My goal:To make my reef look pretty without spending lots of money

mandrin13 · #1 06/13/2006, 08:14 PM

I have a fifty five gallon reef tank that looks terrible.The tank has been sort of neglected for a few months.This is how I will fix it.

An overview of the inhabitants

Fish:
foxface
yellow tang
clarkii clown
mandrinfish(my favorite fish!look at my sn^)
damselfish(I hate him and he's impossible to catch)
Gold head sleeper goby(biggest fish in tank,7.5",lots of personality)

Corals:
2xRed and blue ricordias
huge xenia(started with a frag with 6 polyps,now I cant even count them)
red gorganian(foxface keeps eating polyps)
torch coral
frogspawn coral
blue ricordia
brown polyps
toadstool mushroom
fucia plate

Inverts:
10+blue leg hermit crabs
BCS(banded coral shrimp)
pistol shrimp
etc.

I have no sump and I hate having all of the crap on the back.

Crap on back:
Emporer 400

turbo twist UV sterilizer
prizm skimmer

etc.
My lights are 260 of pcs from coral life

My plan is to get a sump,better powerheads,and make any other adjusment and stuff to make it better.I keep getting this brownish algae on the bottom along with cyanobacteria and hair algae.I know that the cyno and hair algae are from overfeeding.I really need to rinse the frozen misis before I put it in the tank.

Being in 8th grade Idont make lots of money(I was offered a job at a LFS but I have to be 14 in florida Im only 13

.But I will be trying to earn money to "save my reef".I will be posting pics of my tank soon to show you haw bad.And I will post pics of my progress fixing it.If you would like to donate anything that would really help alot.But I am trying to make my tank look alot prettier.

smcnally · #2 06/13/2006, 08:21 PM

My goal is to get a Ferarri and super model without making lots of money

Seriously though, you can do a lot in this hobby on limited funds. Your first step should be to stop feeding your tank and get it back to normal. Don't worry about the lack of feeding...I had a bad cyano issue and went a month with out feeding. I would still stick Nori in for my tangs, but I fed no other foods for a month and not one thing seemed affacted. Now my cyano is cleared up and I fed for the first time tonight.

xtrstangx · #3 06/13/2006, 08:26 PM

I remember being 13 and not being able to get a job.. it sucks, doesn't it?

What you should do, IMO:
1. Get a sump
2. Get a bigger skimmer.

You can do it for about $400. Find a used 20g or 30g tank and use that. I'd go for either a CSS 125 or an ASM G-1X for a skimmer (the ASM is nicer, but more $$)

mandrin13 · #4 06/14/2006, 02:25 PM

Okay,Ill stop feeding except for live brine shrimp(my mandrin eats that,and nori).Ill also get a sump soon.

My torch corals and frogspawn have beenvery limp the past few days.Whats up with that?

Dactyl · #5 06/14/2006, 02:29 PM

being in florida you have access to alot of free resources. of you need any rock or small stones to glue frags to you simply go to your backyard. found some cool rock anemones out there once too.

mandrin13 · #6 06/14/2006, 02:35 PM

Im near watere,but I ned to be near thebay or something.Im like 10 miles from tampa.

RichConley · #7 06/14/2006, 02:37 PM

I agree with the bigger skimmer thing. The CSS skimmers are the same as these:
http://www.pacificcoastimports.com/

(check skimmers)
only more expensive. You can use just a 20gal tank for a sump. You can do this for under $200

mandrin13 · #8 06/14/2006, 02:43 PM

Okay,what about a refugium,I was going to use native plants like caluerpra.

reverendmaynard · #9 06/14/2006, 02:50 PM

I hear sirens!

Even the newly formed rabbitfish police have their feelers out!

DirtySouth056 · #10 06/14/2006, 03:07 PM

First thing you should do is an 20% - 25% water change, and add some new live sand. this alone can make a big difference in appearance. Good luck w/ everything. Tell the guy at the fish store you will work a few hours a week for store credit.

RichConley · #11 06/14/2006, 03:11 PM

what would adding more live sand do?

DirtySouth056 · #12 06/14/2006, 04:32 PM

when i do water changes i filter the sand, after multiple times of doing this new sand is needed, sounds like he needs to siphon his sand well?

McCrary · #13 06/14/2006, 06:28 PM

For $400 you could put in a fluval 404 for $150 (a sump would be better) and a better skimmer with the extra $250. Also if you have cyano keep your lights off for a few days. I had cyano covering my 27 and once I kept the lights off for a few days, it hasn't returned in my tank after I did this. A water change with RO/DI of 10 gallons would also help. Good luck.

xtrstangx · #14 06/14/2006, 06:56 PM

I'd be weary of the Fluval 404 possibly building up nitrates even further if he isn't cleaning the media very regularly.

mandrin13 · #15 06/14/2006, 07:19 PM

Ill do thatr tomorrow,I need more RO water.I should use salt for a water changew,Right?lol,just kidding,I no how to do a water change.All of my lps corals have been looking bad the last few days,whats up with that.

What is the penalty for this rabbitfish thing.He is like 5.5".

reverendmaynard · #16 06/14/2006, 08:39 PM

beheading!

Kurt03 · #17 06/14/2006, 08:46 PM

what are your nitrates and phosphate at? and any other tests you have done. Do you use rodi water all the time? How long are your lights on a day? Whens the last time you changed your bulbs? For macro algae in your fuge i would go with chaeto instead cause it wont go sexual
Also what about some snails to keep the sides clean and a sand sifting star to keep the sand clean

reefnewbie54321 · #18 06/14/2006, 10:11 PM

I think you could fix your tank for relativly cheap,

You need the following in order

Skimmer: 40-60$

- Easy As Pie Euro-Reef, very simple design
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=332391
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=436525

- Snailmans Skimmer, one of the most effective skimmers but has to be ajusted regulary and is 5' tall so is hard to work with. I kept mine behind a desk.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=730443
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/skimmer101.htm
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

Sump: 30-50$

- A sump could be a achived with a siphon overflow and a rubbermaid/tuperware container
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/gt/index.php

Refugium/Phosban Reactor: $20-30/ 15-45

- a 10g refugium can be made from an acyrilic tank w/ bulk heads and some tubing or you could just section of a part of your sump.

- Light
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...light=Refugium

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

- PhosBan Reactor
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hlight=phosban

- Commercial units are cheap aswell
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=KM9331

Water Movement: 80$

Who needs Tunze Streams on a Controller when you can have 4 Modded Maxi-Jets on a Chauvet Timer

- Maxi Stream
http://www.reefchili.com/MJmods.htm
lhttp://www.mjmods.com/

- Chauvet Timer/DIY Wavemaker
http://www.cheapdjlights.com/item--2...--SF-4005.html

Every single one of these projects could be done by an 8th grader

Just remeber stuff doesnt have to be pretty its just has to get the job done! Especialy when your on a tight budget.

You should also look for other reasons your tank is not doing well ... it might not be equipment. For starters I would try to feed as less as possible. What is your clean up crew? Detrius could be settling on your DSB and causing algae blooms. I would try to siphon/vacuum your DSB clean and then reseed it with a pound of live sand and then buy a bigger clean up crew so it stays clean in the future. Faulty bulbs could be the problem aswell, you might need to change them. Tap water changes could easily cause a bloom aswell. Either way I would try to upgrade your equipment this summer.

Good luck and Happy Reefing

mandrin13 · #19 06/15/2006, 08:57 PM

Thank you,I did a water change to day.

I will have to wait about a week for everything because Im going on a cruise.Then Ill get what I need.Thanx for al the info.

mandrin13 · #20 06/16/2006, 07:25 PM

Crap,I havent fed my fish for about a week,and I looked at my yellow tang today,and he is sooo skinney.I had to put stuff in there.I dont care about the algae as long as he lives.Then Ill take care of the algae.I hope he lives.Im sooo worried.

mandrin13 · #21 06/16/2006, 07:38 PM

He wont eat I really need help.I cant loose him.

mandrin13 · #22 06/16/2006, 08:01 PM

Im guessing that css means coralife super skimmer.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113771

mandrin13 · #23 06/16/2006, 08:59 PM

Good news,Im going to get a sump tomorrow.I know I need a hang on overflow,a sump,and a pump to pump the water back up.

Will I run into any problems with it leaking or anything while Im gone for a week?I know I need this to save my reef.Should I turn almost the whole sump into a refugium,except for a skimmer and stuff.I have alot to think about for tomorrow.

Kurt03 · #24 06/17/2006, 12:32 AM

did you forget to feed him?
How much room do you have for your sump? I would make my own if i was you. Find out how big of a sump you can have and find something that will work off here.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html
Then you just need a tank and some acrylic and silicon and you can save alot of money and build it just for what you need.
Im thinking something like this if you want a refuge and skimmer.
http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/s...p_model_e.html
IF you have more room then just make the sections longer, more room in the return the better for evaperation if you dont have a autotopoff.

mandrin13 · #25 06/17/2006, 08:51 AM

Okay Oll take pics of my sump later.Ill go to the lfs now.