bermudadiver
02/05/2005, 04:44 PM
I went in to the Children's Ward at KEMH to have a look at the tank.
Here's a rundown:
Main Display Tank
Oceanic 72Gallon Bowfront (reef ready)
Two powerheads - one is shot, the other heavily clogged
Sump
Oceanic sump (about 20 gallons maybe)
Wet/Dry compartment with filter pad and bioballs
Very small airstone driven protien skimmer (SeaClone maybe??)
Lighting
Three Normal Output (NO) flourescent bulbs
Combination of blue and sunlight bulbs
Chiller
1/4 horsepower chiller
Contents of tank
One very large wrasse (clown possibly)
One full grown Beaugregory Damsel
Two very large carpet anemones
50-70lbs live rock
Rubble substrate
Observations:
The tank has an algea problem. Hair algea all over the live rock. There is a sign on the tank indicating the lights are not to be turned off. This constant lighting, combined with the wet/dry filtration (and the nitrates it produces) explains the algea.
The powerheads need a really good cleaning, however, they are siliconed directly onto the glass. Will be troublesome getting them off, then remounting them again. One is completely shot, the other's intake is full of algea and macroalgea.
A good assortment of snails and crabs will help with the algea problem, as well as reducing the light cycle to 8-10 hours.
The protien skimmer really needs to be upgraded, but I don't know whether the hospital would be willing to invest a few hundred dollars into the setup.
I'll take my test kits in later this week and check the water chemistry. My guess is the ammonia and nitrites are fine, but the nitrates will be high.
And finally, they could use a few more fish. The damsel may be a problem, but all we can do is try. They could likely do with an urchin or two to add to the cleanup crew of snails and crabs.
So there's my initial thoughts on the hospital tank.
Rick
Here's a rundown:
Main Display Tank
Oceanic 72Gallon Bowfront (reef ready)
Two powerheads - one is shot, the other heavily clogged
Sump
Oceanic sump (about 20 gallons maybe)
Wet/Dry compartment with filter pad and bioballs
Very small airstone driven protien skimmer (SeaClone maybe??)
Lighting
Three Normal Output (NO) flourescent bulbs
Combination of blue and sunlight bulbs
Chiller
1/4 horsepower chiller
Contents of tank
One very large wrasse (clown possibly)
One full grown Beaugregory Damsel
Two very large carpet anemones
50-70lbs live rock
Rubble substrate
Observations:
The tank has an algea problem. Hair algea all over the live rock. There is a sign on the tank indicating the lights are not to be turned off. This constant lighting, combined with the wet/dry filtration (and the nitrates it produces) explains the algea.
The powerheads need a really good cleaning, however, they are siliconed directly onto the glass. Will be troublesome getting them off, then remounting them again. One is completely shot, the other's intake is full of algea and macroalgea.
A good assortment of snails and crabs will help with the algea problem, as well as reducing the light cycle to 8-10 hours.
The protien skimmer really needs to be upgraded, but I don't know whether the hospital would be willing to invest a few hundred dollars into the setup.
I'll take my test kits in later this week and check the water chemistry. My guess is the ammonia and nitrites are fine, but the nitrates will be high.
And finally, they could use a few more fish. The damsel may be a problem, but all we can do is try. They could likely do with an urchin or two to add to the cleanup crew of snails and crabs.
So there's my initial thoughts on the hospital tank.
Rick