Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[spoonman]

I just painted mine black. I used Valspar. Worked like a charm.

 

[Buffy]

Thanks everyone, looks like Black is the color of choice. I'm not sure I want a spray paint cause I was going to try to paint it right here in my living room. Unless spray paint is the best way to go then, I'll have to try to haul the tank out to the garage when the time comes. Oh brr, I hope it's not cold out there by then.

 

[coffeetwitch]

spray paint is my choice. but you know that carey has great success with latex. personal choice at this point buffy. latex would save you the trouble of moving in and out and having to mask as much of the tank off.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Latex is easier and you could brush it on as the side you will be looking at is in contact with the glass.

 

[huma-huma]

Petco carries a background applicator gel, kinda similar to window tint. Id use that to put a normal laminate background on....spray painting backgrounds on is a very good way to make a nice look, but its not so fun if you need to remove it. I personally prefer blue, it makes my fish stand out more than black

 

[Buffy]

Thanks everyone

 

[Buffy]

I was looking at the backgrounds, but kept thinking about salt creep. But on the other hand if I paint it, it would be more difficult to change wouldn't it?

Petco/Petsmart did not have much available when I was there a few days ago.

So we're supposed to maintain salinity to 1.023-1.026 is that right. And 1.025 is 35ppt right?

Least everything I've read shows 1.025 as 35 ppt. Well my refractometer doesn't, 1.027 would be 35 ppt on mine. So what do I go by 1.025 or 35ppt?

 

[rdnelson99]

I decided on a background that had black on one side and light blue on the other. After holding it up to the back of the tank we felt the blue looked better with the pink from the corraline that I am letting grown on the back of the tank. That is the nice thing about the tape on backgrounds, if you don't like it, change it in 5 minutes.

 

[Buffy]

Help please...Carbon replacement

So I am getting ready to take my Fluval out and clean it up. I got the out carbon and the media bags I bought and found that the media bag is 12" x 15" and only one. Dang I didn't read. What can I do instead?

Also I'm thinking about taking out one biomedia tray and putting filter floss in it so I will have 2 carbon 1 biomedia and 1 filterfloss. That good? or should I have 1 carbon, 2 biomedia and 1 filterfloss?



Lastly - anyone have a link on orange colony polyps and elegance coral dealing with health and habits and how to tell if they are dying?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I was looking at the backgrounds, but kept thinking about salt creep. But on the other hand if I paint it, it would be more difficult to change wouldn't it?

Petco/Petsmart did not have much available when I was there a few days ago.

So we're supposed to maintain salinity to 1.023-1.026 is that right. And 1.025 is 35ppt right?

Least everything I've read shows 1.025 as 35 ppt. Well my refractometer doesn't, 1.027 would be 35 ppt on mine. So what do I go by 1.025 or 35ppt?

It doesn't matter, they both describe the same amount of salinity. I use a value of 34 ppt to get 1.025

 

[Buffy]

So I am getting ready to take my Fluval out and clean it up. I got the out carbon and the media bags I bought and found that the media bag is 12" x 15" and only one. Dang I didn't read. What can I do instead?

Also I'm thinking about taking out one biomedia tray and putting filter floss in it so I will have 2 carbon 1 biomedia and 1 filterfloss. That good? or should I have 1 carbon, 2 biomedia and 1 filterfloss?



Lastly - anyone have a link on orange colony polyps and elegance coral dealing with health and habits and how to tell if they are dying?

Bump....................

 

[carey]

I like the latter, 1 carbon. 2 biomedia and the one filter floss.

 

[Buffy]

I like the latter, 1 carbon. 2 biomedia and the one filter floss.

Kewl, but now how do I put the carbon in the tray. Uhmm the bag I have is just a tad too big at 12" x 15". What can I use in place of it?

 

[carey]

I use small bags of fluval carbon, I can fit 2 of them, one for each side.Did you pick up any smaller media bags? Are you filling a bag with carbon yourself or is it prepackaged?

 

[Buffy]

I use small bags of fluval carbon, I can fit 2 of them, one for each side.Did you pick up any smaller media bags? Are you filling a bag with carbon yourself or is it prepackaged?

I bought a container of it (40 oz). No, I thought I did but I didn't read the package close enough til today and so I didn't get little bags. I'm running to get script filled so I'm gonna stop at that expensive hardware store and buy some small bags, cause I don't have anything that I can use and I don't think it would be a good idea to put it in loose.

Any chance you have any links on the polyps and elegance? I've already been through wetwebmedia.

Elegance isn't as bushy as it normally is and I can barely see the polyps, they have been closed over for about 4 days now (I can see 5 of them but I thought there were more). Coco worm is doing great and so are the Encrusting Horn and Favia Brain. And all snails (that I can find lol), shrimp and crabs are good too.


Thanks

 

[carey]

I just have the regular reference sites for the corals. :-( have you moved the elegance lately or is it where it first put when you got it? I kept my elegance on the sandbed and it used to do really well there.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I bought a container of it (40 oz). No, I thought I did but I didn't read the package close enough til today and so I didn't get little bags. I'm running to get script filled so I'm gonna stop at that expensive hardware store and buy some small bags, cause I don't have anything that I can use and I don't think it would be a good idea to put it in loose.

Any chance you have any links on the polyps and elegance? I've already been through wetwebmedia.

Elegance isn't as bushy as it normally is and I can barely see the polyps, they have been closed over for about 4 days now (I can see 5 of them but I thought there were more). Coco worm is doing great and so are the Encrusting Horn and Favia Brain. And all snails (that I can find lol), shrimp and crabs are good too.

Thanks

Be sure to rinse the carbon in the bag with RO water until it appears clear. Elegance can be a pain to keep.

 

[Buffy]

I moved the Elegance awhile ago cause the flow was making him sway really far to one side. He is in the sand bed. He was doing peachy where he is, now his tentacles are up but not like they were, about half and he doesn't take up the whole spot like he was. He doesn't look damaged from crabs or anything.

I plan on using tank water to rinse everything til it runs clear, then I will rinse a couple times with RO. I need to conserve, been splurging way too much.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I moved the Elegance awhile ago cause the flow was making him sway really far to one side. He is in the sand bed. He was doing peachy where he is, now his tentacles are up but not like they were, about half and he doesn't take up the whole spot like he was. He doesn't look damaged from crabs or anything.

I plan on using tank water to rinse everything til it runs clear, then I will rinse a couple times with RO. I need to conserve, been splurging way too much.

That will work fine, but use clean water. Or tank water since that is going to circulate thru the carbon anyway. Just don't release the dust into the tank. Some of that stuff is loaded.

The elegance may just be adjusting. They tend to squeeze themselves out now and again. If he stays small, reposition him as he is telling you he is not happy.

Breaking up the flow pattern in the tank can really help. There are cheap nozzles that spin that can go on the outflow or power head. I love them as they spread the flow around in a random pattern when using more than one. Some corals don't like a constant flow from one direction. As I have mentioned before, I use a cheap powerstrip that alternates one Korellia fan, then another at the tanks opposite end, creating a surge effect in my tank, for pennies.

 

[Buffy]

I shifted my elegance a little bit. I thought I read they were telling me they weren't happy. Just before he decided not to expand I had adjusted my power heads, so I adjusted some more just a little and will wait a day or so and see how he does. If not then I'll adjust the power heads again alittle, til I find where he likes it.

When I do my pwc, the water from the tank goes into a brute. Normally I dump it but since I'm gonna do the filter, I saved it and gonna rinse in the bucket.


I am planning on finding something for the pumps to rotate them on/off.