Looking for some advice?

MikenDanielle said:
4 - A refractometer

5 - Still undecided of sand or crushed coral for substrate (Anyone know the pluses or negatives of either?)

6 - A test kit (Already have ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH for my FW tank, would they be the same for SW?)

7 - 15-20 Lbs of live rock (Too much or too little?)

Also I noticed New Reefer mention to only use my Aquaclear filter empty for water movement... what exaclty should I be using, if anything for filtration on a 20G SW tank?
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4 - A refractometer is good - it's much easier to read than a hydrometer.

5 - Use a fine sand, and not crushed coral. Preferably use a "natural" sand, such as real sea sand or fine river sand. The natural sands are well rounded, whereas any "crushed" sand's particles contain sharp glass-like edges, which can cut and injure the small sand-living organisms which will establish in the sand bed (and which forms a vital part of your natural filtration system).

6 - Test kits must preferably be rated for salt water use, as fresh water kits give false readings when used with salt water.

7 - Go for a VOLUME of around 20% of the tank's volume. I really don't understand why "experts" are always quoting a weight of rock. The density of live rock vary quite dramatically (with the best rock weighing the least...), and it's much safer IME to work on a volume of rock.

8 - Your live rock and deep sand bed will be your filters. In a reef tank one tries to keep the nitrate level as low as possible. The use of any aerobic only filter, such as most filters designed for fresh water tanks (and including your Aquaclear) do not have any nitrate reducing anaerobic areas, and as such they will reduce the level of ammonia and nitrite, but will increase the level of nitrate.

Someone suggested that you place LR rubble (small pieces of live rock) into the Aquaclear. I would recommend against this, as the nitrate reducing anaerobic (actually anoxic) zones only form in larger sized pieces of LR. The "rubble" sized pieces are just too small, and would also only increase the nitrate level in your tank.

Hennie
 
atnixon said:
I tend to agree with JoJo that a lot of people run tanks with higher pH than what we all class as an average..ocean being about 1.026...Personally, i have seen many great reefs that run on higher ranges of pH...If you can do it, then why not, if it has no adverse effects on the inhabitants..

Yes, the normal 1.023 - 1.025 is what we all strive towards, but, sometimes people will break " the normal " ......
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Just to correct an obvious typo - I'm sure that atnixon meant to say "higher SG", and not "higher pH"

On this note, one must be careful of quoting SG (Specific Gravity) figures without also mentioning the temperature at which the SG is quoted, as the salinity of water at an SG of 1.025 at 24 deg. C is NOT the same as the salinity of an SG of 1.025 at 30 deg. C. (Don't have the actual figures at hand, but will post them later if anyone is interested)

Hennie
 
New Reefer said:
Just to correct an obvious typo - I'm sure that atnixon meant to say "higher SG", and not "higher pH"

On this note, one must be careful of quoting SG (Specific Gravity) figures without also mentioning the temperature at which the SG is quoted, as the salinity of water at an SG of 1.025 at 24 deg. C is NOT the same as the salinity of an SG of 1.025 at 30 deg. C. (Don't have the actual figures at hand, but will post them later if anyone is interested)

Hennie
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Hennie....many thanks for spotting that one....my appologise to anybody i confused....

Niko
 
Woooo!! The Canadians are one day going to take over Aquaria Central!!! Well, anyways, hey! I'm in Whitehorse, Yukon! I'm planning to get my livestock and live rock from JLaquatics.com great prices.
 
BTW thanks for the great website (frag factory)
 
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