Planning a 25G acrylic

[rksands]

My first post! Woo!

I'm planning on starting a new reef tank with LPS and soft coral. I don't suspect there to be too many issues with this setup, but I'm still hoping for some feedback from you long term reefers that have tried just about every product.


Equipment:

--TRUVU Aquasystem Micro Series Nano Model 25
(http://www.truvuaquariums.com/aamicro25.html)

Lifetime no-leak warranty. Seems to be shaped well for a reef, and has the nice features of those all-in-one tanks such as overflow-style teeth, some light mechanical filtration, and a convenient place to shelter a pump and heater.

--Current USA Orbit "24-Hour Lighting System" - 20", 80W

80W dual daylight, dual actinic should be suitable for my LPS, shrooms, zoos, xenia. I plan on having daylights on for 9 hours per day and actinics on for that same duration plus 30 minutes before and after. Nice big fan on this fixture.

--CPR Aquatic BAK-PAK 2R+

I don't think I need an obtrusive AquaFuge PS (or a refugium at all for that matter). I'll probably skim 24/7 (is this "overskimming?").

--AA Aquarium 9W "Internal" UV Sterilizer

Doesn't require fancy plumbing and it could kill of parasites and some algae.

--Visi-Therm Stealth heater - 100W

Fully submersible and it's thermal plastic, so no cracking.

--Egg crate aquarium cover

So the fish can't jump!


Supplements:

--ESV B-Ionic Alkalinity/Calcium Buffer

Everybody's recommended it. What about Purple Up or Kent products instead?

--ESV B-Ionic Magnesium

No reason so far to go with a different magnesium product instead. Used along with calcium/alkalinity takes care of the main supplements for the reef?


Food:

--Frozen Mysis

Beefier than brine shrimp. Feed issued once a day in the evening.

--LiquidLife MarinePlankton (phytoplankton) and MarinePlankton (cyclopeeze)

Takes care of food for filter feeders and coral. Fish can snack on the MarinePlankton also.


Maintenance:

--Salifert Ammonia, Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, Phosphate

So that I can test for, correct me if I'm wrong on these figures:

0 ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate
8.1 - 8.3 pH
10.0 alkalinity
410 - 430 calcium
- magnesium

--Generic refractometer with ability to adjust

For ensuring salinity of 1.025 after water changes and topping off with RODI water. Water changes are 10% once a week.

--Coralife digital thermometer

Maintain 78 degrees.


Reef Setup:

--20 lbs Nature's Ocean Aragonite live sand

Is this stuff good like I hear?

--30+ lbs live rock

Fiji? Tonga? I'm not sure yet.

 

[jewtball]

Why don't you try a Cadlights tank, they have great epuipment features and are very beautiful. also i compared it to quite a few of them before purchasing one myself. when compared to what you get to what you are paying, its a real good deal compared to other ones.

The best part is that it is 100$ GLASS with curved seamless edges.

 

[nmprisons]

seems good. i have a 25 myself.

some thought:

Live rock: The Marshall Island and Kaelini available through premium aquatics is just great. you can request a few medium and a few smaller pieces and it will fill your tank nicely.

Temp: Without a chiller, 78 degrees is probably a pipedream. It is ok though, 80 - 82 is where most peoples tanks are and they seem to do fine.

 

[rksands]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8204405#post8204405 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jewtball
Why don't you try a Cadlights tank, they have great epuipment features and are very beautiful. also i compared it to quite a few of them before purchasing one myself. when compared to what you get to what you are paying, its a real good deal compared to other ones.

The best part is that it is 100$ GLASS with curved seamless edges.

The Cadlights tank does look pretty nice. My two issues with that are 1. I've already convinced myself to go acrylic and 2. I'm already going smaller than I wanted with 25 gallons, so 22 is a little less than I had hoped. I orginally wanted a 29, but all the 29G tanks I see are 30x12x18 -> 12" is kinda narrow, but perhaps the length of the tank would provide ample swimming room for the fish. Also, I don't mind the price too much.

 

[rksands]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8204669#post8204669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nmprisons
seems good. i have a 25 myself.

some thought:

Live rock: The Marshall Island and Kaelini available through premium aquatics is just great. you can request a few medium and a few smaller pieces and it will fill your tank nicely.

Temp: Without a chiller, 78 degrees is probably a pipedream. It is ok though, 80 - 82 is where most peoples tanks are and they seem to do fine.

Both types of live rock look good in the pics. It's still difficult for me to choose because I don't know much about the benefits of each (is it just appearance?), and I think the Fiji rock pictures don't really show off its features - I can't really get a good idea of it's features.

I could probably achieve 78 degrees with air conditioning, no? I also think that going for power compacts instead of metal halide and letting the temperature vent through egg crate would help.

 

[nmprisons]

I have 2x65 pc and I can't get any lower than 80 (ac on and fan in the hood), but 80 is totally fine for a reef.

As for the live rock, I have both from them. Here is what I noticed:

Kaelini: A ton of coraline, interesting shapes, a little less porous. About a pound/gallon would fill up your tank nicely.

Marshall Island: Unbelievably porous. Not a ton of hitchhikers, but the rock itself is just great and is as pictured on their site. 1 lb/gallon may fill up your tank a bit more than you wanted.

You can't go wrong with mixing the two.

 

[NYproDJ]

ACRYLIC SUCKS!