Nick's 75g Tank (My First Ever)

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13181808#post13181808 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rustylugnuts
Any chance you could post the article and site here? (I won't tell anyone I promise!)

no problem here as long as you leave the link of where you got the information from
the owner of the other site is extremely threatened by off site links period--doesn't matter how well you link to them.
references to this site and others are taboo too.

Unlightened thinking IMO and is typical of alot of reefers from our area unless they have found this site.:smokin:

 

[Nick James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13356426#post13356426 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
Great put I would run the phosban reactor on the skimmer side of the fuge--you want an untreated copopod laden water being return to the tank.

I agree with you on this Cap.. I will try and move it.. the only concern I have is that I will be running Phosban in the reactor.. do u think it will remove too much phospates, etc leaving and plants I may put in the middle section to starve? I have a maxi jet 400 attached to it so obviously most of the water will pass thru un-touched..

**Another note worth mentioning** My power went out in the middle of the night (not sure for how long) and my overflow did not lose it's syphon...

Also, I turned the return pump off and since the pipe goes beneath the water surface approximately an inch or so, it syphoned the D.T. into the sump down to the opening of this pipe. My sump HELD that extra water with about an inch or two to spare. I immediately drilled a hole in the pipe just at the D.T. surface level to break the syphon and avoid the back syphoning situation. I will take pics of the set up today or tomorrow and post them for comments, advice..

 

[Nick James]

Rusty - I do have a magnetic scrubber.. I have been using it to keep the white residue off of the glass. I have read else where that this is a normal thing to occur (the cloudiness). My friend told me that I will go down one of these days to look and it will be crystal clear (cross my fingers). As far as the established rock, should I wait to add it in until after the cloudiness clears? I have lot's of mini fan and tube worms on the rocks and I don't want to lose too many.

I got the phosban reactor right from the get go to run Phosban in the event the rock leaches phosphates like you have said. Once it clears up and the cycle gets under way I am going to add live copepods to start a population in anticipation of adding my Mandarin (he's my #1 priority). I will be trading in my very large Maroon and my Yellow tail Damsel for a school of chromis initially. I want to add my docile pets first obviously. Then around the 6 month mark I will likely add a pearly jawfish or two.. I could go on about my future plans but I will stop now as they seem to always change!

 

[Nick James]

CAP - In regards to THAT other site.. I posted the same post about my water turning cloudy and received some good advice but also recieved some sarcastic, attitude laden responses about my use of tap water. I appreciate everyone's positive remarks and comments on here. I don't mind being told I should change something or do something different but I don't like being talked down to.. A-type personality trait I think.. ;-)

Thanks again for everyone's advice!

P.S. - I should get a pic of my thumb before it heals too much.. I kind of had a power tool mishap while trying to cut PVC pipe for the tank with my sawsall.. :eek2: All digits are still attached tho thankfully!

 

[Rustylugnuts]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13357346#post13357346 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nallender
Rusty - I do have a magnetic scrubber.. I have been using it to keep the white residue off of the glass. I have read else where that this is a normal thing to occur (the cloudiness). My friend told me that I will go down one of these days to look and it will be crystal clear (cross my fingers). As far as the established rock, should I wait to add it in until after the cloudiness clears? I have lot's of mini fan and tube worms on the rocks and I don't want to lose too many.

I got the phosban reactor right from the get go to run Phosban in the event the rock leaches phosphates like you have said. Once it clears up and the cycle gets under way I am going to add live copepods to start a population in anticipation of adding my Mandarin (he's my #1 priority). I will be trading in my very large Maroon and my Yellow tail Damsel for a school of chromis initially. I want to add my docile pets first obviously. Then around the 6 month mark I will likely add a pearly jawfish or two.. I could go on about my future plans but I will stop now as they seem to always change!

One trick you could use to stretch the pods (with what they charge for em I certainly would) is to grab a 10 gallon an air stone, a brine shrimp net and some phyto for some propagation. Fill the tank less than half full with sw tinted with phyto and throw in a fraction of the pods from the bottle. They'll suck phyto and multiply quite nicely. I'll try to toss you a link when I can find it, advanced aquarist has an article describing the process quite nicely.

 

[Rustylugnuts]

Advanced Aquarists Breeders Net .

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13357273#post13357273 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nallender
I agree with you on this Cap.. I will try and move it.. the only concern I have is that I will be running Phosban in the reactor.. do u think it will remove too much phospates, etc leaving and plants I may put in the middle section to starve? I have a maxi jet 400 attached to it so obviously most of the water will pass thru un-touched..

it will not make any difference to the amount of phosphates being removed but it is posssilbe to reduce the amount of phosphates to the chaeto and retard the growth--play if by ear and if that situation occurs don't use the phosban reactor.

the other thing you can consider is splitting your drain or T'ing it off with one flow to the skimmer area and the other flow directly to the refugium. You would also add to ball valves and with that, be able to control the flow to each.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13357396#post13357396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nallender
CAP - In regards to THAT other site.. I posted the same post about my water turning cloudy and received some good advice but also recieved some sarcastic, attitude laden responses about my use of tap water. I appreciate everyone's positive remarks and comments on here. I don't mind being told I should change something or do something different but I don't like being talked down to.. A-type personality trait I think.. ;-)

Thanks again for everyone's advice!

P.S. - I should get a pic of my thumb before it heals too much.. I kind of had a power tool mishap while trying to cut PVC pipe for the tank with my sawsall.. :eek2: All digits are still attached tho thankfully!

your officially a DIY reefer now

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13358013#post13358013 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rustylugnuts
One trick you could use to stretch the pods (with what they charge for em I certainly would) is to grab a 10 gallon an air stone, a brine shrimp net and some phyto for some propagation. Fill the tank less than half full with sw tinted with phyto and throw in a fraction of the pods from the bottle. They'll suck phyto and multiply quite nicely. I'll try to toss you a link when I can find it, advanced aquarist has an article describing the process quite nicely.

very cool idea--thanks Rustylugnuts:smokin:

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13357346#post13357346 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nallender
Rusty - I do have a magnetic scrubber.. I have been using it to keep the white residue off of the glass. I have read else where that this is a normal thing to occur (the cloudiness). My friend told me that I will go down one of these days to look and it will be crystal clear (cross my fingers). As far as the established rock, should I wait to add it in until after the cloudiness clears? I have lot's of mini fan and tube worms on the rocks and I don't want to lose too many.

I got the phosban reactor right from the get go to run Phosban in the event the rock leaches phosphates like you have said. Once it clears up and the cycle gets under way I am going to add live copepods to start a population in anticipation of adding my Mandarin (he's my #1 priority). I will be trading in my very large Maroon and my Yellow tail Damsel for a school of chromis initially. I want to add my docile pets first obviously. Then around the 6 month mark I will likely add a pearly jawfish or two.. I could go on about my future plans but I will stop now as they seem to always change!

If you want noticeably clear water in 12 hours run the phosban reactor full of carbon instead of the phosban---you will see a big difference.

There are two friends of defense in this hobby---a water change and running carbon:smokin:

 

[Nick James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13358013#post13358013 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rustylugnuts
One trick you could use to stretch the pods (with what they charge for em I certainly would) is to grab a 10 gallon an air stone, a brine shrimp net and some phyto for some propagation. Fill the tank less than half full with sw tinted with phyto and throw in a fraction of the pods from the bottle.

I do actually have a 20 gallon which I am going to do exactly this.. I will use it as my refugium and fill it with macro algea and feed them phyto a couple days a week.. my filtration for this tank is in use on another tank which is currently holding my fishes! Once I get my D.T. going I will get the refugium up and running.

 

[Nick James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13359851#post13359851 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
If you want noticeably clear water in 12 hours run the phosban reactor full of carbon instead of the phosban---you will see a big difference.

There are two friends of defense in this hobby---a water change and running carbon:smokin:

I am currently running carbon in my reactor.. it has been two day and the water is still cloudy.. it does seem to be better than before I was running the reactor tho.. I can actually see my power heads now!

Any advice on whether I should add some rocks or hold off till the water clears?

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13361418#post13361418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nallender
I am currently running carbon in my reactor.. it has been two day and the water is still cloudy.. it does seem to be better than before I was running the reactor tho.. I can actually see my power heads now!

Any advice on whether I should add some rocks or hold off till the water clears?

add the rocks and get the bacteria cycling going---if anything the bacteria will help with the cloudiness if due to diatoms ect.

 

[fivesmallworlds]

You said you had the sand in there when you added the water, did you rinse the sand beforehand? If not, the cloudiness is probably just from the sand and will settle. In that case the phosban reactor and skimmer would do very little to clear the water. I would turn off the power head(s) until then as they're not helping the situation.

 

[Nick James]

I added the sand a day after the water became cloudy. The sand is brand new, and very fine. I did notice the water became even more cloudy for a day or two after I added the sand but it seems to be subsiding.

 

[Nick James]

I put some rocks into the tank tonight. It is still cloudy but seems a little bit better. A hermit crab hitched a ride on one of the rocks.. Hope he brought a flashlight with him.

 

[tdp22]

Hope you rinsed your sand well... mine still released clouds of dust every time I touch it!! Try running your skimmer really wet and stirring up a little at a time. Takes a while, but gets the crud out!

 

[Nick James]

The water has become alot better overnight since I turned the power heads off.. I can see to the back now and I located the hermit crab crawling around on some rocks

 

[Nick James]

the initial cloudiness is gone.. I started arranging SOME of the rocks into on one side of the tank ( I still have more then half my rocks in another tank). This kicked up a cloudy mess.. I think my sand should have been rinsed better.. made my first newb mistake apparantly..

I have to fart around with my skimmer.. the bubbles inside of it aren't getting high enough to spill over into the cup.. any suggestions?

 

[Nick James]

Figured out what was wrong with the skimmer.. it really should have come with instructions..