My story! (Help me become a PRO!)

Jackalope

Jackalope

Member
ROFL someone have ADD like myself? thats why i double post all the time lol.

Your theory on that is pretty stout. i dont have anything to bash about it. heck im still learning as i go.

The only thing is if you once forget to clean that thing out in time before the nitrate bomb blows, you will have some serious issues... immediately. now on the second thought i have for that. running a really good micron rating filter in a can for a quick polishing of water. say overnight would be pretty good, but the looming forgetfullness draws me from them.

of course now thinking about it. the more water volume you have and/or the lower the load you have would change the effects on how this would work. like if i put one on my 180, i doubt very seriously if the can filter puked nitrates into my water column it would have any serious impact due to total volume of 250gallons. now on a smaller tank it would be critical flop.

btw i dont bash. im just a real serious thinker. i also contradict myself on this topic as well.
 
Q

Quickplaya

Member
I like the theories. Does anyone have any research or websites that prove this? I keep trying to find out why canisters and hob filters are so bad, but I just see "because I heard that it is a nitrate factory" or someone says "ZOMG IT WILL LIGHT YOUR HOUSE ON FIRE!" I am highly considering the fluval 405 for 140bucks I found at my LFS. Please help convince me otherwise. I like the thought of not having annoying trickle/splashing water from my two HOB filters. It is hard to sleep sometimes. Is a concealed sump quieter? I understand that you can increase water volume with a sump... but why wouldn't I just buy a bigger thank then?

Also, I can't thank EVERYONE ENOUGH for all the help I have been getting. I have been learning so much. I have been reading so much. I have been eating Tylenol for headaches so much! lol
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Member
serious read? hrmmm i wish i could post forums from another site. ask boomer about can filters. he is THE wizard on explanation. and FARRRR more knowledgeable than anyone else that i know of. at least who has spoken.
 
Q

Quickplaya

Member
I guess I will just get some powerheads like Koralia 1050 and just save to do a sump then.

Should I get 2 Koralia 1050?
or
2 Koralia 750?

Does anyone suggest any others? I heard that I can't put a wave maker with them because of some annoying clicking noise they make... is a wave maker a necessity?
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Member
well im using 2 #4's on my 180 and placed right will nearly create a blackhole! im not sure on those. 2- 1050's maybe too much. try one for now.
wavemaker not critical. the old koralia (#) series like i have click like mad. the new DC driven ones ive heard are better but dont have one tested yet.

actually try the 750. and then if you need more than another 750, get a 1050 to compliment the 750. its guesswork really. my LFS said i would need 4- #4's that was SO much force that my sandbed overnight was on one side of the tank lol.
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Member
i use my 2 not in use for mixing SW up in a 30 gallon trash can, so they dont become completely worthless if not in a tank lol
 
2

20nano

Member
Jackalope said:
ROFL someone have ADD like myself? thats why i double post all the time lol.

Your theory on that is pretty stout. i dont have anything to bash about it. heck im still learning as i go.

The only thing is if you once forget to clean that thing out in time before the nitrate bomb blows, you will have some serious issues... immediately. now on the second thought i have for that. running a really good micron rating filter in a can for a quick polishing of water. say overnight would be pretty good, but the looming forgetfullness draws me from them.

of course now thinking about it. the more water volume you have and/or the lower the load you have would change the effects on how this would work. like if i put one on my 180, i doubt very seriously if the can filter puked nitrates into my water column it would have any serious impact due to total volume of 250gallons. now on a smaller tank it would be critical flop.

btw i dont bash. im just a real serious thinker. i also contradict myself on this topic as well.
Click to expand...

u know, i could never remember what i was trying to say, its at the tip of my teeth but i cant get it out. FWIW, I had my fluval for about 6 month and i realized that my nitrates are slowly getting higher and as it gets higher it speeds up faster. Of course, thats also with a weekly rinse and carbon pads. I took out my fluval a few days ago, and just put carbon cut out pads where the baffles. Nitrates dropped a bit, not a large amount only because its been 4 days. I did a water change and such as usual. My fluval picks up soo much junk from my 20g that it becomes a nitrate corporation, then again, I am a little overstocked. I think canister filters are more for FO or FOWLR tanks. let nature break down those things by itself. Us Human always try to improve what nature already can do and often times damage it's trend more than we would admit. Then we would come up with more ideas to fix that, so then comes newer technology.

If you use a super large canister filter rated for 250g and feeding habit of a nano, then the outcome wouldnt be too far-fetched. At the same time, on larger aquariums, nitrates wouldnt hit as hard as smaller unless they overstock as well. Kinda hard to overstock a 250g IMO but shoot who knows?
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Member
Hey look im now pic friendly!

my sump in all its glory.
sump.jpg


not sure if you can see it, but the LR in there is just in storage. figured why let it dry to have to re-cycle again. plus theres amphipods and copepods in there as well. i use the light to grow GHA. if its growing. i know i have some organic phophates. atm no new growth so i know its all stable. natures po4 test kit = GHA
 
Q

Quickplaya

Member
I get my light TOMORROW! I just bought some more LR from PA. Manado LR Cured 30lbs. I also got a Hydor Koralia Evolution 750. I think I am off to a great start. I live in Grand Rapids Michigan so I can use the GROUND shipping for anything I buy!!!!! Super-stoked about all the help I have been getting! Thanks EVERYONE! Still need to build my sump and get a skimmer. I think I am going to get a 20gal tank and just glass baffle/silicon it. So much cheaper then the premade sumps. My only questions today are...

1. What thickness should I get for the glass for my sump?
2. How could I incorporate a berlin sock to the sump easily?

THANKS!
 
Funlad3

Funlad3

Has been struck by the ban stick
Try to get some arches going... Fish love to swim through them and they'll offer shade for some low light corals later on. Remember, you have the middle depth of the tank too, so don't feel that everything has to be pressed up against the back!

Also, just try a pile of rock in the middle if all else fails! I feel that we all try to make a miniature reef for our aquascape when in reality, all that our tank has is a portion of the reef, or a pile of rocks.

Good luck!
 
Q

Quickplaya

Member
I got EVERYTHING I need.... except for the glass for the baffles. I had to order 1/4" thick glass. I got 6 pieces. How should I place them in sump when they come in next week?

I got mag 9. Esshops 800gph overflow. 20gal long tank for sump when glass comes in. Reef Octopus needlewheel 150 skimmer. 2 750gph hydor power heads.

Also, I have my first three corals. A frogspawn, a kenya tree, and a starpolyp. They seem to like the dimmer blue night light bulbs I have and are growing. I turned on ALL the lights for about an hour and they started to almost shrivel and turn slightly white so when back to night light... they are going fine now. Should I just keep the blue night light on 24-7? I have a timer.. what should I do for light?
 
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