37 gallon + sump reef log

justkillin_time said:
I think I'm going to add my live sand to the sump instead of the main tank. I want to keep that real clean sandbed look. I also think I want a jawfish. I should be able to grow calurpa and mangroove plants with a crushed coral sandbed right?
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Heck, you can even grow mangroves straight in the water column if you wanted to (better looking roots).

As for the jawfish, they need variety in particle sizes in order to keep up their burrows.

Most people just use aragonite, or something suitable for a long term dsb, and then add small amounts of crushed coral for support.

Good luck

Black Wolf
 
Riverserver said:
mmmmmmmmmm spoken like a true reefer. We have a lot in common with the other kind of reefer. Like normally boring objects can provide a lengthy period of entertainment.
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Hehe - been there done that. Atleast this hobby is legal ;)


blackwolfXKAV said:
Heck, you can even grow mangroves straight in the water column if you wanted to (better looking roots).

As for the jawfish, they need variety in particle sizes in order to keep up their burrows.

Most people just use aragonite, or something suitable for a long term dsb, and then add small amounts of crushed coral for support.

Good luck

Black Wolf
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Thanks man. Maybe I'll sprinkle in some of the crushed coral that I sifted out. I thought jawfish needed fine sand only, if that's not the case then cool. So they use the variety to 'build' their burrows? Cool stuff if that's the case.

I was going to go the mangrove route - so I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that!

Thanks for the comments guys.

- Funny how addicting this hobby is. I need a bigger tank now!


jkt
 
Been some time since my last update - but here's a couple pics:

Fishtank8.jpg


Fishtank9.jpg


I added a DIY closed loop power head system using a Via Aqua 1800, thanks to http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html
It has worked out pretty well so far. I do have a lot of air bubbles showing up though, which I'm quite mystified about since I've glued it all together. Still scratching my head and trying to figuring out where they're coming from. I'm going to leave well enough alone until it just bugs the crap out of me.

I upgraded my sump pump to a Via Aqua 2600 and I like the improvement.

I still need to add to my chamber for 'mechanical' filtration - maybe next couple of weekends.

Still need to add another 30lbs of rock and some caulerpa to the sump.

I'll add some clowns and a Royal gramma as well.


So far it's moving along quite nicely - slow but sure.


Thanks for looking!

jkt
 
Grins said:
What is the bit of red on top? Looks a bit like a chili sponge
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I have no idea what it is.. it just started growing one day. It seems to like a lot of current too. I looked up some pics of the chili sponge and mine doesn't quite look like that. Here is a close up of it:

redsponge.jpg


I also have been getting the some 'grass' growing (you can see it in the background) - is this a 'bad' grass? Should I get something to mow it down now before it gets too populated?

Also I had a few glass anemones - and slowly they have just died off? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I thought they were like weeds and would live through anything. My parameters are good, but my salinity is a tad low. Need to top off with some fresh SW in the next couple of days.

jkt
 
Looks like a few of the aiptasias are surviving. The algae growing isn't really a good thing. If you're getting just a little I'd not worry to much and prune it as you can. if it is a lot I'd question the water source and the amount you're feeding. The red still looks a bit like a sponge to me or perhaps its a macro algae.
 
The pic is bit old - so the aiptasias are all gone from that rock and are all but completely gone in the main tank. I'm not complaining - just seems odd.

The grass isn't out of control or spreading quickly - but I will definitely keep tabs on it.

I like the red sponge - it's just different. Just going to let it do it thang.

Need to add some mushrooms and zoo's now!

Thanks for your input guys.

jkt
 
I need to hide the pipes in the back - what color background should I go with? I was thinking black - but black is my favorite color, so I'm pretty biased about it. Would a light blue be better?

jkt
 
black will show any micro bubbles extremely well.. (from experience...) i used to have a large via aqua in my tank through my 10gal sump as well... but the water flow was much too high for the sump... meaning the water was flowing too quickly through the sump for the final step of the de-nitrification process to occur... so i got rid of my sand and rock and just put a big protein skimmer in that section of the sump...

back to the micro bubbles... the water was moving too fast through the sump to allow the micro bubbles to work their way out... i am now running like a via aqua 1700 or something... and i just have two small powerheads... (the koralia nanos should be here within the week)...

also, i don't know how you have it set-up right now, but that check valve is useless in a marine tank... mineral build-up occurs withing the check valve, not allowing the valve to fully close in the even of a power outage... i have been warned countless times about using one... but i guess its up to you... just thought i would let you know..
 
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