zchauvin
08/19/2012, 07:28 PM
Well I have a 18g ADA 60p tank with a 10g mud sump - holds about 5 gallons when operating. I only have a 9"x7" area to put a skimmer/fuge, 3" area for inflow and 4" for return. Right now I have 19lb live rock which I moved all into the DT today and I do not like it one bit. What I was doing was about 4lbs in bb fuge area with a ball of chaeto and a small aquaticlife skimmer. The skimmer is working good and all my nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia have been at 0 with phosphate around 0.03. I am not very happy with the skimmer as it uses suction cups and has a small collection cup, everytime I dump it which is often and go to put it back on the skimmer moves and needs to be reset. Very frustrating. My fuge is more than likely so small that its not doing much, and I don't really care for the DSB approach as I feel it holds more nutrients in the long run than anything else.
What I would like to know is what option you guys would favor as many of you have been doing this for quite some time with great success.
1. Remove the small skimmer/fuge/and live rock rubble - use one large skimmer like a Reef Oct. 110 or comparable and fill the inflow section with as much LR rubble as possible.
2. Make a tier system where a 2.5g tank/trough would be above a 10g. The top would have water draining from DT into it where it would contain chaeto only then down into the ten gallon where it would run through live rock then into a chamber with skimmer then return.
3. Make a new stand that would extend pass the tank on all four edges instead of made to fit stand perfectly(as is now) and add a larger say, 20g sump and use a large skimmer and fuge that way with no LR rubble.
4. Perhaps just a large skimmer and a reactor with no fuge and only the live rock inside display, approximately 14lbs.
5. -- any idea you would be willing to suggest.
Please don't bash on the fact that small tanks are much harder to setup and keep stable than large tanks - I know this already and have a 75g RR tank but no wheres to put it as I've just begun college and am in the process of finding apartment. This tank is what I have for now and no options at the moment. In the display I have all 19lbs rock, 2 inch sand bed, and two clowns.
ph- 8.0 - been dosing 8.4 but nothing yet
Phosphate - 0.03
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate/Nitrite - 0
Salinity - 1.025
temp - 78
Calcium - 360 - dose calcium twice a week and am in process of getting it up to 440ish.
Thanks in advance guys/gals.
Zach
Also. My flow is a sicce 1.5 pump pushing around 340g and a vortech mp10 on reef crest. Total flow throgh tank is around 14-1600 gph.
Lighting is a 70w FNI MH 14k bulb 8" above water- will soon be a radion.
What I would like to know is what option you guys would favor as many of you have been doing this for quite some time with great success.
1. Remove the small skimmer/fuge/and live rock rubble - use one large skimmer like a Reef Oct. 110 or comparable and fill the inflow section with as much LR rubble as possible.
2. Make a tier system where a 2.5g tank/trough would be above a 10g. The top would have water draining from DT into it where it would contain chaeto only then down into the ten gallon where it would run through live rock then into a chamber with skimmer then return.
3. Make a new stand that would extend pass the tank on all four edges instead of made to fit stand perfectly(as is now) and add a larger say, 20g sump and use a large skimmer and fuge that way with no LR rubble.
4. Perhaps just a large skimmer and a reactor with no fuge and only the live rock inside display, approximately 14lbs.
5. -- any idea you would be willing to suggest.
Please don't bash on the fact that small tanks are much harder to setup and keep stable than large tanks - I know this already and have a 75g RR tank but no wheres to put it as I've just begun college and am in the process of finding apartment. This tank is what I have for now and no options at the moment. In the display I have all 19lbs rock, 2 inch sand bed, and two clowns.
ph- 8.0 - been dosing 8.4 but nothing yet
Phosphate - 0.03
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate/Nitrite - 0
Salinity - 1.025
temp - 78
Calcium - 360 - dose calcium twice a week and am in process of getting it up to 440ish.
Thanks in advance guys/gals.
Zach
Also. My flow is a sicce 1.5 pump pushing around 340g and a vortech mp10 on reef crest. Total flow throgh tank is around 14-1600 gph.
Lighting is a 70w FNI MH 14k bulb 8" above water- will soon be a radion.