| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
kgwilliams 
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: New tank update
Posted: October 19 2006 at 10:19pm |
Okay, Mark, and everyone else who has been helping me, I just took down my old 30 hex. I wasn't planning on doing it tonight, but I had this slimey algae all over the glass and when I cleaned it off it was everywhere and just floating so I decided my fish didn't deserve that. I moved the rest of the corals and the fish and some sand over. Everything seems to be doing great! My clowns are loving the swimming room! They swim from one end to the other, where as they used to just swim at the top of the 30hex! And the CB is going in and out of all the rocks, I'm so glad that they are taking it well! And I am amazed at how much different my corals look under this different lighting! Mark, when should I start turning on the MH again?
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
 |
Izzy
Guest
Joined: September 02 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 372
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 19 2006 at 11:58pm |
|
Good to hear that things are going well! Post pictures when you get a chance!
|
|
Murray, UT
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 20 2006 at 4:28pm |
|
I will, hopefully this weekend if I can remember to borrow my dads camera.
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 30 2006 at 12:14am |
|
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 30 2006 at 5:28pm |
|
So, what do ya'll think? Most of the hair algae is gone now, and the rock is getting a green algae on it. Hopefully it goes away soon. The sand that is red next to the blue mushrooms is the live sand from my old tank, I think it's cool that it's the only part that's that color.
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
siren
Guest
Joined: November 30 2003
Location: Sandy
Status: Offline
Points: 248
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 30 2006 at 6:22pm |
|
looks like the only part thats that color is cyanobacteria
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 31 2006 at 8:50pm |
|
I know, it is cyno, but whats weird is that it isn't spreading anywhere else but where the live sand is!
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 01 2006 at 3:21am |
The other sand was from a bag right? It's basically free of nutrients which would grow algae.
My comments are that your new tank needs a lot more water flow and the rock stack needs to be loosened up.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 01 2006 at 10:45pm |
|
How much more flow do I need? I have a power head on each back upper corner with wavemakers on them, the one in the front that you see in the bottom pic, and the return flow in the middle. What do you mean by loosen the rock stack up? You mean make more holes or get rid of some? Ya the other sand came out of a bag, so that explains it.
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
Mike Savage
Guest
Joined: July 15 2005
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 19173
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 01 2006 at 11:17pm |
|
Rockwork should not be like laying bricks. There should be open area for water movement. You don't want the rockwork to be like a wall and block the water. It should be more like a screen where the water can flow through the rocks.
|
|
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 02 2006 at 6:02pm |
|
Okay, I will rework the rock. I was just trying to make it look like other peoples that I have seen. Any other suggestions?
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 07 2006 at 12:58am |
Concerning other tanks you have seen, those hobbyists may not understand how much better their tanks could be with more open space around the LR and less LR sitting on the sand. I wish we lived closer so I could show you in person. Anyway, let me try to explain:
......................Large Live Rock...............Live Rock....Live Rock..................
.........Live Rock.................LBTR........Live Rock-Live Rock..........................
.............Live Rock...................Large LBTR..................Live Rock................
.........LBTR.........LBTR...........LBTR.......LBTR.........LBTR........LBTR...............
Sand////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////Live Sand
LBTR or base rock intermingled with LR
The dots/periods indicate free space. Everywhere the dots are, water can flow freely. Water flow is how invertebrates (coral, etc) get food and get their waste taken away. This is a very good thing.  The drawing is the best I could do in two dimension. 3D would be better because I could show how bottom rock can be placed as a tripod for the 2nd level of rock to be set upon it. The tripod offers stability and allows water to flow around all three bottom pieces. Also, try to put the bottom pieces on edge, pushed into the sand for stability. This allows more LS to be open to the water for filtration purposes, not smothered by a flat rock.
Okay, now regarding the water flow. The two top corner powerheads should not be on a wavemaker. Wavemakers are just gadgets that make powerheads less effective. I do not use, nor do I recommend wavemakers for two reasons. 1)Whenever the wavemaker has the pump shut off, flow is diminished. Our tanks have too little flow as it is. Shutting off a pump just makes it worse. 2)It shortens the life of most powerheads.
Have you ever read my placement advice for two powerheads in the top corners of a tank to make best use of them?
Another thing; there is a powerhead visible down on the bottom right. Why does it have the nozzle at the end of a gooseneck? The gooseneck is restricting the flow. Remove the whole gooseneck and nozzle affair, reposition the pump up at an angle and let the water shoot directly out of the powerhead, no nozzle.
I'll stop here and wait for your reply. We're not finished yet. We've only just begun.
P.S. You asked above about the MH. Please tell us if it is back on the scedule now, also how much hair algae, how many tufts, are left and what is the photoperiod of all the lights?
Edited by Mark Peterson - November 07 2006 at 1:46am
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
Adam Blundell
Presidency
Joined: June 24 2002
Location: Davis County
Status: Offline
Points: 18526
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 07 2006 at 8:40am |
By the way I don't like the tripod look of Mark's tanks. I don't like how he uses just a few rocks and keeps them off the sand.
But that's just me.
I say dump in your rock and away you go.
Adam
|
|
Come to a meeting, they’re fun!
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 07 2006 at 6:38pm |
Wow! Once again I'm sorry, but I didn't even realize that these last two responses were here or I would have wrote back before now.
The only reason I put them on wavemakers is because I thought it was good to direct the flow in different spots intermitently (sp?) and at the same time, disturb the water surface. But I will take them off if you think I should Mark. The one in the bottom corner is only riged like that because I was trying to be able to adjust the flow where I needed to without moving the powerhead itself, and well it's a long story, but I will take it off also, I realize it looks retarded. lol No I haven't read that thread. Link please?
Ya the MH is back on, all the lights come on at 7:30 am and go off at 10 pm. Is this too long? The hair algae is just about all gone, thanks to my new faithful foxface lo, he's got a big appetite! What do you mean by tufts?
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
GARFVolunteer
Guest
Joined: September 28 2004
Location: God's Country
Status: Offline
Points: 763
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 07 2006 at 7:46pm |
In a way I disagree with Mark on the wave makers. Back in the days I had power heads, I added a wave maker and saw a large difference in the growth of the coral. At the time I had 9 Maxi-jet 1000/1200 poweheads going constantly. I placed 3 of the 9 on a wave maker so overall current decreased however the current was more random.
If I only had 3 power heads, I would not have them on a wave maker. I would put one in each back corner pointing towards the front glass. The third one I would place so the current will collide with the current from the other power heads. This will help create a fairly random current.
As far as current flow goes, it all depends upon the critters in the tank. If you have SPS they tend to like a lot of random current. A lot of the coral will prefer less current. I use the lovely and gracious Monica's tank as an example. It has very little current. Just enough to make the xenia at the far end of the tank sway gently in the current. She has mainly soft corals and a few LPS that all thrive. I have placed a few frags from her tank into my tank which has about 40 times more current, and they live but I would not say they thrive. I put those same frags in the middle channel of the farming unit where the current is low and they thrive. I have frog spawn in my tank that is doing well but it took a lot of work pointing the closed loop outputs to reduce it to a level where it was happy. Caulastrea and nephthea both thrive in Monica's tank, does not like the high current in mine tank but does fine in the middle chamber of the farming unit (also connected to my tank).
Thanks,
Scott
|
|
President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society
A fair and biased reef hobbyist
"How do you make poor people rich by making rich people poor" Rush Limbaugh on Obama taxes
|
|
Bob Kripfgans
Guest
Joined: November 13 2004
Location: Tooele, Ut.
Status: Offline
Points: 1084
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 07 2006 at 8:06pm |
I like both answers. Lots of rock...but also try to expose much of the sand bed as possible. Flow is definately the answer. I am pretty cheap when it comes to expensive pump to increase flow. Modding cheap pumps definately doubles the flow maybe more.
Check Reef Central for modding them in the DIY section. It saves alot of $$$ and by using smaller cheap pumps you also create less heat. IMO...it's a win...win for the tanks and the pocket book.
|
|
WMAS is da place!
Save the Banggai's!
Tooele,Ut.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 07 2006 at 9:54pm |
I feel I have the best of two worlds in my newest tank, the one Adam may not have seen yet.  There is a huge amount of LR but it's all foating up in the water so the sand is unobstructed. I guess a pic would be good right here. Perhaps the tank Adam is refering to which has just a little LR is the one in the window. It's more of a frag tank really, not much LR so the sun can shine all around and grow coral.
Actually, Scott fully agrees with me regarding Krista's two, I mean three, powerheads.
Is there light other than the MH? If so, IMO it would be better, to prevent another algae problem to have the MH lights come on from like 4PM to 10PM. Have the other lights, CF/PC Actinic/blue I assume, on from 7:30AM to 10:30 PM. What do you think of that?
Edited by Mark Peterson - November 07 2006 at 9:55pm
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 08 2006 at 4:38pm |
Ya, you're right that is what the other lights are, 2 96w 50/50 PC's I believe, and I think I will go with that schedule, because I've got alot of green algae starting to cover my rocks. It seems like the snails just cant keep up with it!
I would love to see a picture of the tank you are talking about Mark! It sounds interesting!
How many powerheads would I need if I wanted to keep SPS? I mean I thought I was doing pretty good with just three, and I don't know how many more things I can plug into this breaker!
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 08 2006 at 8:31pm |
You might even have the MH lights go off before 10. Algae situations can get out of hand very fast, like within days, so it's good you are looking at this and making changes before that happens.
What are the powerheads currently being used? I can see that one on the bottom may be a Rio, but what size? The pic doesn't clearly show the others.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
kgwilliams
Guest
Joined: November 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 677
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 09 2006 at 5:18pm |
The one in the upper right hand corner is an Azoo 1200, and the other two (front and left corner) are ViaAqua modal 480 which are 200 gph.
Oh, and by the way, my foxface has calmed down, and my two new fairy wrasses are going great. Also, I added a tiny blue hippo tang, a dispar anthia, and a pep. shrimp, today. I thought that if I got the "tiny" tang, then maybe it and the foxface wouldn't fight to much.
|
|
75gal reef /sump/ref 150MH 2 96w CF
Perhaps I would be better at basket weaving. . . at least it would be cheaper!
|
|
