8' 125 gal getting started!! - Page 6

hoover86 · #**126** 02/01/2007, 08:41 PM

Thanks for the compliments!

Yea those mini's would work perfect. I'm just trying to decide if they will be worth it. Have you run accross any comparison tests with other reflectors to see the difference? I've been looking and haven't seen any yet, it would be a great test though.

Travis · #**127** 02/01/2007, 11:47 PM

Yes, the reflector does make that big of a difference. And yes, it has mostly to do with spread. With your tank being as skinny as it is, I would probably just go with spiders.

STsONpERs · #**128** 02/01/2007, 11:50 PM

I havnt seen comparison test on the reflectors, though it would be a good test.

How you liking your skimmer, bob is making me a couple things and the skimmer is the same ones as yours, planning to throw it on my 120.
Ill be watching your tank...wanna see how it turns out!

hoover86 · #**129** 02/02/2007, 12:08 AM

Thanks for the advice Travis, I though that was looking like the main benefit. I could put that $500 to use on some frags anyway!

So far so good with the skimmer. I've been adjusting the volume in my sump to try and help with the fact that the pump is slightly over-powered. When I would turn the pump off the water was still about 5 inches from the top of the sump so I figure I can use extra volume anyway. So I really haven't given the skimmer a chance to really get set to the conditions. I haven't really seen anything being skimmed yet and hope to get things rocking soon!

hoover86 · #**130** 02/05/2007, 11:10 PM

Well I'm starting to get the skimmer tuned in a little bit better. I still think that bubbles are bursting too low since the neck of the collection cup is completely brown. I've adjusted the water level a little to see if I can get a wetter skim.

Here is a picture to show how low it has been collecting..

Here is a top-down view of the neck..

It seems to me it needed to be raised so we'll see how that goes.

Second may be a little problem but I'm not sure. I've been noticing some very light green hair starting to form on parts of my LR. I don't have any snails or any cleaning crew yet at all, so I'm guessing (rather hoping) that this is why I'm seeing this type of thing. I'm not sure how the picture will turn out, but here is the best shot I could get of this stuff..

Hopefully everything is fine. I hope to have my fans for the new canopy soon so I can get the Sea Swirls on and start stocking the tank. I've decided to wait because I plan on using a few pieces of the existing canopy, and don't want to run into problems and leave corals/fishes with no lights until I get it fixed.

akbuuur · #**131** 02/05/2007, 11:13 PM

sofar so good

STsONpERs · #**132** 02/05/2007, 11:36 PM

The skimmer does look like it need to be raised a couple inches, looks like it is foaming a little sooner then it should...but looks dark, i am sure it will be nice once you find the sweet spot!

I think you are right about the not having a clean up crew being the reason you are seeing the algea....looking good though

akbuuur · #**133** 02/05/2007, 11:41 PM

that could also be because of phosphates since it still is cycling

Travis · #**134** 02/06/2007, 01:39 AM

The live rock is cured right? If so, then you are expecting too much of the skimmer as your water is already clean and there really isn't much of anything for it to pull out. In my experience with that same skimmer and a Sedra pump, your water level in the neck looks pretty close to the right spot. As for the algae, I bet some snails will make real short work of it.

tangdiver · #**135** 02/06/2007, 10:27 AM

Amen Travis, Josh you are trying to hard... go back to the basics...and run with the tank...I told you the rock was totally cured and so the sand...no much gonna come out of the rock cause are addind no food...no fish and critters= no bioload. The tank is ready for critters...start with a nice tang. As for the algae you are getting that cause you are running MH and no fish to graze on the stuff...add some snails and crabs fine...but do not need MH until you are adding high light corals. Save the bulb life til then, just run your VHO or PC till then.

If any other ?? call or email or pm or post.

The tank is ready and you can do it.

Grant

hoover86 · #**136** 02/06/2007, 12:55 PM

I actually sold my pc's so the MH's are all I have right now. I'm still looking for fans. I've found some on e-bay that are pretty cheap, but I'm trying to figure out how I will be able to wire them since they are 48volt DC not 120 AC. I was going to purchase some at Radio Shack but the price they have for one can buy me a lot of 10 on e-bay.

Glad to hear the algae is nothing to worry about. Keep in mind I'm still pretty much a nube and this is only my second saltwater tank

I just know only bad things happen fast, and it seemed like the algae came out of nowhere. Glad to hear it's nothing to worry about. Grant I will probably stop up this weekend to get some critters and maybe a tang to get me started. I think I can get the canopy knocked out in one day now. I bought extra supplies in case anything goes wrong, so it shouldn't effect anything too much.

tangdiver · #**137** 02/06/2007, 03:05 PM

For now no lights really needed to keep tank in check....just my thoughts...

Grant

hoover86 · #**138** 02/06/2007, 07:26 PM

Yea now that you say that I think I will do that. Or at least turn all but one off.

One question. Does anyone think 400W MH's would be too much for my system? I found a used PFO double ballast with 2 spider reflectors, and 4 bubls (possibly need to be replaced) for just $200. Ballast looks like it's in great shape, I'm just worried that this might be too much heat for my tank. I've only seen 400W's on tanks quite a bit larger then mine. What do you think??

akbuuur · #**139** 02/06/2007, 08:21 PM

i had a 400 watt on a 92 but the thing was it was quite deep... i think for the length of your tank id go with 3-4 175's

edit
the tank was also a corner tank ...

hoover86 · #**140** 02/06/2007, 08:26 PM

I already have 3 250W MH's and they haven't effected the temperature at all. I do have them quite high off the top of the tank (16") but I haven't even been running fans. My tank is about 20" deep. I want to have 4 MH's total and just ran into what seems like a good deal so I was gonna hold one of the 250W's for a quarantine tank possibly.

akbuuur · #**141** 02/06/2007, 08:43 PM

i wouldnt use a 250 for a qt... i wouldnt use any light at all for a qt haha you could however use it on a frag tank. i dont know if 2 400 will be as good because with more bulbs you can space it out farther... kinda like the whole deal behind T-5's just a buncha bulbs so they cover EVERYTHING

hoover86 · #**142** 02/06/2007, 11:53 PM

There's only 2 people I can think of right off hand that I would trust not having to qt frags from, and that is because they give them all the proper treatments to take care of AEFW, nudi's, etc. I've seen some people go through bad experiences not qt'ing and having to lose many expensive corals for not doing so. I only plan on buying from those 2 people though, so this is why I'm not 100% about doing a qt, but who knows how long I will be in this area and have trusted sources.

tangdiver · #**143** 02/07/2007, 08:00 AM

IMO the 400 would be too much....but $$ is right.

Grant

hoover86 · #**144** 02/07/2007, 10:30 AM

Yea, I researched a little further and it seems like 400W would be more appropriate for a deeper tank in most cases. I thought I ran into a steal on a 48" Hamilton hood with 2 250W MH's and PC acintics for $250. Then I asked how old it was and found it was over 3 years old. Oh and by the way Grant, I will be up tomorrow rather then saturday. I have to work saturday so I took tomorrow off so I can still make it up this week! I will PM you on SFAAS about what I will be getting.

Travis · #**145** 02/07/2007, 02:07 PM

As for wattage, it really depends on what bulbs you want to run. If you want to run 20k's then you pretty much need the 400 watters or they will be really dim. But for any other color temperature, you can do just fine with 250's, even on large tanks. I have done just fine with 250w 10k's on a 30" deep tank.

hoover86 · #**146** 02/07/2007, 02:29 PM

Have you always run 10K's Travis? It seems like you get good coral growth. I'm trying to find the best bulb combination to maximize the growth. I had originally intended to do all 20K's so I wouldn't really need acinitic's, but since Safari has a good deal on their VHO's I was planning on doing that and going with like a 10K for MH's. From what I've read the 10K's have decent growth, but a more yellow color to them. What would you reccomend?

akbuuur · #**147** 02/07/2007, 05:08 PM

ahh i was thinking you were using it just to QT fish... that makes sence tho but in my qt tank i run copper.

hoover86 · #**148** 02/12/2007, 10:31 PM

A few updates on the tank...

I've purchased some snails, a few hermit crabs, and a Tomini tang. They have done a great job in cleaning up a lot of the algae that was on the rocks. I tried to take a picture of the Tomini, but he's still getting settled in and doesn't come out much when I'm close enough to get a picture.

The skimmer seems to be working pretty good considering the few inhabitants I have. I have a few pictures of it's first real cleaning..

This is the collection cup..

Here is some nasty junk that was in the neck..

I also purchased some VHO lighting, and I am going to pick up a 4th MH hopefully this weekend. The next big project will be redoing my canopy to get all the lighting up, and the Sea Swirls installed. I'm pretty excited to get some variable flow instead of the static returns I have now.

On a final note, I'm looking at my options as far as reactors for corals when I start to stock the tank. I'm having some mixed feelings on which route to go. I am trying to decide between a kalkwasser or ca reactor. I've seen many people have good luck with running kalkwasser by itself, and I'm leaning towards this right now. I've heard some gripes, and some people who run both kalk and ca. I know it may be a little early to be worried about these things since I don't even have any corals to be consuming ca yet, but I have the extra money now so I'm wanting to get it out of the way so I don't have to worry about it in the future. Anyone have experiences with either setup to share?

JG24 · #**149** 02/12/2007, 11:25 PM

Looks like some nasty stuff. Pretty funny how we get excited about things getting dirty and smelly. LOL

hoover86 · #**150** 02/12/2007, 11:32 PM

Yea, I've been happy with the Reefmania skimmer and considering the kalk stirrer, just haven't made up my mind yet.