200g Reef (picture heavy) Updated 7/19/06
- Thread starter Bojangles
- Start date
WRASSER":2xb6edra said:
The 60g you see in that picture is my refugium. I use half of it for my equipment.
The tank is All Glass, no built in overflow. I plummed a CPR overflow to a 60g below, holding a 1500gph return pump. The basic idea of an overflow is this.
Water gets pumped from the refug to the main tank. You set the overflow to a certain water line, once the pump goes past the line, the water overflows into your piping and down to the sump.
Heres the idea behind flooding. When the power goes out, the return line acts as a reverse suction, sucking water from the main tank back down the return line and into the sump. However it can only go until it hits air, which means until your return outlet is exposed. What you do to prevent flooding is to keep your return line about 1-2inches from the surface of your aquarium OR drill a small hole 1-2 inches from the surface so that when that part hits air, the suction is broken and water stops leaking down into the sump.
Because my main tank is considerably larger than my refug, I leave 4 inches from the top (of the refug) to hold the excess water. I've tested it, the power HAS gone out twice since I set it up and I have yet to flood.
Well theres a few ways to set this skimmer up. I could have plummed it outside of the tank with about 3ft of piping and 3 elbows, but that would have cut down waterflow from the pump.
Instead I put the skimmer and pump directly into the sump with no piping at all. The pump is hooked directly to the skimmer. I raised the outflow pipe alittle and then put an 90 degree elbow in it so that the water wouldn't go everywhere. Because the outflow is above the top of the tank. Its worked excellent for me so far and I dont get excess water in the collection cup.
Instead I put the skimmer and pump directly into the sump with no piping at all. The pump is hooked directly to the skimmer. I raised the outflow pipe alittle and then put an 90 degree elbow in it so that the water wouldn't go everywhere. Because the outflow is above the top of the tank. Its worked excellent for me so far and I dont get excess water in the collection cup.
As you can see from the pictures I'm having a bit of an aiptasia problem. I cant find any nudibranch, allthe peppermint shrimp I put in there got eatten by my sally lightfoot crabs and copperbands are suddenly scarce.
I'll see what kind of butterfly I can get from an online vendor and hopefully that solves the problem. Tuesday I'm going to Seattle to visit a fellow reefer and adopt some of his stock
I'll post a full update when I get back.
I'll see what kind of butterfly I can get from an online vendor and hopefully that solves the problem. Tuesday I'm going to Seattle to visit a fellow reefer and adopt some of his stock
I'll post a full update when I get back.
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I started using Natural Saltwater from the Seattle Aquarium yesterday with my waterchange. Its 5 cents per gallon plus the gas money I use to get up there.
Artificial SW 150g bucket: $42.99
Natural SW: 5c/g = $7.50 per 150g + 2 gallons of gas each trip for 5 trips (30) = $37.50
I did 10 gallons to start here are the results from today:
Salt: 1.023
Ammonia: 0-0.25
PH: 7.8-7.9
Nitrite: 0
My nitrate test kit isn't functioning properly so I have to buy a new one. I'll be posting pictures of some new fish that I got too when I get home at 2am from work.
Artificial SW 150g bucket: $42.99
Natural SW: 5c/g = $7.50 per 150g + 2 gallons of gas each trip for 5 trips (30) = $37.50
I did 10 gallons to start here are the results from today:
Salt: 1.023
Ammonia: 0-0.25
PH: 7.8-7.9
Nitrite: 0
My nitrate test kit isn't functioning properly so I have to buy a new one. I'll be posting pictures of some new fish that I got too when I get home at 2am from work.
Looking great man! Coming along nicely and I love the sunrise dottyback. Please let us know more details about that one, personality, is it out a lot or does it hide more? I'm seriously considering buying two of those from ORA and trying to breed them.
Brian
Brian
I've had him for about 2 weeks now and I'd say he's 50/50. He's in and out of the live rock all day but also spends alot of time in front. Nothing like the tangs or other fish I've had, swimming back and forth along the glass. Almost as if he's more interested in the rocks themselves and the security they have to offer than the other residents or myself.
I really really like this fish! The royal gramma stays close to the rock work but in open water, completely unlike this fish that will go in somewhere and pop out 10 seconds later on the other side of the tank. Almost like a game of sorts. So far he eats everything I put in, including flakes both prime reef and formula 2. Looks great, but does bicker somewhat with the royal gramma. I'm not sure about breeding but they say not to put 2 dottybacks in the same tank unless its big. I figure my 6' should be able to house a fridmani as well.
I am still having problems with the CBB though. He seems to be searching intently for something on the rocks and spends 99% of his time in this manner. He's not losing weight so he must be eating something, hopefully the aiptasia. So far I've tried prime reef, formula 2, formula 1, cyclopeeze, brine shrimp and mysis shrimp.
I really really like this fish! The royal gramma stays close to the rock work but in open water, completely unlike this fish that will go in somewhere and pop out 10 seconds later on the other side of the tank. Almost like a game of sorts. So far he eats everything I put in, including flakes both prime reef and formula 2. Looks great, but does bicker somewhat with the royal gramma. I'm not sure about breeding but they say not to put 2 dottybacks in the same tank unless its big. I figure my 6' should be able to house a fridmani as well.
I am still having problems with the CBB though. He seems to be searching intently for something on the rocks and spends 99% of his time in this manner. He's not losing weight so he must be eating something, hopefully the aiptasia. So far I've tried prime reef, formula 2, formula 1, cyclopeeze, brine shrimp and mysis shrimp.
Well...the butterfly died of cycanide poisoning a week or so after I got him. There remains only one place that i can get livestock from of any quality. From that LFS 8 of 9 survived so I'll continue to go to them.
Anyway here are some specs I took this morning while I was waiting for my shipment from Petsolutions.
Ph: 8.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
salinity 1.025
Q/t
Ph: 8.5
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Salinity 1.026
I'll post pictures in a few after everything has settled down.
Anyway here are some specs I took this morning while I was waiting for my shipment from Petsolutions.
Ph: 8.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
salinity 1.025
Q/t
Ph: 8.5
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Salinity 1.026
I'll post pictures in a few after everything has settled down.
Unfortunately I've had some losses in the last 2 months. My copperband butterfly died of cycanide poisoning and my dragon goby jumped out =-(
However there has been some birth to go along with the tragedy, such as in life yes?
My toadstool coral has fragged itself twice, creating 2 new corals!
The xenia has also fragged itself creating 3 new sprouts.
Blue mushrooms have been reproducing now equaling 13!
Candycane coral (teal) 40% growth!
Lastly what I believe to be a bullseye coral has doubled in size.
However there has been some birth to go along with the tragedy, such as in life yes?
My toadstool coral has fragged itself twice, creating 2 new corals!
The xenia has also fragged itself creating 3 new sprouts.
Blue mushrooms have been reproducing now equaling 13!
Candycane coral (teal) 40% growth!
Lastly what I believe to be a bullseye coral has doubled in size.
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