Birth of a new 10 gallon nano (pic intense)
- Thread starter reef_dude76
- Start date
afromage5000
New member
nice tanks everyone who has posted pics. reefdude are the ac filters prefered for a diy fuge because of the size of the media area? I've see a lot of ppl do it and wondered why the ac. I may have a setup like this a few yrs down the road so othanks for the great ideas and clear pics.
reef_dude76
Premium Member
akbuuur: As far as heating problems ... no ... I can't say that I have had too much trouble at all. I had some problems initially with the temp getting up to 83-85 degrees, but that was mostly due to where I had the tank located at home. My home office tends to stay a little warmer than some of the other rooms in our house. Since relocating the tank to my work office, which tends to stay cooler, the temp has been between 80 and 82 degrees.
I will have more pics soon, hopefully. I am currently in the home streach of getting my 180 gallon sps reef up and running so alot of my time and $$$ having been flowing to that project.
afromage5000: I'm not sure why the AC seemed to become popular for DIY fuging. I chose to use it:
1. because it was an all inclusive unit as far as having the pump and area for the fuge.
2. They are relatively inexpensive filters so if I screwed it up I wouldn't be out that much
3. the filter backet taht comes with it afforded some good parts to diy with.
I will have more pics soon, hopefully. I am currently in the home streach of getting my 180 gallon sps reef up and running so alot of my time and $$$ having been flowing to that project.
afromage5000: I'm not sure why the AC seemed to become popular for DIY fuging. I chose to use it:
1. because it was an all inclusive unit as far as having the pump and area for the fuge.
2. They are relatively inexpensive filters so if I screwed it up I wouldn't be out that much
3. the filter backet taht comes with it afforded some good parts to diy with.
reef_dude76
Premium Member
dime079: how goes the fight with the brown slime algae?
paintbal99
New member
can anyone tell me how this system works. i am trying to find out if the pump takes the water then it flows over the bulkhead that is next to it.. or does it have a hole where that square black section is that would let the water flow from the bottom up...
this may sound confusing but i am trying to eliminate some things in my tank and want to use the outtake from my canister filter to pump the water to this make shift fuge.. i cant find any at the lfs to check it..... basicall tell me where the water flows on thestock unit when it comes in the stock intake.. make sence??
thanks
..kris..
this may sound confusing but i am trying to eliminate some things in my tank and want to use the outtake from my canister filter to pump the water to this make shift fuge.. i cant find any at the lfs to check it..... basicall tell me where the water flows on thestock unit when it comes in the stock intake.. make sence??
thanks
..kris..
reef_dude76
Premium Member
I'm not entirely sure what you are asking, but the black square on the bottom of the filter is the pump, which pumps water up the stand pipe or intake pipe to the first chamber. The water flows over top of the bulkhead to the heater chamber, overtop of the second bulkhead to the fuge chamber, then out through the grate and back to the tank.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
jerbosreef
New member
Well i have all my equipment and my tank is set up with substrate.
My next step will to get my live rock and start my cycle before adding my cleaner dudes
(and soon i will add my pics)
I do have a question though: I have rinsed my substrate really really good! and my water is like 90-95% clear, but it still has a slight milky look to it.
I thought iths was finer particals that needed to settle, but if that where the case it would/should be done by now.
So my question is did my substrate alone by itself start a bacterial bloom or some sort of start to a cycle on its own? Cause the looks of it i could do another water change before i fill it with salt water, but i bet it will look the same way.
Im thinking this is normal and after i add my LR and let it sit for about 3 weeks it will clear up.
My substrate is: Carrib sea special grade reef sand, and i have rinsed the s... out of it, and it still looks a little milky in the water ...?
My next step will to get my live rock and start my cycle before adding my cleaner dudes
(and soon i will add my pics)I do have a question though: I have rinsed my substrate really really good! and my water is like 90-95% clear, but it still has a slight milky look to it.
I thought iths was finer particals that needed to settle, but if that where the case it would/should be done by now.
So my question is did my substrate alone by itself start a bacterial bloom or some sort of start to a cycle on its own? Cause the looks of it i could do another water change before i fill it with salt water, but i bet it will look the same way.
Im thinking this is normal and after i add my LR and let it sit for about 3 weeks it will clear up.
My substrate is: Carrib sea special grade reef sand, and i have rinsed the s... out of it, and it still looks a little milky in the water ...?
reef_dude76
Premium Member
wav3form: I haven't had any major algae problems at all. I had a brief problem with some cyanobacteria when I first set the tank up, but after the initial cycle and several water changes with removal of the bulk of the cyano, that pretty much fixed the problem.
jerbosreef: I used the same sand. It will still have a slightly milky appearance in your rinse bucket. Just add the sand to your tank first, then put your rock in and fill up the tank slowly using the LR to break up the water stream as you fill the tank. This will keep the water from stirring up the sand and should keep the tank water pretty clear during the fill up stage. Turn on your pumps and let the tank sit. It should be clear in the next 24 to 36 hours after that.
jerbosreef: I used the same sand. It will still have a slightly milky appearance in your rinse bucket. Just add the sand to your tank first, then put your rock in and fill up the tank slowly using the LR to break up the water stream as you fill the tank. This will keep the water from stirring up the sand and should keep the tank water pretty clear during the fill up stage. Turn on your pumps and let the tank sit. It should be clear in the next 24 to 36 hours after that.
dime079
New member
main tank is getting better, ive been running actinics only 75-80% of the time the lights are on, and did a 50% water change last weekend. params are all zero for the first time here are some pics of the fuge, "brown frown" a little on the right side near the 2nd bulkhead and underneath the top layer of macro. should i chop the macro a bit?
let me know if theres anything you see wrong.
here are some pics of the fuge, "brown frown" a little on the right side near the 2nd bulkhead and underneath the top layer of macro. should i chop the macro a bit?
let me know if theres anything you see wrong.
Thanks reefdude. Reason I asked about the algae is that I was told since a 10 gallon is such a small amount of water, the nutrients aren't diluted enough to keep algae low. I don't really believe that but i'm doing my research.
Tell me, what do you do for mechanical filtration? Do you just remove larger bits of debris during your water changes?
Tell me, what do you do for mechanical filtration? Do you just remove larger bits of debris during your water changes?
reef_dude76
Premium Member
Ok dime, after looking at your pics I have a few questions:
1. How often are you doing water changes now. How often were you doing them when the brown frown became a problem?
2. How often are you changing the filter pad?
3. What kid of light are you using for your fuge?
4. You said that your tank perams are now zero, what were they before? Including temp and SG.
5. What kind of lighting are you using on the main tank?
6. How fast did you stock the tank? i.e. how quickly did you add inhabitants after the cycle stage?
7. What are your tank inhabitants?
1. How often are you doing water changes now. How often were you doing them when the brown frown became a problem?
2. How often are you changing the filter pad?
3. What kid of light are you using for your fuge?
4. You said that your tank perams are now zero, what were they before? Including temp and SG.
5. What kind of lighting are you using on the main tank?
6. How fast did you stock the tank? i.e. how quickly did you add inhabitants after the cycle stage?
7. What are your tank inhabitants?
reef_dude76
Premium Member
wav3form: I use the filter pad to catch large particulates, water changes to manage the absence of a skimmer, and kick the ditritus up into the water column before a water change to siphon it out.
dime079
New member
1. How often are you doing water changes now. How often were you doing them when the brown frown became a problem?
- been doing them once a week from about 2 weeks in 10%. since the 50% water change been doing 15-20% per week
2. How often are you changing the filter pad?
- change the filter pad once a month, may move it up to every 2-3 weeks if you think that will help
3. What kid of light are you using for your fuge?
- light in the fuge is a 13w PC (the spiral kind - supposedly equals 60w regular, dont know what K it is)
4. You said that your tank perams are now zero, what were they before? Including temp and SG.
- everything was zero before except trates, they would get up to about 20 or so but were always in the range of about 5-20. temp is consistantly about 78-80 degrees SG 1.024
5. What kind of lighting are you using on the main tank?
- its a current usa orbit fixture 2x40w PC setup 1 actinic and 1 daylight
6. How fast did you stock the tank? i.e. how quickly did you add inhabitants after the cycle stage?
- cleaner crew was in there about 3 weeks after initial setup, gramma was about 7 weeks in.
7. What are your tank inhabitants?
royal gramma
orange spotted goby
2 turbos
2 nassarious
4 ceriths in main tank
2 ceriths in fuge
2 small kenya tree frags
1 small ric frag
1 small finger leather frag
1 small zoo frag
- been doing them once a week from about 2 weeks in 10%. since the 50% water change been doing 15-20% per week
2. How often are you changing the filter pad?
- change the filter pad once a month, may move it up to every 2-3 weeks if you think that will help
3. What kid of light are you using for your fuge?
- light in the fuge is a 13w PC (the spiral kind - supposedly equals 60w regular, dont know what K it is)
4. You said that your tank perams are now zero, what were they before? Including temp and SG.
- everything was zero before except trates, they would get up to about 20 or so but were always in the range of about 5-20. temp is consistantly about 78-80 degrees SG 1.024
5. What kind of lighting are you using on the main tank?
- its a current usa orbit fixture 2x40w PC setup 1 actinic and 1 daylight
6. How fast did you stock the tank? i.e. how quickly did you add inhabitants after the cycle stage?
- cleaner crew was in there about 3 weeks after initial setup, gramma was about 7 weeks in.
7. What are your tank inhabitants?
royal gramma
orange spotted goby
2 turbos
2 nassarious
4 ceriths in main tank
2 ceriths in fuge
2 small kenya tree frags
1 small ric frag
1 small finger leather frag
1 small zoo frag
reef_dude76
Premium Member
Ok dime, I think I have figured out some things for you to try.
1. I have been typically changing between 20 and 50% of my tanks volume with every change and change water about every ten days. Try to change 20-30% every week. I suspect some of your problem is not making a large enough water change, especially if your trates have been 20 or more, this is still too high and will promote nuscance algae growth.
2. Change the filter pad every two weeks.
3. Your fuge light may be partially to blame, it looks really yellow in your picture and may be contributing to your algae growth if it is too close to the red spectrum. I have been trying to find a pic of the bulb I bought from Home Depot. It is a spiral, single end PC with a kelvin rating of 6500, It was the only one with that high of a rating and I think it was around 9W. It gives off a much whiter light.
All the rest of your perams look ok.
1. I have been typically changing between 20 and 50% of my tanks volume with every change and change water about every ten days. Try to change 20-30% every week. I suspect some of your problem is not making a large enough water change, especially if your trates have been 20 or more, this is still too high and will promote nuscance algae growth.
2. Change the filter pad every two weeks.
3. Your fuge light may be partially to blame, it looks really yellow in your picture and may be contributing to your algae growth if it is too close to the red spectrum. I have been trying to find a pic of the bulb I bought from Home Depot. It is a spiral, single end PC with a kelvin rating of 6500, It was the only one with that high of a rating and I think it was around 9W. It gives off a much whiter light.
All the rest of your perams look ok.
dime079
New member
excellent, did the PC bulb from HD have the 6500k on the packaging? i couldnt find one that actually had that on there. im thinking it looks a bit yellow too. i was thinking of just buying a 15w 50/50 from petsmart or something.
i think ill stay at 20% until / unless the nitrates come up again but so far so good. what do you think about chopping the macro? how much do you keep in yours?
i think ill stay at 20% until / unless the nitrates come up again but so far so good. what do you think about chopping the macro? how much do you keep in yours?
dime079
New member
reef_dude76
Premium Member
Dime, that 50/50 looks good. No the PC from the Depot did not have 6500K on the package, it was printed on the base of the bulb and you had to turn the packaging sideways to read the bulb rating on the base of the bulb jacket.
I basically prune the macro to about half way down the fuge and then let it grow back up.
I basically prune the macro to about half way down the fuge and then let it grow back up.
Kirin1
New member
I'm currently using one of those 50/50s in the stock hood on my AGA 5.5. I've also seen 4 of them mounted inside a custom hood for a 5.5. Really decent lamp for it's size (about 5in long). My lighting's due for an upgrade, but not till I actually go through with this Fuge mod.
Oh yeah, and it comes in 6500k as well as 50/50. Try Foster&Smith.
Oh yeah, and it comes in 6500k as well as 50/50. Try Foster&Smith.
