nice lon curvy light yellow colored stripes from head to tail. I put him in the aquarium already, since he had been living in a tupperware container for a few days now. He seems to be happy but hungry. Do you know what kind of fish this is and what do I feed him?
6) The aquarium seems to be a bit cloudy. When will it clear up and will it be clearer quicker when I add the protein skimmer and make the wet/dry into a refugeum?
thank you for helping

 

[Prachmuth]

Lighting Question

I have been slowly transforming my 92 Gal. corner tank into a full reef tank. The corals are surviving, but not really thriving. I've installed an RO system, do frequent H2O changes and keep the salt at about 1.024. My guess is that its time to upgrade the lighting. I am currently using a 36" 2x96w light.

Should I change the light. And if so, to what?

Thanks,

PAR

 

[Killerdrgn]

I have been slowly transforming my 92 Gal. corner tank into a full reef tank. The corals are surviving, but not really thriving. I've installed an RO system, do frequent H2O changes and keep the salt at about 1.024. My guess is that its time to upgrade the lighting. I am currently using a 36" 2x96w light.

Should I change the light. And if so, to what?

Thanks,

PAR

Are you going to be keeping SPS, if so change it to a 250W Metal Halide system. Not sure of the dimensions so you might need 1 or 2, probably 2.

 

[Killerdrgn]

1) Will the live rock and sand be o.k. ?
2) Will an additional T5 4x52 watt in addition to the T% HO 2x52Watt be o.k. for the corals I will be getting?
3) Am I correct in assuming that if I just get the pump and connect the air line to the intake of the protein skimmer I will be fine?
4) How do I set up the wet/dry to be a refugeum since I do not have any chemicals in it or bio balls?
5) The guy did give me what I think is some kind of eel. It is about 6 inches long, light brown, with nice lon curvy light yellow colored stripes from head to tail. I put him in the aquarium already, since he had been living in a tupperware container for a few days now. He seems to be happy but hungry. Do you know what kind of fish this is and what do I feed him?
6) The aquarium seems to be a bit cloudy. When will it clear up and will it be clearer quicker when I add the protein skimmer and make the wet/dry into a refugeum?

1) Live rock and sand should be fine, don't put any in the wet dry though.
2) Not sure you'll have room on the top for 2 fixtures like that. Might be better to get rid of the 2 bulb fixture and get a single 6 to 8 bulb fixture with individual light reflectors.
3) The airline should connect to the pump and the pump connects to the skimmer chamber. And you might need the specific pump for that skimmer model.
4) Don't turn it into a refugium, just put your skimmer in there and use it as a sump, your going to also need a return pump if you don't already have one.
5) Picture would be nice.
6) It's probably cloudy because when you added in the water it stirred up the sand into the water column and should clear on its own within a couple of days. Or have you been dosing or adding anything besides salt and water to the tank? If so you might have caused some calcium precipitation. You'll need to check your tank parameters, you should go out and buy some test kits (salifert or elos) Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium, Alkalinity, and PH at minimum. And also how are you measuring your specific gravity, you should be using a refractometer or your reading might not be correct.

 

[thewolfguy]

update

1) Actually I completed the setup and everything is running perfect. All levels are in range and even the live rock is getting more color.
2) I have the T5 setup and checked that I do have room for a 4 bulb light which I am buying from someone. It is 2 x 150 metal halide with 2 x 54 watt t5 combined. I thing with both light setups I will be fine for most corals.
3) The protein skimmer is up and running fine.
4) I ended up setting up the Amiracle wet/dry as a refugium / sump and it actually worked out quite good. The rigth side of the wet/dry that has the intake hose from the overflow does not have any bio balls in it. I put in a fpolyester pad from a pondmaster setup and under that I put in a charcoal pad. The wall that separates the next .chamber has a sponge separating it to catch additional particlesmissed from the first polyester pad. In the next chamber is live sand, live rock, calipura and a 70 watt bulb for growth. I have the protein skimmertaking water out of the sump and returning it past the sponge which separates the 2 chambers and back s the into the bottom of the first chamber underneath the 2 pads. I also have a powerhead in the back left part of the tank. The return hose into the tank return hose brings the water back at a high rate and distibutes it back through a spray wand to create even more current. am thinking of installing an addional powerhead on the other side of the aquarium as well. I have 40 pounds of live rock and tomorrow I am adding another 90 pounds. I am adding the additional light as well tomorrow. The refugium also has a heater installes in it. I have a large 15 watt quartz UV light that I was going to install in it, but do not think it is necessary. I am probably going to sell it.
5) The fish that I have actually turned out to be a Engineer Goby.
6) The reason for the cloudiness was many many miro bubbles. I just had to readjust the output of the protein skimmer from the refugium to the area under the first section under the pads.

I am actually going to get a cleaning crew, some star fish, sea urchins, sea slugs,bennys, tangs, percus clowns, damsels and of course coral. I think whenit is all said and done it should be a decent There is also about 70 - 80 pounds of live sand. Being that all levels have stayed close to perfect does anyone have any other ideas about the types of fish, invertabraes, and corals that I have mentioned?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

:bump:

 

[thewolfguy]

new update

O.K. I now have about 150 pounds of live rock, some with coral on it such as xenias and mushrooms and some corraline growth. The corals all seem to be doing fine as is the goby engineer. I now have a t5 ho 2 x 54 watt lighting system. One day bulb one actinic bulb. I am thinking of getting an ice cap 660 ballast and pushing the bulbs to 80 watts. I am also going to get individual reflectors. I also have an additional lighting system over the aquarium. It is a power compact 4 x 65 watt bulb setup. 2 x actinic bulbs and 2 x day bulbs. I am actually thinking of selling this lighting system as I might be buying a different lighting system from someone else. The lighting system I will be replacing the power compact with is 2 x 150 MH - 2 x 54 T5 combination of 4 bulbs. I would probably upgrade the T5 ballast in this lighting system as well to make it run at 80 watts each bulb making the total system 460 watt total. any questions or comments. I want to keep the tank with LPS and soft corals, but am pretty sure I with theses 2 light setups I can run just about any coral.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Wow wolf, sounds great got any pics to post?

 

[thewolfguy]

pictures and update on aquarium test levels

Well, here are the pictures. I have also installed the lighting system I said I was going to get.
4 bulb light
150 watt x 2 MH bulbs
with 2 x 54 watt T5 lights for a toal of 408 watts.
I also have a T5 with 2 x 54 watt in front of the MH light and it has a day bulb and one actinioc bulb for a total of 108 watts
Combined I have a total of 516 watts.
This should be plenty for most types of corals

Now for the test results
Calcium level is 395
Magnesium is 1020
Alkalinity is 8.2 DKH or 2.92 Meq/L
Ph is 7.9
Ammonia is 0 ppm
Nitrite is 0 ppm
Nitrate is 15 ppm This may be due to the ammonia and nitrite being processed and now it is nitrates.
I expect it to go down, as the aquarium is going through a mini cycle and there is slight brown algaeon the glass and in the sand. The tank is about 1 1/2 weeks old and is sustaining the goby engineer and the coral just fine. As a matter of fact the corraline is expanding a little on the live rocks. I am thinking in about 2 weeks to add a cleaning crew. The aquarium wil be about 4 weeks old then. Approximately 2 weeks later I will add anenomes and a pair of perculous clown fish, then eventually a couple of blennys, damsels, sea urchins, sea slugs, star fish.

 

[mray]

How many lbs of rocks do you have there? It looks a bit crowded.

 

[thewolfguy]

rocks

To answer your question, approximately 145 pounds of live rock. The average is between 1 1/2 - 2 pouns of live rock per gallon of water. Being that I have a 75 gallon aquarium, I am allowed within limits to place anywhere between 112 1/2 pounds - 150 pounds safely into a 75 gallon aquarium. The picture's angle may make it look lke it is crowded, but in reality it is just covering the back and side walls. As for an update, since the time I changed the lighting system yesterday and now, I actualy started seeing new coral growth.

 

[mray]

Well, it's your aquarium, you are allowed to put 500lbs of rocks in there if you can fit it.

The number of nitrifying bacteria in your aquarium is directly related to the amount of livestock you have in the tank. You do not necessarily need to follow the lbs/gallon guideline. The more rocks you have in there, the less bacteria you have per inch of surface area.

Just my opinion.

 

[PIOTR]

Wich cartridge goes first wich last in 4 stage RO/DI unit ?

 

[Killerdrgn]

the cartridge that looks like a roll of yarn goes first, and if it is a RO AND DI the cartridge that looks like a bunch of blue beads should go last.

 

[M1killer976]

New Reef Help Hi I'm Mike An New Here Have Questions Need Help

Hi What's Up My Names Mike I'm New To Reef Tanks I Have A "All Glass" 15 Gallon Tall Tank, "All Glass Aquarium" Lighting Deluxe Full Hood With Aquarium Spectronic Fluorescent Lamp Included "Rapids" 3 stage 450gph Wet/Dry Canister Filter/Protein Skimmer, Aqua Clear 150gph hang on filter, Live Rocks, Two 4" Top Fin Round Airstones, Live Crushed Coral & Sand Mixed. Tank Temp 78.5 F to 79.5 F Top Fin 100 watt Heater
Test Show "API" Ammonia 0 ppm, "Quick Dip" Nitrate 50, Nitrite 0, Hardness (GH) 300, chlorine 0, Alkalinity 300, PH 8.4, "Instant Ocean Hydrometer" Salinity 1.024. The Rest Calcium/NA, Magnesium/NA, Phosphate/NA For Now.

Did I Leave Any Other Needed Test Out?

I Used fiji Live Rock From A 100 Gallon Tank. That Was Not In Use For A Year But Still Had Water In It. The Salinity Of That Tank Was 0. Theirs Was Very Little Purple Left On The Rock. Will It Come Back If So How Long Will It Take For This To Happen Was This Ok To Do?

Today I Just Added 2 1/2 pounds More live Rock & 2 Yellowtail Damselfish From The Pet Shop Will This Help Anything?

 

[Bob 1000]

BBBBooooommmmm,,,lol...
That's the sound of a crash...PM me for help..

 

[ABOOGIELIVE05]

I Have A 76 Oceanic Half Moon Tank And Need A Tip Or Two From Someone With Experience On What Lighting To Get Due To The Ackward Design Of The Aquarium. I Am Thinking About Getting T5's Or Metal Halide To Start Off The Whole Reef Experience. I Currently Have A Fish Only Environment.