Tank Journal Archive

[chimaera]

An AquaClear 110 would be a decent sized 'fuge' to hang onto this. The AR620 is 90litres, right? Now an AC110 is pricey (I think just over $100 from AoA), but if you think of it replacing a sump/return/plumbing etc, it's not so bad.

A DIY LED set up sounds like a good plan given you have a sparky friend =0)

 

[michaelstank]

Cheers for all the info guys, great help!

 

[webber555]

The only downside to an AC110 is that you can't replace the props so flow might be a bit high for a fuge. An AC70 makes a decent fuge and isn't much smaller and you can put a smaller prop in if the flow is too much. But an AC110 would make a good hang on sump anyway without the refugium - you could run any filter media you want in bags, maybe some live rock rubble etc.

 

[firebird]

What Webber says makes sense-do get lots of flow from an AC110
Another option is cutting some of the blades off the impeller for the AC110 to get lower flow . Pity that the impellers for the AC70 and 110 aren't interchangable

 

[michaelstank]

Gday everyone :)

I would like some advice on my filtration :)

My tank currently runs with the trickle filter in the hood, I am wanting to know more about the filter media and how often it should be replaced. Im scared that by removing and replacing the media currently in the filter (coral/liverock rubble, ceramic rings, and some filter wool on top) that I will remove the good bacteria that houses it, obviously the live rock ect ect have this bactiria also but will this have any effect? How ofter do you remove and replace your liverock rubble, ceramic rings ect ect?

I have changed the wool a few times which seems to keep my water column quite clear :)

Also in regards to adding activated carbon and other filter medias to enhance or reduce certain things (phos) I have heard about people using but know nothing about (phosguard ect ect), any recomendations, do I need these?

Also currently in the tank i have a submerg filter, only small but I am starting to think that this would be better not in the tank at all, should I remove it? Will it be causing any harm?

cheers in advance!

 

[MagicJ]

Why do you think you need to replace the rubble/ceramic rings ? The filter wool could probably do with a change a few times a week to prevent the waste collected starting to break down but the rest shouldn't need replacing at all.

I have only recently started using Rowaphos after having a reef tank for 10+ years and have never used carbon so they are not a must have - that being said they do improve the water quality. It depends on what you are trying to achieve and what corals you want to keep.

From your last photo you have quite a lot of live rock in the tank so no additional filter should be required - I would remove it but make sure that you stock slowly.

Cheers

 

[webber555]

You should only use certain media if you are testing and trying to reduce something, or chasing certain water paremeters.
Theoretically, if you have enough live rock and flow then you should only need to water change to replenish vital elements and take out nitrates. Realistically, most people do have something extra though. I would test and see how your nitrates and phosphates are doing before you go changing things up. The filter floss needs to be changed regularly but besides that you should be right. If phosphates or nitrates are high you could consider running something else. I run small bags of purigen and rowaphos just to help keep them both down.

 

[michaelstank]

Hello fellow Reefugees :)

Time for an update its been awhile and things have changed up alittle, few added, few lost :(

Ill start with the sad news :( I did end up loosing my smaller lobo woke up one morning and one of my BIG hermits had gone to town on it eating most of its flesh off :((( so it has since been removed :(
My other bigger green lobo is slowly getting better (I think) with target feeding, time will tell!

ok now for the new :) I added an anemone a few weeks back which my clown hosted almost instantly YAY! So I added another one... which my other clown also hosted as soon as it entered the tank. Question - are my clowns a mating pair? when there where no anemone in the tank they used to hang out side by side all the time, my little male would always do the shakin bonding thing in front of the bigger female. However since I added the first anemone the girl seemed to loose interest in him, they stopped hanging out as much and they also didn't host the anemone together... and now host seperate anemones...? Any ideas
is my male being rejected cause he simple isnt hot enough ;)
Keeping on the anemone theme for a second - I need advice.
The first nem added stayed put in the place I added it to in my tank he liked my possitioning, the second moved slightly unfortunately he moved slightly to the back of my rock. Can I move him now that he has settled over a month to a more viewable possition?

before I get a scolding with this one let me explain LOL
I purchased a coral that I dont know what type of coral it is.... When I purchase any coral I always ask what it is for research purposes. I did a LFS review on this place in marrickville if uve red it youll understand LOL cause I certainly couldnt understand what the guy was trying to say to me.... so I asked him to write it down....when i got home I realised his hand writing was unreadable! so basically I have no idea what this coral is - pic coming :)
So when I got home I realised that there was something else in my coral... Something else I beleive to be 2 x feather duster - please confirm they are in the pic :)

A small green hammer has also been added which is a pain in my ass! it just wont stay upright everything keeps knocking it over! even tho its on the sand bed and I have tryed to embed it into the sand it keeps going onto it side.... bloody hammers!

A few months back I added some mushrooms to the tank, 2 lots purple/blue and orange!
The purple/blue ones where just on this peice of spunge thing and after one day in the tank ended up going under my live rock yesterday I noticed it has attached to the underside of my live rock and hopefully will start to grow towards the light, he peeking out atm so it seems likely.
The orange very small very bright one was on a small frag plug, remained there for 2 months maybe but yesterday I noticed its gone! so hopefully it too will resurface in time :)

my 2 peppermint shrimp are doing great guns! they have shead and both prob doubled in side in a very short time! all fish are alsodoing great!

ok thats it from me for now

over and out!

 

[michaelstank]

ps one more thing, alot of the rock has slowly been getting removed over time so the scape is looking alot better.

 

[chimaera]

Okay I would slow down if I were you ... rushing and buying on impulse is going to cause you heartache, and as I mentioned earlier in the thread we have all been there.

The lobo your hermit ate - it was very likely very sick or dead already, I can't imagine the hermit damaged it significantly. But fair enough you removed it.

You have two anemones in a tank less than 2 months old. Do your research ... anemones are very sensitive creatures (not corals) and a good rule of thumb is to wait 6 months for a tank to mature before adding one, nevermind two. That said you have them now so do read up on how to keep them well.

Post pics of your mystery coral, hopefully it is okay and will do well in your tank.

And post update pics, sounds like the tank is changing a lot!