My 24g Aquapod SPS tank

[Mishri]

I ordered the 24g aquapod 150w HQI from drfostersmith.com
First one arrived broken, they apologized quite a bit and immediatly sent out another, great customer service. 2nd one was fine.

I got the Tropic Isle Tahitian Moon sand (its black). And I am replacing the stock pump with a Hagen Aquaclear 50 (i have 4 from my old 55g aquarium) It's an extra 3.5watts and 40gph than the maxijet900.

For future equipment plans I would like some recommendations on Pumps (planning on getting 1 koralia 1, but dont know if that will be enough)

I removed all the sponges/bioballs from the rear chamber, i think ill put some live rock down there and maybe some extra substrate

I would like some recommendations on a good skimmer that will fit this tank.

Also want some suggestions for live stock, both inverts and fishies. I wont be getting any clowns, im bored of them.

This will be my first attempt at SPS, ive kept softies in 5g, 29g, & 55g.. the 24g is as big as I want to go because it is likely that I will be moving within a year, and Ive gotten rid of all my other tanks, but kept the equipment.


*** COMING SOON *** -=PICS=- o.O

[uhuru]

IMO you don't need live rock or substrate in the rear chamber for sps. It probably would be fine for the softies you've kept but I think it would do more harm than good in an sps tank. I don't know how you are going to plan to layout the tank but you could probably use a K2 or even K3 if it doesn't cause a sandstorm for you.

[Illuminati]

I have the 24G nanocube w/ the sunpod and have quite a bit of SPS.

Ditch the liverock/substrate idea in the back, you need to maximize the filtration. Look into both Chemi-pure Elite & Purigen, they come in media packs and can be tossed in the bottom of the chambers, they will do a thousand times more for you than more lr. Water polisher, nitrate reducer and phosphate remover all in 2 things.

I have and suggest the Aqua C Remora hang on skimmer.

I have 2 Koralia's #1's on each end of the tank with a maxijet 1200 as the return pump. That's the best bet for good random flow that SPS loves.

Look into a 2 part to keep calcium, magnesium and alk up and in line. I use Kent products, They make a nano Part A & B, I also dose Kent Calcium as needed because of the SPS I have using it.
Invest in a good test kit for CA, ALK & Magnesium. Salifert or Elos are good picks.

As for stock I have a Yellow Watchman Goby/Pistol shrimp but I regret the pistol shrimp, he's a 24/7 digger and is annoying the heck out of me.

I have a Blackcap Basslet, awesome fish, great coloration:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/colinadam/BlackcapYuma.jpg

Also a Blenny like the Bicolor or Midas would work.

Firefish are common but you could get a purple firefish or if you look at liveaquaria.com they have Orange Lined Cardinalfish that look cool.


My complete stock list:
Blue Assesor
Blackcap Basslet
Onyx Clown
Firefish
Bicolor Blenny
Neon Goby (Waste of space)
Yellow Watchman Goby


A cool fish that I have never owned is a Candy Hogfish, cool yellow color, something to look into.

Besides the pistol shrimp and my cleanup crew the only other invert I have is a Pom Pom Crab, cool but you won't see it much, usually around when the halides kick off and the moonlights kick on.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/colinadam/pompom.jpg



Here's a pic of my tank, you can see how the Koralia's are aimed.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/colinadam/SeptemberFTS.jpg

[JessyCat77]

I have the AP 24 with the 70MH sunpod. I replaced the stock pump with a MJ1200 and added a second into the main display with a hydorflo... I am going to replace the second MJ with the Koralia Nano pump when it comes out this month...Smaller than a k1 and just as awesome. :) I have a remora pro hanging on the back of my tank, I figured you can never skim too much. I really tossed around the Tunze Nanostream 6025...if you are doing SPS you might want to look into that...it will definately supply enough flow for them. Especially with the full burst and wide stream mods.

[JessyCat77]

Oh and for fish I have 1 too many. :) two osc clowns, sixline wrasse, pygmy angel, clown goby, and an arabian pseudochromis. I love the sixline...he goes everywhere in the tank, and the clown goby is my new fav.

[Mishri]

thank you guys very much.. that was really helpful colinadam, nice tank! that really helps me with my decisions.. it will be awhile yet before i get live stock... ..unless i just cant wait ;) Ill be out of town a lot for 2 months so i dont want to make someone come over to take care of them....

Ill probably follow everything youve done for equipment colinadam :)

[Illuminati]

I can't wait to see pics, I went back and forth with the sand you got and decided against it because I couldn't find many pictures of people that had it.

It's a good tank and a good fixture. My light in my sunpod died on me though after 5 weeks, just a word of wisdom when you get it stocked have a spare on hand. I actually went with the Phoenix 14K bulb, picked it up from www.premiumaquatics.com for a good price.

If you want the skimmer I got it from www.aquacave.com and used coupon code RC5 for 5% off the entire order. Dr. Foster & Smith also has a 1 time 15% off coupon unless it is expired now, dodge.

Save money while you can :)

[Mishri]

www.aquacave.com has like 7 different AquaC remora skimmers, i would guess the nano skimmer right? (with the maxijet900)

(sand storm is settling down now, ill probably get a pic tommorow, even though its empty ;)

[normanfine]

nice pics

[TriGa22]

Looks great, Cant wait to see what you will do with it.

[Illuminati]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10694194#post10694194 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mishri
www.aquacave.com has like 7 different AquaC remora skimmers, i would guess the nano skimmer right? (with the maxijet900)

Yep, that's the one I have :)

[Mishri]

here we go, pic yay! :P now i just need some LR and a coral for color ;)

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd285/Mishre/09042007.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[twagshot]

I tried the koralia 3 in mine...BIG sandstorm. I think the Koralia 1 or 2 is a much better idea.

[Mishri]

Alright, Today I got my test kits and 2 koralia 1s. nano part a & b additives and calcium, kent. purigen & chemipure elite. (also using a heater from my old 55gal)


sg: 1.030, using refractormeter
(way higher than my hydromoter said, it was 1.026)

PH: 7.9 (salifert)
Ca: 480 (salifert)
Mg 1500+ (salifert) (more than 1500 cuz it took 11ml of solution)
dKH 15.4 (alk 5.49)

I'm using corallife salt mix. and my tank is still bare.

My live rock arrives tommorow afternoon along with my spare 14k phoenix 150watt hqi. I ordered Dr Fosters & smiths premium live fiji rock. (Ive ordered select live rock from phishybusiness before and was VERY happy with it... however it doesn't look like he has the same deal anymore.. although i probably could have inquired i though he might be busy)
so ill compare the 2 when it gets here and snap some pics of it after i aquascape it up..

[Mishri]

oh.. and my remora c nano skimmer gets here on monday. (assuming UPS is on time)

oh.. and Ill be leaving town on sunday morning for about 3 weeks.. I have a roommate who has a 50g reef tank (softies) so he should have no problem taking care of it while im gone.. (shouldn't require much since i really dont have anything alive in there)

[Mishri]

alright, after being gone for two weeks came back to:

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd285/Mishre/P9290002.jpg
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http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd285/Mishre/P9290001.jpg

[Mishri]

after cleaning and re-aquascaping:
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd285/Mishre/P9290003.jpg
<p>
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd285/Mishre/P9290004.jpg