50g SPS build

sahin said:
Nice skimmer! Be sure to post a pic or two once it starts skimming nicely. I like the skinny neck skimmers as I believe they get the crap out quicker...with the wide neck skimmers, IMO it takes a lot more crap in the water to build a decent foam head. Plus a they require a lot more powerful pump to work...
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The jebao pump I have is rated at full speed to only use 40watts. I have it currently at 90% (level 5/6 on controller) to break it in, and will adjust it once skimmer is broken in.

I've always wanted to go back to older tech after many bad experiences with needlewheel skimmers. My vertex was never bad though. It was consistent in operation but lately it was stinking up my room. I have been feeding more and I my wife has been complaining more about the skimmer stinking up the room and house. While this is totally normal and not a skimmer malfunction I saw Lifereef's claims of "no stink" so talked to the owner and creator Jeff and after speaking to several owners of their skimmers decided to get one. I will write a review of their skimmer in a few weeks once it breaks in.
 
Nice build. How'd you like your alk that low @7.5? I'd personally raise it a bit to create a buffer zone that way if it swing you'd have a bit of a cushion.
 
Yuckyyucky713 said:
Nice build. How'd you like your alk that low @7.5? I'd personally raise it a bit to create a buffer zone that way if it swing you'd have a bit of a cushion.
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Thanks.

I used to run it on the higher side but I tend to run alk between 7-7.5 due to zeovit. The Zeovit method advises to run alk on the lower side.
 
IC ....used to be a Zeohead myself but didn't noticed any positive impact so I stopped. Plus all the dosing was tad overwhelming. Did you see any changes with Zeo?
 
Yuckyyucky713 said:
IC ....used to be a Zeohead myself but didn't noticed any positive impact so I stopped. Plus all the dosing was tad overwhelming. Did you see any changes with Zeo?
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I honestly don't and won't dose everything they sell. I mainly stick to the main 4 and a few others.

Currently I own:
Zeostart3
Zeobak
ZeoFood7
Coral Snow
Sponge Power
Potassium Iodide
Iron (OLD and won't reorder since I no longer test for Iron)
B-Balance (won't reorder when I run out)
K-Balance (to boost potassium only, not used very often)

Zeovit products I've used in the past, run out of and need to reorder are:
Coral Vitalizer
ZeoZym

I really love the coral snow. I have always noticed a huge difference in clarity for a day or two after using the recommended dosing of snow. When used in combination with carbon my water is crystal clear. Honestly, you have to be careful not to bleach your corals and I think the reason why they recommend dosing it every day is not because of tank health but because it's so potent that doing once a week will harm your corals from too much light.

Whenever I used coral vitalizer in the past my polyps on many of my acropora extended like crazy. Everything looked healthy and happy and as soon as I get more corals in the tank I will order some more.

Many of my products are 1-2 years past their "best by" date. I don't care, as long as you shake your products regularly then stuff wont settle and it'll stay good. The only product I make sure to not order too much of is the Zeobak because even though they changed the formula and you no longer have to refrigerate it still goes bad over time.

I agree, sometimes I wonder if the Zeolites are doing anything. I honestly don't think the Zeolites do anything in my tank other than give bacteria more surface area to thrive thus reducing nitrates and phosphates. I do not believe that they reduce nitrates by absorbing ammonia. Once you have a large colony of bacteria populating your tank, I don't believe you need the reactor any longer. You could probably be just fine using their additives to reduce nitrates and phosphates.

I ran bio-pellets for a time a few years back and still dosed my KZ products along side bio-pellets but I always had more success with Zeovit. As I have told many local reefers, Zeovit forces me to not be lazy. I know myself pretty well, and I am a procrastinator by nature and if given the option to be lazy I will be lazy. Zeovit forces me to stay on top of my tank and if I don't I know the consequences.
 
Update,

The last few days have been stressing me out. My tank has been developing what I think are micro fractures in the main pane on my tank. Over the past few days I have noticed 2 small fractures (less than 1mm in size). I may be overreacting but I do not want to buy hundreds of dollars in corals just to have an accident and lose everything. After settling down a bit, and talking it over with my wife, she suggested setting up the frag tank in the event the tank cracks further. That way I have a place to put my future corals in the worst case scenario.

I am glad that I caught these small cracks but am also heart broken. I was about to pick up some nice frags for a good price from a local reefer and was planning on ordering $300+ from vividaquariums in sps. Once I get the frag tank setup then I will fill the main display and hope it holds as long as possible. If anything happens I have a back-up plan and will transfer everything to the frag tank while a new tank is being built.

I am really having a hard time with all this tank cracking business... What do you all think? Is this a good plan?
 
Jared, I agree with your thoughts regarding the Zeolites providing a place for bacteria. My thoughts exactly.

Wi respect to the other additives, the only ones I like are Coral Snow, Coral Vitalizer and AAHC.

As for the tank...I think the idea from your other half is a good one. But like I said in the PM, maybe get a tank bolder to have a look at the tank if at all possible. Best scenario would be to get a new tank.
 
sahin said:
Jared, I agree with your thoughts regarding the Zeolites providing a place for bacteria. My thoughts exactly.

Wi respect to the other additives, the only ones I like are Coral Snow, Coral Vitalizer and AAHC.

As for the tank...I think the idea from your other half is a good one. But like I said in the PM, maybe get a tank bolder to have a look at the tank if at all possible. Best scenario would be to get a new tank.
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I agree on the new tank but there are some things to explain.


My wife wants me to get the same footprint because she love the custom stand I built and it has sentimental value attached to it. I want to upgrade to a different footprint because cost is nearly the same but she wants to use the stand.

With that considered, I need to find a tank with the same footprint and figure out if I want it exactly the same, a tad shorter, or with a different style overflow. I was thinking about going with a reef savvy ghost overflow on the back wall, to take up less in-tank space.

On, second thought, this sucks... I really want to get a 24"+ wide tank for bulb combinations. I gotta butter the wife up and talk her into letting me get a different footprint when the time comes to switch the tank out. For now, I'll just setup the frag tank and hope nothing happens to my display.

I'm trying to get a local reefer to come over and look at my tank this weekend or next, whenever he has time. I want to see another's opinion on my situation.

Thanks Sahin
 
Some questions about setting up a frag tank.

Should I put live rock rubble under the frag racks?

Should I use the stair stepping method of frag racks or just 1 flat bed?

Any advice would be appreciated since I have never set up a frag tank before.
 
cpllongjk said:
I agree on the new tank but there are some things to explain.


My wife wants me to get the same footprint because she love the custom stand I built and it has sentimental value attached to it. I want to upgrade to a different footprint because cost is nearly the same but she wants to use the stand.

With that considered, I need to find a tank with the same footprint and figure out if I want it exactly the same, a tad shorter, or with a different style overflow. I was thinking about going with a reef savvy ghost overflow on the back wall, to take up less in-tank space.

On, second thought, this sucks... I really want to get a 24"+ wide tank for bulb combinations. I gotta butter the wife up and talk her into letting me get a different footprint when the time comes to switch the tank out. For now, I'll just setup the frag tank and hope nothing happens to my display.

I'm trying to get a local reefer to come over and look at my tank this weekend or next, whenever he has time. I want to see another's opinion on my situation.

Thanks Sahin
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If you can, offer to build the stand for the new tank; telling the wifey it will save money...which is truly does if you can build it yourself.

Then ask her what happens if the tank bursts whilst you are away for a good few hours...or overnight...or even on a weekend away? You will lose the livestock...and then there is risk of fire (if water gets into electricals etc) and of course damage to the floor and loss of livestock.

IF the tanks structural integrity is seriously in question, I would not risk it.
 
sahin said:
If you can, offer to build the stand for the new tank; telling the wifey it will save money...which is truly does if you can build it yourself.

Then ask her what happens if the tank bursts whilst you are away for a good few hours...or overnight...or even on a weekend away? You will lose the livestock...and then there is risk of fire (if water gets into electricals etc) and of course damage to the floor and loss of livestock.

IF the tanks structural integrity is seriously in question, I would not risk it.
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Yes I agree.
 
cpllongjk said:
Some questions about setting up a frag tank.

Should I put live rock rubble under the frag racks?

Should I use the stair stepping method of frag racks or just 1 flat bed?

Any advice would be appreciated since I have never set up a frag tank before.
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Either is fine. But stairs allows you to separate LPS etc better which stops them from touching your acros and stinging them.

If the frag tank has a sump, just place the rocks in there. Keep the FT free of clutter. Detritus will settle in the FT and having it clear of clutter will make it easier to keep clean.

I would just add some snails to keep the algae at bay.
 
sahin said:
Either is fine. But stairs allows you to separate LPS etc better which stops them from touching your acros and stinging them.

If the frag tank has a sump, just place the rocks in there. Keep the FT free of clutter. Detritus will settle in the FT and having it clear of clutter will make it easier to keep clean.

I would just add some snails to keep the algae at bay.
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Sahin, look back at some of the first few pages. The Frag Tank is directly above the sump. It will be plumbed into the main system adding 40g to my total system volume. My total volume will be 50+20+40, so about 110g after the frag tank is added.
 
cpllongjk said:
Sahin, look back at some of the first few pages. The Frag Tank is directly above the sump. It will be plumbed into the main system adding 40g to my total system volume. My total volume will be 50+20+40, so about 110g after the frag tank is added.
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Since its plumbed into the main tank, I see no need to add more rocks. Since you will only have corals in the FT, the filtration is already taken care of by the main system and this is just an extension with extra water volume. Just my opinion. :D
 
sahin said:
Since its plumbed into the main tank, I see no need to add more rocks. Since you will only have corals in the FT, the filtration is already taken care of by the main system and this is just an extension with extra water volume. Just my opinion. :D
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Awesome, thanks Sahin.
 
Frag tank is up and running. My total water volume is now 100g. I will post some pictures after I clean everything up.
 
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