Newbie Corner Feedback Thread

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13472309#post13472309 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kendog1
thanks for the links h20keeper, ill try and post up some pics this weekend of the tank im gonna be seeting up, also i was wondering if you had any links you could point me to for diy salt water sumps, ive made several for fresh, but from what ive seen, there are different requirements for a salt h20 sump, thanks again in easing my evolution into keping salt water fish
Click to expand...

this is a 60 gal tote--picked it up as a toy bin in Toys R Us

DSC_0380.jpg


the one in the middle is a 30gal tote from Home Depot--it has been a refugium for over 2 years now. I usually glue the lids on the totes and cut out the centres to give the sides more support.
DSC_0382.jpg
 
Location, location, location

Location, location, location

Waterkeeper - I have been researching reef tanks for 3 months now. Of course, I was ready to buy after 2 weeks, and then luckily I posted a question on the Board and they all suggested I do a bit more research. I am still at it.

I am reading through the Reefkeeping basics and have a question on location. What advice can you give me on putting my first-ever reef tank in my living room. I have a small freshwater one in there now, but it's only 20 gallons. Here are some of my considerations:
- I want to have it where we can enjoy it.
- I have a utility tub within 15 feet of my targeted location.
- My garage is directly behind it, but the temperature variations (below freezing to over 80) would likely reek havoc on keeping spare water there, even if I built a little insulated storage area.
- The floor is concrete covered with some nice new carpet
- I am preferring to get a 120g tank with sump underneath.

How much water spillage and other associated mess might end up on my carpet? I don't mind a few quarts here and there, but if water changes, etc might result in a gallon or two semi-frequently, I'd like to know that now. Anything else I should be considering? Thanks.
 
Hi reefamundo
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

In general you want a low traffic area, away from air conditioning/heating vents and that 20,000 watt sound system. ;) If you're worried about that uninsulatate back wall, add an extra heater-In your case a 100 watt should do.

I'd love to assure you that spills never happen but that would be a BIG lie. Instead use something like a Scotchgard spray about the tank to facilitate spill cleanup.

Oh, BTW, with the current housing market, location is important.
 
Re: Location, location, location

Re: Location, location, location

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13489736#post13489736 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefamundo
Waterkeeper - I have been researching reef tanks for 3 months now. Of course, I was ready to buy after 2 weeks, and then luckily I posted a question on the Board and they all suggested I do a bit more research. I am still at it.

I am reading through the Reefkeeping basics and have a question on location. What advice can you give me on putting my first-ever reef tank in my living room. I have a small freshwater one in there now, but it's only 20 gallons. Here are some of my considerations:
- I want to have it where we can enjoy it.
- I have a utility tub within 15 feet of my targeted location.
- My garage is directly behind it, but the temperature variations (below freezing to over 80) would likely reek havoc on keeping spare water there, even if I built a little insulated storage area.
- The floor is concrete covered with some nice new carpet
- I am preferring to get a 120g tank with sump underneath.

How much water spillage and other associated mess might end up on my carpet? I don't mind a few quarts here and there, but if water changes, etc might result in a gallon or two semi-frequently, I'd like to know that now. Anything else I should be considering? Thanks.
Click to expand...

what is underneath the proposed tank room reefamundo--is it possible to have all your sump, ect underneath the floor. No more spills ect
my setup is posted back a page on this thread
 
When I change water or do maintenance where Ineed to put my arm in the water I always put a couple of heavy towels on the floor in front of the tank. My tank is in a finished basement with carpeting and my wife exercises a lot if you know what I mean.
I only had a flood once and that was from a hole in a pump hose that was shooting water over the tank on the floor.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11142459#post11142459 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
That is why one uses a sump. They help in diluting pollutants.
Click to expand...

I worked with an environmental engineer whose mantra (repeated at every opportunity) was

'Dilution is no solution to pollution' :D :D :D

I was working in Puerto Rico on a project for my company some years back to update their wastewater treatment plant from a continuous system to a batching system. The outside engineer we hired christened the finished project by pouring a bottle of PR rum into the holding tank. I remarked to our environmental engineer that he was polluting the system to which he replied 'You should always take your liquor with a little water'. :lmao:

Great articles - I shall read every word with awe.

Alan
 
Alan,

Nice to see someone else who worked in environmental remediation but I still pee in the pottie. :D

Water changes are dilution but, with a RO/I giving you the source water, they are a solution to pollution in a marine tank.
 
Folks - Thanks for the tips. I like the ScotchGuard and towel idea. Simple to implement. I was worried I might need to tear up some of the new carpet and lay some tile. I'm not sure my wife would approve :-)

By the way, it's a concrete floor so it might be tough to plumb it to the basement. It's doable but it feels a little too complex for me for my first reefing adventure. As a side note, my kids wanted me to build the aquarium into the bar in the basement. I told them the beer would spill into the top of the tank ... but it would look cool! Thanks -Jeff
 
Sand Size

Sand Size

Waterkeeper
I read in your article on sand that you recommend 0.05 to 2.00 mm. I have been following a tank build thread here on RC and someone made these comments.

'I'm now starting to turn my attention to the tank. I was contemplating the sand selection, both depth and granule size.
I'm thinking about a 2-3" sand bed. Thats approximately 600 pounds of sand. The choices are:
1) Aragamax Sugar 0.1 - 1.0mm
2) Aragamax Select 0.5 - 1.5mm
3) Aragamax Seaflor Special Grade 1.0 - 2.0mm
I've never had anything as small as sugar. I hear it looks nice but blows around like crazy. I was thinking of mixing equal parts Select and the Special grade although maybe I should mix equal parts of all 3?
also
I've found that whenever I've mixed sand, the larger size will eventually makes it's way to the top. It doesn't stay evenly mixed. I plan to use one size and stick with it so it stays uniform.

Any comments?
Thanks
 
Well Alan, mixing all 3 would be the way to do it "by the book" but choice number 1, sand in the 0.1-1.0 mm range would work out the best if you chose a single type. We want the average size of sand in the bed to average a little over 0.125 mm and the majority of particles should be in the range of 0.1-0.25 mm range. That means what's in Bag Number 1 is our winner.

Here is Ron Shimek's original article on sand How Sandbeds REALLY Work. It explores the reason for sand sand selection criteria in detail.
 
Dam, my ruller doesen't measure 1-1.0 mms.
I am going to Home Depot to get a MM ruller.
I think some of my grains are 1MM, do I have to take out all the grains that are a different size?
 
What about the comments on very fine sand that you recommended (0.05 mm)? I didn't see it in the three options. Also some are concerned about it
  1. Blowing around causing sand storms in high flow areas
  2. Eventually working its way to the bottom of the sand bed.
    [/list=1]
 
According to Doc Ron, the large range of sand sizes are desirable because different classes of organism colonize specific sand sizes. Having a wide range of sand sizes promotes bed diversity. A point to remember here is that one still needs to add true LS to seed the packaged sand. It provides some finer material right there. The Aragamax Sugar is the best choice in there offerings and should be fine if one uses enough seed sand, at least 10% or more.

Now Paul,

In your case I would add a ton of Miracle Mud to the bed. It will give you very fine sand, under 0.05 mm, which will do wonders when using a RFUGF. :D
 
I already add Miracle "Long Island Sound" mud. It also does wonders.
It has nutrients like "essence of Oldsmobile fender" in it.
 
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