advice please

Nickyfish

New member
Hello All

I finally finished cycle 3 weeks ago
I have added a mp40 and a wave maker

I have added some life finally (live rock was there during cycle)

Can u please look at the photo i attach

I am looking for advice for what is good to add at this stage of the game and what i should add as for suplement

I also have a dosser but not hooked up yet

I want neon green brain coral if possible

my lights are ap700 + orbit 48" led
I have UV skimmer plus Wet dry and chiller/heater

advice greatly appreciated
 

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a few more pics so you can see what is going on and what i would like

THANK U
 

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What size is your tank? That, as much as anything, will help to determine just what fish will be suitable. From what I see, a brain coral would be just fine. Really, any of the LPS corals would be good. They are not as demanding as SPS, and don't have the issues with chemical warfare that soft corals can.

We also could use actual water test parameters. "My tank finished cycle 3 weeks ago" is nice to know, but numbers tell the real story. Please include Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium.

As for dosing - you don't need to worry about it at this point. Nothing you could add coral wise at this point can't be covered by regular water changes. In any case, NEVER dose anything you are not testing for! Get your own test kits (if you haven't already) I've been very happy with Salifert - easy to use, repeatable results, and more than accurate enough for our purposes.

hth!

*edit* - just saw your sump - I would take out the bioballs and throw them in the trash. Your live rock alone will provide more than enough biological filtration. They tend to trap detritus and become a problem fairly quickly. The extra space can be used for more LR, amongst other things.

You also can probably get rid of the chiller - it really shouldn't be needed where you are. If you were running Halides heat can become an issue, but with LED's there is rarely a problem in that regard.

What you should consider is a good protein skimmer, rated to ~ 1.5 - 2x your total volume (they tend to be a bit overrated by the makers)
 
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FIRST OFF THANKS FOR THE REPLY

OK the tank is a 120 gal oceanic (any one with a glass canopy please message me)
I have a UV 35 watt
I have a wet dry (bio balls)
I am running a 2000 GPH pump
I have a MP40
I have a AP700 and orbit Koranic controller with 2 Power head as wave
I have a Chiller
i Have a Reef Octopus 90-Hob
I have a coral life skimmer (if needed)
I have a Aqua clear 500 (for chemi pure )
I have a ATO
I have a Dosser pump 2 with 2 5L container
I have a RO with 25 gal reservoir

I have Red Sea Test kits and a fracometer


Last test 1 week ago

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 8.4
salinity 102.3

I also have a phosphate test and alkalinity I have not tested yet since cycle just finish


Is there any other test to do or I need

do i need any reactors ??

also if i get rid of the bio balls what is needed in there place
what about oxygenation
how would water get turned over

is there any other equipment I need

Please excuse my lack of knowledge and amount of questions I have been in the marine fish hobby over 20 years this is my first crack at a reef tank

Thanks
 
You skimmer will provide some of the aeration, the power heads and return pumps agitation of the tanks surface supply the rest. If you place the PH's part way down and then angle them up towards the surface so that it shows plenty of motion you have the right idea.

Live rock in place of the bioballs or turn it into a refugium for chaeto (algae) growth.

I would consider ditching the aquaclear and if you need to, running carbon (IMO chemipure is overpriced) in a reactor that can be placed in the sump area under the stand. www.bulkreefsupply.com has very nice, economical reactors that are easy to plumb into your system. The TLF 150 would work as well, but is a bit small for a 120 IMO.

2000gph is a huge amount to be running through your return. Most aim for ~ 4-5x tank volume (so 500ish gph for you) through the sump. Other in tank circulation is provided by powerheads.

You will be better served by a single larger protein skimmer - the Reef Octopus 90-Hob is rated for a tank up to 100g, so really, in real world terms, that means it would be ok for a tank of maybe 75g size. Another advantage of an upgrade is being able to put it in your sump (where the bioballs were). The more equipment you can hide away by sumping it the nicer , less cluttered, your tank will look.

As for other test kits - you will eventually need to be testing for Calcium and Magnesium along with the alkalinity. As long as you take care to do them the same way each time, the red sea kits are good enough. I still prefer Salifert, but that is me.
 
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