Protein Skimmers, Etc.

[biotoxin]

Beach sand is usually really nasty sand unless you can get out from the shore about 100 yards and get it directly from the sea floor. Thats basically what youre trying to duplicate, getting the live bacteria in your sand like the ocean sand has in it. To break down and help with nitrification. Regular sand has no life it in and it only becomes live sand in your aquarium when conditions are optimal and from the lr in your tank.

 

[AngelFishFan]

How do you siphon the floor of the aquarium with live sand in it weekly to remove built up sand without removing the sand? or dont you use that method?

 

[jackdp]

There are 2 types of live sand. The bagged variety is wet and contains populations of the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate. The second type of live sand is still sold wet and contains not only bacteria but worms, pods and other critters that will help control fish waste, stir up the sand and keep it clean. Unless you are getting your sand offshore you run the risk of adding all kinds of contaminants and pollution to your tank by collecting beach sand, not to mention in some places it is illegal.

 

[AngelFishFan]

I was only using the beach sand as an example. I live no where near the beach. lol. What sand do you recommend for a reef? the first or the latter of which you mentioned?

 

[AngelFishFan]

I calculated the amount of sand Im going to need. Holy **** !!! 149 pounds for a 75 gallon? thats CRAZY! It's going to cost me an arm and a leg.. and a thigh.. and a nose... and a finger.. and maybe my mom's leg too!!!

 

[fishfreek]

Never said it had to all be live sand. Get some 'dead' sand and maybe 10-30lbs of live sand to dress it.

YOu can get good dead sand for $5 for 50lbs.

 

[jackdp]

All sand will become live in the end. You can start like FF said and get mostly "dead" sand and seed it with live sand. Or if you plan on adding LR then the critters from the LR will eventually migrate into the sand. Living in PA you may be able to find aragonite sand in a Home Depot. This is the same stuff the LFS sell for like $30 for 30lbs. In home depot it is labelled Southdown or Old Castle tropical playsand and you get like 50lbs for 10 bucks or so. But really sand is sand...playsand is cleaned well and is usually better than regular old concrete sand. The aragonite is prettier and contains calcium and carbonate.

 

[biotoxin]

Ok, this is turning into the thread of 2 billion questions that are off the thread topic. You need to do reading and learning instead of posting over and over every question off the top of your head. Not tryin to be mean but read, then ask then learn. Thats how it goes.

 

[AngelFishFan]

thanks all! PS... biotoxin.. this is a FORUM to ask QUESTIONS. is this not the point of this all? to share experiences with each other? i would feel more comfortable reading this stuff first.. before i would read a book. Experience is more valuable than anything. even more than a book.

 

[biotoxin]

no need to get all pissy about it.

 

[AngelFishFan]

Im definetly a passive person. But I do tend to get a bit upset about a person who is mad for me asking questions, in a forum. Where questions are to be asked. So anyways.... on to reef aquariums again......

 

[fishfreek]

So anyways.... on to reef aquariums again.....

Thats the additude I like to see.

Back to what we all enjoy. Our fishies and corals.

 

[loganj]

Well, since the subject of a book did come up, I can recommend "The Concientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner. It is full of up to date info on SW tanks and will really help you a lot.

 

[AngelFishFan]

I have reserved it at my local book store. I would rather spend 40 bucks and learn more, than spend 400 bucks and learn that I bought the wrong filtration units. Thanks for the suggestions guys!

 

[ReefKeeper]

Hello, I am debating whether to get a turboflotor multi or a remora pro, both got great reviews, although alot of the reviews were leaning towards the remora pro, www.cheapcorals.com has the remora pro on sale for 176.80, to upgrade the pump to a mag 3 the total will be 193.88. this is the cheapest price i found for the remora pro

 

[ReefKeeper]

I ended up buying the TB Multi. I like it and it works well, and is quiet