Shri Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Hello Everyone, I am new to the forum and like to share my tank with everyone to get some advise. I have had this tank for 5 years now and over the years it have crushed few times. As a fish only tank it did good but my corals didn’t last more then 2 months at a time. Most of the shops i went to didn’t provide the knowledge needed to maintain the tank but were more then happy to sell me things i didn’t need. So after a month of reading and watching as many youtube videos as possible i think i m ready to have a reef aquarium i always dreamed of. but it would look much better if you guys could chip in little bits advise. I have made a list of things i have right now with me. Tank - size 14 x 31 x 46 inches (19 mm glass wall) 327 litres tank (my tank is vertical and I know sigh*) Height from the floor to the top is 63 inches / 5 feet Sump - size 11 x 21 x 16 inches (6mm glass wall) 54 litres Refugium - size 13 x 21 x 18 inches (6mm glass wall) 73 litres The reason i have 2 separate tanks is because there is a beam supporting the tank under it which is 2 by 4 inches. Total volume should be 454 liters or around there. was told in the beginning sump or refugium is not needed, instead buy a canister filter or hang on the back filter. i did as they said and it worked for 2-3 months before i have to buy new corals again. later i realised my fishes got too big and the filter couldn’t take the load. Equipment Chiller - hailea model HC-250 A Canister - Ehiem professionel 3 600 (2075) ( connected to chiller and running with filter media only) Skimmer - HOB reef octopus BH 2000 (keeping it off due to water level not stable) Skimmer - reef octopus hurricane 500 (bought from reef club reefer Underwater,doing wonders now.thanks) Wave maker - jebao WP-40 Wave maker - RS-108A ( keeping it off ) Light - odyssea T5-120- 4 x tube light - 2 x blue, 1 x purple, 1 x white (keeping it off) Light - LED model LFL - 4E (on from 11 am to 8pm) Pump - Ehiem 1260 (bought from reef club reefer Underwater,doing wonders now.thanks) Dosing pump - jebao DP-4 ( doing Redsea A, B, C and 1ml vodka daily) RO - NSW tap water purifier Filter media ( running in ehiem canister) (i don't want to spend more money on reactors so made use of the canister) Chemi pure ( made water super clear) SORB-4 phosphate remover NP - reducing boipellets 200ml (placed in the HOB skimmer out pipe) NP - All in One biopellets 500ml ATM agent green phosphate remover ( weekly 10ml) Additives Red Sea - A, B, C Red Sea coral color - A, B, C, D Aquarium system reef crystals salt Testing kit (weekly testing) API - calcium - phosphate - nitrate - nitrite - ammonia Salifert - alkalinity - magnesium ATC PH digital ATC portable refractrometer Food Reefmax - freeze dry mysis Reefmax - super bacteria Reefmax - super marine fish pellet Reefmax - zooplankton ATM outbreak! marine AquaPharm 5 in 1 coral food Since i don’t have many fishes..feeding is every other day and in a very limited amount. Live in tank 30kg live rock 20 kg live sand Fishes Lawnmower blenny x 1 (is fat now) Yellow watchman goby x 1 Yellowtail damsel x 1 i removed almost all my fishes 2 weeks back in order to get the NO3 and PO4 in control Invertebrates Scarlet cleaner shrimp x 1 Black sea cucumber x 1 Drawf blue leg hermit crab x 1 Drawf red leg tip hermit crab x 1 Sally light foot carb x 2 Sand shifting sea star x 1 Brittle sea star x 1 Nassarius snails x 5 Corals See pictures ( not sure on names) But they have survived the worst thrown at them.. Pest Bristle worms x unknown Mantis shrimp x 2 (1 and 2 inches in size) this guys came in with the rock and have made a complete MRT network in my rocks and are extremely smart and aggressive I have tried setting up half bottle traps and even try to harpoon them with needle but they are too quick so finally I have decided to remove all the rocks and dip them in cold purified fresh water for 2 mins to see if they come out. If they don't then soda water but will it kill my live rock? If any of you have a better way of catching them please let me know and also if anyone would be interested in buying them if i manage to catch them.. Also had a pistol shrimp which came in the rocks but manage to catch him. Water parameters Ammonia 0 ppm Nitrite 0 ppm Nitrate 10 ppm Phosphate 0.25 ppm Calcium 440 ppm Alkalinity 11.5 dKH Magnesium 1240 ppm Salinity 1.024 PH 8.48 Temperature 26.9 celsius Managing NO3 and Phosphate has been a real fight for me. So now I have beefed up on my filter media, weekly 30 liters of water change and dosing vodka daily. (vodka does help if done right, i manage to drop my NO3 from 100ppm to 10 in a month) So now maybe setting a refugium will help me drop the rest in another month. I do need Chaetomorpha to start if anyone willing to sell or donate. I am adding few pictures of everything I have for everyone to see. I am open to any and all advise as long as you have tried and tested it yourself. I don’t want to win any competitions but just want to have a reef aquarium worth looking at the end of the day. This is a time consuming and expensive hobby and I salute you guys for taking it so far. Some of you guys have awesome tanks. Need help with 1. I can’t drill any hole to my display tank so I made 2 siphons for water to drop down to skimmer and refugium. Return pump will push the water up but if the water over flows on top tank just in case if the siphon breaks how do I have a emergency overflow system back to sump .?? 2. Just want to know if I am on the right track?? (the blue bottle in my tank is a trap for mantis shrimp, just in case if u guys are wondering) Does any one know what is the green stuff growing on the rock..??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Might be a bad advice I'm giving as I providing you a solution I've not try before. Why not get a overflow box ? in case pump stop working the water won't flood your floor. Cool diy skill.... I think the skimmer water level is abit low maybe cause the angle I'm viewing. As water evaporate the water level will go lower This is a signature : hi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member tuajia Posted September 20, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted September 20, 2015 I heard soda water will definitely kill some creatures and some of your beneficial life on the rock but shouldn't be too bad unless you soak for too long. 2 mins sounds about right. Alternatively if you know which rock is the one with the culprits, you could try taking that rock out and just spray inside the holes with a syringe with freshwater or soda water and they should run out. At least the rest of your rock will be unaffected. Let me know if you succeed, I'm keen to keep them lol Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member tuajia Posted September 20, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted September 20, 2015 I buy over the counter syringes from commercial pharmacies for less than a dollar each. I hook them up with airline tubing and stuff tubing for target feeding. Maybe you can just use the airline tubing to wriggle into the suspected holes for better targeting when you spray with the syringe Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member JMW Posted September 20, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted September 20, 2015 Mantis are smart. I struggled to evict mine from its rock too. Took several frustrating nights for me... Until one day I managed to positively ID which rock it was hiding in, then took it out quickly. Practically snatched the rock outta of the water before it had a chance to run out. Leaving it in air for 20min did nothing for the shrimp, they don't evac the rock like crabs do. I finally managed to drive it out with fresh water that was slightly colder than room temp.. Now it's got a home of its own in a small tank if you still want to try bottle trap, most of the traps I have seen online are transparent bottles. More inconspicuous, maybe doesn't matter but worth a shot IMO if your current one is not working. Read that they are capable of learning too - meaning if your bait is gone from trap, but no shrimp, means it's figured out how to get in & out. Need to change trap design. All the best bro.... Btw pls be safe when handling them, yours look quite big(about 3-5cm?), probably capable of doing some harm if it gets close to your fingers! Your PO4 is high at .25, target is 0 or .03. Considered dosing goodbyePO4? Henry there have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member JMW Posted September 20, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted September 20, 2015 I buy over the counter syringes from commercial pharmacies for less than a dollar each. I hook them up with airline tubing and stuff tubing for target feeding. Maybe you can just use the airline tubing to wriggle into the suspected holes for better targeting when you spray with the syringe Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk agree! I managed to find my syringes at Guardian. Going for like 50cents for the 5ml one. Not all outlets have tho. Got mine at Bugis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shri Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 hey thanks for the advice guys.... a friend of Willy Guccivera Yap is donating some cheatos for my refugium... i will be trying to do diy siphon over the tank today..will keep u guys posted on it... also i ll be removing all my rocks and hunting the mantis with cold water and syringes with soda water..wish me luck.. the only problem is they have made so many holes in each rock that its gonna take me hours to pin point which rock they are hiding in.. and yes keeping the rock outside for hours in dry conditions has no effect on mantis and will not flush them out..although it helps with piston shrimp. could someone help me ID the green/yellow hair like growth on my rock..want to know if its safe to keep in the tank or should i remove the rock itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slayer213 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Hi bro... if im not wrong... you are try to siphon water with a hose into your sump and a powerhead pump the water back up?? And try to tune the powerhead in a way so that everything will stay balanced and water level will maintain in this setup? Mmm... IT WILL NOT WORK bro.... i have tried it before when i first started reefing, trying to convert my shrimptank into a reef. It will be a nightmare to keep the water level at the right level... either the pump will pump lees/more water than the siphon or the hose will siphon more/less water than the pump... lets say u managed to finetune it to a stable level... remember your pump and hose will eventually have things like algae or scum growing on the insides, thus will diminish the effectiveness of the siphon or pump... then everything will go out of balance... Its way better to get a overflow box... skimz has small one. Or u can diy a overflow pipe which the tutorials are available on youtube. By all means... try it out if you want... but its extremely unstable. Just my 2 cents... hope this helps Quote Buy fish that excite YOU, and respect others' passions. Yes, we know, there's a cheaper and prettier fish than the one were talking about. - John Coppolino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidjc Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Bro.. my advise... if you want to get things right. Go buy a second or new tank with sump. Your method will not work, it might as of what you see and think it work.. but it like ticking bomb...one day it will flood your floor and kill your coral and fish. Don't waste time trying... go get a new tank .. if really not possible. Then use canister. Your existing filter is good enough. I think your mistake is like most newbie, loading the tank with too many live stocks too fast or overload whereas the filter cannot manage. Actually keep a reef tank is not really that difficult. First thing I need to manage the water. Go goggle on how to keep water. Only with good water then your live stock will let survive. Also ... another key thing in success reefing is patience. Don't see something wrong only start to react on it.. sometime this will be over react and instead do more harm then good. Remember patience is the key to success. .. this was once told to me by a old reefer... Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk 1 Quote Current Tank(s) : 2 x 1 x 1 mixed reef tank What in my mind now (future tanks) 4 x 2.5 x 1.5 low profile coral tank 3 x 2.5 x 1.5 low profile reef tank Decommissioned Tanks : 2 ft seahorse tank back in the 1990s' 2.5 ft cube mixed reef tank in 2007 to 2008 JBJ 28g Tank . Maxspect G1 110W + 12W DIY LED . Tunze 9002 Skimmer . Vortech MP10w ES . SPS only Tank . Picasso Clown Fish (2009 to 2011) 2 x 1 x 1 puffer-fishes, box-fishes & Frog-fish tank (2015) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Trust their advice my friend haha. get a proper sump or just go for canister filter . Hope people that use overflow box will enlighten you the pro and cons This is a signature : hi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexcyf Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Overflow box is a cheap, easy and effective way of solving your problem, however, in the Long run, it's always safest to get a tank with an overflow box. overflow box requires u to on and off maintain e pressure in the box. Like priming the water up.. Cuz over time air bubbles will be in ur box and reduce he overflow rate. When it's jammed it will turn ur house into a Swimming pool Quote Follow Alex's Reefing Journey @ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shri Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 Hi guys thanks for replying.. Slayer213 - yep u r right and that whats i m planning on..and i agree with u there is no way i can sync both the flows with just siphon..so i am getting an overflow box. acidjc - i won't be able to change the tank any time soon. i need to see some success before i could investing in a tank again. and i did not over stock..i only bought what the guy i was paying for maintenance recommended. but i couldn't afford them after 2 months as it was $125 per week. and even they couldn't keep the corals alive and just shut me up with replacing them in beginning.. and i know the flood is inevitable but with right piping and regular checks i think i ll lower the chances as much as possible. also i m investing in water sensors just incase the flood comes. On other note...guess what!! last night i managed to catch both the mantis...ok this is how is caught them...get purified water and add as much ice as u can in it..but keep the ice in the plastic and don't let it melt and mix in the purified water...u will need very very cold water... then just take the rock and dip it and the mantis will come right out... I am adding them on pasar malam for sale.. need money for overflow box.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member tuajia Posted September 23, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted September 23, 2015 LOL congrats on the mantis capture bro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member JMW Posted September 23, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted September 23, 2015 Now we know how to make them evac LR.... 2 shots, 2 hits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member tropic Posted September 25, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted September 25, 2015 Get those overflow/inflow from like this. Do a new sump n remove your cannister. Need to drill on your glass wall. Better than external overflow. deaquatics has them on display. http://reefbuilders.com/2011/12/20/oceanlife-overflow/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasMarine Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Not a good idea to have the chiller inside cabinet, trap heat will make chiller work overtime.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vidios Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 What is the usage of the water bottle in the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member JMW Posted November 4, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted November 4, 2015 Diy mantis trap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member shy88devil Posted November 5, 2015 SRC Member Share Posted November 5, 2015 Any update Shri ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vidios Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Wow great job!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xeneryx Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 I started this hobby using canister too. End up becomes like a nitrate factory and too much hassle to clean up. End up I went to custom made a sump cheaply at kelantan lane and bought a overflow box from taobao. Solve my problem! the pic was my first tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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