Finally starting 30gl Hex pony tank

tex5620

Member
Seems like long time in the making. Just couple questions though. I am wondering what would be best type of filtration for this tank. I have been told two different kinds and was wondering what anybody else thought. aqua c remora skimmer or aquaclear power filter. If I get the aquaclear filter how imperative is it that I get the skimmer. I am very dilegent on weekly water changes so that will not be a question. I also plan on having a small amount of live rock and live sand in the tank to.
 

Jeremy0322

Active Member
i would recommend a protein skimmer, but I dont know if the colder water will have an impact on the efficiency, thats my only concern about it.
 

tex5620

Member
I did some measuring and I really think I might be able to do both the remora with preskimmer and the aquaclear. I also just purchased a 20in current satellite pc light fixture. Once I get everything and get it going I'll take some pictures.
 
What kind of horses are you getting? I have a 30 hex too, I run a wet/dry, 2 skimmers and a uv. the whole problem is the flow. using an aquaclear, you would either want to use a really long intake or undergravel. you need to move the water at the bottom of the tank. I learned the hard way, because of the huge bioload, the constant feeding, and the low flow requirements, and the height. The hair algea, film algea, slime algea was unbelievable! at the begining I just had a venturi hob and skimmer. aslo had a yellow tang, kole tang, 15 turbo snails, 80 pink leg hermits. It's hard b/c you need water movements, w/o having water movement. good luck, post pics when you get the tank up.
 

tex5620

Member
I thought about puting in a koralia nano or something to move the water down at the bottom of the tank?
 
What kind of horses? A Koralia nanno might work, but would need to be placed at the bottom of the tank, you'll need to attach an extension cord. Definatelt not an airstone!!!!! no tiny bubbles!!!!! the widespread belief is that if the horses are hungry they might eat the bubbles thinking that it's food, and since they can't pass gas, they'll end up floating. (for this yo'll need diamox) I have 5 ridgid airlines along the back of the tank. I also have the water flow from the return. how much rock work, and how tall? I made this awesome, huge structure in teh tank, the horses loved to swim around it and around it. but it didn't give them enough room to court, so I moved it back. they're happier now. Make sure you leave them room where th ewater returns to the tank, my horses love to go "surfing in the return, sometimes they line up and take turns, 2 of my horses like to hitch onto the tube and sit w/ their faces it the stream (like a dog w/ it's head out the window!) It's hilarous to watch!!!! I also added tree spounges. this is one of their favorite hitching posts! I had to hide it from the light, but they went looking for it. it's ony 10 in long, w/ a couple of branches, but I'll get up to 6 horses hitched onto it at once. I have also downgraded the light, now I just use a small cfl (horita 23w) horses don't need light, the spounge doesn't need light, I have ogo, which seems to better in less light. it helps to keep the nusance algea down. I've still got some, but it's manageable now.
 

tex5620

Member
Ok finally have everything up and running let me give brief description on what I have right quick. Guess we could say this is the start of the tank even though it has been running 2 weeks. I have an aquaclear 50 running full out with only sponge and carbon filter. I am running a aqua c remora protein skimmer with preskimmer (a must for the surface because of low flow. A koralia nano towards the bottom. I only have bout 25lbs LR and 3in sand bed. this tank is currently cycling so I have the lights off which is a current satelite 20in pc fixture. I have had a shrimp in there for bout a week and still waiting for some sort of cycle to start.
 

tex5620

Member
this is my second shrimp to add to the tank and for some reason neither of my test kits are registering any ammonia spikes. I bought the LR form LFS cured but I always had the feeling they were alittle to quick to put in cured bin from uncured. I am not reading anything from ammonia and nitrites. just a few nitrates. Never got any algae bloom. Any suggestions what is going on.
 

mrsbode

New Member
I know it's been a while since your post. What happened?

Had you been adding anything that might be controlling the ammonia, such as water conditioner, water changes, etc? That was my problem, I had been topping off with water that was conditioned with amquel, which had been removing my ammonia, thus delaying my cycle.
 
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