Joe's 65 Gallon Aquatic World

[JOSEPHLB]

Originally Posted by vdituri

Look at all the shiny new plumbing....

Actually.. the pictures posted already do not reflect how i have it setup
I screwed up one of the threaded fittings, so I just got rid of all the hard plumbing and went with vinyl.
Much easier to deal with. I've learned a great deal and know what to do next time (when the wife says "lets get a bigger tank")

[JOSEPHLB]

April 05, 2007

Day 5:

Temp: 81 Degrees
Salinity: 1.024
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: .25
Trites: 0
Trates: 0

[MR PALM BEACH]

Hey JOSEPHLB got a suggestion for you on the sump plumbling. IMO I know your kinda stuck with the hole on the side but this might be an idea for ya. Plug both ends with some threaded fittings, here's the thing the 90 you have on there plus extra tubeing going to the 90 Is also breaking down more head pressure and cutting down the gph. Instead of hard plubling the return just use 1 long peice of 3/4 or 1/2 tubeing, whatever your pumps output Is and at least the only breakdown will be the amount of feet going up and the 90 fitting at the top of the tank. I know hard plumbling looks nice a neat but might not be in the best Interest when It comes to performance. JMO

[MR PALM BEACH]

Next time Ill read the threads befor I write. Sorry didnt see the reply that you mentioned about changing the plumbling.

[JOSEPHLB]

I know alot of people "cure" their uncured rock outside of the display in a seperate container.

In my case, I've chose to place it directly in my main display, along with some base rock. Now that its been a week, and the uncured live rock has been submerged in water, some more of the die-off seems to be coming off the rock. So, a few questions:

1) Do I let nature take its course? Allow the die-off to float around in the tank, and use some mechanical/sediment filtration to get rid of the particles?

2) Do I pull the rock; try to scrub more of the loose die-off from the rock and place back in display? Would this disturb the cycle?

3) Should I perform water changes periodically, even though its in cycling mode? I would assume this would defeat the purpose of cycling, since I would be ridding the water from its ammonia source, which is needed to properly cycle.

Basically, what are some of the best methods of establishing the display, by using uncured rock in the main display during cycling?

Am I safe to say, that by using uncured live rock, my display could possibly be a little more on the "messy" side, compared to a cycling tank with cured live rock?

[mps9506]

I personally try to get as much of the detritus and crud out of the tank as possible. The stuff just decays and releases nutrients into the water fueling algae growth. In our live rock curing tubs I still take the rocks out and swish them around in a separate container of SW to get the dead stuff and detritus off the rock and help keep it out of the display tank in the future.

[lcstorc]

I would pull the rocks out. Rinse them. Then return them. You don't want all of that debris floating around the tank. Check your parameters. The cycle has probably already gotten started with all of the die-off.

[JOSEPHLB]

Originally Posted by lcstorc

I would pull the rocks out. Rinse them. Then return them. You don't want all of that debris floating around the tank. Check your parameters. The cycle has probably already gotten started with all of the die-off.

I've seriously thought about doing this. Might be a pain trying to aquascape it though, with a tank full of water.


Do you rinse in RO water or do I need to mix up some SW?


I purchased a hang-on power filter yesterday. I pulled the bio wheels out of it, and currently have it running with just the sediment pads. I took my Mag Floats and ran them up and down the glass really fast. It stirred some of the debris off of the rocks.
This morning, it was damn near clear again.


So, I guess I may have to bite the bullet and pull it out, so I can limit the debris that may eventually accumulate in the tank.

[lcstorc]

I would swish them around in a container of salt water.

[JOSEPHLB]

April 14, 2007
Maybe its a good thing that my uncured live rock didn't have alot of dead life and decaying matter on it. As of today, things are looking great, considering its only been two weeks running now. I never did pull the rock out and give it another scrub. I decided to wait it out.
I did stir up the little die off in conjunction with running a hang-on filter. Grabbed a Penguin 350; pulled the biowheels out and doubled up on the filter pads. Supposedly its rated for 350 gph; I also have two Maxi-Jet 900's. One on the back wall pointed in a slight downward motion. The other one on the front wall pointed straight back. The return I'm guessing/estimating around 350-400 gph.
Coralline algae is beginning to take off; various green algae's are starting to surface the rock. Brown stuff on the sand has subsided once I got all the flow going. I've had to empty my Remora Pro's collection cup every day or two. It has really been working great so far, since it finally seems to be broken in. I almost always have green tea with light brown sludge that has to be cleaned from the cup.

Day 14:

Temp: 80 Degrees
Salinity: 1.024
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Trites: 0 ppm
Trates: 2.5 ppm

[Woodstock]

Sounds good!

[JOSEPHLB]

April 15th 2007

Performed a 5 gallon water change.

[JOSEPHLB]

April 16th, 2007

Day 16:

Temp: 80.7 Degrees
Salinity: 1.024
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Trites: 0 ppm
Trates: 0 ppm

Odd.. Less than three weeks and my test readings show a cycle complete? I only noticed ammonia rise; I may have missed Trites spike since I didn't test every single day. Then previously, ammonia and trites were 0 and trates were around 2.5 ppm.

Last week I got "NTS" and purchased a few clean-up crew guys. Some turbo snails, two scarlet and an electric blue hermit. Was probably a mistake getting the electric blue; he's a little bastard. A couple of mornings this weekend the electric blue was clenched up with one of the scarlets. Then, another day later, I noticed the big claws ripped out of one of the scarlets. WTF! Suprisingly, the scarlet that was attacked is still alive and moves around the tank. I assume the big claws are for the scarlets movement?
All I know is, the electric blue has been a big PITA.

This weekend I am planning to perform a 10g water change. I also need to cover some of the u-tube from the overflow up to prevent light from exposing it. I am noticing a slime texture build up on the inner section of the u-tube.

I have also DIY'd an overflow type device for my AquaC Remora Pro's skimmer. I originally purchased the Remora Pro with a Rio 1400 and got the pre-skimmer box. Well, I decided not to use the Rio and replaced it with a Mag-5. So, this pre-skimmer box will not work.

Since I now have a sump, I really don't need the pre-skimming feature of a box for my Remora Pro. All I need is an overflow device, with the sponge to soften the waterflow effect and quiet down the water exiting the skimmer.
So, low & behold; a less than $5.00 Lee's Specimen container. You know.. that little box that has a lip to hang on the side of a tank? Well.. a Dremel and ten minutes later. I cut the bottom of the container out and left a little bit of the bottom for the support ledge. I then have this hung on the inside of the sump, and then the Remora Pro sitting on top of it. Absolutely perfect. This Lee's Specimen container is the perfect size and matches up with the output on my skimmer like a "match made in heaven". This weekend from the LFS I will purchase one of those cheap lil Aquaclear 50 sponges and insert into the bottom of the specimen container. It will rest on the remaining acrylic that I left from when I Dremel'd the container. I'm predicting this will quiet that waterflow effect to pretty much nil.

[Dentoid]

Looking good Joseph! You're well on your way to reef utopia! Where is Carroll Co. I'm in Northern Virginia, just outside DC. Have you joined WAMAS (Washington Area Marine Aquatic Society)? Check it out>>>www.wamas.org.

[JOSEPHLB]

Originally Posted by Dentoid

Looking good Joseph! You're well on your way to reef utopia! Where is Carroll Co. I'm in Northern Virginia, just outside DC. Have you joined WAMAS (Washington Area Marine Aquatic Society)? Check it out>>>WAMAS.

Carroll Co. is the next county over from Frederick Co. I'm fairly close to Hanover, PA. I worked down in that area previously (Pentagon), but now have been relocated to an alternate/failover location.

I think I have joined WAMAS as a forum member recently. I believe someone on Reef Central recommended it to me.