Cycling my 90 gal

[BeginnerReefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14793291#post14793291 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by abulgin
First, don't buy your equipment from a LFS. Buy it from an on-line vendor--and this goes for RO/DI units. You save thousands of dollars over the life of your hobby. Second, if you don't have $180 available to spend on this hobby, you're in the wrong hobby. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but you really need to go into this knowing that you are going to spend thousands of dollars on a 90 gallon tank. If you only have money for a sponge filter and a power head, your animals are in trouble.

Just to clear something up. (I don't know many people that live in Michigan that have 180 dollars to spend on anything that isn't a life necessity.) I can afford more than a sponge and power head, but I was trying to go cheap and save money while A.) There isnt anything in the tank B.) The sump/fuge is being built

Also, The sponge is more than likely going in my sump/fuge and the power head for circulation in my tank. So not only am I saving money by buying cheap from the beginning, but I can also use these things in the long run.

I'm sorry if this comes across itchy, but I feel like you attacked me. And I might not be able to go out and spend 1000 on everything right away. But as I see it, I can only afford to buy things a couple hundred dollars at a time (Just spend almost $300 on building the stand and buying the tank) and this hobby is about taking the time to let things develop on their own. Fortunately I can't rush anything, because I buy things paycheck to paycheck... if you get what i mean..

 

[BeginnerReefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14793279#post14793279 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by der_wille_zur_macht
A sponge filter is fine, but you have to realize what it'll do to your tank.

If you use it in an area of high flow (i.e. a sponge covering the intake of your return pump, or between baffles in the sump) it'll act as a mechanical filter and help trap debris. This is great, provided you rinse/replace the sponge frequently enough (like more than once or twice a week) to keep it from establishing a hearty bacterial colony.

If you leave the sponge undisturbed for long periods of time, it'll become populated by bacteria. This isn't a terrible thing, but it'll basically just break down harmful chemicals into slightly less harmful chemicals. It'll do nothing to actually remove those chemicals from your tank.

Any reef tank needs some form of biological filtration to act as a cushion for changing conditions and to break down nutrients not removable by other means, but the current way to provide this in reef tanks is to use lots of live rock (and in many cases sand or another substrate). The bacteria that colonize these materials provide enough processing ability (and in theory, more thorough processing) that a sponge filter isn't necessary.

Many people leap to the conclusion that sponges, bio-balls, and other traditional biological filters are evil nitrate factories that will ruin your whole life, but IMHO that's a bit of a stretch and is a dangerous statement to make out of the context of some form of explanation.

Ok, so Bioballs and LR in a sump.fuge aren't bad as long as there is enough circulation correct? Also, wouldn't taking the sponge out sometimes and just squeezing it and running it in clean saltwater say.. before a water change, couldn't that help?

 

[sdc19982002]

+1 ^
The one above this

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Yes, but forget the bioballs and just stick with lots of rock - it's more thorough and has lots of other advantages.

And I applaud your efforts for letting this tank build take time. There's absolutely no reason why a tank can't be done on the cheap, you just have to be sure you're making smart choices and are willing to compromise (i.e. don't try to keep SPS if you're skimping on light, etc.) The way I see it, anyone with a bit of knowledge and the ability to copycat others can make an awesome 90 gallon tank, given a thousands in cash. It takes effort, creativity, and talent to make an impressive tank on a smaller budget.

 

[stingythingy45]

Look into joining or finding a local reefer club.
Many time there's used equipment,live rock...ect for sale at very reasonable prices.All my tanks have been used ones and mostly all of my equipment has been used previously.This is a great way to save money in a rather expensive hobby.Also,instead of getting all live rock you can look into purchasing base rock from like marcorocks.com to save money.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=80

 

[BeginnerReefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14793437#post14793437 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by der_wille_zur_macht
Yes, but forget the bioballs and just stick with lots of rock - it's more thorough and has lots of other advantages.

And I applaud your efforts for letting this tank build take time. There's absolutely no reason why a tank can't be done on the cheap, you just have to be sure you're making smart choices and are willing to compromise (i.e. don't try to keep SPS if you're skimping on light, etc.) The way I see it, anyone with a bit of knowledge and the ability to copycat others can make an awesome 90 gallon tank, given a thousands in cash. It takes effort, creativity, and talent to make an impressive tank on a smaller budget.

Thank-you for the compliment, they don't come easy sometimes.

I don't plan on skimping on anything, just finding the cheapest and most efficient way to do it. I'm a college student, as I have said before, and a penny pincher. So if someone says I need an RO/DI unit, I'm going to second guess and look around as much as possible before running out and buying one. Not only that, I'm DIY'ing things as much as possible (Not the RO/DI unit though):lol:

(Page! lol)

 

[BeginnerReefer]

So does anyone have any recommendations on my fish list? Order I should put them in, ones I shouldn't get, ones that would be better than I have picked out?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Skip the damsels for something less aggressive (or just leave them out), and stick with only one mandarin. Otherwise, looks fine.

Put the mandarin in after a good 6 or 8 months of success, as they require a pretty established tank to keep themselves well fed (most don't eat prepared foods.)

I also might skip the foxface; he and the tang might clash.

How is your tang doing right now? What's he eating?

 

[stingythingy45]

JMO,but I would skip the mandarin completely.
I've had my tank set up for over a year now and still wont get one.
It can be a very tricky fish to keep alive.If it's not used to eating mysis shrimp there's a VERY good chance it will starve.Most hobbyist that are successful with these have very established tanks with lots of cope pods(their main food source).
I'd substitute with a Blenny,(lawn mower,starry or bicolor)

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14794080#post14794080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stingythingy45
JMO,but I would skip the mandarin completely.
I've had my tank set up for over a year now and still wont get one.
It can be a very tricky fish to keep alive.If it's not used to eating mysis shrimp there's a VERY good chance it will starve.Most hobbyist that are successful with these have very established tanks with lots of cope pods(their main food source).
I'd substitute with a Blenny,(lawn mower,starry or bicolor)

All very good information, but in a well established 90g tank with a nice-sized 'fuge and no food competition, even a mandarin with picky eating habits will (very likely) be fine.

 

[BeginnerReefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14793883#post14793883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by der_wille_zur_macht
Skip the damsels for something less aggressive (or just leave them out), and stick with only one mandarin. Otherwise, looks fine.

Put the mandarin in after a good 6 or 8 months of success, as they require a pretty established tank to keep themselves well fed (most don't eat prepared foods.)

I also might skip the foxface; he and the tang might clash.

How is your tang doing right now? What's he eating?

Sorry about the Time between posts, had to go bring home some bacon.

My Tang right now is eating... well. I'm not sure what its called... it looks kind of like chaeto But has little bubble like things on it.. Maybe it is Chaeto? lol the LFS gave it to me when I bought him, and he's eating that plus a premixed stuff called... " Spectrum Thera + Garlic" That I bought from the lfs store, PLUS I've got some dried brine shrimp that I toss in there every now and then. AND theres a little bit of hair algae that is growing on the back of my tank that e nibbles on too.

Good diet?