Need some advice with a reef tank

0m3n · May 1, 2007

Hi people im relativly new on this forum so would just like to say hi! I need some advice and help with a reef tank im setting up, ive kept clam species for many years and fish but have never setup a full reef tank.
The equipment i have to use is.
55 gal tank 48x18x14
fluval fx5 canister
aqua one 600 lph canister
red sea prizm with surface skimmer
6 x 55 watt Pc lights
I want to use this equipment so sumps and refugiums are out as ive already spent a small fortune on aquarium knick knacks.
any advice on how to setup this equipment e.g bio media, chemical media and mechanical media would be greatly appreciated.
I understand nitrates can become a problem in reef tanks so i would like to minimise this as much as possible.
I would like to keep senistive inverts like anemones so your input would be of great help to me and the livestock.

Reefscape · May 1, 2007

hey there....

Well, if your going to have this as a reef, you will need to buy about 1 - 1.5lbs of live rock per gallon of water. This will provide all the mechanical filtration that you need and you wont really be needing to use the filters. At least not use the filters for filtration purposes..you can maybe use one of them to provide chemical filtration if it is needed...Out of the two, i would keep the fluval fx filter on as that would give a good portion of water circulation for the tank..what you then need to do is add a good powerhead or two to get the total water circulation up to about 1100 GPH in total..This is working off the basis that a reef tank need about 20 x water circulation per hour....

The red sea prism is not really a very good skimmer in all honestly, speaking from personal experience there..Although, you do have the surface skimmer attachment which does help a little..I know plenty others will chime in on good skimmers that are available to you...

Your lights are quite good, 300w is a good base line to be working from..But, this again, will depend on what corals you may be looking to have in the tank...The nem, i would not sugget putting in untill your tank has been up and running for about a year. Nems need prestine water conditions and good quality lighting to be able to thrive..Using that year buffer will allow your tank to mature and grow and give you, as keeper, the experience to learn you system and to get the prestine water quality...both which come in time...

Hope that helps you a little bit..

Niko

Germanman · May 1, 2007

for the Fluval u dont want to use any of the bio media that came with. the best thing u can do is use rock rubble in its place, that along with some phosphate removing resins or something like chemipure would work very well. i also agree on the skimmer, my buddy finally give his up after a tank crash cause it constantaly over flowed in his tank. CPR and Berlin are good skimmer companies.

0m3n · May 2, 2007

Ibe read alot of good things about those brands but they dont seem ditribute them here in australia, the best i belive here is aqua medic turbo flotors which are not practical for hang on the back.

Subliminal · May 2, 2007

From what I understand, the Prizm skimmers do a good job when they're set up right, but take an almost daily tweaking to keep them there. And like said above, skimmer problems are usually big issues...like wet floors or skimmate in the tank.

Basically, all the worst parts of the bible. Hehe. Ok, that's from Armageddon. Anyway, bad stuff.

I'd check ebay. A lot of places on ebay will ship world wide, and you might be able to hook something good there.

Also, i don't know how adventerous you are, but one of my buddies kept a tank when he lived in Australia, and he used sea water and rocks and sand from the ocean. Don't know the geography there, but that's something to at least consider and possible research a bit.

0m3n · May 2, 2007

I must admit i have had no problems with the prizm so far, also another question for everyone do you have your rock leaning against youe back glass? it just seems like alot of weight and dont feel game enough to try it.

Reefscape · May 2, 2007

i ended up using my prism skimmer as football in the back yard...hmmm...relieve my frustration with it..lol...

Anyways, yeah, i have rock leaning on the back, but i have little squares of egg-create, so the rock does not actually touch or sratch the glass...

Niko

0m3n · May 2, 2007

lol you really hate prizms dont ya, ok if im gonna use ur method by adding more live rock adding another powerhead and dumping all th bio media would it be advisable to leave all my bio media in the fluval just so i get no massive ammonia or nitrite spikes from the rock? sorry about all the questions i wanna do this right and cause minimal impact to my fish already.

Reefscape · May 2, 2007

0m3n said:
lol you really hate prizms dont ya, ok if im gonna use ur method by adding more live rock adding another powerhead and dumping all th bio media would it be advisable to leave all my bio media in the fluval just so i get no massive ammonia or nitrite spikes from the rock? sorry about all the questions i wanna do this right and cause minimal impact to my fish already.

lol....whatever gave you that idea?......

if you use fully cured live rock to put in there, you should only experience a very small spike in ammonia and or nitrates....what i would do is slowly remove the filter media, over say a two week period. This will give the good bacteria a chance to colonise in the rest of the system...

0m3n · May 2, 2007

and the final and last question would a deep sand bed be good or bad.


zoomed.com	hikariusa.com		aqaimports.com	Store

Search

Search

Need some advice with a reef tank

0m3n

AC Members

Reefscape

I shoot people with a Canon

Germanman

My fish are my babies

0m3n

AC Members

Subliminal

AC Members

0m3n

AC Members

Reefscape

I shoot people with a Canon

0m3n

AC Members

Reefscape

I shoot people with a Canon

0m3n

AC Members