Thirty Gallon Build!!!

[Sniperhank]

Sounds like a plan for success to me. I had very minor diatoms right after my cycle. Then they cleared up when I added my PH. Now, with my upgraded T5 lighting, it's on the top of all my LR, UV light, and protein skimmer... Snails and hermits are putting a hurt on it but not keeping up... Sump is starting up this weekend once I'm off work so I'll be cleaning up the filters and such and moving them over...one problem area gone from under my lights. With my sump equipment came my second powerhead that will be blowing across the very area where my outbreak is starting. So that should solve it.

Just keep ontop of it, I let work get in the way and it got ahead of me.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Oh I didn't know water flow decreased diatoms, interesting. I can already see a very noticeable difference in my tanks clarity, it's crazy how well filter floss and a little carbon works. I know what you mean by letting stuff get ahead of you, it happened to me last year with my fresh planted.

 

[Sniperhank]

God love carbon. And in my case, god love being able to piece together an old one from your old freshwater stuff and that 10 year old carbon still has an effect. Though, it is only a 10 gallon compatable filter on my 36 gal it is keeping up. Just this week I tossed the bag of carbon that came with my coral order into the filter with my already going carbon filter. Borderline pristine.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Yep, and it takes the smell away from the skimmer slightly. Good stuff.

 

[Sniperhank]

Skimmer hasn't even skimmed anything yet in my case...

 

[needmorecowbell]

Yep lol I can smell that nastiness from far away. And sniper, is there anything that would cause it to skim. They don't need to skim if there is just some water in it. It takes out excess nutrients. No skimmate for a reason is good. If you do have stuff in it, adjust the air intake.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Update

Carbon is my best friend!! It pretty much completely cleared up the diatom problem almost over night. Just a little on the sand and glass.

 

[Gboy66]

Update

Carbon is my best friend!! It pretty much completely cleared up the diatom problem almost over night. Just a little on the sand and glass.

What? So cool! So what do you use? Carbon and purigen??

 

[needmorecowbell]

Just activated carbon. It is picture worthy now so I might start posting some more in the near future..

 

[Gboy66]

Just activated carbon. It is picture worthy now so I might start posting some more in the near future..

Oh cool! Whats it cost? Does it just come in a package thing?

Adam, it has always been picture worthy! Your just a perfectionist

 

[needmorecowbell]

Lol not a perfectionist, just a worrier. And it's like 4$ for 5.5 oz of it. It's in a box like amilk carton from school. Just a bunch of little black Chunks of carbon. Ya need to rinse it under freshwater first to clear the dust out.

 

[Gboy66]

Lol not a perfectionist, just a worrier. And it's like 4$ for 5.5 oz of it. It's in a box like amilk carton from school. Just a bunch of little black Chunks of carbon. Ya need to rinse it under freshwater first to clear the dust out.

But you just toss it in the filter chamber? lol they are usually in little packages...i saw some activated carbon today actually

 

[needmorecowbell]

I put it between filter floss.

 

[Gboy66]

I put it between filter floss.

Ooooh gottchaa dump between filter floss...okay i can do that

So do you have any shrimp?? For my tank (hopefully start the cycle around the 30th!!!) i am planning lots of shrimpies. Ill have an entire cocktail in there lol jk

 

[needmorecowbell]

Lol no shrimp yet but that might be my next purchase with my corals. That'll be soon after Christmas.

 

[Gboy66]

Lol no shrimp yet but that might be my next purchase with my corals. That'll be soon after Christmas.

Sheesh man! Im gping to add shrimp first! Lol

 

[needmorecowbell]

Haha I heard they eat hydroids and I want to give some to my bio teacher do we can watch them eat brine shrimp under a microscope.

 

[needmorecowbell]

This might be my first coral frag. Its 10$ wysiwyg. Good or keep looking?

 

[Gboy66]

Haha I heard they eat hydroids and I want to give some to my bio teacher do we can watch them eat brine shrimp under a microscope.

Lol thatd be a cool lab!

 

[Gboy66]

This might be my first coral frag. Its 10$ wysiwyg. Good or keep looking?

Looks great!! I loke that, i also lile the ones that are like little flowers and they open and close when they eat. Sorry, i dont know the name of those haha