29G Mini-Reef Set Up

[puffermantis]

I'm turning my 29g tank into a mini-reef. I have a few questions to start: 1) Should I use a sand bed or leave the floor bare? 2) I was going to use a 350 gph Skilter for the main filtration-is this sufficient? 3) I would like to use as much of my existing coral to start-can I frag GSP-if so how? (It has grown to over 14"x8") 4) Using my own LR, an established Skilter and water from my 125g DT, how long of a cycle (if any) should I expect? I'll post some pictures after I get it up and running.

 

[phenom5]

1. Up to you. Depends largely on what you are planning on keeping in the tank. Just based 2 things, skilter & GSP, I would go with a SSB.

2. I've never seen one in action, so take this FWIW...but I haven't heard too many good things about skilters. If it were me (assuming you're not going to have a sump) I'd go with a remora or octopus skimmer, and some sort of HOB fuge (DIY or CPR aquafuge-type thing).

3. GSP is easy to frag. Get an Xacto knife or some sort of razor blade. Peel the mat away from the rock, and cut a piece as big as you want/ need.

4. In theory, you shouldn't have much, if any cycle if you use establish LR. Just keep an eye on your parameters, you should know within a week-week and half if it's gonna happen or not.

 

[Akimbo]

If you plan to keep SPS in it I would recommend adding another PH to the opposite side of the tank to create flow in all directions. GSP can be fragged, I just know how but I do know they can be. I personally do not like barebottom reef tanks because you have no cushion if a rockslide were to happen and you would more than likely lose everything. I would do a 1-2" sandbed to cushion the rocks.

 

[sillygoose]

Be careful with that GSP! I wish I had kept mine isolated on a smaller rock that I could move or remove. Don't let it jump onto your main rockwork unless you want it to carpet everything.

I too prefer a softer substrate to bare glass. It just seems healthier for water quality/biodiversity - as well as aesthetics.

 

[puffermantis]

I'm discovering that. I did put it on the main rockwork and it is spreading out pretty fast. Also, the xenias I bought from Johnny are literally taking over. I love all the growth, but it's turning my 125g into a xenia/gsp tank. That's why I'm starting the 29g. I'm going to move most of the mushrooms and zoas into the 29g. My poor acropora has been swallowed up in the xenias. My snowflake is about 20" now, so he's going from my 55g to the 125g. Johnny got me into reefing with the LR I bought from him-loaded with zoas and some mushrooms. That was last July. Now I can't stop. It's all Johnny's fault.

 

[phenom5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15321219#post15321219 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sillygoose
I too prefer a softer substrate to bare glass. It just seems healthier for water quality/biodiversity - as well as aesthetics.

Just gotta jump in here.

While it's hard to argue with someone's personal preference, and their opinion on aesthetics (although I will say that I've seen some BB tanks that are absolutely stunning), and you do lose some biodiversity in terms of fish/ inverts that need sand & micro fauna, water quality does not suffer with BB tanks.

A properly setup BB tank should have excellent water quality. Some would argue better water quality then a tank with a sand bed, although IMO, sand vs no sand is simple different ways to skin a cat...so to speak.

There's a reason why so many SPS keepers out there swear by BB, and being able to increase their flow to ridiculous amounts in only part of it. In fact, I would say that the very high flow that BB allows is a bonus, but the main reason they go BB is because of the ability to keep their water quality very high.

Not trying to start up the old sand vs. no sand argument, just throwing that out there.

 

[jjk_reef00]

I had xenia taking over my 120 a while back. It is easy to cure, just increase the flow and pull them off of the rock. In my new tank they blow so much they don't really grow at all. My sps frags are doing quite well though.