My Deep Reef Creation

[michael_cb_125]

Well this week is the beginning of my new reef. I have planned for this sort of tank for a long time, but have not figured out exactly how I wanted to go about it until now. Here are the system specs:

Tank: ADA Cube Garden 60-P (20 gallons)

Skimmer: Deltec MCE600

Circulation: Vortec MP10

Heating: Jager

This tank will be ran bare bottom and will contain primarily non-photosynthetic corals.


THe skimmer will be here thursday and I should have everything up and running by the weekend.

Wish me luck.

~Michael

 

[stunreefer]

GL Michael :thumbsup:

You don't need it though

 

[Western_reefer]

IMO, I don't think a skimmer is a good idea in a Non-Photosynthetic tank as a skimmer will just skim out all the food. I'd rather go with a turf scrubber, micro/macro algae in a fuge, GAC (Carbon), GFO, Purigen, and Chemi-Pure.

 

[stunreefer]

I skim the hell out of my NPS tank... if I didn't my nutrients would be through the roof!

With that said I do not broadcast feed, or have a constant food doser, and do not believe Michael is planning to either.

By relying on a refugium and/or turf scrubber type system you're allowing the nutrients to break down into Nitrate, when these days we can "cheat" nature by skimming out the dissolved organics (most or some at least) before they get a chance to break down.

 

[tatuvaaj]

I agree, powerful skimmer, especially with organic carbon dosing, is probably the most efficient method for azooxanthellae tanks. IMHO sand bed would also be helpful, its infauna will transform DOM to additional particulate food for azooxanthellae corals.

 

[michael_cb_125]

Well, I am back.

The week at the beach was filled with excitement. I visited the ER, and the Doctors office twice.
Turns out that I have "Chronic" Pneumonia. My left lung is totally infiltrated.

Hell, I only got to fish twice, in a week.

But now I am back to my project. I was getting withdraws.

The tank is cycling perfectly. And the skimmer has a nice thick foamhead.

I am very glad that I decided to go with this skimmer, and I feel that it will only get better.

I made up my mind over the last week that I am going to really let this tank mature before adding any fish or corals. I figure in a few weeks I will add a small batch of snails, crabs and what not.

I am debating adding a fish that I have not mentioned, and they become more readily available in mid- July to August, so I may wait until then to add the first fish.

I will snap a few pictures a little later.

~Michael

 

[michael_cb_125]

I was planning on using a a single Aqua Medic Sun Beam T5 lighting fixture over this tank. But I have decided that I am going to run an Elos E-Lite. I am going to hang the fixture relatively high over the tank so that I will get more even lighting coverage, and so the intensity will not be as great.

Things are really starting to come together for this tank.

~Michael

 

[Bluespot22]

Sounds good but where are the pics?

 

[Western_reefer]

Any updates?

 

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15253945#post15253945 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Western_reefer
IMO, I don't think a skimmer is a good idea in a Non-Photosynthetic tank as a skimmer will just skim out all the food. I'd rather go with a turf scrubber, micro/macro algae in a fuge, GAC (Carbon), GFO, Purigen, and Chemi-Pure.

All successful NPS tanks I have ever seen employee a protein skimmer or like device to remove the massive nutrient load from major feedings I feed heavy to my SPS tank and not much is taken out by the skimmer.

 

[Trichome]

I will second the turf scrubber idea. I have not set one up yet but i am gong to try it on my 29g tank.