Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[Ibrahim]

That's what I'm doing now LOL

 

[Buffy]

Thanks for the links everyone. I just did a quick look and have two questions so far. How do they hang on the back as they look like the "pipes" go into the back for a drilled tank. And what am I looking for in a skimmer, ie. what do I want to make sure it does?

Until I go sump in the future (which I still plan to Carey lol-with another stand, either brand new stand from 75G or additional stand) in which I hope to still be able to use these items on other tanks that won't have sumps, how would I do a refugium? HOB kind too? I mean there's only just so much room there ya know.

I need be able to start a copepod or whatever it is that I need to supply my mandarin.

Then won't I need a calicum doser or reactor or those other things too? Where the heck do they all fit?

Test Results:
Ammonia: .25
pH: 8.2
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 160 ppm
Temp: 82
Salinity: 1.027

I'm going to do a pwc today. How much should I do?

 

[Buffy]

Yeah, I think getting a new stand or having a stand adjacent would be a nightmare for her. She's at 75g so she should be fine, she went with a fluval 405.

And we'll see which skimmer she picks out. I did the canister filter/hob skimmer with my 55g and had 0 issues with it.

hahahahaha stands a nightmare LOL, this whole hobby is a nightmare

 

[carey]

I wouldnt worry about dosing pumps and reactors and stuff yet. Unless you start going hardcore and keeping some hi end corals I think you should be ok with the normal equipment.

The pipes from the skimmer go right into your tank. There is a pump attached that sends water into the skimmer which is then pushed back out through the other pipe. It's really quite simple actually. You'll see.
The ones I linked should all have the capacity to do what you need its just a matter of space and budget. They all are excellent skimmers in my opinion. I used the remora one on my 55g and I had great sucess with it.

I can take pictures of my remora and how its setup if you like.

 

[jsmith]

Yeah, I think getting a new stand or having a stand adjacent would be a nightmare for her. She's at 75g so she should be fine, she went with a fluval 405.

And we'll see which skimmer she picks out. I did the canister filter/hob skimmer with my 55g and had 0 issues with it.

Send me link...?

 

[jsmith]

Thanks for the links everyone. I just did a quick look and have two questions so far. How do they hang on the back as they look like the "pipes" go into the back for a drilled tank. And what am I looking for in a skimmer, ie. what do I want to make sure it does?

Until I go sump in the future (which I still plan to Carey lol-with another stand, either brand new stand from 75G or additional stand) in which I hope to still be able to use these items on other tanks that won't have sumps, how would I do a refugium? HOB kind too? I mean there's only just so much room there ya know.

I need be able to start a copepod or whatever it is that I need to supply my mandarin.

Then won't I need a calicum doser or reactor or those other things too? Where the heck do they all fit?

Test Results:
Ammonia: .25
pH: 8.2
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 160 ppm
Temp: 82
Salinity: 1.027

I'm going to do a pwc today. How much should I do?

Do a 50% and tomorrow do another

 

[Ibrahim]

Oh and you can use a HOB in a sump as well so you don't have to buy another in sump model.

 

[carey]

That's what I planned on doing wiht my remora, buying a bigger pump and putting it on my sump. But alas, I saw a great deal on a eshopps in sump skimmer so I didn't go that route. But its certainly possible.

 

[Buffy]

I wouldnt worry about dosing pumps and reactors and stuff yet. Unless you start going hardcore and keeping some hi end corals I think you should be ok with the normal equipment.

The pipes from the skimmer go right into your tank. There is a pump attached that sends water into the skimmer which is then pushed back out through the other pipe. It's really quite simple actually. You'll see.
The ones I linked should all have the capacity to do what you need its just a matter of space and budget. They all are excellent skimmers in my opinion. I used the remora one on my 55g and I had great sucess with it.

I can take pictures of my remora and how its setup if you like.

I'm planning on keeping anything I want. I don't want to be limited except due to size of my tank and compatibility issues. Yes please take a pic. Thanks

Oh and you can use a HOB in a sump as well so you don't have to buy another in sump model.

Thanks, so if I end up with a sump, I can just take off my tank and put in in the sump?



Finally got a chance to replace my DI section with the replacement they sent and guess what? Off goes another e-mail. The parts they sent do not work. The elbows that are used to connect canister to hose are supposed to be quick connect type on both sides of elbow, and they sent quick connect on one side and threaded on the other. 1 Hose side has to be quick connect to shove the hose in. The ends of the cannister are tube also, not threaded. GRRRRRRR This friggen ro/di is a pain in the butt. I am so sick of problem after problem. Had to go buy my own connects for faucet and got one for garden hose too because they leak off the top at the connection, course that's if it will stay on, flooded bathroom when after bout 1/2 of it going it just "blew" off and water everywhere. No amount of tightening would stop so I have washcloth over faucet so it doesn't flood my sinks or I just let it spray all over the ground outside. Tried pipe dope (tape) and it slowed it down. So now waiting for answer for some fittings that I can use so I only have water leaks in one place when I use the sink. For now I have to use outside because I need a faucet adapter and haven't been able to find one locally. I don't want to order another friggen part on line and it not work either.

Sorry I vented. I hate faulty equipment/parts. I'm plug and play and that's what I try to buy. If I wanted to DIY of everything and piecemail it all together then I would but the "plug and play" I've bought ends up being piecemail. GRRRR Ok done, shut up, lol

 

[Buffy]

Now I need a cigarette. Gotta go buy some too.

 

[carey]

Oh, I didn't mean about the reactors and dosing as far as what you can keep. If you decide to keep a tankful of SPS corals, yeah, you would probably need to dose a 2 part system at least and maybe supplement as well. But with your lights and other gear, you can keep what you want. It's just when there is an overabundance of corals they can deplete nutrients quickly, then it gets more complicated.

lemme go find my camera, I'll show how the remora works.

 

[Buffy]

Also I don't have enough water for 50%, and I don't have a 2nd bucket that big to mix it in. I only have 32G for "holding" which is almost empty due to the messed up RO unit, I don't like running water and half leaking everywhere and making 2 quarts an hour if that. I know my water bill will go up but this is gonna be rediculiously high.

I have 2 10G buckets which are the same as my 32G Brute. I can use one of them and move water from 32 to 10 to tank. Would the pump I use for that be okay to put in tank to drain, then put in 32 ro bucket to pump to 10, then put in 10 to mix salt and pump to tank? I'm not sure if I need a separate pump for the RO Bucket because of salt and whatever else may be in my tank. Is is safe to use the one pump in the three different "mixes"?

 

[carey]

Here are some shots of my remora. I also have a black box they sell that covers the pump in the water so nothing can get caught up in it, but I don't have it on now since the tank is empty. I tried to get some pictures of everything so you can see how much room they take up and how it hangs.

 

[Ibrahim]

Yup. Just move the skimmer to the sump.

 

[jsmith]

Also I don't have enough water for 50%, and I don't have a 2nd bucket that big to mix it in. I only have 32G for "holding" which is almost empty due to the messed up RO unit, I don't like running water and half leaking everywhere and making 2 quarts an hour if that. I know my water bill will go up but this is gonna be rediculiously high.

I have 2 10G buckets which are the same as my 32G Brute. I can use one of them and move water from 32 to 10 to tank. Would the pump I use for that be okay to put in tank to drain, then put in 32 ro bucket to pump to 10, then put in 10 to mix salt and pump to tank? I'm not sure if I need a separate pump for the RO Bucket because of salt and whatever else may be in my tank. Is is safe to use the one pump in the three different "mixes"?

What did u say? Just do whatever water change u can do it will eventually come down.. not like ur over stocked lol.. u can use the same pump I wouldn't worry about it ..

 

[Buffy]

I can't do a 50% cause if I do then the rocks will be exposed to air. Once those rocks have corals and such how would you be able to do a 50% ? At about 19 1/2 inches and at 75 gallons that makes about 3.84 gallons an inch, so I would have to lower my water level to 9.75 inches which exposes half of my rock. I can only go down bout 4inchs which is only about 16 gallons. I'd need to do 37 1/2 gallons. Which right now I stopped at the 4 inch. Typed this and looked up and I'm almost 50% down and half my rock is exposed. Cause even though I unplugged the pump, I forgot to bring the pump above water level and it syphoned it. I don't have enough water to fill it again. I'm thinking today I should just do dishes, vacuum and mow the lawn and forget the tank.

 

[Buffy]

problem solve for exposed rock. moved it down so the water i put back in is enough to cover til i can make more.

 

[Buffy]

Thanks Carey, makes more sense now.


@Ibrahim - Thanks, I know I'll be using different things on different tanks but for now I can afford to equip 8 tanks.

@jsmith - sorry, I hate math but with my job, it involves alot of it. tanks, volumes, pressures, temperatures, flows and such; it's all confusing to me so I try to figure some of that kinda stuff out when I can because when something goes wrong I have to figure out why if I can or the company can lose alot of money and alot of equipment and more importantly I can kill someone and that scares the heck out of me. Job is too stressful but I have no choice, I can't go back to my "other" job because of limitations from my surgery. So I'm trying to learn as much as I can on the fly.

 

[jsmith]

problem solve for exposed rock. moved it down so the water i put back in is enough to cover til i can make more.

Got ya just do alot small ones over the next few days lol ... its not really important not like u have anything in there..

Last thing u want to do ismove junk around..

 

[Buffy]

Yeah well I have to move the rock yet anyway, haven't done it yet, was working and too tired when I got home. Only AA surfed, watch tv and scoped out my rock lol