Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)

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Great work on the tank and set-up!! I have quickly skimmed through the post, and will go back and read more in detail (I just wanted to see the pictures for now). I seen that someone had asked about the vodka pellets, and it reminded me of last months TOTM. The fella was using N/P reducing pellets in his system, I was wondering if you had any thoughts of using them? Here is the link for the forum post concerning them:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1694529

Oh and here is the TOTM article:
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/65-tank-of-the-month

This is my first post here and I really have no experience in saltwater set-ups but I am researching for my own set-up. I currently only have a small FW 20 and a 55 gallon with a single Oscar.

Keep up the great work! :thumbsup:
 
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yax75 said:
Great work on the tank and set-up!! I have quickly skimmed through the post, and will go back and read more in detail (I just wanted to see the pictures for now). I seen that someone had asked about the vodka pellets, and it reminded me of last months TOTM. The fella was using N/P reducing pellets in his system, I was wondering if you had any thoughts of using them? Here is the link for the forum post concerning them:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1694529

This is my first post here and I really have no experience in saltwater set-ups but I am researching for my own set-up. I currently only have a small FW 20 and a 55 gallon with a single Oscar.

Keep up the great work! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


I have not made any decisions regarding vodka pellets yet. I still have a lot to do before I invite any advice in this area.

Thank you yax, welcome to the group. If you have the time I highly recommend that you take a look at Chingchai's tank in Bangkok Thailand. Never mind the size, just look at how he planned his build. Most folks here who get bitten buy the saltwater bug don't plan well enough ahead of time. It's not about expense either, rich folks can waste just as much or more in fact with worse results that the rest of us poor folks.

I'm beginning to see a formula that anyone should follow that says you should take four months of planning for every month of building your tank. If it will take a week to build then you should take four weeks to thoroughly plan it out. I did not do that and it's taking me longer and more expense to get what I want. Also you are doing something very right in my opinion and that is that you are coming to the forums for information and taking the time to participate like this. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here. Make good use of the info.

Welcome again to our community,

Peter
 
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Thanks Peter. Everytime you do planning something else sneaks up behind you and gets yah. I intend to do a lot of planning to avoid nickel and diming myself to death. My accountant (aka wife) likes firm numbers when budgeting for a project. I tend to shoot high and if I come in under my budget then she is happy cause I can take her out for dinner :lol2:.

I am slowly building together what criteria I would like for a tank and an approximate size, plus just trying to figure out what equipment I need and do not need. These forums are a great resource and I plan on exploiting them as much as I can to my benefit.

Keep up the great work, and just remember as in any large scale project always expect the unexpected.

Dave
 
Peter,

I like your "Best Practices" idea. It's long overdue. I just sent you a PM on Current Ocean Temps links I hope you find them of use.
 
fla2341 said:
Peter,

I like your "Best Practices" idea. It's long overdue. I just sent you a PM on Current Ocean Temps links I hope you find them of use.
Click to expand...

Thanks fla, for me the search for best practices is instinctive. Understanding the benchmarks for excellence gives me something to aspire to. As much as I like to take risks, I am convinced that this is one game you shouldn't get into untill you know which numbers come up BEFORE the dice hit the table.

peter
 
Research is king in this hobby. Know your corals and fish before you buy and you'll never regret it. Spontaneity buys only end up costing you money and frustration ( not to mention often killing what you just bought and maybe some of your other tank inhabitants in the bargin). This forum is great for practical knowledge.

ps
stay off I drive as much as you can when you get here in Sept. for MACNA.
some of those people drive nuts:jester:
 
yax75 said:
Great work on the tank and set-up!! I have quickly skimmed through the post, and will go back and read more in detail (I just wanted to see the pictures for now). I seen that someone had asked about the vodka pellets, and it reminded me of last months TOTM. The fella was using N/P reducing pellets in his system, I was wondering if you had any thoughts of using them? Here is the link for the forum post concerning them:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1694529

Oh and here is the TOTM article:
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/65-tank-of-the-month

This is my first post here and I really have no experience in saltwater set-ups but I am researching for my own set-up. I currently only have a small FW 20 and a 55 gallon with a single Oscar.

Keep up the great work! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

[welcome]

I am a firm believer in dosing as little as possible in a system.
As far as filtration goes, plenty of live rock, a protein skimmer and a carbon reactor is all you need.
As far as reducing phosphate and nitrates a good size refugium with lots of chaeto algae will be very effective at reducing these.
If you have little to no algae then you have little to no nitrates and phosphates.
Carbon dosing and its substitutes are really used to reduce nitrates so they are not needed it you are reducing them through running a refugium.
Regular weekly or bimonthly water changes with a quality salt mix are all you need to do to replace trace elements so no need to dose those either.
In many cases the water changes will also keep calcium, magnesium and alkalinity in acceptable ranges too:thumbsup:
 
capn_hylinur said:
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

I am a firm believer in dosing as little as possible in a system.
As far as filtration goes, plenty of live rock, a protein skimmer and a carbon reactor is all you need.
As far as reducing phosphate and nitrates a good size refugium with lots of chaeto algae will be very effective at reducing these.
If you have little to no algae then you have little to no nitrates and phosphates.
Carbon dosing and its substitutes are really used to reduce nitrates so they are not needed it you are reducing them through running a refugium.
Regular weekly or bimonthly water changes with a quality salt mix are all you need to do to replace trace elements so no need to dose those either.
In many cases the water changes will also keep calcium, magnesium and alkalinity in acceptable ranges too:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Welcome back Cap'n..... We've missed you. I trust everything is good?

Peter
 
capn_hylinur said:
Carbon dosing and its substitutes are really used to reduce nitrates so they are not needed it you are reducing them through running a refugium.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that vodka-dosing increases bacteria, including floating bacteria as a food source. Wouldn't this be helpful, especially for non-photosynthetic corals? I am asking, not as an argument, but to try and get a fuller understanding.

Thx,

Dave,M
 
capn_hylinur said:
Peter I have been following the thread daily---with all the wisdom on here I just have not been able to contribute much lately:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Great Cap'n, I hope we have some good news to share on the project real soon that should raise the bar considerably. We are going to make some changes for the better!!!

Peter
 
fla2341 said:
Peter,

I like your "Best Practices" idea. It's long overdue. I just sent you a PM on Current Ocean Temps links I hope you find them of use.
Click to expand...

I have been sifting through the Ocean Temps and they do tend to run warm ....82 F + I am surprised at the depth information as I naively assumed that the temp would drop more significantly then it appears to in reality. I appreciate the info fla its very helpfull and informative.


Peter
 
dave.m said:
My understanding is that vodka-dosing increases bacteria, including floating bacteria as a food source. Wouldn't this be helpful, especially for non-photosynthetic corals? I am asking, not as an argument, but to try and get a fuller understanding.

Thx,

Dave,M
Click to expand...

Dave, you have been around here long enough not to have to apologize for asking a question. Besides its a good one. I will be interested in the good Cap'ns assessment.

Peter
 
Thx, Peter. But I don't know everyone well, and I don't know who's going to take a question the wrong way. Best to tread softly when you're as ignorant as me.

In regards to water temps, several DVDs I've been watching lately about coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific all indicate that 29°C is pretty normal, and that this extends down to a depth of about 120', where there is a significant thermocline.

Dave.M
 
nineball said:
I have been sifting through the Ocean Temps and they do tend to run warm ....82 F + I am surprised at the depth information as I naively assumed that the temp would drop more significantly then it appears to in reality. I appreciate the info fla its very helpfull and informative.


Peter
Click to expand...

over 84 degrees and your leather corals could wilt. I personally do not like an 82 plus temp because it is near the high end of the preferred scale. Similarly keeping the water at the low end of the scale(77 degrees) There just is not too much wiggle room left
Similarily with salt levels. Even though seawater is 1.026 it does not leave much room for evaporation. If it was my own tank yes I keep it at 1.026 but I have a semi automatic top up system.
 
dave.m said:
Thx, Peter. But I don't know everyone well, and I don't know who's going to take a question the wrong way. Best to tread softly when you're as ignorant as me.

In regards to water temps, several DVDs I've been watching lately about coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific all indicate that 29°C is pretty normal, and that this extends down to a depth of about 120', where there is a significant thermocline.

Dave.M
Click to expand...

Your not ignorant if you can contain your farting and belching to your fish room:lolspin::bounce3:

Dave, keep in mind that there are strong currents that can quickly dissipate that heat in a very large volume of natural sea water;)
 
capn_hylinur said:
over 84 degrees and your leather corals could wilt. I personally do not like an 82 plus temp because it is near the high end of the preferred scale. Similarly keeping the water at the low end of the scale(77 degrees) There just is not too much wiggle room left
Similarily with salt levels. Even though seawater is 1.026 it does not leave much room for evaporation. If it was my own tank yes I keep it at 1.026 but I have a semi automatic top up system.
Click to expand...

Since we are on this subject...what is the "best" salinity to keep a mixed reef at?
 
Dave, keep in mind that there are strong currents that can quickly dissipate that heat in a very large volume of natural sea water

That's right do not discount the upwelling of deep cooler ocean currents which can ocassionally wash up and over a reef.
 
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