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ellisz

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Sep 8, 2003
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Indiana USA
I think I am at a junction where I need to decide how much farther to go.

Setup consists of a 75 gal w/ 110lbs LR, 4" DSB, 4x55 PC lighting, 20 gal sump, berlin skimmer / mag5 in sump, mag7 return pump(sump), maxi 1200 and JBJ powerheads in tank.

I have 2 damsels, a large percula clown, 2 mushroom rocks, 2 star polyp rocks(small), a yellow polyp rock, a small xenia frag and small zoo frag. Also, 2 peppermint shrimp, 1 CBS, 3 turbo snails, 15 hermits and 25 nassarius snails.

I have 3 green chromis, a yellow tang and a green mandarin goby to be added later but not at the same time. These fish are in an established 29 gal tank to be used as FO.

I have a basic test kit but I have wondered if I need to start some dosing and testing for other things now. I am also think of sectioning off my 20 gal tank that I am using as a sump and setting up a refugium in the middle. I feel this is needed to keep the mandarin healthy.

I know my lighting is weak but at this point, I don't plan to add any big corals. Will my lighting and flow be sufficient for what I have? Do I need to start supplementing my water?

Any tips/suggestions would be greatly appreciated :D
 
I know my lighting is weak but at this point, I don't plan to add any big corals. Will my lighting and flow be sufficient for what I have? Do I need to start supplementing my water?

It wouldn't hurt to test for CA and ALK, also PO4. If your doing regular water changes, I doubt you will need to add anything to maintain those levels, but it never hurts to be sure. Your lighting is propably suffiecient for what you have now, provided it is midway or higher in the tank, you may notice the corals darkening up a bit if they are lower in the tank. If you decide to do any stoney corals, you will need to upgrade, I would recommend a couple of 250w mh to supplament what you already have ;)
 
What about the mandarin? Is a refugium really the only way to keep these healthy?

I have a developing DSB and the LR but will 1 mandarin wipe out all the beneficial critters? I really don't see "bugs" running around but everything seems healthy.

I will be moving my tank in a couple of months and would like to take my 20 gal that is my sump and put it in a bigger container and then set it up as a refugium.

Are any other gobies colorful and easier to care for?

Thanks
 
What about the mandarin? Is a refugium really the only way to keep these healthy?

For your size aquarium....yes, more than likely. You'll want to continually renew the pods in the tank, it may take the fella a year, but he will eventually clear your tank of pods without some sort of renewal system.

Are any other gobies colorful and easier to care for?

I really like the watchmans, there are many colors to choose from and they are relatively easy to care for.
 
Ok, this might be stupid questions but,

As long as the refugium is stocked correctly and water parameters maintained, then the pods should multiply on there own right?

How do you replenish the pods in the tank when you have a refugium? Do you just take some stuff out of the refugium and move it to the display every so often?

I have seen some places on ebay that sell pieces of their refugium inhabitants and they supposedly come with pods too. Could getting some of this and some live sand get the refugium rolling?

I need to read up on refugiums some more ... :)

Thanks for your help.
 
As long as the refugium is stocked correctly and water parameters maintained, then the pods should multiply on there own right?

Well more or less. Unfortunately, the pod population will never really get big enough to totally support itself. That is why it is recommended that at least once a year, the DSB is replenished with a new detritivore kit. Some people do it twice a year.

I purchased my kit from www.inlandaquatics.com.

have seen some places on ebay that sell pieces of their refugium inhabitants and they supposedly come with pods too. Could getting some of this and some live sand get the refugium rolling

Getting LS, is probably the easiest way to start your refugium. My LFS offered to give me some sand out of their coral tanks before I decided to just buy the kit from inlandaquatics. Unless you know the source of the sand being given to you, I would caution you to avoid placing it in your tank. What guarantees do you have from that ebay seller that copper was never used in the tank from which they are selling those "pieces" from??
 
Well more or less. Unfortunately, the pod population will never really get big enough to totally support itself. That is why it is recommended that at least once a year, the DSB is replenished with a new detritivore kit. Some people do it twice a year.

Well, that is good to know. I had not heard that.

Unless you know the source of the sand being given to you, I would caution you to avoid placing it in your tank.

If I get LS, it would be from a LR dealer. I was just referring to the plants and such from ebay. Copper should not be an issue with this right?
 
How do you replenish the pods in the tank when you have a refugium?

Asa the water returns from the fuge some pods will come with it ;) One of the coolest things I've seen in my tank was a pod being shot out of the return from my fuge and the clown in hot pursuit ;)
 
being shot out of the return from my fuge and the clown in hot pursuit

LOL, That is kind of what I hoped.

I recently added a filter sock to my drain line in my sump to try and clean the water a bit. I believe it is a 50 micron bag. Will this be an issue with pods being taken down the overflow?

I remember when I had the wet/dry in there, I would see little things on the filter pad on the drip plate.
 
Possibly, 50 microns is pretty small, but some might make it through. Most people I know that use the filter socks, just run them for a day or two per week or month.
 
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