Son got an Aquapod 24G for XMAS...suggestions

92reefer · #1 12/28/2007, 01:11 PM

My son was ecstatic when he unwrapped his new 24G Aquapod on XMAS morning. Just gettting around to setting up the stand and I'm ready to get this thing rolling for him.

Any suggestion or "must-do's" to this tank before I mix the water and add sand?

It looks like there a little plates or weirs in the overflow but the manual doesn't really go into detail on how to adjust them. It only states to leave them in place and let the water skim from the surface? I pushed them down all the way and it looks like there's about 2 inches of space at the top for the water to skim through. I'm guessing that's what the manual was talking about?

Going to put a shallow sand bed in, add water and throw a few damsels in.

It came with about 6 bioballs in the middle section. Is that enought to start the biological process/cycle in the tank?

sk8rreefgeek · #2 12/28/2007, 02:05 PM

I'm "new" too. had a 55 for a year now. My girlfriend was so happy that I got her a 24 for christmas. I'm open to suggestions/pointers too. I was just going to give her water from my 55, and go from there...

msu spartan · #3 12/28/2007, 02:43 PM

i think you should get rid of the bioballs, at least that is what i have heard

Jarob · #4 12/28/2007, 03:10 PM

Take the bioballs out, all they do is build up nitrates. I suggest a bag of carbon and a bag of phosphate remover. If you have any way of getting sand from a pre existing tank, use a cup of that to "seed" your new sand, and let your tank run for a week or two before adding any livestock. Ive been cycling my nano24 for 3 weeks now and dont plan on adding to it until after the 14th, and the water and LR all came from my 40g tank. jmo

92reefer · #5 12/28/2007, 03:16 PM

OK. Bioballs are coming out.

I have an existing 12g Nanocube that will be upgraded so I guess I'll pull a cup or two of sand from that tank over with the new sand.

I should leave the rock in the 12G Nanocube for now right? I don't think I'd want to subject the fully cured rock to the Ammonia/Nitrite/NItrate cycle right? Figured I'd transfer the rock and Flame goby over after the Aquapod was fully cycled..

ALittleSalty · #6 12/28/2007, 04:28 PM

If you are using the stock stand, make sure it is on flat ground. Mine is starting to sway side to side a little when you walk near it. It is on carpet with a thin pad, the stand looks neat, but isn't all that stable, even on a concrete floor it still moved when you messed with it.

I switched my lights around so that the fans come on with the actinics instead of the white bulbs (just swap the bulbs places)

I upgraded my fan to a stealth computer fan (stock fan died after 1.5 years)

I got rid of the stock return nozzle, and built a spray bar out of 1/2" inch pvc pipe. (Now the whole surface of the tank is agitated)

Replace the stock pump for a MJ 1200 for more flow and less heat buildup.

Thats all I can think that I did to mine, good luck and have fun teaching the young one about SW tanks!! Jon

Capt_Cully · #7 12/28/2007, 06:24 PM

I'm hitchhiking. Awesome tips. I have a 24AP w/MH, like the spraybar mod idea. And I got my nephew a stock 96w 24AP for Xmas. I like the other tips for him as well.

bubba1170 · #8 12/29/2007, 12:53 AM

any chance you can post images of the spray bar mod?

92reefer · #9 12/29/2007, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ALittleSalty
If you are using the stock stand, make sure it is on flat ground. Mine is starting to sway side to side a little when you walk near it. It is on carpet with a thin pad, the stand looks neat, but isn't all that stable, even on a concrete floor it still moved when you messed with it.

I switched my lights around so that the fans come on with the actinics instead of the white bulbs (just swap the bulbs places)

I upgraded my fan to a stealth computer fan (stock fan died after 1.5 years)

I got rid of the stock return nozzle, and built a spray bar out of 1/2" inch pvc pipe. (Now the whole surface of the tank is agitated)

Replace the stock pump for a MJ 1200 for more flow and less heat buildup.

Thats all I can think that I did to mine, good luck and have fun teaching the young one about SW tanks!! Jon

Thanks for the tips Salty.

Are you using the 2 sponges in the stock configuration: top and bottom of filter weirs? Got to pick up some timers and an extension cord so I can automate the lights. Mixing some salt up tomorrow and hope to get it going by night

ALittleSalty · #10 12/29/2007, 04:44 PM

Here is what I am running from bottom to top

Bio Balls
Ceramic Rings
1 Sponge
Right next to that chamber I am running some LR rubble with a bag of chemipure on top of that.

My heater is in the same chamber as the pump.

These pictures are of the spray bar just after I installed it. This one was 1" pvc but it kept sliding down and didn't create the water pressure I likes, so I redid it using 1/2' pipe instead

You will need to buy 1/2" pipe, a 90 degree elbow that is 1/2", plus and end cap to cap the other end. My AP came with just a little round tube that had a flat nozzle attached to it (it could be rotated in different directions) I cut off about a 1/4" slice of the round tube, then I filed the inside of the elbow so that this piece would fit inside it. This allows it to attach to the stock return hole.

It cost me all of $8 to make. Jon

92reefer · #11 12/29/2007, 05:09 PM

Looks nice Jon.

I'm taking one of the sponges out like you're running. Wonder if I should bother to do a small sand bottom, or bare-bottom?

TKByrnes · #12 12/29/2007, 07:46 PM

I have a older AP24. the one that only has 2 chambers in the back. I removed the sponge's and filled the first chamber with Live rock rubble. and cut about 2" off one end of the sponge and placed it on top the lr rubble just to get that little extra out of the water. I also Bought a octopus bh-100 HOB skimmer and placed it on the back of the tank. The intake pump is on the return pump side and the outlet is on the lr side. works great!! Good luck with your sons tank. Hopefully he gets addicted just like the rest of us!!

92reefer · #13 12/30/2007, 12:45 PM

What's the concensus on the bottom?

Should I do a shallow find sand bed (only about 5 pounds of Southdown sand left) or bare-bottom?

KMP · #14 12/30/2007, 01:14 PM

i would recommend you get a mj900 (8.5w) vs. the mj1200 (20w). then get 3 mj900s (25.5w) and get that circulation going:

get this; 3 mj900s w/wavemaker:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&pcatid=12061

use 1 jm to replace the stock pump (put a hydor on stock return outlet).

use 1 mj to run a loop around the tank:

use 1 mj to run a double duckbill in the center:

put the 2 pumps on the loop around the top of the tank and duckbill on the wavetimer. end result, stock output w/hydor is providing side to side flow. front loop is pushing water toward back and the wavetimer will shut that off and then water comes from the duckbills toward the front. all pumps will fit in the rear 2nd chamber easy.

i pulled one sponge out and put bags of phosban and carbon underneath.

KMP · #15 12/30/2007, 01:16 PM

i need to take updated pics one day. above shows the loop on my aquapod before i added a duckbill. the bottom shows the duckbill on my biocube.

MoTruble · #16 12/31/2007, 08:12 AM

I have had my aquapod for close to 2 years now and have had no problems. Well I lost 2 fish that jumped out

. In any case I changed the stock pump to a MJ900, and added the Aqua C Remora skimmer w/ MJ 1200. Allows me to keep up to 4 fish

. I keep a bag of carbon and a bag of phosphate remover in the back right under the skimmer pump. I removed the balls and ceramic rings. I still use the sponges but took about 3.4" off the depth so they come out easier. I do 2.5 gallon water changes a week and clean the sponges every Sunday when I do the w/c. Hope that helps.

MalHavoc · #17 12/31/2007, 11:02 AM

I've got a 24G Aquapod as well. My mods were to replace the stock pump with an MJ1200, pull out all of the foam and bioballs, and just add a bag of purigen. I have a Nanostream 6045 in there as well, and maybe an inch of sand on the bottom of the tank. I didn't need to mod the canopy because I'm running the SunPod 150w HQI.

92reefer · #18 12/31/2007, 07:18 PM

Just got the AP running and I noticed that the water level in back is the same exact height as the tank water level.

Is that right? I'm only running one sponge and I have all the weir gates in and pushed down so there's about a 1.5 inch opening at the top where the water skims in.

Any suggestions or is this the normal water level? Kind of a drag because the tank water level will not remain constant and will drop with the sump level

ALittleSalty · #19 12/31/2007, 07:45 PM

My water usually remains constant with the back, unless I get a lot of evaporation then the sump will drain pretty low, keeping the main display full. The only time I really see a problem with mine is when the sponge gets to dirty to allow water to pass through efficiently.

Jon

FishFace28 · #20 01/01/2008, 12:32 AM

A LittleSalty,

I noticed in an earlier post you mentioned that you had replaced your fan. My Aquapod fan has been acting up lately, and I'm afraid it may go out soon. What type of fan are you using now, where did you get it, and was it hard to replace?

sk8rreefgeek · #21 01/02/2008, 01:46 PM

ours is a jbj 24dx. the fans seem slightly loud. just wondering if they could be replaced with quieter ones?