laura_prisaciuc
06/10/2008, 04:08 AM
Hello reefkeepers!
I want to start a reef tank, but I really need your help. I read a lot of materials about building and starting a reef, maintaining it, but still being a little bit confused… Found the TOTM August 2003 - MUCHO REEF'S Reef Aquarium and liked so much that I want to reproduce as much as possible, in my way.
My problem is that I want to use one of my old frshwater tanks: one is 52’’L x 16’’l x 24’’h and the other is 68’’L x 20’’l x 20’’h. Both are made from glass, 10mm(3/8’’) thick; stands are 40’’ high, with 4 and 5 walls (door-shelves-door and door-shelves-shelves-door) – so it may be modified to put in there the sump – maybe another stand to build.
I have also 2 canister filter Fluval 304 (260 gph), a Jebo UV - 18W, several heaters, a hydrometer with temperature correction chart, thermomethers, pH tests, ordered a Aqua Medic Turboflotor 1000 Multi SL. I also planned to buy a Aqua Medic pump: Ocean Runner OR 3500 (3500l/h = 900gph) for the water returning to tank. Of course, the next on the list is a RO system, I did not decided if it will be a Aqua Medic Easyline 90 (90l/day=23gpd) or something else. Also I have to buy a JBL Testlab marine and salt. The tank will not be exposed to direct sunlight.
Q1: Which one of those two tanks should I use? Because of the thickness of the glass I am worried… Maybe to use the long one, with one long chamber built along the back wall drilled for plumbing with the sump, something like an overflow chamber – the remaining space (20-4=16’’) used as the display tank. In this way I have less pressure on the front glass as the water will fill a smaller space of 68’’x16’’x20’’ (without counting the DSB).
Maybe the other – higher but shorter, with a classic overflow chamber built in the middle-back or corner(s).
The big one should be my choice...
Q2: What kind of the sump to build? I saw that there are several types – depending what equipment to put in there. Maybe built it like a tower for using the existing stand? How can I use the canisters?
I think that in the sump there must be: a part with bioballs, a bubble trap zone, a skimmer chamber, a refugium zone, not particular in this order. I looked at Melev's Reef site, but it confused me more. I do not know how to adapt that to the system I want. Maybe to build it larger, taking into consideration adding other equipment like a calcium reactor and a nitratreductor.
I would like to have a reef with soft corals like zoanthid, ricordia, mini carpet anemone, anthelia, maybe a fungia, a hammer coral, a clam, a goniopora and a suncoral (sometime in the faaar future), and a few small fish (a Firefish, 2 Clownfish, a few Green Chromis, a Bicolor Blenny, a Midas Blenny, 2 Banggai Cardinalfish, maybe a Royal Gramma and a Yellow Tailed Damsels), with some shrimps. Any advice about introducing them is welcome. Or if those are not compatible, please let me know.
I planned to buy medium sized aragonite sand (about 3-4’’) or even some live sand (mixed ATS, AMA, CaribSea) , some base rocks and live rock, but I do not know how much will be enough to remain space for the fish.
A Prodibio supplement will be used – The Kit Reef. With 40 ampoules.
I will fit in the hood 6 (or 8?) T5 tubes of 58 W – Reef White 15K and Reef Blue from Aqua Medic (or similar manufacturer) and some moonlights. All will be made by me – I did it before for the two tanks.
I do not know how many powerheads and what capacity to have for best results. I know that many will say : Tunze, but I can not afford to spent so much for them. Maybe 3 small powerheads connected to a multi-cycle pump timer with 3 circuits. Or maybe just split in 4-5 parts the return from the sump? It is enough?
I made myself the tanks with stands and hoods (with lights) and I will try to build as much as possible other myself. But first I have to plan everything in detail and here I have to ask you for not making mistakes that can not be fixed anymore.
As I have friends that live in Germany and can help me buying parts and food (for those that I can not order from my country) – I can say that it is easy to have all I will need.
Now I see how many decisions I have to take. And is not simple… For those who have experience in reefs, please advice me how to proceed.
Anyway thanks for reading all this.
Laura.
I want to start a reef tank, but I really need your help. I read a lot of materials about building and starting a reef, maintaining it, but still being a little bit confused… Found the TOTM August 2003 - MUCHO REEF'S Reef Aquarium and liked so much that I want to reproduce as much as possible, in my way.
My problem is that I want to use one of my old frshwater tanks: one is 52’’L x 16’’l x 24’’h and the other is 68’’L x 20’’l x 20’’h. Both are made from glass, 10mm(3/8’’) thick; stands are 40’’ high, with 4 and 5 walls (door-shelves-door and door-shelves-shelves-door) – so it may be modified to put in there the sump – maybe another stand to build.
I have also 2 canister filter Fluval 304 (260 gph), a Jebo UV - 18W, several heaters, a hydrometer with temperature correction chart, thermomethers, pH tests, ordered a Aqua Medic Turboflotor 1000 Multi SL. I also planned to buy a Aqua Medic pump: Ocean Runner OR 3500 (3500l/h = 900gph) for the water returning to tank. Of course, the next on the list is a RO system, I did not decided if it will be a Aqua Medic Easyline 90 (90l/day=23gpd) or something else. Also I have to buy a JBL Testlab marine and salt. The tank will not be exposed to direct sunlight.
Q1: Which one of those two tanks should I use? Because of the thickness of the glass I am worried… Maybe to use the long one, with one long chamber built along the back wall drilled for plumbing with the sump, something like an overflow chamber – the remaining space (20-4=16’’) used as the display tank. In this way I have less pressure on the front glass as the water will fill a smaller space of 68’’x16’’x20’’ (without counting the DSB).
Maybe the other – higher but shorter, with a classic overflow chamber built in the middle-back or corner(s).
The big one should be my choice...
Q2: What kind of the sump to build? I saw that there are several types – depending what equipment to put in there. Maybe built it like a tower for using the existing stand? How can I use the canisters?
I think that in the sump there must be: a part with bioballs, a bubble trap zone, a skimmer chamber, a refugium zone, not particular in this order. I looked at Melev's Reef site, but it confused me more. I do not know how to adapt that to the system I want. Maybe to build it larger, taking into consideration adding other equipment like a calcium reactor and a nitratreductor.
I would like to have a reef with soft corals like zoanthid, ricordia, mini carpet anemone, anthelia, maybe a fungia, a hammer coral, a clam, a goniopora and a suncoral (sometime in the faaar future), and a few small fish (a Firefish, 2 Clownfish, a few Green Chromis, a Bicolor Blenny, a Midas Blenny, 2 Banggai Cardinalfish, maybe a Royal Gramma and a Yellow Tailed Damsels), with some shrimps. Any advice about introducing them is welcome. Or if those are not compatible, please let me know.
I planned to buy medium sized aragonite sand (about 3-4’’) or even some live sand (mixed ATS, AMA, CaribSea) , some base rocks and live rock, but I do not know how much will be enough to remain space for the fish.
A Prodibio supplement will be used – The Kit Reef. With 40 ampoules.
I will fit in the hood 6 (or 8?) T5 tubes of 58 W – Reef White 15K and Reef Blue from Aqua Medic (or similar manufacturer) and some moonlights. All will be made by me – I did it before for the two tanks.
I do not know how many powerheads and what capacity to have for best results. I know that many will say : Tunze, but I can not afford to spent so much for them. Maybe 3 small powerheads connected to a multi-cycle pump timer with 3 circuits. Or maybe just split in 4-5 parts the return from the sump? It is enough?
I made myself the tanks with stands and hoods (with lights) and I will try to build as much as possible other myself. But first I have to plan everything in detail and here I have to ask you for not making mistakes that can not be fixed anymore.
As I have friends that live in Germany and can help me buying parts and food (for those that I can not order from my country) – I can say that it is easy to have all I will need.
Now I see how many decisions I have to take. And is not simple… For those who have experience in reefs, please advice me how to proceed.
Anyway thanks for reading all this.
Laura.