After all the stinkin questions

[Solastsummer]

here is my tank, its cycling right now so there is nothing in it Here is some of the specifics of it

60 G
30# fiji premium live rock
30# base rock
60# live sand (its straight from the ocean i belive)
2 powerheads putting 300 GPH each
Aquac remora pro skimmer
200 W heater

is there anything more i should add and if you have any suggestions let me know
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/dghinstl/DSCN0445.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/dghinstl/DSCN0448.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/dghinstl/DSCN0449.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/dghinstl/DSCN0450.jpg

[Ace25]

Now comes to hardest part.. waiting for the cycle to complete. I don't envy you at this point. Looks good though, great start!

[Solastsummer]

I had all the rock and 1/2 the sand in for about 2 weeks now, so I'm hoping not having to wait for longer than a month now

[Solastsummer]

does anyone have feedback for me? Also i am on a small small budget, im a college student so yeah, anyways I know i should have a r/o filter, i found some on ebay but how do i know the difference between a good one and one thats crap. to me a r/o filter is just an r/o filter. I really would like to spend less than 75 dollars. And i cant get some from a LFS because im in the middle of nowhere idaho and there is no LFS

[tamableanimal]

You can get ro water from alot of Grocery stores now. If a store near you has ro water I would ask them how often they change their filters. Some even put a maintenance chart on the side of the machine. Heck my local hardware even sells ro water now.
As for your tank, it looks great. I like the aquascaping. And as Ace said now is the hard part, waiting. You can take this time to start figuring out what you want in the tank. And making sure that the inhabitants will co-exist together.
Rich

[Ace25]

Umm, am I missing something. I don't see a filter on that tank.. just the awesome skimmer. You are planning on a filter of some kind right?

[Solastsummer]

i was told by a bunch of people that if you use live rock/sand that would act as the filter as long as you had adequite circulation

[Ace25]

Hmmm. Well... errrr.. ok. I have never heard that myself. Yes, it does help with filtration, but I really doubt it is enough to filter much fish waste. I would think of adding at least a hang on back filter like a Rena Smartfilter for starters. Or better yet, some kind of multi-stage canister filter. You need to have filter pads and media to remove phosphates and stuff.

I wouldn't run any tank, not even a freshwater, without a filter of some kind.

[Solastsummer]

well i have heard do not use canister filters because they are nitrite factorys. I belive the method of using live rock/sand is called the berlin method. If thats not do-able I can easly put on a emporor 400 or something like that, but i would rather not

[Ace25]

Well I can't say I am the expert on that, so I will just let others chime in with their opinions. I just don't think it would work.

Look at my tank in my sig if you haven't and see the filtration I have just for a 29G. If I were to stop the sump/refugium I am sure my tank would go south real fast. Along with my sump, fuge, Remora, 2 bags of chemi-pure, 1 bag of purigen, phosban reactor, I also have a hang on back Rena SmartFilter 30 on my tank AND I do 5g a day in water changes (which is definately excessive, I know, I wouldn't suggest others do that unless they are like me and get free saltwater from the ocean). This has taken years of work to get to the point I am at, and in the beginning I simply had a 1/2 canister hang on back filter and learned real fast during my first algae outbreak how much more filtration is really needed.

[Solastsummer]

Yeah everywhere im reading is saying you dont need a filter if you are doing a FOWLR

[andy1130]

Rock and sand is indeed the berlin method and does work, some people supplement it with an additional filter or sump for more rock and sand, keep up on your waterchanges and dont let the bioload get to heavy and i think you should be ok.

[andy1130]

are like me and get free saltwater from the ocean


Using ocean water for your water changes is kinda risky

[Solastsummer]

well if i plan on keeping it pretty well stocked but not overstocked do you think i should throw on a HOB power filter? Full size (im going to buy juvies) im looking at 28" of fish so while they are juvies they are gonna be like 1/3 of the size, I plan on doing a sump when i get more experienced

[andy1130]

What fish do you have in mind? Some are messy eaters that require adding lots of food daily, some swim around and scavange and involve barely adding any food.

[Ace25]

Using ocean water for your water changes is kinda risky

LOL, tell that to the Univeristy of California, Santa Barbara, where I get my Ocean water from. They use it on all their tanks for their marine biology.

Check out this thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=541355) and look at all the tanks that are using the water out of the ocean. Somehow I don't think it is "risky" at all. 43 pages in one thread, many many pictures of tanks using the water and nothing but rave reviews. ;)

Also, here is the filtration system for the Ocean water.
http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/eemb/facilities/marine/seawater/seawater.php
http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/eemb/facilities/marine/seawater/filter.jpg

[Solastsummer]

2 Ocellaris clowns
1 blue spotted toby puffer
1 yellow tang ( I know they need a bigger aquarium than a 60 full size but my father has a 125 for when he gets too big)
1 spotted cardnial
1 watchman goby

[Grins]

i was told by a bunch of people that if you use live rock/sand that would act as the filter as long as you had adequite circulation


I agree with them. It is very common these days to use biological filtration versus mechanical on a FOWLR or reef.

[Solastsummer]

I agree with them. It is very common these days to use biological filtration versus mechanical on a FOWLR or reef.

I sent you a PM question about that actually!

[Grins]

OK, there are a few emails I haven't yet gotten to.

[andy1130]

Haha ace, that sounds a bit safer, I had visions of you wandering down to the beach with a bucket...

Solastsummer, i think you will be fine without extra filtration, especially when you get that sump going

[Solastsummer]

its a bummer cause im gonna have to build a new cabnet, mine could not house a sump, I think my cabnet was ment for freswater only

[Solastsummer]

I am going to see my brothers new baby on march 14-19 hopfully its done cycling by then!

[Subliminal]

Just FYI, The 'Berlin Method' also includes a skimmer.

[Solastsummer]

Just FYI, The 'Berlin Method' also includes a skimmer.
if you read my tank description it says i have a Remora Pro

[Subliminal]

Rock and sand is indeed the berlin method and does work, some people supplement it with an additional filter or sump for more rock and sand, keep up on your waterchanges and dont let the bioload get to heavy and i think you should be ok.

I was responding to this.

[andy1130]

I know it does, the skimmer was already listed in the post earlier

[Subliminal]

Sure, just clarifying. No need to worry, folks...just clarifying for future references...and because I'm bored at work. ;)

[Solastsummer]

.... I hate this... after buying and shipping the 30# of fiji premium rock I'm finding myself wanting 10-15 pounds more...... why am I so wishy washy

[Robin Alv]

I put a canister filter on but removed the bio balls, etc. I kept the carbon and the filter pad to catch whatever my skimmer does not. I have heard that a filter is not necessary if you have a great skimmer and do not plan on fish - just coral.
rob

[Grins]

It isn't necessary even if you have fish with those corals.