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09-11-2014, 04:31 PM
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#21
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Khuligirl's 20 long nano reef build
Oh my fish that is so cool... Wow my phone just autocorrected that LOL, was supposed to be *Gosh*. I love that idea! Maybe some day after I have a few extra bucks to spend and want to spoil myself 
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-11-2014, 10:41 PM
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#22
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Khuligirl's 20 long nano reef build
You would never believe how much time I spent and water I used washing this sand
http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/...psebsyptjo.jpg
At first the water washing out of it looked like milk. After washing it with the hose for 30 minutes and probably doubling my parents water bill, it looked like watery milk and I gave up. Anyone know how long it'll take to clear?
I still have freshwater in it right now, so when I siphon that all out and replace it with salt I'm guessing that'll help a bit.
Also, I think I got too much sand. I have a good 4" sand bed in there. I read somewhere you want 1.5-2x the amount of substrate in lbs as you have gallons of water. A substrate calculator told me I would need 40lbs to get 2" deep- I guess I know not to trust those anymore. I got 30 lbs of sand but I think 20 or even 15 would have been fine.
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-11-2014, 10:59 PM
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#23
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,038
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It should clear overnight. Also, the 4 inch sandbed is fine but as the tank matures you don't want to disturb it. Deep sand beds do have a bacterial benefit and it can help with the filtration of wastes.
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09-11-2014, 11:03 PM
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#24
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Oh really? I thought not vacuuming the substrate would cause high nitrates. Well that's good news 
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-11-2014, 11:04 PM
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#25
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Maryland
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Definitely don't vaccum the sandbed. It basically becomes it's own ecosystem. Very different than freshwater bottoms
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20 Gallon SPS reef
29 Gallon FW "fat catfish" tank
20 Gallon Long Dart Frogs "Zig" and "Zag"
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09-11-2014, 11:06 PM
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#26
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Haha I'm still learning how different they really are
At work we sand vacuum all our SW stock tanks... Should we not be doing this? We have issues with really high nitrates so could that be contributing to the problem?
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-11-2014, 11:07 PM
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#27
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,038
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In a way, yes. You are eliminating beneficial bacteria by removing sand through siphoning.
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09-11-2014, 11:08 PM
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#28
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But no bacteria eliminates nitrates right? It's the end of the chain. I thought only plants and WCs could do that?
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-11-2014, 11:10 PM
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#29
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,038
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Exactly. In salt we do have certain ways to eliminate or reduce nitrates. These include refugiums, reactor/skimmer combo, etc.
In your small system, you should only have to worry about weekly water changes. That'll keep you in check better than anything else.
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09-11-2014, 11:24 PM
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#30
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 9,729
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There are anaerobic bacteria in sw that help remove nitrates as well as skimmers, macroalgae and such. I just wouldn't mess around with vacuuming sand
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20 Gallon SPS reef
29 Gallon FW "fat catfish" tank
20 Gallon Long Dart Frogs "Zig" and "Zag"
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09-12-2014, 12:27 AM
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#31
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Alright that's fine with me, just less work
Yes I plan to do weekly 25% WCs, which will be 5g. I found out Walmart sells RO water for 37 cents a gallon. Anyone have experience using their water?
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-12-2014, 12:33 AM
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#32
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,093
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You want ro/ di not just ro. You'd be better off with distilled than the plain ro IMHO
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09-12-2014, 12:50 AM
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#33
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Khuligirl's 20 long nano reef build
Oh ok. Well at work we just have an RO unit I believe, maybe that's part of our problems.
I don't know where to get RO/ DI  and I really cant justify buying my own unit right now. Maybe in a few months.
My parents are very critical of my aquarium keeping hobby, so I have to make this look as easy and as inexpensive as possible lol.
If RO gets you 0 TDS, what's the difference between that and it being distilled as well?
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-12-2014, 08:44 AM
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#34
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
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RODI is Reverse Osmosis DeIonized water.
DI does exactly what it sounds like. Removes the harmful ions in water
Just RO won't get rid of phosphorous a lot of the times, and other things.
Distilled has been given something closer to ro/ di.
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09-12-2014, 01:47 PM
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#35
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Oh ok. Well maybe we do have RODI at work and everyone just calls it RO for short, because I know we get 0 TDS, which would mean absolutely nothing in the water besides water molecules, correct?
Alright my tank is officially a SW tank! Just filled it up
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-12-2014, 05:19 PM
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#36
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Omaha,Nebraska
Posts: 3,374
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Khuligirl93
Oh ok. Well maybe we do have RODI at work and everyone just calls it RO for short, because I know we get 0 TDS, which would mean absolutely nothing in the water besides water molecules, correct?
Alright my tank is officially a SW tank! Just filled it up
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Correct. And i would get an 165W LED instead of a 120W. It's the exact same price so you might as well get the bigger one.
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90g Reef
30g Long Frag Tank
10g Planted
3g Pico Reef
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09-13-2014, 10:48 AM
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#38
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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Ok so the 2 powerheads are on opposite corners of the tank, I had some fun playing around with them last night, and the directions are fun to read if you want a good laugh
http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/...psywgp0bhg.jpg
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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09-13-2014, 06:56 PM
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#39
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,038
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Looking good! When are you planning on adding more rock?
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09-13-2014, 10:22 PM
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#40
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,945
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I've been trying to figure out the best place to get it for a good price. I'm gonna check out a couple places on Monday or Tuesday, each are about 45 mins away.
Someone told me about Marco rock today, says he won't use anything else.
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20 gallon high-tech planted
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