new tank advise

zachstone13 · 03-19-2004, 12:12 AM

I am transfering my reef from a 29 aga into a 37 aga( a cheap way to move up in size because identical length and width allow for the use of the same canopy and stand). I am planing to use the 29 as a refugium on the floor next to aquaruim. I will be kepping the refugium very full to maximize the size of the system. Something near 64 gallons. The plan is to make the fuge have a some rock and coral rubble in the section where the water enters. The main section will have a 5 to 6 inch dsb, macro, and maybe a mangrove. Then I want to put in a bubble trap followed by the return section with pump and heater. The main tank will have a gutted bio wheel 330 will rubble and carbon pouches, two power sweeps, and a modified seaclone skimmer(there will be another modified sea clone on the fuge...I figure the more skimming the better) I am going to stack my rock in a tall column in the center to use the tanks 22in height.

I am going to light the 37 with 2 110w 24 inch power compacts and I'm planning to light the fuge with a no doulbe strip I have. I set up the 37 last week with oceanic salt and I've been using tropic marin bio calcium. The 29 is on the floor running with rock and livestock.

I just wanted to run it by everyone and see what advise/thoughts you might have for me. Thanks.

addict · 03-19-2004, 04:34 AM

Howdy,

to reefsanctuary.

Anyway, I've read through what you plan to do, and it looks pretty good.

There are a couple of things that I want to clarify/mention, etc....

First of all is with having the fuge on the floor, you won't be able to run it 'very full' like you wish... probably 2/3 full would be the absolute maximum, since it will need to catch the overflow from the main tank in the event of a power outage...

Secondly, while the live rock rubble in the fuge sounds fine (for pod growth), putting some in the bio wheel will probably trap a lot of detritus, and you'll run into the same problem as if you had a filter cartridge in it... nitrate buildup... running straight carbon would be fine, as long as it's changed out/washed fairly often.

Thirdly (is that a word?), you probably don't want to skim the refugium, since you'll be pulling out all the sea bugs that you're trying to grow... if you want to run two skimmers, then hanging both on the tank is probably a better option (if you don't care about the bugs, then have at it).

Fourth... do they make a 24" 110w PC light? I have 22" PC lights over my reef, and the highest wattage of this length is 65w... or do you mean 2 sets of PC bulbs? (at 110w/set).
220w over a 37 aga won't be too bad... I had that amount over my old 55g when I first started it and light output was acceptable... yours will be even better, and you should be able to keep most stuff aside from SPS/clams.

Fifth (and final

)... the single mangrove you plan on having in the fuge probably won't add any real benefit to the system (macroalgae is your best bet... people seem to be having the best luck with chaeto over caulerpa)... but it will be a nice conversation piece.

Well, I hope that helps a bit... everthing above is just my opinion, so take it as you will.

Once again, welcome to our community.

zachstone13 · 03-20-2004, 03:10 AM

thanks for the response...

My thought on the fuge was that the tank and fuge are the same length and width so the main tank would only over flow an inch...two max. So I thought that a 29 gallon fuge running at 27 ish should be fine.

You have a good point on the rubble in the filter ...maybe I'll just do carbon. Unless there are any additives that would have a positive effect.

As for skimming the fuge, I thought that skimming the "intake chamber" would be ok. What do you think?

The lights are 24inch double 55w strips. I figured two..one double actinic and one 10k and 50/50 would be goood.

As for the mangrove, I know very little about them but I thought it would use quite a bit of nitrate. If not I guess it'll just be a convo piece ..like you said.

Thanks for the help any thoughts could only lead to a better system..I think. More comments welcome!!!!!!!!

ReefLady · 03-20-2004, 07:53 AM

^ bump

jks1 · 03-20-2004, 08:34 AM

sounds like a good plan, if it were me though I might rethink the macro thing. I have had them and the risk of it going sexual or leaching toxins in your system to me outways the potential nitrate reduction potential. (not trying to start a macro war here).

You can keep the nitrates down by limiting feeding and regular maintenance including small water changes. JMO

mps9506 · 03-20-2004, 11:42 AM

If you go with chaeto you won't have to worry about it going sexual. I myself am not a big fan of caluerpa, but go with whatever grows best in your system.
AFA the mangrove, I looke dinto them a bit, looks like the main worry is the fact they take a lot of nutrients out of the water that the reef may use. Just some stuff to think about. You probably want to research it more before going with or without it. I don't really know enough to qualify myself to tlak about them

I myself prefer huge skimming, lots of macro, bare or shallow bottoms, and lots and lots of food

Food keeps the tank happy, but nitrates do kill it....
Mike

03-19-2004, 12:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
zachstone13 Tunicate Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 2 View Gallery Karma Komment	new tank advise I am transfering my reef from a 29 aga into a 37 aga( a cheap way to move up in size because identical length and width allow for the use of the same canopy and stand). I am planing to use the 29 as a refugium on the floor next to aquaruim. I will be kepping the refugium very full to maximize the size of the system. Something near 64 gallons. The plan is to make the fuge have a some rock and coral rubble in the section where the water enters. The main section will have a 5 to 6 inch dsb, macro, and maybe a mangrove. Then I want to put in a bubble trap followed by the return section with pump and heater. The main tank will have a gutted bio wheel 330 will rubble and carbon pouches, two power sweeps, and a modified seaclone skimmer(there will be another modified sea clone on the fuge...I figure the more skimming the better) I am going to stack my rock in a tall column in the center to use the tanks 22in height. I am going to light the 37 with 2 110w 24 inch power compacts and I'm planning to light the fuge with a no doulbe strip I have. I set up the 37 last week with oceanic salt and I've been using tropic marin bio calcium. The 29 is on the floor running with rock and livestock. I just wanted to run it by everyone and see what advise/thoughts you might have for me. Thanks.

03-19-2004, 04:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
addict Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Sierra Nevada Country Posts: 1,621 View Gallery Karma Komment	Howdy, to reefsanctuary. Anyway, I've read through what you plan to do, and it looks pretty good. There are a couple of things that I want to clarify/mention, etc.... First of all is with having the fuge on the floor, you won't be able to run it 'very full' like you wish... probably 2/3 full would be the absolute maximum, since it will need to catch the overflow from the main tank in the event of a power outage... Secondly, while the live rock rubble in the fuge sounds fine (for pod growth), putting some in the bio wheel will probably trap a lot of detritus, and you'll run into the same problem as if you had a filter cartridge in it... nitrate buildup... running straight carbon would be fine, as long as it's changed out/washed fairly often. Thirdly (is that a word?), you probably don't want to skim the refugium, since you'll be pulling out all the sea bugs that you're trying to grow... if you want to run two skimmers, then hanging both on the tank is probably a better option (if you don't care about the bugs, then have at it). Fourth... do they make a 24" 110w PC light? I have 22" PC lights over my reef, and the highest wattage of this length is 65w... or do you mean 2 sets of PC bulbs? (at 110w/set). 220w over a 37 aga won't be too bad... I had that amount over my old 55g when I first started it and light output was acceptable... yours will be even better, and you should be able to keep most stuff aside from SPS/clams. Fifth (and final )... the single mangrove you plan on having in the fuge probably won't add any real benefit to the system (macroalgae is your best bet... people seem to be having the best luck with chaeto over caulerpa)... but it will be a nice conversation piece. Well, I hope that helps a bit... everthing above is just my opinion, so take it as you will. Once again, welcome to our community. __________________ -David *addict's tank specs:* Coming soon!

03-20-2004, 03:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
zachstone13 Tunicate Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 2 View Gallery Karma Komment	thanks for the response... My thought on the fuge was that the tank and fuge are the same length and width so the main tank would only over flow an inch...two max. So I thought that a 29 gallon fuge running at 27 ish should be fine. You have a good point on the rubble in the filter ...maybe I'll just do carbon. Unless there are any additives that would have a positive effect. As for skimming the fuge, I thought that skimming the "intake chamber" would be ok. What do you think? The lights are 24inch double 55w strips. I figured two..one double actinic and one 10k and 50/50 would be goood. As for the mangrove, I know very little about them but I thought it would use quite a bit of nitrate. If not I guess it'll just be a convo piece ..like you said. Thanks for the help any thoughts could only lead to a better system..I think. More comments welcome!!!!!!!! __________________ 37 gallon reef coralife 130 watt pcs, 65 watt pc actinic retro sealife skimmer- http://www.sealifesystems.com/motorized.html wet dry 40 lbs live rock aragonite Livestock- pair or occlearis bta long nose hawkfish canary blenny turbos, hermits, peppermints sally light foot some zoo's stars polyps ricordia xenia hammer think thats it!

03-20-2004, 07:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
ReefLady Golden Moray Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 2,029 View Gallery Karma Komment	^ bump __________________ ~ Teri -------- "You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice."

03-20-2004, 08:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
jks1 Achilles Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 876 View Gallery Karma Komment	sounds like a good plan, if it were me though I might rethink the macro thing. I have had them and the risk of it going sexual or leaching toxins in your system to me outways the potential nitrate reduction potential. (not trying to start a macro war here). You can keep the nitrates down by limiting feeding and regular maintenance including small water changes. JMO __________________ John Tank: 29g glass Pumps: Mag5.0 return - (3) rio 100 PHs Lighting: (1) 150w XM 10K/(2) 30W actinics Equipment: Aqua C Urchin skimmer- CPR Fuge, Titanium Heater -Red Sea wavemaster Pro Tank: 210g 1/2" Acrylic, dual overflows, 75g glass sump w/ 20g fuge. Pumps: Mag24 return - (2) MAG24s running 2 closed loop systems. Lighting: (3) 400w XM 10K/(2) Custom Sealife 96w PC - 25w dimmable incandescent Moonlight Equipment: Aqua C EV180 skimmer - CR500 calc reactor - Titanium Heater - AquaLogic single Stage Temp Controller - Aquanetics 1/5Hp Chiller - Neptune sys aquacontroller

03-20-2004, 11:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,436 View Gallery Karma Komment	If you go with chaeto you won't have to worry about it going sexual. I myself am not a big fan of caluerpa, but go with whatever grows best in your system. AFA the mangrove, I looke dinto them a bit, looks like the main worry is the fact they take a lot of nutrients out of the water that the reef may use. Just some stuff to think about. You probably want to research it more before going with or without it. I don't really know enough to qualify myself to tlak about them I myself prefer huge skimming, lots of macro, bare or shallow bottoms, and lots and lots of food Food keeps the tank happy, but nitrates do kill it.... Mike

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