Coral Options

[Avy]

Yo! I'm using 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 tank. Trying to achieve Berlin style filtration,got about

6kg LR,gonna slowly add but 1 Kg a w. eek(Good?) to get 15kg. Using Dolphin Hang-on filter,500L per hour with 900L/Hr Powerhead for undercurrent and SEIO 620 for circulation. About 6 weeks le,Ammonia less than 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20-40. Using simple air-driven skimmer. Lighting is 2 x 18W FL, Actinic and Sera 12000k Blue Sky. Any comments on my system? Wat type of corals will suitable? A bit long,Thx!

[lightningstrike]

u need more than 15kg of LRs for a berlin system to work. lots of water movement is encouraged in a berlin system to prevent dead spots & detritus build up. if ur tank is still unstocked, u might wanna consider putting in all the LRs u need once and 4 all. depending on what u wanna keep, i wld recommend u to upgrade ur lights and skimmer.

[Travy]

Yo! I'm using 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 tank. Trying to achieve Berlin style filtration,got about

6kg LR,gonna slowly add but 1 Kg a w. eek(Good?) to get 15kg. Using Dolphin Hang-on filter,500L per hour with 900L/Hr Powerhead for undercurrent and SEIO 620 for circulation. About 6 weeks le,Ammonia less than 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20-40. Using simple air-driven skimmer. Lighting is 2 x 18W FL, Actinic and Sera 12000k Blue Sky. Any comments on my system? Wat type of corals will suitable? A bit long,Thx!

My tank has an almost similar set up.

But i have a sandbed, use 4T5, a 2ft sump with dsb, a needle wheel skimmer

a cooling fan (Too small a tank for a chiller lah, ex too... )and 2 rain bars from my return pump to provide ample circulation.

I think u might want to add a cooling fan and maybe one more tube of light to yur system.

And consider upgrading yur protein skimmer lah. Wont regret one.

The corals i hav in my tank are 2flower pots, elegance, suns, octo, zoos and my yumas/mushies collection.

The fan really helps to keep the temperture down.

[Avy]

Xie Xie! Me got a 4 fan fan(noisy at times,but for the sake of water temp annd healthy Livestock..). Any advise on how i can upgrade my lighting? I've got a 2 tube holder..pretty bulky leh.. And Apprx how much rocks i need?

[Travy]

HAHA! woah 4 fans ah? Then yur evaporation rate must be damn high... HAHA! Me have to top up abt 2.5 liters of water per day.

I agree with lightning strike. One shot add all yur Live rocks and let them cycle.

Adding uncured LRs in the future after cycling, yur tank will experience the occasional spike in Ammonia and NO3... And thats what u want to avoid la.

Why not save some money and buy another T5 fixture? ANyway now cycling process mah...

The cheaper ones cost abt 50 bucks per set of two tubes. Then juz add on lor.

And one thing to take note for air stone driven skimmer is that u have to change the wood block abt once every 2-3 mths lah. As the longer it work, the bigger the bubbles, the least effective it is.

As for teh amount of LRs, me not so sure. Me run a half berlin, DSB and live rocks... Rojak lah.

Looks more natural then a bare bottom tank.

Should ask lightning on this...

[Avy]

Yeah,but i got live stock le,3 clowns + a dottyback+1 Damsel.. But this guys are tough and daring.. So i jus might add another big batch one shot or 1 kg a wk or so.. Any places got good quality cured liverocks? i'm a westerner(Jurong),hehe..

About the T5,how much it cost? How to setup? Izzit Big?

[Travy]

Yeah,but i got live stock le,3 clowns + a dottyback+1 Damsel.. But this guys are to

ugh and daring.. So i jus might add another big batch one shot or 1 kg a wk or so.. Any places got good quality cured liverocks? i'm a westerner(Jurong),hehe..

About the T5,how much it cost? How to setup? Izzit Big?

Those guys are tough but still be careful lor... Chose the rocks properly and remove anything that looks dead or dying. AND SMELL THEM B4 buying!

Jurong ah... not sure leh, i live in the east. But if u have the money can try Coral farm at LCK (Dunno if its near yur place...) Expensive but cured rocks.

Most marine aquarium shops have lah, make it a point to ask them when their stock of LRs are coming in. So as to be sure u wont have anything thats properbly rotting half way at the shop and then in yur tank.

T5s are not that bulky lah, They are tubes too but higher light output at the cost of lower heat production and lower electrical consumption.... (this is Impt!!! $$$)

For a 2-3ft set is abt 50 - 70 bucks range lah.

[lightningstrike]

i suggest u read up more on the pin up threads in the New to the marine aquaria hobby and General reefkeeping forums. the contents there r good.

for T5s, u can always go to the pasar malam forum to get a rough gauge on the prices and its appearance.