Natural methods and minimum equipments reefkeeping

[uyenk]

Hello, im uyenk, im from Indonesia

im new on reefkeeping, i have been start a thread under new to the hobby topics, and maybe because of my un-common methods, and un-ussual setup procces, seems like some of fellow reefkeepers did not agree with the way i run the tank, and many of them give me some really good advice, and thanks very much to them, i apreciate it.

since my firs post on RC and gain some input, i have learn a lot, i've been reading a lot, browsing trough the internet, and also find reef forum here in indonesia, and found that they have more similiar method with me. But i want different point of view

The point
1. Because im newbie, i want to learn more,i hope many nice people here will give me help, and correcting the mistake i may did.
2. Gain any idea how to run the tank, wich is suitable for my unique conditions and circumtaces.
3. Develop the natural method with minimum equiptment, with the help from more advance reefkepeers here.
4. If the method succes then it can be inspiring and sharing it to the new reefkeeper with the same circumtances like me (i believe theres so much of them).
5. If the method fail then it can be an example to the newbies that lack of equiptment and wrong handling can be disaster and will harm much of the creatures we love.

First of all
1. Altough im a newbie, i dont want, and i dont have any reasons at all, to do harm to the creatures i love (please help me with that).
2. Please consider the different circumtances i have here, and plese give me the proper idea that i can apply.
3. Please read the post carefully, because im not english speaker, maybe i write the wrong words, and can be mis-understood
4. I appeciate any comments and idea, wether its pros or cons, dont hesitates to give me hard words, strict words, or warning, etc.

Thanks for all
uyenk

 

[uyenk]

Background
I live on Indonesia, the reef is just about 30miles away from my home, i have an easy acces to fresh collected animals and all the resources from the nature, but in opposite i dont have, or limited acces to the proper advanced equiptment, test-kit,suplement, and factory made fish and corals foods, etc.

Thats is the first and the main consideration for me to developing my method.

Curent System
- Display Tank : 50 gallons Reef tank and 50 gallons Fish Only tank (connected circulation).
- Support Tank : 3 X 30 gallons Refugium and 30 gallons Sump.
- Filtration : Small Airstone Protein Skimmer.
- Lighting (artificial) : 2 X 40watt Tube Flourescent Lamp (TL), 3 X 20watt TL, and 2 X 15watt TL (Submersible lamp). 1 of the 40w is 6500K, the other unknown,the color is blue.
- Lighting (natural) : sunlight reflected from garage openings
- Live Rocks : start with fresh collected LR
- Water : use Natural Salt Water, change 20-30gallons weekly

Start Up
I start the setup about 3months ago, the date is 29 january 2007. i start with 30gallons Display tank, 30gallons refugium, and 30gallons Sump.actually is not my first try, back on 2006 i started setup 30gallons without sump and fuge, and i failed.

i place all, the water, Live Rock,Live Sand and macro algae (Grape caulerpa)for the refugium, on the first day. And sadly, with full of regret, i also place the livestocks fish and corals since day one. Thanks God much of it survived until today.

I do regular maintenance, did water change 10-15gallons weekly.
For the first week, the inhabitant seem not happy at the tank, the corals polips not opened at full size, even i lost 4 fish (anthias).The algae begin to grow, specially on the sand surface.
The next second week, things seems looked better, the corals start to open their polips, and the fish become active and looks healthy(at least for me).The algae begin to grow on the glass and rock.

After about 2 months 0n 1 april 2007, i decide to move the setup.
I start new setup (curent setup). and move all the inhabitant from previous setup, except the Live Sand.
I run the new setup with bare-bottomed method.

for Note:
all live rock, live sand, and most of inhabitant, are fresh collected and transported with a water on it. except some fish and corals, i bought it from LFS, and may be a species from another region of reef.

 

[uyenk]

Here is the System Scheme, start on 1st april

Here is curent Scheme, after fellow reefkeeper here give ma an advice. start on 22nd april

 

[uyenk]

The scheme above is one of several adjustment i made since i post a thread on RC.

The other adjustment is removing my Clown and Naso tank from the reef Tank(after much of comments and after i learn about the tangs requirements).The remain tang on the reef tank is small size Orange Shoulder Tang.

Here is those tangs on the reef tank before removed

The clown moved to bigger tank, The Naso temporary reside on my FO tank,waiting to be transfered, on the transfer list also Scopas tang that have an ich, and today its better and gain his health.

Now on the Reef tank i have:
1 orange shoulder tang (small size)
3 PJ cardinal fish
1 Sixlines Wrasse
1 Lawnmoner Blenny (not sure with the IDs)
1 Black Sea Horse (not Sure wit the IDs)

on the FO tank i have (except the tangs):
3 blue green chromis
4 yellow tail chromis

 

[uyenk]

Here is system overview

Because i have really limited budget, the setup i've build, is really simple. And because i did it my self (its official that im not good of making anything myself) the plumbing is looks terible, and lucky me theres no leaks so far.

All the tanks supported by wooden table, with the same level of elevation.
And the System for some reason placed on my garage.

 

[uyenk]

The Lighting

I use 2 type of lighting, artificial and natural lighting. But the main lighting is Artificial lighting.
I made myself a canopy for the reef tank, and make it to support the lamps i have.

Here is the Lighting fixtures
1 - 40watt Flourescent 6500K (white) Philips
1 - 40watt Flourescent (Blue) Degen Bao
1 - 20watt Flourescent (Blue) Degen Bao
1 - 20watt Flourescent (Blue) Resun
1 - 20watt Flourescent (Blue) JEBO
2 X 15watt Flourescent (Blue)

all system 170watts, its on from 7AM to 9PM

As I know all the lamps is made for Corals and Invertebrates (at least a read that on the lamp factory spec, i dont know the truth is).
I dont have plan to keep Light loving animal, before i upgrade my lamp with descent Metal Halides.

Here is my simple DIY Reflector

The Reflective material is Chrom Paper

The second light source is come from my garage opening. I have the light for about 2-4 hours a day.

 

[uyenk]

Refugium

Refugium 1, set up from the first day 29 january 2007, Live Rock,grape caulerpa,Feather Caulerpa.

Refugium 2, set up on day 30, and the seed is from refugium 1.

refugium 3, set up on 1 april 2007

 

[uyenk]

Reef Tank
The new arrangement after have dificulty catching Naso

Left side of the reef tank

Center

right side

 

[jer77]

Nice to see your venturing out of the New to the Hobby forum to seek new advice. Maybe some people can give a new perspective on your natural methods besides saying it smells funny and is b.s. I'm sure some will still have opinions on the tangs, which you still should release or find another home for. Have you added any of the live sand yet to your fuge? Still looks good though, so keep doing your natural water changes.

 

[Tang Salad]

Uyenk- that is a great system!

Everything looks very well planned.

Can you post some more full tank pictures?

Nice job

 

[sebae09]

so exactly what problems are you haveing? or are you haveing any?

 

[HBtank]

I think he just wants feedback and any advice, just less outwardly critical than his last thread got started and plauged with.

Good job reducing the number of large fish uyenk. I know it was hard to remove those fish, so it shows you are taking advice seriously.

One thing I see as possibly being a problem is caulpera under natural light. Someone might know better, but that seems like it would cause problems (by making it go sexual)..? Many people recommend other algae because of this, or lighting it 24 hours a day.

 

[BurntOutReefer]

looks excellent.....

 

[Tang Salad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9818083#post9818083 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HBtank
One thing I see as possibly being a problem is caulpera under natural light. Someone might know better, but that seems like it would cause problems (by making it go sexual)..? Many people recommend other algae because of this, or lighting it 24 hours a day.

That's a good point.

I'd suggest he keep the Caulerpa well trimmed.

 

[WT]

1 - 40watt Flourescent 6500K (white) Philips

Philips have several bulb codes, what type do you have? Philips 865?