7.5 Gallon Deep Blue Rimless

[josh11551]

Well, I went to a Saltwater aquarium store last night and little did I know, everything was 40% off. I went in intending only to purchase some live rock for my IM 10 that is arriving tomorrow, but ended up with this beautiful new tank and some inhabitants for it.

I do need some help, however. The tank came with a rather sub-par light and a HOB filter and I know that isn't really the best option. I purchased a new light,The Wave-point 16W light (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007ZK816S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), since I don't plan on keeping anything that needs more light than that. As for the HOB filter, I am almost sure everyone would recommend getting rid of it, but I don't know what to use in its place, and drilling/sump is not an option here at college. If you could recommend something for me that would be great.

Pictures coming soon.

[josh11551]

I apologize for the poor coloring on the corals. As I said the lighting that came with the tank is not very good, but the replacement light will be here tomorrow and it is nearly 5 times as strong and has much more blue in it to really make the colors pop.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/27/f5abec791d956e52e460f24d85343495.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/27/9a4733b77b35614792104821a1f44b23.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/27/a4e871292554923513f62d82f9438fbe.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/27/03f0051019060697a8051be3452532e4.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/27/f4013039ffa330444ee4722073b9e415.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/27/b611532a04c899efbce13546039bdcf8.jpg

[soulpatch]

was this tank already up an running or did you buy the stuff and throw it together when you got home?

[josh11551]

The tank was running. I bought the corals out of a different tank, though

[soulpatch]

was worried about the lack of cycle but if you bought the rock, sand, water from the running tank then no worries. Might still get a mini cycle if the sand was stirred up in the move though.

[josh11551]

I also added some bio-spira, just in case. corals opened right up and everybody ate. Everyone seems happy, they'll be happier with the new light that will be here tomorrow, too.

[Webmanny]

I was scared too about the cycle, but it seems you just moved it from the LFS to your place. As far as the HOB filter, they are not that bad for a tank this size. One thing I did for my Pico tank a while back that made everything look cleaner, was add a small canister filter, which allowed me to place media there and some better filtration than HOB. It also eliminated the splashing noise that comes with HOB filters.

Please keep in mind that canister filters have a bad reputation because people tend to set them and forget about them. Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing, but if you keep up with the maintenance, you should be good.

Canisters also help you with water changes. In my case, every week I turned off the canister filter, disconnected it, threw all the water inside away, while I cleaned all the filter pads and media. When I placed it back online, I just added the missing water to level and done.

This is one I used for my 4 gal pico. Good luck!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-External-Canister-Filter-Table-Top-Nano-Fresh-Salt-Aquarium-SUNSUN-602B-/281109431274?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41736d83ea

http://thmb.inkfrog.com/rsz.php?username=cllpetsupplies&image=A252.JPG&size=520&gap=0
http://thmb.inkfrog.com/rsz.php?username=cllpetsupplies&image=A252D.JPG&size=520&gap=0

[josh11551]

Okay let's say I keep the HOB, should I run special media or anything? Also, how often should I change the media?

[soulpatch]

if you keep the hob just throw some good rox carbon in there and filter floss as needed...

[josh11551]

I put that small power head in today after trying my jebao rw-4 and I couldn't turn it down enough so that it wasn't blowing my stuff everywhere... Anyone else have a jebao Rw-4 on a pico?

[soulpatch]

I have the RW4 on my biocube with no issue. Heck it is in there with a gyre 130 blowing at around 80% power without a huge issue. I shift some sand but nothing over the top...

[josh11551]

Think you could snap a pic of the controller for me so I could see your settings?

[josh11551]

duplicate, sorry

[soulpatch]

I have it on the third or fourth speed setting right now and on the w2 setting for the "wave" function. I dont need a ton of flow from it as I have the gyre supplying most of my flow in the tank.

With the rox carbon in the hob you shoudl replace bi weekly or so as it exhausts itself. The floss should be swapped frequently throughout the week as it gets gunk.

[josh11551]

I'm unfamiliar with loose carbon, how do I put it into the HOB?

[soulpatch]

in a bag. You can get something like the seachem bag or many other types sold at just about any LFS.

Getting loose rox carbon though as opposed to a bagged product gives you a slightly better carbon. Many of us run chemipure elite which is a good carbon product but I have switched to rox carbon and run it in my reactor as it is better quality, lasts a bit longer, and is MUCH cheaper.

[josh11551]

The new light came today and it is much stronger and has much better coloring.http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/28/9da28e0000d7ba12df3bd1a36c752f7b.jpg

[josh11551]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/28/4c1c1e498d04c54301604678198eaa6d.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/28/459d738eb5fbe8a71f06413fc3e1c166.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/28/f12343baba3cbe9deadededdf98abe01.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/28/c6a5a570ed7c7feaa67daa9a636244e6.jpg

Could I get an ID on the last one? I forgot what the LPS said it was.

[Honks69]

Did you happen to buy this from slippery rock corals?

I just seen the same setup there with the cherb there and he is selling everything at 40% off. I actually purchased a Halloween hermit from that tank if it's the same one.

Also I also want a rw4 on a 10 gallon nuvo but I was scared it would be too much flow

[josh11551]

I did purchase it from Slippery Rock Corals. I couldn't resist the 40% off. I bought the 7.5 gallon version. The angel was in the 4.5 gallon tank with the black clown. I'll be heading back this Thursday most likely.

[Honks69]

I did purchase it from Slippery Rock Corals. I couldn't resist the 40% off. I bought the 7.5 gallon version. The angel was in the 4.5 gallon tank with the black clown. I'll be heading back this Thursday most likely.

I picked up a box of salt and a bunch of corals when I went. I want to buy one of his frag tanks. I plan to go back right before he closes for good for even better prices. Rob was a nice guy. It sucka that he's quitting.

[Honks69]

If I would have seen this post sooner I would have offered to sell you the sky light from my nuvo to you for cheap. I grew zoas and lps with it but I got a used older kessil for dirt cheap so I don't use it any more.

[andrewq]

I was scared too about the cycle, but it seems you just moved it from the LFS to your place. As far as the HOB filter, they are not that bad for a tank this size. One thing I did for my Pico tank a while back that made everything look cleaner, was add a small canister filter, which allowed me to place media there and some better filtration than HOB. It also eliminated the splashing noise that comes with HOB filters.

Please keep in mind that canister filters have a bad reputation because people tend to set them and forget about them. Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing, but if you keep up with the maintenance, you should be good.

Canisters also help you with water changes. In my case, every week I turned off the canister filter, disconnected it, threw all the water inside away, while I cleaned all the filter pads and media. When I placed it back online, I just added the missing water to level and done.

This is one I used for my 4 gal pico. Good luck!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-External-Canister-Filter-Table-Top-Nano-Fresh-Salt-Aquarium-SUNSUN-602B-/281109431274?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41736d83ea

http://thmb.inkfrog.com/rsz.php?username=cllpetsupplies&image=A252.JPG&size=520&gap=0
http://thmb.inkfrog.com/rsz.php?username=cllpetsupplies&image=A252D.JPG&size=520&gap=0

I have a 20 long tank, and its about 5 weeks old now. Im running a aquaticlife 115 nano skimmer, hob refugium, and marina s20 filter with floss and phos guard. I have 2 eheim 2213s in my garage just sitting there. I was wondering if I should use one of them, and remove the marinas20 hob filter. The marina gets pretty dirty and has to be cleaned weekly. It provides very little water movement. The eheim 2213 on the other hand, would work better, and I could use the spray bar to move around the top water. The only minus is the hiding the canister.

What do you think? Worth it to switch them out?

[josh11551]

If I would have seen this post sooner I would have offered to sell you the sky light from my nuvo to you for cheap. I grew zoas and lps with it but I got a used older kessil for dirt cheap so I don't use it any more.


I'm really happy I decided to take that drive. I wasn't aware that everything was 40% off until I got there. Rob seems like a great guy, and knows his stuff. It does suck that he is getting out but you got to respect his decision to spend more time with the family. I really need some coral to fill my tanks. I actually have the sky light on my Nuvo 10 because that was my only option ordering the tank on amazon. They didn't sell the lightless version. I really like this wave point light on my 7.5. I like the blue it has in it compared to the sky light sitting right next to it. I wish these fixtures had moonlights though :/

[josh11551]

Got some new corals tonight! Not everything is opened up because I just put it in the tank. A local reefer (vlangel) hooked me up with the frogspawn, the hammer and some mushrooms. I went to SRC again and picked up the neon dragon eyes and the "candy apple pinks" (that haven't opened yet in the picture) http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06/04/36bbb600859d560d2d727d7274b968ce.jpg