# Need help and Good advise!!



## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Hello everyone . I am new to saltwater and haven't started yet but will probably start within the next 2 months.
What are some things one needs to know as a saltwater beginner? 
Here is my plan- 30 gallon aquarium, a pair of ocellaris clownfish (or can i do more in a 30 gallon?), i do not want to have a sump so ill have a Hang on protein skimmer- is sera ( the company) OK?, 40 pounds of dead rock,ill start off with dead rock- do i have to seed them or will it happen by itself? and a 4 inch sand bed. Do i need a filter? and do i need anything else? I want to do a reef but want to keep some less demanding species of corals and anemones- what species can i keep? and would 4 tubes of 6500k 20 watts work? so ill have 80 watts over the 30 gallon tank, is this fine? Ill have one blue tube for the moonlight at night. I will buy an RO unit for the top offs. How often do i have to water change? And how many power heads would i need for an aquarium this size? Will 1 be enough?

OK so thats pretty much it If any more questions come to me ill be sure to ask them and thanks for any help given:-D


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

#1-Dry Rock, there are a few hitchhikers on Live Rock that people want to stay away from, so they opt for using Dry Rock, or Dead Rock. Macro Rock is a good place to start looking for that. Either way you go you will need a minimum of 1lb per gallon.
#2-Replacement filter media like filter floss and activated carbon (if you get a filter) Which is really not necessary.
#3-Multiple Power heads (2 or 3) 10x your water volume for just a Fish Only With Live Rock, and at least 20x your water volume for a Reef Tank. So lets say your going reef, and you have a 100g tank, you would need flow in that tank at minimum of 2000gph, or 2 1000gph power heads
#4-Protein Skimmer, rated at 2 times your water volume
#5-Saltwater Test Kits. Reef Test Kit. Test for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, PH, Phosphates, Calcium, ALK and Magnesium.
#6-Saltwater fish food. Mysis Shrimp, Squid, Cyclopease, Algae Sheets, Romaine . Flake food is not really a good food to feed your marine fish.
#7-Aquarium vacuum. This one is iffy. Most don't use one, if you have enough flow in the tank you won’t need one
#8-Rubber kitchen gloves
#9-Fish net
#10-Two, clean, never used before, 5-gallon buckets
#11-Aquarium thermometer, digital being the best.
#12-Brush with plastic bristles (old tooth brush) - needed for cleaning the live rock if you don't get Fully Cured Live Rock.
#13-Power Strip, possibly GFCI outlets by the tank
.#14-Optional but definitely recommend getting a Reverse Osmosis or RO/Deionization filter for the make-up water, and a barrel for storing the water.
#15-Possibly a Quarantine Tank for your new fish. They sit in here for a few weeks to kill off parasites and bacteria, to keep it from getting in your main tank
#16-Heater rated for your size tank.
#17-Saltwater Mix. Marine Salt. Instant Ocean is the cheap Salt that beginners and Advanced use alike.
#18-Saltwater Hydrometer or even better a Refractometer, which is more accurate. There is also a Digital Meter that is way advanced if you have the cash.
#19-Aquarium filter (not absolutely necessary if running with adequate amounts of live rock, but nice to have if you need to use a mechanical filter or activated carbon, or GFO and such)
#20-Aquarium substrate such as live sand or crushed coral. Some go bare Bottom, others choose the 2-3" bottom, others, more advanced will try the Deep Sand Bed, which is over 6" deep.

You can keep a pair of Clowns in a 30g tank with no issues. You shouldn't get an Anemone unitl your tank has matured some, say 6 months at least. Those lights that you have planned will not sustain a Anemone, your should look into T-5 High Output lighting, Metal Halides or LED lighting. The Rock you put in does not need seeded with anything, it will grow bacteria by itself. Sand bed is a bit deep for a beginner, that will get you trouble as far as being close to being a Deep Sand Bed, and having Hydrogen Sulphide in your tank, not a good thing for a beginner. Your RO unit should also have a DI Canister on it to make the water 99.9% pure. You might want to get a TDS meter for your RO water also, as you want to check this to make sure your TDS are also 0 on you rtop off water. Quality HOB Skimmers would be Hydor, Reef Octopus, Deltec and SWC for starters, Im not familiar with the company Sera, never heard of them.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Thanks so much for all those answers :-D 
i will be using 40 lbs of dry rock and as per your recommendation a 2 inch sand bed. My LFS sells something they call marine sand- will this be okay?
from what i see it consists of tiny fragments of shells and some sand. I will be wanting a reef so How is this lighting for the anemone or coral? 
Ill have to buy all the tests and the refractometer - do you know where i could get them cheap? I live in India But am also a member on eBay Germany. 
I do not plan on getting a filter as you say it is not necessary... And will buy an RO system- nothing to expensive-how is this one? 
I will be feeding the fish- Shrimp, Romaine, Fish and squid if i can find it. So i should keep only One pair of clowns? or can i keep other fish too?
I will definitely put an anemone in there as soon as i can- What do i feed them?- i mean the anemone.I have a 300 GPH power head, so ill get another one of these and ill be fine? Could you tell me if all this is fine? How is the light? and the RO unit? and how often should i do a water change?
I'm getting the aquarium in 2 months and am using this time to research,research,research and collect all the things i will need. 
Also could you help me to find a good skimmer for a 30 gallon tank that i can hang on? Again i live in india and can order from ebay germany so if you can find anything please let me know. Im willing to pay about 60 euros and 15-20 for any shipping.
Thanks again for the superb help:grin:


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Sorry about the links in the previous post they don't work- Here are the links again The lighting, The RO unit, Also do i have to have moonlight? if i do ill just have some blue led's? is this OK? And this socket for the lamp. Also do you know about someplace i could get dry rock cheap?


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> Sorry about the links in the previous post they don't work- Here are the links again The lighting, The RO unit, Also do i have to have moonlight? if i do ill just have some blue led's? is this OK? And this socket for the lamp. Also do you know about someplace i could get dry rock cheap?


 The light you chose is perfect. RO should contain a DI canister with the unit. Can't really tell if that one has one or not. E-Bay is where I got most of my equipment for my tank.
MarcoRocks Aquarium Products
You not have to have a Moon Light on the tank, thats just for viewing at night.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> Thanks so much for all those answers :-D
> i will be using 40 lbs of dry rock and as per your recommendation a 2 inch sand bed. My LFS sells something they call marine sand- will this be okay?
> from what i see it consists of tiny fragments of shells and some sand. I will be wanting a reef so How is this lighting for the anemone or coral?
> Ill have to buy all the tests and the refractometer - do you know where i could get them cheap? I live in India But am also a member on eBay Germany.
> ...


Marine Sand will work. You could keep more than just 2 Clown Fish, of course. You could also keep several Clown Fish if you wanted to. Your looking good at this point and should be ready when the time comes. Water changes will be done by what your water tests come back at. You want to keep the Nitrates below 20. You'll need to do Water Changes once a week once you get the Reef going, and the addition of an Anemone will mean you will want prestine wate conditions, meaning Nitrates below 10, no phosphates.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

eBay: Neue und gebrauchte Elektronikartikel, Autos, Kleidung, Sammlerst?cke, Sportartikel und mehr ? alles zu g?nstigen Preisen
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Halide-Bulb-..._garten_tierbedarf_fische&hash=item415c91acb3

I've looked at your Sera model. It does have a bubble plate in it, don't know how good it is though. I'll have to defer to your judgement on this one, based off of the ones that i've sent you, you should be able to pick out one that looks good and similar.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Thanks so much for all that help  I really appreciate it and if I succeed it is due to your help and efforts  
OK so I will get one of those lights for the 30 gal right? or do I need more? This is basically what is written about the RO system: The most modern and environmentally friendly method of water treatment for drinking water, aquariums, de mineralized water. Water is one of the most important components for the life of humans, animals and plants on earth. It is often contaminated by impurities, these impurities can cause health problems. Experience a whole new taste sensation of pure water using reverse osmosis system.


Reverse osmosis systems provide a convenient and effective way to produce a very clean water. In reverse osmosis drinking water is forced against a membrane that only pure water (permeate) can pass through the membrane, dissolved minerals and pollutants are discharged with the residual water 

The quality and quantity of the osmosis water depends on the pressure and the temperature of the raw water. For most on the market of water treatment systems that work on ion-exchange basis, hardness-forming ions such as calcium with other ions, eg sodium exchanged. This results in a shift in the ion ratio, which can lead to unpredictable consequences in the aquarium, for example. In addition, such plants can be regenerated periodically with chemicals. Reverse osmosis is a natural process that removes the pollutants sure the dissolved salts + purely physical means from the water. What is needed is NO chemistry.


"WilTec" 3-stage reverse osmosis filter system TOP QUALITY, TOP FILTER (molecular filtration) - osmosis plant for water treatment for home

Our reverse osmosis system produces high-purity water. It is very inexpensive and easy to mount and use. The plant complies with the quality and filter performance offered more expensive reverse osmosis systems. It has a capacity of 190 liters per day. Our facility is the solution for nearly all water impurities.


There are all foreign materials are filtered up to 99%: heavy metals, pesticides, hormones, fungicides, drugs, nitrates, phosphates, chlorine, asbestos, limestone, radioactive isotopes, bacteria, protozoa, cysts, algae, spores, etc.

Specifications

First Filter stage 5 micron PP microfilter (Art. 50 832)
Second Filter stage granular activated carbon filter (art. 50 829)
Third Filter stage 50 GPD RO Membrane (Art. 50 835)

To improve the smell and taste the same order as (Option!)
4th Stage filter (Optional) PI activated carbon filter "Gourmet" (Art. 50 829)
use in strong smell or taste burden in addition! The 4th Filter stage corresponds to the second Filter stage.
Description: 3-stage RO system
Capacity 50 GPD = 190 liters / day
RO Membrane 50 GPD RO Membrane
Case 10 "(254mm) O-ring vessels
Connections Jaco
Water is not needed


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

OK Thanks for letting me know i can have more clown fish. I think ill go with three or four and are there some fish which can go with them and are not reef dangerous etc? What type of an environment does a lion fish need? OK i will try to get moolight but i wont try overly hard ;-) will be sure to keep following your advice and Thanks for all the help And links once again :-D

Ill keep asking the questions as they come to me if that's OK with you... and im sure there are many more to come as this wonderful project progresses ;-)


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Also. The lamp that you linked me to... what type of socet does it need? a Rx7s? or something else? because it doesent specify. Im preparing to buy all the things within the next few hours  And the protein skimmer... is it one of the good ones?


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> OK Thanks for letting me know i can have more clown fish. I think ill go with three or four and are there some fish which can go with them and are not reef dangerous etc? What type of an environment does a lion fish need? OK i will try to get moolight but i wont try overly hard ;-) will be sure to keep following your advice and Thanks for all the help And links once again :-D
> 
> Ill keep asking the questions as they come to me if that's OK with you... and im sure there are many more to come as this wonderful project progresses ;-)


 Lion fish evironment, can be in a community tank or aggresive tank. You just have to have fish big enough that they won't fit in his mough, or he will eat them. And again, it would all depend on which Lion fish you get as to what size tank you would need.
These are just fish for ideas on what you can keep with your Clowns

Nano Fish
Blennies: Blenny Fish Species Including Bicolor, Striped and other Blennies
Dartfish
Pseudochromis for Sale: Splendid Dottyback Species and other Pseudochromis


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> Also. The lamp that you linked me to... what type of socet does it need? a Rx7s? or something else? because it doesent specify. Im preparing to buy all the things within the next few hours  And the protein skimmer... is it one of the good ones?


 That lamp that I linked to you appeared to be the same Double Ended socket double ended lamp that you posted, but you will like the 14k much, much better than the 10k.
As for the Protein Skimmer, I don't really know how good it is, I just looked through your e-bay to find similar looking skimmers, that I thought would work like the Reef Octopus and such. Can't really give yo uany review on them.
Also, that RO uinit does not come with a DI Canister on it, I would recommend either getting an add on or looking for another unit that has one on it.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Reefing Madness said:


> Lion fish evironment, can be in a community tank or aggresive tank. You just have to have fish big enough that they won't fit in his mough, or he will eat them. And again, it would all depend on which Lion fish you get as to what size tank you would need.
> These are just fish for ideas on what you can keep with your Clowns
> 
> Nano Fish
> ...


Thanks again;-) Ill look into what type of lionfish and then do some further research but for now im sticking to clownfish.. ill keep 2 in the begging and slowly bring it up to 4 after a whaile and then ill add the anemones. What are some easy corals and or polyps that i can keep under my light? is my light suitable for any coral? and are polyps easier or something else? Is a 30 gallon usually OK for a lion fish or are there too many types of lionfish to tell? 
Im Bombarding you with questions ;-) I hope its fine with you


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Reefing Madness said:


> That lamp that I linked to you appeared to be the same Double Ended socket double ended lamp that you posted, but you will like the 14k much, much better than the 10k.
> As for the Protein Skimmer, I don't really know how good it is, I just looked through your e-bay to find similar looking skimmers, that I thought would work like the Reef Octopus and such. Can't really give yo uany review on them.
> Also, that RO unit does not come with a DI Canister on it, I would recommend either getting an add on or looking for another unit that has one on it.


 OK well the skimmer appears pretty good... So do u think i should buy it? OK thanks for letting me know the 14000k looks better, ill get that lamp then And ill try that socket.. if it doesn't it ill buy another one.. Its not like they are super expensive or anything  What does the DI canister do again? Is it really needed? I will buy one if it is best for my fish but there are Many RO filters that say they make perfect water for Marine aquariums and do not list this DI Canister.. So just curios.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> Thanks again;-) Ill look into what type of lionfish and then do some further research but for now im sticking to clownfish.. ill keep 2 in the begging and slowly bring it up to 4 after a whaile and then ill add the anemones. What are some easy corals and or polyps that i can keep under my light? is my light suitable for any coral? and are polyps easier or something else? Is a 30 gallon usually OK for a lion fish or are there too many types of lionfish to tell?
> Im Bombarding you with questions ;-) I hope its fine with you


 With that light you can keep any coral you wanted. Most Softies or Leathers are easy to care for, and Zoas, Button Polyps, are easy to care for. Some LPS would be ok too.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> OK well the skimmer appears pretty good... So do u think i should buy it? OK thanks for letting me know the 14000k looks better, ill get that lamp then And ill try that socket.. if it doesn't it ill buy another one.. Its not like they are super expensive or anything  What does the DI canister do again? Is it really needed? I will buy one if it is best for my fish but there are Many RO filters that say they make perfect water for Marine aquariums and do not list this DI Canister.. So just curios.


 As for the skimmer, I can't really say wether the one you posted is any better or worse than the one that I posted, I have no idea. DI canister should be used in a Reef tank, this helps remove up to 99.8% of all impurites in the water, which is a good thing. Its called a Deionize canister.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

OK so here is the list of all the things i am going to buy for the aquarium...
Protein skimmer
moonlight
daylight
Fitting for daylight
Hydrometer
Salt
More salt
Cooling (maybe)
RO System (if it is okay?) This is the description in English : Stepped 5 Reverse Osmosis 190L / day - RO50
Light timer

Offered here is an osmosis system with accessories that sets standards. When selecting the manufacturer, we have not paid the price. It was important to get us a facility that meets the quality demands of our customers. We can thus guaranteeing that the quality of the facility is outstanding. Due to an extremely high number, we have succeeded to provide this quality with a low price. We would be happy if they take a close look at this system and be convinced of the very high quality. The facility is complete. She is so delivered, that they can be mounted on a 1/2 "connection, for example under the kitchen sink. It is merely a Teflon tape for mounting the thread transitions needed.



Special Features:

- Housing with two O - ring seal for double protection system

- 50 GPD membranes for higher performance

- The key to a housing filter housing and membrane housing

- Quick-release fasteners for quick and easy installation

- Impact and rust resistant metal tank with stainless steel insert

- Universal Kartuschenmaß for cheap cartridges in the aftermarket

- For a good Abwasserbegrenzer osmosis / water ratio.


Granular activated carbon (GAC)

The plant contains a granular activated carbon cartridge. These cartridges are made of a PE cylinder which is filled with granular activated carbon. Filter sponges prevent the escape of the granules from the filter. At either end of the filter caps PE are located. In these caps rubber rings are introduced, which are individually removable. This filter is a 5 stage reverse osmosis filter, the third stage.

The filter is sealed in a plastic bag and has no expiration date.

Function: Toxin filtering (eg ozone, chlorine, pesticides)

Length: about 25.2 cm

Certification: Water Quality

Maximum pressure: 8.2 bar

Maximum temperature: 51 degrees Celsius


5μ Polpropylen (5PP)

The plant contains a 5μ polypropylene cartridge. These cartridges are made of a polypropylene cylinder formed of polypropylene fibers. This filter is a 5 stage reverse osmosis filter, the third stage.

The filter is sealed in a plastic bag and has no expiration date.

Function: filtering sediment (sand, mud, dust)

Length: about 25.4 cm

Certification: Water Quality

Maximum pressure: 6.0 bar

Maximum temperature: 80 degrees Celsius


Block activated carbon (CTO)

The plant contains a block activated carbon cartridges. These cartridges are made of an activated carbon core, which was brought into shape and bake. To this activated carbon block filter a polypropylene Fliess is cocked. This prevents the activated carbon is released and thus in the water Where. To Fliess, a PE filter net is strained. This network has to bring the function, shape stability in the underlying Fliess. At either end of the filter caps PE are located. In these caps rubber rings are introduced, which are individually removable. This filter is in a 5 stage reverse osmosis, the second filter stage.

The filter is sealed in a plastic bag and has no expiration date.

Function: Toxin filtering (eg ozone, chlorine, pesticides)

Length: about 25.4 cm

Certification: Water Quality

Maximum pressure: 6.0 bar

Maximum temperature: 38 degrees Celsius

This is all I have been wanting to buy. I have the Tank,Dead rock,Heater,Hood,Filter And marine sand already and i have worked on the hardscape already. Ill post some pics soon. The total amount of money this all will cost is 247.08 euros maybe 281.06 euros.Have i got it all? Do i need anything else?
Thanks again for all your help and i hope you will continue helping me until i have gathered enough information and experience to go on alone;-) :thankyou:


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Could you help me to find an RO system with a DI canister which costs around 100 or less of course On ebay germany? I cannot find one But if you could link me to one it would be very nice. Or maybe just an add on canister for the system i already have?


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

If you already have a system then have a look here or here or here.

I bought my system off the first company and then added the DI unit off the second one.

Third link is from ebay.de.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Wherever i look i cannot find An add on DI canister and i already have set myself on buying a really good 5 stepped RO unit for a good price :| Is it really necessary to have this DI canister?If anyone can find it on ebay.de or any other place that delivers in Germany id be very obliged.It removes the phosphates in the water right? What do the phosphates harm? Can i remove the phosphates some other way?


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

This item ships to Europe. Ebay.de is annoying to use as obviously it is all in German.

DI filters are basically an extra filtration stage in making RO water, they take the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) to zero and create 99.9% pure water.

High phosphates as I found I had in my tank, create Cyano Algae (BAD!), I bought a product called Pura Phoslock as here. I have it in my sump and it has worked very well so far.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Tazman said:


> This item ships to Europe. Ebay.de is annoying to use as obviously it is all in German.
> 
> DI filters are basically an extra filtration stage in making RO water, they take the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) to zero and create 99.9% pure water.
> 
> High phosphates as I found I had in my tank, create Cyano Algae (BAD!), I bought a product called Pura Phoslock as here. I have it in my sump and it has worked very well so far.


 +1


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

YAY!! I think i found something  How is this? The translationroduct description:
You are bidding on a mixed bed resin cartridge activated carbon for removal of viruses, germs and bacteria.

Application:
For all standard osmosis or SIDE by SIDE filter.
The filter is supplied with 2 x HOSE QUICKANSCHLÜSS__.
The cartridge is welded pack!

The filter includes two filter stages!

First Filtering stage:
Ionized resin against viruses, germs, bacteria (99.99% efficiency)

Second Filtering stage:
Activated carbon (coconut-charcoal) to smell, taste, chlorine, color.
The special activated carbon from specially prepared and cleaned Kokusschalen. These special activated carbon filter, due to their porous structure, a very large surface area, which is ideal for the addition of fault and pollutants. Located in the application of activated carbon filters by the addition of smell and taste undesirable substances (eg humic acids), chlorinated hydrocarbons, persistent halogenated hydrocarbons, manganese compounds and particulate matter - the latter are retained mechanically. Installation instructions are included and must be respected. By installing these installation instructions to be accepted!

Specifications

Specifications:
Flow rate: 2.8 l min /
Life expectancy: 2500 liters
Operating temperature to 37 degrees Celsius
STERILIZATION RATE: 99.99%

- Dimensions female: 1/4 inch
- Diameter: 53 mm
- Length: 254 mm
- Flow rate: max. 2.8 l / min
- Temperature: max. 37 ° C
- Capacity: 9,000 liters

Installation
In all areas of application of the filter must be enclosed installation instructions are always followed. The installation and operation of facilities available filters also require the installation of a water-stop system (extra). A water-Stop system automatically stops the water supply (eg at a fraction of the filter or leakage of the filter or its components) Refer also to your professional installer!



How is this??
And if i cannot get the DI canister Is THIS okay instead to remove the phosphate?Do i need a carbon Or calcium reactor for a reef?


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

The first link with the cartridge appears to be what we are looking for. I would not use that liquid stuff to remove phosphates. Chemipure or phosphate pad, or something along those lines. You do not need a Calcium or Carbon Reactor for a Reef tank.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Ok So i will buy that cartridge  and not the phosphate remover thing.Good to know i wont need it since it would just be lots more money and time to spend.Another question- what is " Dosing Schedule"?


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

When you add chemicals to the tank. Only when needed, depending on what your keeping. Your checking for Calcium, Alkalinity, Phosphates, Magnesium, PH. You can test for many more things, but those are the tops when running a Reef.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

So do i have to add anything to the Reef tank i will have? and if i do what chemicals etc. do i have to add? because you did not mention anything about this. Just curious and trying to learn as much as can


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

About the salt. I was wondering if i could just buy unrefined sea salt instead of all the other salt or if i could collect sea water from a place where i know corals grow and take the salt from that?I heard that the salt which you reccomended to me was not so good for reefs because it lacks some of the elements needed for coral growth?


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Interesting on the use of Instant Ocean not being good for a Reef tank. Thats all I've used for mine in the last 5 years. Maybe try Reef Crystals. You can use Ocean Water, no problem there. You'll want to watch those elements that I listed, you may not has to dose anything but Calcium, but you must keep them all within the number guide lines in order to have a successful tank.
Aquarium Chemistry; Calcium, KH, GH, pH, Electrolytes, Magnesium, Mineral Ions, Cations


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

So i Can make my own salt? and also buy unrefined sea salt and use it? Could you tell me the parameters of all the minerals etc that i will have to watch in my aquarium? Like how much calcium there should be etc. So i have to just buy calcium that i add to my tank? Nothing else? like magnesium etc?


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

This was posted by a fellow TFK er : 
i was told mushrooms are best for starters.i think you'll also need wave makers if you already don't have them.then there's calcium reactors reefs needs ca at 460.red sea pro reef salt is a very good salt mix for reef tanks.if your using a canister you'll want to use a sump.as for lighting a good blue actinic light is important some corals also need metal halides. reef supplements are also a must.
I already have the halide lamp and the special salt but will i need all the other things also mentioned?


​


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Nope. Alot of tha stuff depends on what you do with your water changes. You will need calcium, if using a RO/DI, as this strips out all of that and the salt mix will only put back in like 360-380. Need a calcium reactor, no, you don't need one. Most would use one so they don't have to dose. Watch your water parameters, only dose what your tank needs. And Calcium should be kept between 420 and 460, depending on what your keeping. No canister filters.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> So i Can make my own salt? and also buy unrefined sea salt and use it? Could you tell me the parameters of all the minerals etc that i will have to watch in my aquarium? Like how much calcium there should be etc. So i have to just buy calcium that i add to my tank? Nothing else? like magnesium etc?


 I would think in the end that it would cost alot more to buy all the Trace Elements and everything else that Marine Salt has in it. You can make your own salt using Non Iodized Salt. There is just way to much added in Marine Salt for you not to use some kind of it.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Thanks  ill buy the salt. Now to the hardscaping of my tank- I would like to create a canyon in the middle of two heaps of rock something like this, of course not that big but just an example. Do you know how i can achieve this? Could you give me another example of a good looking aqua-scape? My tank is only 30 cm wide so ill have to keep my canyon slanting from one side to the other, Not too much of course... so that you can see the entrance clearly. 
Do you think i should paint the sides of my tank black? would it add to the depth? or make it look better in any way?


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

The Aquascaping is a personal thing, I really can't help much there. Its all in the eye of the tank owner, just like Steve, the guy that owns Oregons Reef. Just move teh rock around until yo uare happy with the way it looks.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Here are some pics of the aqua scape. Please comment as to whether you like it what to change etc. I would love suggestions  i have tried to keep it as natural as possible following this article. Please tell me what you think about my hard scape .The article is also very helpful to anyone trying to setup a reef.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Looks good to me.:thumbsup:


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

I was playing with the aquascapea bit and i suddenly stumbled upon one that i loved a lot. Ill post a few pics in 2-3 days because im not home right now. Do i need a wave maker? I found a good deal on a 6000 litre per hour one.. it costs just 20 euros!! So ill probably end up buying it. What advantages are there to having one?


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Also do i need any other type of light except my 14k Metal halide one? What is actinic light ? do i need it? Thanks again for all your help reefing madness :thankyou: :-D:yourock:


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> I was playing with the aquascapea bit and i suddenly stumbled upon one that i loved a lot. Ill post a few pics in 2-3 days because im not home right now. Do i need a wave maker? I found a good deal on a 6000 litre per hour one.. it costs just 20 euros!! So ill probably end up buying it. What advantages are there to having one?


 Wave Makers mimic the natural ocean currents. No big advantage to using one.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Timothy 1998 cremer said:


> Also do i need any other type of light except my 14k Metal halide one? What is actinic light ? do i need it? Thanks again for all your help reefing madness :thankyou: :-D:yourock:


 Actinic Lighting is used for color rendering only. You do not need to run that light if you do not wish to do so. I haven't run Actinics in my tank for a long time now. I use 22k lamps.
What Your Coral Needs | Successful Reef Keeping
Aquarium Lighting; Reef, Planted Light Information. PAR, Bulb, Watt, Kelvin, Nanometers, MH, LED.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Hello Every one :-D I'm back from a 2 month holiday in Europe and Egypt.I was diving in Egypt as ive done an open water diver course last year. Ill upload some underwater pics i took soon.OK back to my question- I have everything and im ready to start my SW aquarium only its going to take some time to get the ro system running- and its raining buckets , so i thought id start with rain water and put the salt in and let it cycle and by the time its finished cycling ill do a water change with RO water to get the Water right for the fish and coral.The rain water has 8 ppm of TDS but whe i put it into the aquarium it shoots up to 180 ppm. So can i start like this?
Thanks


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

YEa, you can start it like that. I wouldn't add any corals to the water until you get them to 0 though. The fish won't care.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Here are the promised pics.... Hope you like them  
Diving in the red sea at sharm-el-shaikh..


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Now thats freakin awesome!!!!!


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

also another question about my SW tank.... I'm sure about a pair of ocellaris clown fish in the tank so what can i put these along with the clowns? ... 1) Yellow tail blue Damsel
2)Cleaner shrimp
any other suggestions as to what i could keep with my clowns? anything common would be fine as my LFS has a small choice of marine fish. Thanks again ​


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Just for the record, you can use any of the ebay sites if you have an account on one.

so ebay.co.uk, ebay.com and of them will work and will likely bring up more choice than ebay.de.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Dartfish
Pseudochromis for Sale: Splendid Dottyback Species and other Pseudochromis
Gobies for Sale: Goby Fish Species Including Shrimp Gobies
Jawfish
Chromis for Sale: Blue and Green Chromis and other Reef Species
Blennies: Blenny Fish Species Including Bicolor, Striped and other Blennies
Dwarf Angelfish: Flame Angelfish and other Dwarf Angels


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

OK A few more questions:

1) The tank used to be a freshwater before and so some of the MTS snails made it through the change even though i really don't know how they did it they managed to stay hidden in the sand somehow and now they are in the SW and have been in it for over a week and still they are alive and acting normal??? Can this be??

2) At my LFS in their SW tank they have an anemone which hosts a clown fish and they told me that they only keep the lights on ( the lights are just normal T-5 and they have only like 72 watts over a 200 gallon aquarium) at night and only for viewing purpose. still the anemone looks good and is certainly alive. It stays on the side where there is sun and that seems to be enough for it?? Just curious ( i have a 150 watt metal halide bulb which is currently not working and can only be replaced in about a month - but i don't plan on keeping corals or anemones any time before 3 months so its not a prob)


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Nems and such that the LFS keep are not there long enough for the lighting to become a problem. In our tanks it will become an issue before long, one reason is because the LFS don't take care of them correctly when they have them. You will need that light before you get the Nem.
I have no idea what a MTS Snail is though.


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails) can live in full marine , they are extremely hardy snails and adjust quickly to the increased salt content of a full marine system.

Once they get established they are nearly impossible to get rid of without doing a full tank breakdown and cleaning it very very well with a bleach solution over a 2 week period, Anywhere that is damp, the snails will automatically go to and will start to breed there.

You have to clean EVERYTHING, filter(inside and out if you run one), live rock, literally everything in the tank that comes in contact with water. It is not an easy process and will almost certainly kill any live rock you have.

There are ways to get rid of them to an extent but again this is not a final solution. Try putting a piece of lettuce leave in the tank overnight and by morning it should be covered by snails, any CUC (clean up crew) in the tank will likely be on it as well, so this is best done without the CUC present.

The only other way is by using copper medication but again with marine this is a nightmare as it will kill all your invertebrates.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Will the MTS harm anything in the tank? I dont have any thing in there as yet so i may be able to use copper medication? Can i use the MTS As CUC in the tank or are they bad for the marine tank? if so can i use a copper medicine and kill them all as id rather not go through the pains of removing everything from the tank again, or something that eats the snails?


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Does anyone know the answers to the questions i posted in my last post and the one before?


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

That I cannot answer as far as the CUC will go. I dont see why they would not work as they are snails and we have snails as part of the CUC.

Copper based treatment such as SeaChem Cupramine will kill the snails off and is easily removed from a system with carbon, there are other copper based treatments but these can be absorbed by the substrate and are less easy to remove. The SeaChem Cupramine can be removed once the dosage is done using carbon. If you use it you need to remove ALL chemical filtration including chemipure if you use it.

Dosage is 20 drops about 1 ml per 10.5 gallons of saltwater, wait 48 hours and repeat.


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

My Tank 2 weeks into cycling- Hows the setup look like?






Diatoms have been there since about a week but not a lot its just a light brown layer over some rocks


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

:thumbsup:


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## ReefTrooper (Jan 29, 2012)

Great news!! :-D The aquarium has finally finished cycling... the ammonia spiked then went6 down and the same with nitrite and nitrates the ammonia is currently 0 the nitrite is 0 and the nitrate is 10ppm  So can i start adding fish now? i Put my skimmer in yesterday and it already is half full of gunk!! This skimmer is awesome :smile:


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Yup, your ready for fish and your Clean up Crew. Just don't go and buy em all at the same time. 1 fish at a time, add em slowly so you don't overwhelm the system, and start another cycle.
:thumbsup:


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