My Reef Aquarium Hobby..

[jrgnd]

Some of you know that I keep a Nano Reef Aquarium(BC-29)...

Well, I was able to get a really good deal on a full 75 Gallon setup..All I have to do is add water, rock and life stock...I sanded and painted the cabinet so it now has a rock look to it...

75 Gallon Reef Ready Tank

Deltec Skimmer

Dual 250W MH

T12 Atcinic and 6500K Bulb

20 Gallon Sump with Fuge

Stand and Cover

Price: $525.00


He are some pics..

Light off:

Light on

I am quite happy lol...

Here are some night shots of my BC-29....

FTS

Pink Milipora

Micromussa or Acan

Tri-Color

Green Acro

Zoas

Tri-Color

Candy Cane

 

[OCBob]

That's way cool. I have a feeling I couldn't keep anything alive though hehe.,

 

[jrgnd]

It's all about patience, steadiness and above all not overfeeding...lol...

I don't do water changes...It's been almost to years on the 29 Gallon and I have some of the most delicate corals in there...

 

[HDVIPER]

I used to have a 100 gallon tank, and a 150 gallon tank. Used to cost me $300.00+ every damn weekend to keep it up. Plus, every stinking day somehting would die on me. I would get soooo damn frustrated, until I took a damn hammer to the fk'n things. Anyways, looks awesome dude. Good luck!

 

[jrgnd]

I used to have a 100 gallon tank, and a 150 gallon tank. Used to cost me $300.00+ every damn weekend to keep it up. Plus, every stinking day somehting would die on me. I would get soooo damn frustrated, until I took a damn hammer to the fk'n things. Anyways, looks awesome dude. Good luck!

Hammer

Yeah..It's a bit cheaper on this coast...More is less in this hobby for sure...

 

[lukedovichak]

that green acro looks like a....

HAHA stinker something wrong with your....

 

[Black1]

Mikey is gonna flip! He's a big aquarium junkie.... :rock:

I always wanted to start one, but never had the time. I guess I should start with fresh water first (as I've never had more than Betas. But, I really want a big saltwater tank. I do hear, with saltwater, bigger is easier (100 gal or more), as there isn't as much fluctuation in water quality. Is this true? :dontknow:

 

[HDVIPER]

Hammer

Yeah..It's a bit cheaper on this coast...More is less in this hobby for sure...

Yeah, I was just a bit pissed and frustrated. Soooo much money down the fuk'n tubes! But there's no doubt they look totally bitchen when done right bro. Your tank looks awesome, keep it up and good luck dude!

 

[Ram From Hell]

It's all about patience, steadiness and above all not overfeeding...lol...

I don't do water changes...It's been almost to years on the 29 Gallon and I have some of the most delicate corals in there...

Nice!

I had a marine aquarium some years ago, but got sick of water changes and all the pretty stuff dying.

I'd do it again if I could figure out how to keep the maintenance way down, and all of the levels in line.

Love the inverts you can keep in the reef tanks, btw.:rock:

 

[TheSickness]

Nice!

I had a marine aquarium some years ago, but got sick of water changes and all the pretty stuff dying.

I'd do it again if I could figure out how to keep the maintenance way down, and all of the levels in line.

Love the inverts you can keep in the reef tanks, btw.:rock:

You could hire me

 

[TheSickness]

Mikey is gonna flip! He's a big aquarium junkie.... :rock:

I always wanted to start one, but never had the time. I guess I should start with fresh water first (as I've never had more than Betas. But, I really want a big saltwater tank. I do hear, with saltwater, bigger is easier (100 gal or more), as there isn't as much fluctuation in water quality. Is this true? :dontknow:

For the most part yes...Smaller aquariums don't allow for oxygen exchange and thus keeping a smaller salt water tank invites parasites to invade the tank and excessive build up of bacteria...Bigger is better

 

[andrew heywood]

Great hobby:rock:

 

[jrgnd]

Mikey is gonna flip! He's a big aquarium junkie.... :rock:

I always wanted to start one, but never had the time. I guess I should start with fresh water first (as I've never had more than Betas. But, I really want a big saltwater tank. I do hear, with saltwater, bigger is easier (100 gal or more), as there isn't as much fluctuation in water quality. Is this true? :dontknow:

Well, my opinion and advice will be disputed by most Reefers because I don't do water changes and don't use any sand at all. Personally, I believe that you need to match your bioload to your systems scrubbing power.

For example, my tank is 29 gallons and I have 35 pounds of live rock which serve as growing media for bacteria who are essential for the Nitrogen cycle to be successful(And home for other creatures). You need to strike a balance between live rock quantity and flow restriction. Water should flow everywhere around your tank and too much live rock could impede this(Water is the blood of a reef system) and too little won't provide enough surface for the bacteria growth to match your Nitrogen cycle needs. This all depend on your bioload(Un-eated food, Fish poo, well anything that decays).

I don't do water changes cause I travel a lot and believe that unless you are very methodical, you will cause more harm than anything else.

I don't use sand because the accumulation of decaying material, chemical by-products from bacterial activity and flow restriction far outweigh any benefits from having it.

I have a high quality protein skimmer rated for a 75 gallon tank and a Sump/Fuge rated for 100 Gallons(I have a 20 gallons of actual water in the main tank).

The protein skimmer removes organic material before it decays and becomes ammonia. Whatever escapes your skimmer, the bacteria on your live rock will consume and ultimate make it nitrate.

If you have a lot of areas in your tank which are anaerobic, then you will have enough bacteria to convert that nitrate into nitrogen which should escape as a gas from your tank and the cycle is complete. Unfortunately, unless you have a very deep sand bed, then your tank configuration is design to deliver the highest amount of oxygen everywhere.

So this is where the sump/fuge come's in, you can grow Macro algae in your sump/fuge to consume the Nitrates. As the algae grow, you just remove enough for new growth and you are done.

Well, this doesn't cover the calcium, magnesium, iodine, strotium and other crap that we dose...

Hope it helps..Oh my little tank has been running for 2 years and no crashes...

 

[jrgnd]

Nice!

I had a marine aquarium some years ago, but got sick of water changes and all the pretty stuff dying.

I'd do it again if I could figure out how to keep the maintenance way down, and all of the levels in line.

Love the inverts you can keep in the reef tanks, btw.:rock:

This is what I do as maintenance:

Everyday:

1. Topoff with Distilled water. Your distilled water can't come from a copper coiled distiller. Aluminum is a must.

2. Dose 1 teaspoon of Tropic Marine Bio Calcium. This supplement if very balanced and will add other essential minerals required for your corals. Specifically alkalinity and magnesium. If you are having issues in keeping your Calcium and Alkalinity up, I willing to bet that your Magnesium is not hi enough to support it. My magnesium is thru the roof(Above 1500PPM) but it would take like 50,000PPM for it to be detrimental to the in-habitants. My calcium stays at 425 PPM and Alkalinity stays at 4 meq/L.

Every other day:

1. I feed the fish.

Sundays:

1. I dose Iodine, Magnesium and Strotium.


That is it, if my test shows my PH going down, I add a buffer. If my salinity goes down, add salt and then balance the calcium, alkalinity and ph again...

 

[jelms]

Well, my opinion and advice will be disputed by most Reefers because I don't do water changes and don't use any sand at all. Personally, I believe that you need to match your bioload to your systems scrubbing power.

For example, my tank is 29 gallons and I have 35 pounds of live rock which serve as growing media for bacteria who are essential for the Nitrogen cycle to be successful(And home for other creatures). You need to strike a balance between live rock quantity and flow restriction. Water should flow everywhere around your tank and too much live rock could impede this(Water is the blood of a reef system) and too little won't provide enough surface for the bacteria growth to match your Nitrogen cycle needs. This all depend on your bioload(Un-eated food, Fish poo, well anything that decays).

I don't do water changes cause I travel a lot and believe that unless you are very methodical, you will cause more harm than anything else.

I don't use sand because the accumulation of decaying material, chemical by-products from bacterial activity and flow restriction far outweigh any benefits from having it.

I have a high quality protein skimmer rated for a 75 gallon tank and a Sump/Fuge rated for 100 Gallons(I have a 20 gallons of actual water in the main tank).

The protein skimmer removes organic material before it decays and becomes ammonia. Whatever escapes your skimmer, the bacteria on your live rock will consume and ultimate make it nitrate.

If you have a lot of areas in your tank which are anaerobic, then you will have enough bacteria to convert that nitrate into nitrogen which should escape as a gas from your tank and the cycle is complete. Unfortunately, unless you have a very deep sand bed, then your tank configuration is design to deliver the highest amount of oxygen everywhere.

So this is where the sump/fuge come's in, you can grow Macro algae in your sump/fuge to consume the Nitrates. As the algae grow, you just remove enough for new growth and you are done.

Well, this doesn't cover the calcium, magnesium, iodine, strotium and other crap that we dose...

Hope it helps..Oh my little tank has been running for 2 years and no crashes...

Now I'm very impressed. Very nice understanding and explanation of water maintenance. Sounds like you have a good system going. I personally do mostly fresh water but your experiences and views are refreshing to hear...

The fact you can do what you do is to be commended... Marine tanks in my realm are supposed to be more work. You obviously disproved that one to me.

 

[jrgnd]

Now I'm very impressed. Very nice understanding and explanation of water maintenance. Sounds like you have a good system going. I personally do mostly fresh water but your experiences and views are refreshing to hear...

The fact you can do what you do is to be commended... Marine tanks in my realm are supposed to be more work. You obviously disproved that one to me.

Thanks...I just keep it as simple as possible...

 

[Django]

What an awesome hobby........ I promised myself "someday"....

Those do look awesome...... Maybe someday when I'm once again "in the chips"... I'll get a big one like your new system.....

Ya' gotta know wtf yer doin.....

D

 

[jelms]

Thanks...I just keep it as simple as possible...

The KISS method is always the best way to go. Hearing your experience has made me think about setting up a small marine tank. I have always loved salt tanks but am a fresh water guy. I'll make sure I read your posts again... I think I can get a nice 20 gallon long up and running. What salt do you use??

-jeff

 

[jrgnd]

What an awesome hobby........ I promised myself "someday"....

Those do look awesome...... Maybe someday when I'm once again "in the chips"... I'll get a big one like your new system.....

Ya' gotta know wtf yer doin.....

D

If you do...Start with all used stuff...That was my mistake..I started with all new and my little tank setup cost me three times what the big one did...

 

[Django]

If you do...Start with all used stuff...That was my mistake..I started with all new and my little tank setup cost me three times what the big one did...

It's gonna be awhile......... I'll be rebuilding for some time unless a miracle occurs... (Like Pharoah's army drowning in ankle deep water... Sorry, a bit of ecclesiastical humor, there. )