Changing 75 gallon over to Reef:Questions

[felixpaws]

I love fishkeeping!

I love the fact that fishkeepers can find a way to keep fish(in this case invertebrates) in any circumstances, and you can find people who'll help you do it! So, basically, what you all are saying is research, research, and more research? I need to check my levels specifically. I, also, need to, possibly add more equipment(I was planning on using the canister for carbon, have it, and phosphate removal media, coming tomorrow, and maybe nix the HOB, I was considering changing it out in favor of the fuge, maybe at a later date), and get testing equipment(TDS meter, which I've been looking into, but thought that was only useful for RO/DI water testing, and that regular tapwater would be too high in dissolved solids to be of any use), phospate, and the usual reef test kits. Incidentally, are there any, relatively, inexpensive, but workable electronic Ph meters? It'd be nice to be able to do quick, mess free tests, which will be often. The fuge would end up being a aquatraders.com fuge, if I go that route. I received my protein skimmers, today. They barely fit on my tank, which is a standard 75, All-Glass tank. No Copper has been used in my tank. The waste water from thwe tank isn't the real problem, it's the fact that RO/DI's waste water producing pure water(70% water waste is common). I would not want to just do top-off's. My discus did well, as well as oto's, rams, angelfish, and a bunch of other fish in the well water. We do filter our drinking water, however, it is a slow process, and goes through a UV filter as well as carbon, and tastes way better than the straight well water. I, really, can't use this filter for the tank. It's expensive, and I would not be allowed to uss it for this purpose(although, it might be helpful to get some king of tapwater filter.) Would running the water through carbon, previous to putting it in the tank be helpful? I guess, at this point I should just see how things go, and test my water. Pretty much, the only thing I need to buy is live rock, and two powerheads. I still plan to upgrade the lights, in case I decide to try LPS corals at some point. I figure, the soft corals wouldn't mind the added light, and I can keep them low or in lower light areas, if they do. Any other comments would be helpful, and suggestions are always appreciated. Really, I have no one to turn to for advice around here, and I'm, totally, new to reef, and inexperienced with salt(I really should say unsuccessful with salt, since I could barely keep anything alive). I hope, to order my live rock next month, and have the tank all set up by then. Thanks! Any other concerns I should be made aware of?

 

[fsn77]

Would running the water through carbon, previous to putting it in the tank be helpful?

Potentially... Depending on what is in the water that carbon is effective at removing.

I still plan to upgrade the lights, in case I decide to try LPS corals at some point. I figure, the soft corals wouldn't mind the added light, and I can keep them low or in lower light areas, if they do.

Upgrade the lights? 6 T5 HO bulbs over a 75g would be plenty for any LPS I can think of, and even enough to keep a good number of SPS in the upper part of the tank (if your water quality turns out to be compatible with any SPS). Unless the fixtures you have now have poor reflectors or stop functioning, I'm not sure I see a reason to upgrade to something beyond 6 T5 HO bulbs.

A TDS meter is relatively cheap and not a bad idea to have, however, if you're not purifying the water for the tank any, I'm not sure there's a need to actually own one. Sure, you can check the TDS level of your well water everytime you use it, but unless you're logging it and trying to use that info to potentially figure out why an algae outbreak occurred all of a sudden and then decide to put off a water change if the TDS of the well water exceeds a certain level (for example), I don't think I'd spend the $20 - $30 to buy a TDS meter.

 

[felixpaws]

Good Advice.

I think I'll skip the TDS meter, and focus on a good Ph meter. I need to wait until the beginning of the month to buy a test kit, two powerheads, and live rock. I received my crushed coral, and aragonite, and installed the Plenum, and I must say, that's a lot of stinking substrate, for a 75 gallon! I'm tempted to take out half of it, and forget the whole idea. I know it will settle some, and it is helpful for Nitrate reduction, but sheesh. Anyway, I also received my light bulbs, and refractometer, phosphate remover, and kalkwasser. I'm a little unsure, about the Kalk. I've read that it can get really hot, and melt plastic. Is that a concern if you mix it correctly, in small batches? Two of my light bulbs were broken(UPS totally banged up the box), but I called Petsolutions, and they're replacing my two bulbs, and upgrading one, because it's being discontinued for no extra charge, even though the new bulb is, like, $15 more! Totally easy to get it replaced, too. I can't wait until the end of the month! I can't wait to get my live rock,:look: with all the critters that pop up, after a while! :dive2: That's my favorite part. Thanks!

 

[felixpaws]

I decided to remove the Plenum, and just go for a 2 1/2" or so, deep sand bed. Removing it wasn't that hard. Luckily, the screen seperated out the crushed coral from the 1mm/2mm aragonite. I, also, built a hanging system, for my lights, so that if I decide to change out my lights, they'll fit over my tank. Also, when I get new corals I will be able to raise the lights to prevent bleaching. I'll try to take pictures of the tank, as it progresses. :grinyes: Right now, it's sitting, with aragonite in the bottom, lights over it, filters set-up, heater in, and basically, ready to go. It's driving me CRAZY!!! :cry: I'm all set to go, but have to wait, until next month. Urrgghh!

 

[mlefessler]

Patience is a virtue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fsn77]

I'm a little unsure, about the Kalk. I've read that it can get really hot, and melt plastic. Is that a concern if you mix it correctly, in small batches?

I've not had this problem at all. It does get a little warm, but should not hurt any sturdy container. If you're concerned (nothing wrong with being cautious), start out mixing it at half of the strength you're wanting it to be, then add in a little more and more slowly until you reach the strength you're shooting for, keeping an eye on how warm the solution gets as you go.

Of course, kalk can chemically burn your skin and it is definitely something you do not want to get into your eyes, so do be careful when using it.

Patience is a virtue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Definitely!

 

[felixpaws]

I'll try the Kalk at half, and work my way up, thanks, for the advice, and experience. I must be the most un-virtuous person I know! Of course, my dad tried to convince me to fill it with saltwater, yesterday! Lol! My stepmom is traveling for two weeks, and was asking when I could buy live rock. I told her it'd be two weeks, and she seemed dissappointed, so, all things considered I'd say I'm doing quite well. Ha.:cry: Sorry, still no pictures. I'll keep trying to borrow my dad's camera. I was talking with my stepmom, and she said that they'd done a water test, recently, and it showed good drinking water quality, but I don't know about reef water quality. (We suspected high Nitrates, and we didn't have those, amongst other things.) I figured, that the upgrade in lights would happen if I got into SPS corals, later on. The way the tank is set up it is easiest to do now, while the tank is lightest(no live rock, water). Also, it will be nice to be able to adjust the height for new corals. Does anyone else use Reef Crystals, and do they mix quickly? Any notes on them? Can saltwater sit for an extended periods of time? Will the unmixed salts degrade over time? I'll probably think of several other questions, but can't think of any more, at the moment. Any suggestions? Good places to buy live rock? Good beginners soft corals or other corals that would be suitable? Reef fish to start with? Cautions?:nono: Thanks.:goldfish:

 

[fsn77]

I use Reef Crystals. The dry salt mix, as long as it remains dry, is fine for years. If it gets hard and forms large clumps, then it's no longer good, at least for a tank of corals. If the dry salt mix starts absorbing moisture, some of the individual salts making up the mix react and form insoluble precipitates. Keep it sealed and dry, and there shouldn't be any issues. When mixing it, I feel it mixes pretty quickly. The mixed saltwater can be stored, but I always keep it mixing with a powerhead while I'm storing it.

If you want to buy dry rock and make it live yourself, Marco Rock is a popular choice. I've not bought any live rock online, so I couldn't really recommend one place over another.

Many soft corals make good starter corals. There's so many that could be suggested... It's almost easier for you to list those you're interested in and ask if they'll be ok for someone just starting out. If you need a place to browse through, LiveAquaria isn't a bad place to start for ideas.

If you don't have anyplace to get beginner's corals locally, you may want to post a WTB ad in some of the various hobby forums, including here in the Marketplace (and even Craigslist just to see if there's someone else close with a reef tank). I'm pretty confident that someone would be willing to put together a frag pack for you. It would involve shipping if you don't find someone locally, so the cost of shipping may not be all that exciting, but if you end up needing to order from someplace online, there'll be similar shipping costs and likely higher costs for the corals.

If you haven't already, you may want to see if anyone from the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society has any live rock or beginner corals to sell. It seems like they meet in Boise quite a bit, which I see is quite far from where you live. However, there's probably some other hobbyists somewhere between where you are and Boise that'll gladly meet 1/2 way between you and them.

 

[felixpaws]

Thanks!

I was planning on joining the Idaho club, anyway, so, this might be an option. I figured ebay for a frag pack, but when I get to that point I'll check here, and on monsterfishkeepers.com, as well. Good to know, about the salt mix, and mixed salt(ha!). I have a big, blue barrel to mix it in, and store it, and will, most likely use a powerhead, to keep it stirred up. I figured, for good starter soft corals, a few types of zoanthids, some green star polyps, yellow polyps, some ricordea mushrooms(or common types, if ricordea are kind of difficult), maybe a leather, of some type, a kenyan tree coral, and research various other easy corals online or buy some more reef books(or both). Any suggestions on some of the more commonly available soft corals, that would go with that grouping or any advice on the list provided? I'm not stuck on those choices, I just don't know of that many "easy" corals. I've paid attention, and those seem to come up, most often, in the places I look. I figured, if I was able to keep some of those alive, I could, maybe, add some LPS corals, later on. I'm going to try to upload some pictures of the empty tank, since my dad let me use his camera. Ignore the stuffed fish, and fact I live with my dad, and stepmom. I'm 34. No, seriously! Why doesn't anyone believe me?

 

[felixpaws]

Sweeeet!!!

That's my first attachment on here. That was easy.:newbie: I'll have to do that more often. The second picture shows my light hanging do-hickey. Home depot rigid conduit, bent at 45degrees(?), cut to fit, strapped to the back of my dresser, with chain, zip-ties, and s hooks holding them up, so that I can adjust the height. It worked out, rather well. You can use rope or wire, but I liked the look of chain, and figured it'd last the longest. You can do what I did in, like, fifty different ways, and I'm already planning on changing it, at some point. Ignore the blue zip-ties. I couldn't find my dad's black ones, and green seemed, sort of, weird. Sorry, about the reflection on the glass, and flash in the photo. I'm not a photographer. I don't know if you can see the canister filter, on the left side, but it's there. No sump. No room.:irked: Any comments are welcome.