Solana tank owner thread.

[dustinc]

Here are some pictures I took this morning of the skimmate and the bubbles in the chamber. This is after 3 days of skimming.

<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4314050768_5de2fff99a_o.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG00063-20100129-0928.jpg" /></a>
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4313312861_3e41b36a00_o.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG00064-20100129-0929.jpg" /></a>

 

[sal9012]

I have done this too. Night and Day difference on the skimmer. I was surprised on the pump performance.

I also took a bit and bore the air inline to increase the ID, it pulls more air now.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Dear Solana Coral Reefers,

I have the 24" 4x24watt ATI Powermodule for my 34g Solana Tank.
I just recently bought some new frags, and would like to know, according to my list and pics of frags below, where in the tank they should be located; i.e higher, lower, shaded, bright, etc. I'm just looking for any obvious "no no's" of my placement of the corals since I don't know a lot about them.

Here are the bulbs I have in order...from front to back.

• ATI Blue Plus
• Korallen Fiji Purple
• GE 6500k Daylight
• ATI Blue Plus

Here are the frags I just got:

• Green Slimer
• Blue Stag
• Blue Mille
• Neon Green Stylo
• Tubbs Birds Nest
• Pocillopora
• Acro 1
• Acro 2

Here are some photos of my tank and coral.
Ignore the Prawn Shrimp in the trap, he's going back to the LFS.

FTS

Bottom Left

Bottom Right

Top Left

Top Right

Close Up - Bottom Left

Close Up - Bottom Right

Close Up - Top Left

Close Up - Top Right

 

[dustinc]

Those could be placed about anywhere in the tank and be fine. I would just gradually get them adjusted. Start low in the tank and then work them to where you want them to be.

 

[nirvanaandtool]

Yea I always start low to acclimate them to the new lighting and then move up accordingly to their desired spots after a week or so.
Just keep an eye on your levels with all that sps.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

So which ones are the SPS? LPS? Softies?
I did test my water, remember I posted over on the other board, but I haven't gotten my Mag Test Kit or Supplement yet...its on order.
Sorry, yeah I should do more research on the frags, but I get lost at the amount of different ones out there and whats what.

 

[dustinc]

All of your new corals are SPS. The way you can tell, "generally",

SPS = Small Polyp Stony Coral (small polyps) High light
LPS = Large Polyp Stony Coral (large polyps) Medium light
Softies = Actually Soft to the Touch, just about any light will work

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

All of your new corals are SPS. The way you can tell, "generally",

SPS = Small Polyp Stony Coral (small polyps) High light
LPS = Large Polyp Stony Coral (large polyps) Medium light
Softies = Actually Soft to the Touch, just about any light will work

Thanks dustinc, what about waterflow...are any of these in need of low flow, otherwise I have them setup with med/high flow spots.

 

[MVlk]

Flow for corals is loosely the same as light. High light = high flow etc. For figuring all this out I usually look at what is listed on Live Aquaria . com. I believe they are usually pretty accurate.

 

[GeoffM1968]

I have done this too. Night and Day difference on the skimmer. I was surprised on the pump performance.

How do you exactly mod the impeller to a mesh impeller?

 

[dustinc]

How do you exactly mod the impeller to a mesh impeller?

Just get some mesh and glue it to the impeller or you can tie it with some thin line.

 

[SpankythePyro]

kind of mesh..

kind of glue.. lol

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Yes, need more details to these mods, but like the ideas!

 

[nirvanaandtool]

So which ones are the SPS? LPS? Softies?
I did test my water, remember I posted over on the other board, but I haven't gotten my Mag Test Kit or Supplement yet...its on order.
Sorry, yeah I should do more research on the frags, but I get lost at the amount of different ones out there and whats what.

Why not research before you buy?
Dont mean to be critical but it doesnt make sense buying frags and not knowing what type of coral they are and what they require.

Like Dustin said, everything you got is SPS and generally requires high light and high flow. LPS and softies like lower light and softer gentle current.
My rule of thumb, softies and LPS on the sandbed and lower rock work, SPS on high rockwork.

Watch the new SPS closely, start them low and then move them up after they acclimate to the light. If their polyps are extended and they have good color then they are happy where you have them. If not, move them higher into a higher light/flow area.

 

[dustinc]

kind of mesh..

kind of glue.. lol

Just any kind of mesh you can find will work as far as I know. And just super glue gel like the type you would use for glueing frags.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Why not research before you buy?
Dont mean to be critical but it doesnt make sense buying frags and not knowing what type of coral they are and what they require.

Like Dustin said, everything you got is SPS and generally requires high light and high flow. LPS and softies like lower light and softer gentle current.
My rule of thumb, softies and LPS on the sandbed and lower rock work, SPS on high rockwork.

Watch the new SPS closely, start them low and then move them up after they acclimate to the light. If their polyps are extended and they have good color then they are happy where you have them. If not, move them higher into a higher light/flow area.

I didn't really have a chance to research, this guy was selling them over on nano for $10 each and didn't have many left, just said he had some for "beginners", so I took advantage of his sale. He did give me the names of them, but now that I've put them in my tank, I forget which is which. I will take your advice on how to place them. I'm trying now to figure out if I have a low pH or not. My RKE and Pinpoint Probe tell me its 7.55, but my ATI test kit tells me its 8.3, not sure which one is right.

 

[dustinc]

I didn't really have a chance to research, this guy was selling them over on nano for $10 each and didn't have many left, just said he had some for "beginners", so I took advantage of his sale. He did give me the names of them, but now that I've put them in my tank, I forget which is which. I will take your advice on how to place them. I'm trying now to figure out if I have a low pH or not. My RKE and Pinpoint Probe tell me its 7.55, but my ATI test kit tells me its 8.3, not sure which one is right.

I would get a 3rd test quickly because 8.3 is great, but 7.55 is very low. That could definitely cause issues if that is correct.

 

[nirvanaandtool]

I didn't really have a chance to research, this guy was selling them over on nano for $10 each and didn't have many left, just said he had some for "beginners", so I took advantage of his sale. He did give me the names of them, but now that I've put them in my tank, I forget which is which. I will take your advice on how to place them. I'm trying now to figure out if I have a low pH or not. My RKE and Pinpoint Probe tell me its 7.55, but my ATI test kit tells me its 8.3, not sure which one is right.

Ok. I gotcha.
Personally I would have looked them up first to see what they require but thats just my opinion. Thats why I do if Im getting new frags that I've never kept before - google them and see what they require and how aggressive they are.

Is your RKE probe calibrated? That could throw off the measurement.
Do what Dustinc said and pick up a 3rd pH test kit, maybe Salifert or ELOS, and see what that says about your pH.

 

[MVlk]

Generally, A calibrated probe is usually correct and less likely to be the bad reading. See if a fellow reefer in your area has a pH pen they can bring by to compare. Instead of getting another test kit, I'd pickup a pH pen probe. They are pretty cheap and I like having one handy for comparison. Also, the pen works great for other testing such as your SW mix water before a WC and even testing the pH of water new specimens come in for better acclimation. Get a pen and ditch the kits IMO ... I could never read mine when I first started.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

I did calibrate my RKE probe, its a Pinpoint probe. I used Coralife Calibration Solution, 7.0 and 10.0, which the probe once calibrated, then tested in the same solution, got pretty close, so that told me the probe seemed to be working. Then I tested the water with the API kit and it said something different. I'm going to try it all again right now. The pH drops over night I know, which mine was around 7.22 - 7.25 and thats just pretty low right?