Very new guy with new tank!
- Thread starter WoodRight
- Start date
But you should be putting some kind of floss(which should be changed regularly) on top so only the smallest particulate matter gets down there which will be handled by bacteria on the rock..
That setup is really coming along nicely. I don't think there is anything I can say about the setup that needs changing at this point.
As for a skimmer, again I have recently become a huge supporter of the AquaC Remora/Urchin skimmers. I would try to make one of those fit somewhere.
Wet/Dry area.. eh.. I tried one and it made more of a mess than it helped. I don't think there is anything wrong with a wet/dry section, but you can get the same results without one.
I am not sure, you will have to see when you start your pump and start cycling, but you may have some splashing going on into your wet/dry area and you will get salt buildup all over the place from the fine mist that will spray. It won't happen overnight, but 6 months down the road your nice new stand will have a lot of salt inside the stand.
I am sure your going to do this, but I have to just state it anyway. After you stain/paint your stand put on several coats of polyurethane. My neighbor didn't do that when he built his stand and it looks terrible now, where as mine I can wipe clean with a damp rag and looks as good as new. Also may want to put down some sort of plastic liner on the bottom of your stand where the sump is. There will no doubt be times were water gets down there and it can be a pain to clean up. At least with a plastic liner you will protect the wood somewhat.
Here is my sump. It is a 20g tank. The main tank is only 29g. The flow comes in on the right from the overflow and goes out left. So from starting on the right I have 2 bags of Chemi-Pure and 1 bag of Purigen, then into 2 different filter pads, then into some Bio-Bale. Next in the refugium, 10lbs of LR/Sand/Macro Algae. Final chamber holds the Phosban Reactor, HOB Remora Skimmer, more filter pad, and Mag Drive 7 return pump.
Again, your progress is amazing. You should be voted newbie of the year. I can't wait until it is up and running.
As for a skimmer, again I have recently become a huge supporter of the AquaC Remora/Urchin skimmers. I would try to make one of those fit somewhere.
Wet/Dry area.. eh.. I tried one and it made more of a mess than it helped. I don't think there is anything wrong with a wet/dry section, but you can get the same results without one.
I am not sure, you will have to see when you start your pump and start cycling, but you may have some splashing going on into your wet/dry area and you will get salt buildup all over the place from the fine mist that will spray. It won't happen overnight, but 6 months down the road your nice new stand will have a lot of salt inside the stand.
I am sure your going to do this, but I have to just state it anyway. After you stain/paint your stand put on several coats of polyurethane. My neighbor didn't do that when he built his stand and it looks terrible now, where as mine I can wipe clean with a damp rag and looks as good as new. Also may want to put down some sort of plastic liner on the bottom of your stand where the sump is. There will no doubt be times were water gets down there and it can be a pain to clean up. At least with a plastic liner you will protect the wood somewhat.
Here is my sump. It is a 20g tank. The main tank is only 29g. The flow comes in on the right from the overflow and goes out left. So from starting on the right I have 2 bags of Chemi-Pure and 1 bag of Purigen, then into 2 different filter pads, then into some Bio-Bale. Next in the refugium, 10lbs of LR/Sand/Macro Algae. Final chamber holds the Phosban Reactor, HOB Remora Skimmer, more filter pad, and Mag Drive 7 return pump.
Again, your progress is amazing. You should be voted newbie of the year. I can't wait until it is up and running.
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Thanks guys for the posts. Ace I appreciate the vote. I would have never thought that it would have come out tis good for my first time. I have just been lisoning to everyone on here and trying to figure it all out. I also got The Conscientious Marine Aquarist witch has helped alot. I just can't wait to see it up and running. I'm painting now and checking the site inbatween coats.
Thanks again everyone and I will have pictures of the paint job and everything all set up later tonight. So check back in to see it.
Thanks again everyone and I will have pictures of the paint job and everything all set up later tonight. So check back in to see it.
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Ace dosen't your skimmer skim out all the pods from your fuge before they get to your main tank? Dont you want your skimmer before your fuge?
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I do have the floss in the drip tray it's just not in there in some of the pictures.
With the skimmer/pods thing, no, not really. The skimmer pump is quite small and with a sponge on the tip it really can't suck in to many pods.... but, I have to add, since I added a mandarin goby I also setup a 10g "pod" tank and threw in a couple bottles of tiggerpods to get them going. After about a month of running the tank is now covered in tiggerpods. I just take a turkey baster and suck up a bunch and squirt them into my tank. I don't think my tank/sump alone can support a large enough population to feed a mandarin. I also got my mandarin to eat frozen blood worms so that helps.
My thinking (and I could be wrong, so don't take it as gospel), was that I wanted the macro algae/fuge area to get as much of the nutrients and other stuff before my skimmer had a chance at it. I was worried I would skim to much out and not have enough for the macro algae/pods to live on.
My thinking (and I could be wrong, so don't take it as gospel), was that I wanted the macro algae/fuge area to get as much of the nutrients and other stuff before my skimmer had a chance at it. I was worried I would skim to much out and not have enough for the macro algae/pods to live on.
Well I was planning on using my fuge for DSB,macro and pods. Do you think I will be able to grow enough in there for a mandarin because I do want to get one at some point?
I think with the fuge that you have in your picture, definately. It is nice and isolated, not too much flow, and with enough rubble rock (small pieces of live rock) and DSB, it will be a huge breeding ground for pods.
Cool that is what I was hopping for but wasn't sure after reading what you said about yours. Thanks again for all the help. One more coat to go and I will be done painting.
