Progress on my new tank setup, comments please

[clowntrigger]

Hi guys

Just like to share with you on the progress of my first reef tank and welcome pointers from the expert.

Went to sealife last saturaday to purchase 31KG of live rocks and what you see in the tank now is 21KG of live rocks. Man, this is really expensive, imagine 21kg of rock is only a bit when place into the tank. The other 10kg is still at sealife. Heard that the live rock price has shot to $20/kg, don't how true, but got my at $6/kg. I heard this was in the newspaper last week that someone got caught from importing live rocks, did not verify it as I was ot of town.

Comments please on the setup

Clowntrigger

[clowntrigger]

another shot in the slump

[loonz]

CT,

you could have gotten some LR from me at only $3 per kg.. i would never pay $20/kg for ROCKS

[bawater]

clown trig,

could u tell me how much the tnk cost? & from where?

i'm looking for a 4x2x2.5 wif sump(i've had it! fed up w/o sump)

i've found the space & budget but targeted setup in 6mths-10mths time.

so gotta start search on tnks dealers now.

just bare tank-same design as yours(i already got the lights,chiller,skimmer for it)

thnks.....

[clowntrigger]

Hi Loonz

Yah you are right, but I have only realise it today that you are selling those rock away. If you do have some left, I wouldn't mind taking it since I will need another 30+ kg.

Hi Bawater

I got my tank from Sealife, the dimension is as follow 4x2x2.5 and it cost $1600 including the sump. As I mentioned in the previous thread, this is a special price that I get from Sam since I have already asking from him like 3-4 years back and he is now fulfilling his promise, thus I would not know how much he will charge you. One thing I could say is the workmanship and build is good.

Clowntrigger

[nivlac]

Hi guys

Just like to share with you on the progress of my first reef tank and welcome pointers from the expert.

Went to sealife last saturaday to purchase 31KG of live rocks and what you see in the tank now is 21KG of live rocks. Man, this is really expensive, imagine 21kg of rock is only a bit when place into the tank. The other 10kg is still at sealife. Heard that the live rock price has shot to $20/kg, don't how true, but got my at $6/kg. I heard this was in the newspaper last week that someone got caught from importing live rocks, did not verify it as I was ot of town.

Comments please on the setup

Clowntrigger

Have you decided on which kind of system you want to go for? A modified Berlin system?

Think you will need a lot more live rock if you're thinking of that, and to lose the bioballs and the coral chips. I have about 60 kg of live rock in my 270 litre setup, which was originally set up as a modified berlin with deep sand bed. It's now a deep sand bed with refugium stocked with calupera.

[B|uEc@rpEt]

Clown...

U remind me of the day when I bought live rocks for my current reef tanks....spent like sooooper-doooper big amount of $$ juz on live rocks...

I think I bought like almost 80 plus or so (cun remember liao) of live rocks...from reefworld, pacific marine, reborn, seletar, aquatechnic....

Thinking about those days carrying n buying rocks freaks me out sometimes man!

tiring....but in the end....its all worth the while man!

3.58 cheers to ya new set-up!

[B|uEc@rpEt]

Above...as in 80 or so "KGs"....

sorrie...left that out

[clowntrigger]

well I would not call my modified berlin and I do not have a name to it. I will be using Live rocks and whatever you see there, the theory is when it is working, dont change it.

As for the carrying of the live rock, yep, life is tough in bring those rock back to the house. I think the most painful part is to put the rock and arrange them in the tank. Image a 2.5ft deep tank like mine, at the end of the day, just imagine how aching your waist is, taking into account I am not longer young

[B|uEc@rpEt]

Yup!!!

Not forgetting the aqua-scaping...i took like 2 hrs everytime i add new rocks...maybe i am slow

and not to mention the number of times i redesign the rocks...so as to get that right look in accordance.

Have funz!

[Tanzy]

Is that a powerhead on the airlift tube of a Undergravel filter? If it is I would suggest that you not use UGF. There are far better ways of bilogical filteration.

[clowntrigger]

yep it is, Sealife ask me to put it in, and after 6 months, disconnect the powerhead from the UGF, Will try it and see how well it goes. In their main display tank, this is how it is being done.

[Tanzy]

That's what they told me too! What a load of bull! It will become clogged unless regularly vacuumed of detritus. It is 10 years outdated technique. Sand that can be put to good use for denitrification is wasted as a dirt trap.

Set up a proper deep sand bed or plenum system and spare yourself the pain of converting later because eventually you will.

I had a 2 foot with UGF and I hated it! I don't see a rational of setting it up for 6 months then removing it. Once the flow is stopped, the aerobic bateria will die.

[Achilles Tang]

What?? They are still advocating that method?

The hobby has advanced a lot... and DSBs/Plenums are already tried and tested by many to be effective filtration methods.

UGFs are considered history. <_<

Suggest you remove it bro.

[robe]

yup, second the motion to ban UGF fro reeftanks. Probably bioballs too if you have enough LR and a DSB. Bioballs will also become clogged with detritus and dead bacteria after some time and will become a nutrient cesspool.

You did start right by buying a good skimmer. H&S is the best skimmer you can buy in Singapore so far. All the others sold here cannot perform as well as the H&S with its large foam pipe.

[clowntrigger]

wow, thanks for the comments, can I just disconnect the PH, leave the UGF there without taking it out and then add the sand to become a DSB? You should know how much trouble to take out the UGF once it is being installed. Or it is a must for me to remove the UGF even though it is not working?

[Achilles Tang]

If your tank is newly setup.... then I guess you can pull out the plate and smooth the sandbed back.

I see no harm in leaving the plate there... it kinda becomes a plenum of sorts now.... heh!

How thick is your sandbed anyway?

[clowntrigger]

I think about 3-4 inch if I remember correctly, do I need to increased it further?

[Achilles Tang]

A true DSB should have min 6 inches for max denitrification.

Unless you mud-like sand... then 4 inches would have the same effects.

Believe you are using #1 sand? If you can afford the height... then go for 6".

In my experience... a 3" to 4" has enabled me to keep nitrates low but it should took a long time.

Unless you have lots of liverock.

[clowntrigger]

Thanks for the advised, I will see what I can do about it.

[spade]

ClownTrigger,

Can u pls post a pic from the top of yr tank? I want to c how the water enter the overflow chamber, cos i saw some LFS overflow are damn noisy. how's yr? tks. (strange request )

[clowntrigger]

I will do that over the weekend. In order to solve those noise, build a durso pipe, I have build one and it work perfectly. To get a hold of the pictures, try these URL

http://www.rl180reef.com/pages/standpipe/s...dpipe_frame.htm

trust me, this thing really work, it silence off all the noise of the water flow and the ###### air noise inside the chamber.

[ZeRoC00l]

May I know what is the use of the air hole at the top cap for??

Some ppl use a air valve to tune the air flow....

I have no idea whats it for...

New to the hobby, and currently building my tank, any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[clowntrigger]

the hole on top is to break the siphon effect, without the hole, you will see that the water level in the chamber will fall very quickly, once it is just below the opening of the pipe, you will hear a loud air grupping noise. If the hole is to big, there will also be noise as air is being rush into that big hole you have created. A good way to start is drill a small hole and then do trial and error, hope this help.

[Phang]

I will do that over the weekend. In order to solve those noise, build a durso pipe, I have build one and it work perfectly. To get a hold of the pictures, try these URL

http://www.rl180reef.com/pages/standpipe/s...dpipe_frame.htm

trust me, this thing really work, it silence off all the noise of the water flow and the ###### air noise inside the chamber.

One question,

The durso pipe method would require the overflow to be partially full before water enters in, Right...???

Therefore will increase weight in the overflow chamber....

Bad choice for those with external overflows.... unless your overflow chamber is supported .......

Clowntrigger,

Why don't pos pics of your ""Durso"".....