Just a few tips and tricks for those new to SPS and reefing....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14922453#post14922453 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
I am glad that these tips and tricks are helping out so many of you guys and gals. :thumbsup:

As DustinP has stated, phosphate and Carbon media is best run in a reactor but carbon can also be run just fine in a mesh bag. You want to keep the carbon at the very end of your sump near the return pump and the PO4 reactor away from the CA reactor/Kalk effluent as this can essentianlly turn the Po4 media in a brick.

-Sonny
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Is it okay to put carbon in a mesh bag and zip tied to the drain? I figure it is but not sure why you say you need to have it near the return pump
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14922725#post14922725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefer08
Is it okay to put carbon in a mesh bag and zip tied to the drain? I figure it is but not sure why you say you need to have it near the return pump
Click to expand...

Well, you want your skimmer and Po4 remover to clean the water before it gets to the carbon. Carbon is a finisher/polisher for the water and you would exhaust it rapidly if it was getting "raw" water straight from the drain.
 
Im guilty of this, and I know alot of new people do this b/c they dont know better but be patient when stocking your system. Patients plays a major part in reefkeeping! Make sudden changes only when needed, otherwise make your changes over a period of time. Allow your bio-load to stablize.

GFI outlets a must! If they arent now I'm sure they will be sometime in the future..

Go buy your own toothbrushes, cooking strainers, bowls, tongs, knifes, scissors, bowls, kitchen/bathroom towels- dont use your wifes.

Whenever you buy new equipment that goes in your tank, wash it first before you put it in. You dont know if the person packing it up had soap,perfume, etc.. on their hand prior to that..

When doing your monthy tank maintence, just dont clean the poweheads etc..clean and inspect your entire system (pipes, seams, etc...) so you can catch a potential problem before it happens.. Also soak your test vials in a vinger bath and clean them aswell..

If you use a nylon/mesh bag to hold carbon, once a week shake it to keep particles out and maximize surface area/asborbtion

I have always ran a powerhead in my sump to keep detrius suspended. I also have a small powerhead I use to blow off all the rocks individually if I can get to them every couple of weeks. You'll be amazed how much comes out if you've never done it. You can also use a pipette to get down in the cracks, or holes in the liverock. Even if you do this every couple of months, it better than not doing it at all.

For those of you that arent able to get gravity to work with you when doing sump W/C...A simple method it to take 5/8 tubing/hose and a maxijet powerhead to export the water out of your sump.

If you manually fill a container with RO/DI water, buy a timer or set your cellphone alarm so you dont forget about it..It'll stop your wife from yelling at you while water is flooding the floor "I forgot all about it" LOL

If you have Cheato in your refugium w/out a powerhead, shake this out as well as it holds alot of detrius in it.

If you want to stay in the hobby, for everything you buy you must buy your wife atleast one thing aswell : )
 
SunnyX,
We have a Deltec 902 protein skimmer on our system, we also have the Self Cleaning Head in use.
We have it clean the head for 2 minutes and rinse the head for 1 minute every 12 hours.

What do you think of these Self Clean Heads?

do you think they interfere with the bubbles popping to soon ?

Just courious to see how many people have a Self Cleaning Head?

I take the head off at lease once a week and rinse the brushes, there is a lot of stuff in the brushes.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14816279#post14816279 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Denadai
Few years ago I had a full SPS reef tank, and I just did the basic and I was very happy with the tank

Good skimmer and ca reactor , weekly water change, good flow and light, some GFO and carbon.

Keep it simple is the best

Today we have so many products and magical formulas that a beginner can easily buy a lot of things that is not necessary

Best Regards
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100+

We sometimes get too caught up with gadgets and forget the basics.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14925136#post14925136 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by edandsandy
SunnyX,
We have a Deltec 902 protein skimmer on our system, we also have the Self Cleaning Head in use.
We have it clean the head for 2 minutes and rinse the head for 1 minute every 12 hours.

What do you think of these Self Clean Heads?

do you think they interfere with the bubbles popping to soon ?

Just courious to see how many people have a Self Cleaning Head?

I take the head off at lease once a week and rinse the brushes, there is a lot of stuff in the brushes.
Click to expand...

Hello I have no experience with the self cleaning head so I really cant offer any advice pertaining to its use.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14924911#post14924911 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JCR's Reef

Go buy your own toothbrushes, cooking strainers, bowls, tongs, knifes, scissors, bowls, kitchen/bathroom towels- dont use your wifes.

Whenever you buy new equipment that goes in your tank, wash it first before you put it in. You dont know if the person packing it up had soap,perfume, etc.. on their hand prior to that..

If you want to stay in the hobby, for everything you buy you must buy your wife atleast one thing aswell : )
Click to expand...

Sounds like someone learned the hard way, lol.
 
If I can point out the obvious. . .almost every one of these tips applies to any tank, not just SPS/reef tanks. . .

And yes, I voted! Great thread!!

:D
 
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Most everyone uses a turkey baster for various purposes, but make sure you take it apart and clean it occasionally -- especially the gunk that can build up in the bulb. It can be nasty!!!
 
If you are going to be using epoxy putty to secure frags, it is a good idea to turn off supplemental powerheads or closed loops for a few hours. too much turbulence in the water can wiggle the frag slightly, weakning the epoxy before it has a chance to cure, leading to your prized coral tumbling down from wherever it was. Yes I learned this the hard way a few times :)
 
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