New 5 Footer Reef Setup

[Phang]

Thanks Tanzy,

Will check out that Plumber's Goop... and get "high"....

Now for recommendations on Reflectors... anyone can help?

[Phang]

Hey...

Jus bought the salt for my mains... Coralife..

Hmmmm interesting..

They claims Magnesium levels at 1200- 1350 ppm...

and Calcium at 410 ppm....

Also gave small satchet of Trace elements for the 6.6kg bag...

In like the added Magnesium levels.....

[Tanzy]

From my testing of Coraldeath salt, it has a decent amount of Magnesium as it claims. pH can be a bit low after sitting overnight, about 8.0-8.1, allowing higher values of Calcium.

I've never added those satchets of trace before.

Remember to wear the funky t-shirt for the LFS owner look.

[Phang]

Nothing...

Great.. I think this is a great time to learn something ... Most Salt mixes should give a PH of about 8.2- 8.4....

So the reason of Coralife..or death Ph being low is???

[mv3i]

edwin ...

where did you get your salt for and how much for that .... per packet?

[Tanzy]

Phang,

I don't know why. I think it is just the inherent flaw of the mixture. Lower pH will improve dissolvability, solubility and allow higher calcium concentration.

[Phang]

The Coralife salt mix added with water still's cloudy after 2 days .....

Veri Strange.......

[Tanzy]

Is it related to how you mix the salt? What salinity or S.G. do you mix your water to?

[chanbi]

Phang, remember? Coralife Salt has poor dissolubility..

[Phang]

Thanks Chanbi,

You reminded me of a previous thread about saltmixes....

Yap... did remember someone mentioning that coralife saltmix having that..

Quite substantial residue on the bottom of my tank.......

What should I do about this??? will it pose any problems for my reef...

I do however like the generous amount of magnesium bought in this salt mix....

[hongqixian]

Stir up the precipitate and turn the water cloudy. Leave it for a few hours. If the water becomes clear and the precipitate settles, and the salinity is right, then siphon out the water to use and leave the precipitate. Or the other way round- siphon out the precipitate. I don't think it is harmful, a bag of old Tropic Marin salt was like that and I used it with some precipitate lining the sides of a tub. Mushrooms sitting on the stuff never seemed to mind.

[Phang]

Qixian... Thanks

I stick back to Instant Ocean .....the next round...

[chanbi]

Ya.. i have the same problem previously (before i switch to Tropic Marine) and as i am lazy, after some tries, i will still pour everything in to the sump.

[eprouve]

Hi... I only have a 2 footer tank and I do a 10% water change once a week. Just another stupid newbie question: How often and how much water change would you need to do for such a huge tank with sump/refugium?

[Tanzy]

As much as your back can tolerate before breaking!

[eprouve]

Everyweek? Woah... that's a lot of salt and water....

[kelstorm]

i usually dump the salt into the sump too.. hehehe.. lazy bugger.. anyway.. clarence, with 2ft, your tank tolerance of error is lesser and i do recommend doing weekly changes of water... to be on the safe side

[bawater]

i try to do every 2 weeks(most of the time every 3-4wks).

i use a cheap powerhead connected to normal cheap hose,i empty 1 8gal pail of old water then drag the another 8gal pail of new water to the tank,dump in the powerhead & let singapore power do the work.

For my 2fts- i empty half tank then top up using the old water(saltmix expensive leh!) from 4ft. same day, 1hr to do 1x4ft & 3x2ft.

i will reuse the water till it reaches 100ppm nitrates or turn yellowish...lots of other uses,from raising brine shrimp to holding feeder shrimps.

for ghost shrimp i use 50% old SW 50% old FW.

New saltmix started the day before change-

My other 4ft & 2x 2ft is FW & that i use hose to tap.

one thing about regular water changes, try not to wash your filter on the same day as a change- alternate your schedules between filter & water changes.

[Phang]

I only change 10 l per week or 20l every fornite....sometimes never...

use Prosguard and activated carbon sparingly.... and never bother to clean my filters......

Who' says reef keeping is difficult.....???

[tigerkayu]

Hi Phang,

just want to ask about ur LR stacker.

I'm keen to try this, so wanted to know if u satisfied with the stability & strength.

Can they take a few kg of live rock?

Will it topple easily if u accidentally brush hard against it?

thks,

[eprouve]

Yah Phang, any updates on your tank? I've been looking forward to more pictures...

[Phang]

Hi Phang,

just want to ask about ur LR stacker.

I'm keen to try this, so wanted to know if u satisfied with the stability & strength.

Can they take a few kg of live rock?

Will it topple easily if u accidentally brush hard against it?

thks,

Tiger,

Really depends on how you structure it... Eggcrates by itself are pretty rigid... However if you structure them together properly... you should get a pretty sound structure.....

The trick is to cable tie them together, therefore stabilising them....

The other reason why I employed the usage of light diffusers is the need to elevate the LR above the Sandbed.... didn't what dead areas due to the LR resting directly on it....

I have currently more than 70kg of LR over my structure and seems to hold well......

Eprouve,

I will try to get pics.....

Only managed to stacked up my rocks recently and only setup my MHs yesterday.....

[benny]

Need pics? This weekend confirm. Wanna go Lor Harlus too?

[Tanzy]

I've got a picture of Phang's tank.

[kelstorm]

phang, can tanzy post the pic??