My aquapod 24 log and questionaire.

[KING OF THE REEF]

Ok I have had my aquapod up for a qwhile, and have torn it down recently to clean it because i had semi-neglected it. I want to mod it by adding a Mj900 and removing the stock pump for better flow, and i am wondering if i can do any other inexpensive mods to the tank. No glass drilling however. I dont mind drilling the false wall and adding some LOCLINE and another pump because i have plent of that stuff sitting around from previous tanks that cracked or were sold. I have the 75 watts sunpaq hqi halides, but i am wondering, can i upgrade the bulb to a 150 watt on the same ballast, or do metal halides have to be matched wattage for wattage with the ballast? Ill get some picture up later this evening if I have time of the empty tank. Im not gong to set it back up until I get a new bulb and so any mods to it.
I plan to have a pair of GSM clowns and a Green Bulb anemone (unless I can find a steal on a RBTA). SOme lower light sps (unless I can upgrade the bulb), zoos, and 2 other fish (a gobie and maybe a wrasses, like a coris or ither small friendly-reefsafe type). thanks for any help

 

[Brandon's Reef]

no as far as changing the bulb you would have to change the whole balast.

 

[Brandon's Reef]

for around 90 bucks, witch we all know in this hobby is not a whole lot, you can add a coralife super skimmer 65. That is what I did to mine and I absolutely love it. And like I said for the money you cant beat it.

 

[KING OF THE REEF]

i dont use a skimmer sorry, i am a firm believer that my tanks will do better without a skimmer than with it. You'll see al the coraline algea I got withing 2 months of my tank being up when i post pics of it tonight. This was with a fuge and a live rock and corals only. thanks for the advice however, if i ever need a skimmer the superskimmer is the one i plan to use.

 

[Brandon's Reef]

this isnt your first tank is it. Have you ever used a skimmer? If not i recomend you try it for awhile so you can see the HUGE differance it makes. But we all have our own way of doing things thats what makes this hobby so great.

 

[FLricordia]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8294277#post8294277 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KING OF THE REEF
i dont use a skimmer sorry, i am a firm believer that my tanks will do better without a skimmer than with it. You'll see al the coraline algea I got withing 2 months of my tank being up when i post pics of it tonight. This was with a fuge and a live rock and corals only. thanks for the advice however, if i ever need a skimmer the superskimmer is the one i plan to use.

I am of the same concept. That is the one I would get.
I have a nano20cube and don't use a skimmer. I set the tank up Aug 8th, cycled it with sand and rock for 6 weeks and started adding zoos, shrooms and rics. I have had intense coraline growing and the corals are growing like crazy and I have very little if any problem with undesirable algea. I do have a 10gl fuge though with heavy calupra and I know this helps.
The color changes and reproduction of zoos and shrooms along with the growth and color intensity of the rics has me doubting that skimmers are a good thing. This is the first tank I have had without a skimmer. I do have one (seaclone 150) but didn't have room for it so I didn't set it up. Glad I didn't.

 

[Brandon's Reef]

the reason your tank is doing well without skimmer is because the types of corals you have in the tank....mostly zoas and rics. These corals do better in dirtier water imo so the whole skimmer thing here is based mainly on the types of corals you have in your aquarium.

 

[Brandon's Reef]

tank looks good btw

 

[KING OF THE REEF]

this is my 15th tank. over the 4 years i have learned alot and am still learning. i have used skimmers before and jsut have decided to expierement with different setups until i found 1 that works best for me. dont get me wrong, skimmers are awsome and should be used, but i dont use them. now, if i go all sps then yes im goin gto run a skimmer, but for now, monti's zoos, rics, and some lps are fine without the skimmer.
I need some advice for the extra pump for my tank, i am thinking that because last time i drilled a tank or a false wall (did both) the tank failed a week later. so im no looking for a way to plumb my locline up and over. I plan to build a canopy in the enar future for the 24aquapod so i dont care if the locline is exposed. thanks

 

[OneThunder]

well, one thing I know. The current fission skimmer that supposed to be made for the aquapod doesn't fit unless you leave the lid up.

 

[KING OF THE REEF]

i dont have a lid, i have an open top with the halide. besides, that skimmer sucks. i trie it and it jsut kept overflowing, im going to start work on the tank tomorrw so ill post pics htne, and also start my 15long thread.

 

[OneThunder]

well, there went 30 bucks I could have used for coral

 

[KING OF THE REEF]

sell it on ebay, i got about 30 for it there.

 

[KING OF THE REEF]

pictures coming later today, just got to upload them, and crop em

 

[FLricordia]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8294587#post8294587 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Brandon's Reef
the reason your tank is doing well without skimmer is because the types of corals you have in the tank....mostly zoas and rics. These corals do better in dirtier water imo so the whole skimmer thing here is based mainly on the types of corals you have in your aquarium.

Yes, you are right. I was mainly refering to my nano. I maintain a friends 240 and could never do it without the cyclone she has in the sump. She has many hard corals and many fish and I have only 2 fish in my nano and a 10gl fuge.

 

[wawruck]

We are just starting out with saltwater and have a 24 gal. AP, what are the best coral to start off with? We really want to show some color in this tank. To help the tank is all stock right now.

 

[KING OF THE REEF]

whats the lighting on the aquapod
the best biginners coral In my opinion are zoanthids

 

[OneThunder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8300817#post8300817 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KING OF THE REEF
whats the lighting on the aquapod
the best biginners coral In my opinion are zoanthids

I agree and there are so many different colors you could if you wanted to have all zoos and palys by just collecting frags of each different color.

 

[wawruck]

thats what I have been looking at, plus I figured that zoos and rics would be the best start due to not having a skimmer set up. What is the best place for frags? I haven't seen a whole lot at my LPS and all the ones I have found online are so expensive...and even if they aren't the shipping is.

 

[OneThunder]

I can tell you who has quality stuff. www.marineflora.com
If you don't believe me, check out the vendor feedback. Email Sam and he can fix you up. He even has frag packs for nanos.