virgen reefer needs advice on filter

[foodstamp]

i have done some reading over the past few day's and plan on doing much more but for now i need this answered asap so i can order what i need....

i was think going with this http://store.hurricanefilters.com/strequovca18.html

or this
http://store.hurricanefilters.com/tywetdryfi1.html

do i need both?

 

[Sk8r]

No filter at all for a coral reef. 1lb live rock per gallon, dry medium to fine aragonite sand, sump/skimmer. Refugium in the sump if you have enough room. Spend your money on skimmer [2x rated for your tank size], sump, and lights. A reef-ready [predrilled tank] is SOOOo much easier.

 

[foodstamp]

it came with a proten skimmer and lights

sump? is that not the same as a wet dry?

 

[pass1over]

sump is another tank of water. used to add water volume to total system, refugiums, place for unsightly equipment, and the like. Usually located underneath the display tank inside the stand.

 

[SCOTT42]

Are you planing on doing a reef tank? If so then a refugium is the best bet. Maby a wetdry on a fish only tank. Butt i dont think that I would use one, they usely have hi nitrate once estableshed

 

[foodstamp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10775307#post10775307 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SCOTT42
Are you planing on doing a reef tank? If so then a refugium is the best bet. Maby a wetdry on a fish only tank. Butt i dont think that I would use one, they usely have hi nitrate once estableshed

yes a reef tank......

if i do a refugium do i still need this sump that Sk8r's talking about

 

[foodstamp]

ok i think i found what i was looking for.....i can build this

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dy...u=http://www.angelfire.com/ok/dog1/sumps.html

 

[SCOTT42]

The drawing of the refugium will work, But personly I would replace the bioball's with live rock rubble. And make the refugium as big as you can. (just in case you decide to go with a bigger tank in the future, you'll be covered for it possibly)

 

[kodyboy]

I agree with scott42, largest sump/refugium you can afford, and change the bioballs to live rock rubble

 

[foodstamp]

i agree with scott42, largest sump/refugium you can afford, and change the bioballs to live rock rubble

im leaning to the way of u experenced guys thx for the help..

so i got most everything set up that came with the tank
nows it time to build this sump

when i got this tank it had sand and large rock rubble mixed in the bottem as a base.... from what i read befor posting all we wanted was sand so i filtered the sand from the rubble befor hand i know my sand base is about 2" right now and want about 4"s so all pick up some more

will this rubble work for my sump/refugium it seems to be crushed coral shells n things like that.... i went back to the ppl i bought it from and they said the sand was "livesand" from a lfs.
im guessing its dead now along with the rock as it was dryed out when i got it and they said its been that way for 6 months

 

[kodyboy]

can you get a better pic of the skimmer?
it looks like you need more flow in the tank, maybe a koralia 4 or 2 to keep water moving and to avoid dead spots
what kind of lights do you have?

 

[ShapeGSX]

Crushed coral doesn't really belong anywhere in a reef tank. It just traps detritus where you can't get at it.

You really need more sand in the tank if you want a deep sand bed. We are talking at least 4".

You can get live rock rubble at a local fish store that sells live rock. You need pieces that are about 2" to 4".

 

[foodstamp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10777321#post10777321 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kodyboy
can you get a better pic of the skimmer?
it looks like you need more flow in the tank, maybe a koralia 4 or 2 to keep water moving and to avoid dead spots
what kind of lights do you have?

its a red sea skimmer........ from research its not the best but it works

more water flow is on the way.... its allready on the todo list im gonna go pick up some powerheads today i was thinking 2 x 500 gph 1 on each side of the tank will that be ok?

the 2 lights that came with the tank are 130watts each "coralife" (65w10k & 65w actinic bulb's) it allso has 2 little purple lights that the guy at the lfs said where nite lites...
i allso have a 175w ballest that im gonna take outa my green house and pick up a reef bulb for......

 

[foodstamp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10777542#post10777542 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ShapeGSX
Crushed coral doesn't really belong anywhere in a reef tank. It just traps detritus where you can't get at it.

You really need more sand in the tank if you want a deep sand bed. We are talking at least 4".

You can get live rock rubble at a local fish store that sells live rock. You need pieces that are about 2" to 4".

more sand for sure i want atlest 4"s it looks like crap with what is in there not to metion everwhere i read it says 4" min.... all get 4-6" in there.....

im making a list and liverock rubble is on it once i get my sump/refguim up all now how much to get....

so this coral i have is trash? or can i crush it up to the size of sand grains and use it ?

 

[SCOTT42]

On the live rock rubble, sometime's if you go to the live rock holding tank at your lfs. You can find your rubble there, back and underneth most of the big rock, that most peaple look over and dont buy, Usaly your lfs has this with each order of rock that they buy. dont worry about getting it all in one day, a little here and a little there. also you can take like a 1 or 2lb peice and break it up into smaller peices, if you need to, that woks as well.

 

[foodstamp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10778375#post10778375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SCOTT42
On the live rock rubble, sometime's if you go to the live rock holding tank at your lfs. You can find your rubble there, back and underneth most of the big rock, that most peaple look over and dont buy, Usaly your lfs has this with each order of rock that they buy. dont worry about getting it all in one day, a little here and a little there. also you can take like a 1 or 2lb peice and break it up into smaller peices, if you need to, that woks as well.

thx brother......
am i ok to start adding in live rock now or should i wait & is there anything else that i should or could add to get the tank rolling..... ? i used 65 gallons of 7 stage ro water added salt. then this morning i put in 10 gallons of "live ocean water"

im going to go ahead and order the Refugium from http://store.hurricanefilters.com/strequovca18.html
i went looking for something to build one out of but becuz of space im limted this is the right size and i would not be about to make one any biger then this any way so if i replace the bio ball with rubble like u say will this work?

 

[kodyboy]

the skimmer looks like it is pulling something unpleasant out
The lights sound good for softies and some LPS. 260 watts of Power compacts over a 55 are not that great and when it comes time to change the bulbs you should look into T5s (aquactinics make great units). Alternatively UVL (a light bulb manufacturer) is making PCs with internal reflectors, that may make PCs much better. They should be out at the end of this month.
I would suggest something like koralias, or tunze streams/nanostreams for a nice wide gentle flow

 

[kodyboy]

the refugium should work, but why not just shove a glass fish tank in there and buy an overflow? Much cheaper and you can partition off the tank with some cheap platic from home depot and some silicone. A $15 6500K PC lamp from home depot would grow algae like mad. Just a thought.

 

[foodstamp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10778584#post10778584 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kodyboy
the skimmer looks like it is pulling something unpleasant out
The lights sound good for softies and some LPS. 260 watts of Power compacts over a 55 are not that great and when it comes time to change the bulbs you should look into T5s (aquactinics make great units). Alternatively UVL (a light bulb manufacturer) is making PCs with internal reflectors, that may make PCs much better. They should be out at the end of this month.
I would suggest something like koralias, or tunze streams/nanostreams for a nice wide gentle flow

i was looking at the koralias earler today i think i might get a pair..

is the 2 ok for my tank or should i go with the 3's?

 

[SCOTT42]

I agree with kodyboy 100% ! Look at how much that is going to cost verses, the cost of a cheap glass aqaurium, with home made divider's.I really wished that I had a camera, I would show you mine!!( I speand my money on live stock and needed equipment)
maybe somebody else could do that for you. You probly could do an entire glass reugium for half the price or cheaper than what you are looking at. (homemade of course) That item you are looking at will work , But if you went that way, then you may not have enough room in it for future equipment, and regret doing it. just a thought