Wat U would have done differently to yr tank setup

[Trigger99]

All

I am embarking upon the journey to set up an SPS tank (approx 2.5 ft x 2ft x 2ft).

Currently sourcing for tank & cabinet, etc etc.

The investment is looking to exceed >$2k.

I am trying to get the tank setup correct right from the start.

Looking to all the old birds here for advise so that I can minimise liverstock and monetary loses. Hope to gain from your experience and I believe what you will be sharing will benefit a lot of SPS tank newbies.

So any advise and precaution will be greatly appreciated......

Thanks!

[tayhonglee]

hi trigger,

im no expert, never kept sps before. but maybe you can try using low iron glass if you are making a new tank. can help show off your corals better.

henry

[apollo]

Go bare bottom.

Easier to maintain.

[Trigger99]

hi trigger,

im no expert, never kept sps before. but maybe you can try using low iron glass if you are making a new tank. can help show off your corals better.

henry

hi henry,

Thanks for the tip. need to give u a first prize for helping out.

what is low iron glass....chim.

Is it one of those Stapphire glass they are toking abt?

[Trigger99]

Go bare bottom.

Easier to maintain.

apollo

BB tanks.....

I am planning on getting some gobies. Acutally would prefer to get a thin sand bed in the tank. about 1 inch. will it make much of a difference or is there an absolute benefit of a BB SPS tank.

My tank will be 2 ft tall.

Will debris from rock accumulate on the bottom of the tank?

thanks for your help.

[tayhonglee]

woohoo! what my prize? free sps?

anyway, heres a thread about low iron glass. not very expensive, and less tinted than normal glass.

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=33432

also, maybe you can consider ozone. but thats very subjective. must read more about it first.

[apollo]

Hi

Read in reef central. Shallow sand bed (SSB) is not much different than DSB.

I had the same thinking like yu. Keep a SSB to avoid the -ve effect of DSB. End of the day, was told it will be the same.

There are thousands of fishes from the sea. Am sure you wl discover other specie to replace ur love for ur goby.

Now i am having headache as to how to convert it to BB !

[RAV-65]

The difference in keeping a SSB is that you can siphon the sandbed during water change and dun have to worry about releasing harmful toxics in a DSB...

It also looks better aesthetically...

Anyway, One advice is that when stacking your rocks, try no to have it leaning on the glass, easier to clean with magnet and also lesser accumulation of detritus...

Also, try to have as much random flow as possible...

[Trigger99]

Thanks RAV

SSB as in 1 inch? also should I use Grade 0 or Grade 1 or other grades?

Personally I prefer Grade 0 = finer, looks nicer.

and how to create random flow?? chimalogy.....

[weileong]

I would have gone with a 2.5ft width or even 3ft wide and maybe height of 1.75 to 2ft tank.

[RAV-65]

Thanks RAV

SSB as in 1 inch? also should I use Grade 0 or Grade 1 or other grades?

Personally I prefer Grade 0 = finer, looks nicer.

and how to create random flow?? chimalogy.....

1.5 inch would be good... finer sand = more likely sandstorm...

For random flow, best if use controllerable tunzes...

[lightningstrike]

abit but juz a friendly thought,

IMHO; whether if it's DSB, Berlin, BB, SSB, zeovit, etc........ u still need to keep up with the regular husbandry routines for each individual system.

what works for u might not work for others....... and if it works for u, why change it?

[sy8]

nicely said and totally agree 100%

good husbandary routine is the key to success

for me using jaubert system with 6 inch sand bed above plenum

[weileong]

what works for u might not work for others....... and if it works for u, why change it?

for better results?

example why so many pple adding ozone?

[lightningstrike]

for better results?

example why so many pple adding ozone?

why so many ppl adding ozone?

1. for better results........ definitely. attempt to see an improvement in water quality, riding the water column of pathogens, etc.......

2. bcoz ozone generators r so much more affordable nowadays.

3. other reasons........

like what i put forth earlier, good husbandry routine is still a must.

HTH

[IanJ]

Apollo - no way is BB easier to maintain. Its an alternative to DSB, but it needs a whole new thinking about flow and waste removal.

[weileong]

why so many ppl adding ozone?

1. for better results........ definitely. attempt to see an improvement in water quality, riding the water column of pathogens, etc.......

2. bcoz ozone generators r so much more affordable nowadays.

3. other reasons........

like what i put forth earlier, good husbandry routine is still a must.

HTH

Correct liao lor, you get my point.

I also agree with the basic husbandry routine for SPS, you can't be a lazy SPS reefer and expect tip-top results.

But then there are just some reefers that follow blindly without finding out the pro & cons of each method and because tank setup wrongly, even after BB still got algae/cyano problem.

[lightningstrike]

Correct liao lor, you get my point.

I also agree with the basic husbandry routine for SPS, you can't be a lazy SPS reefer and expect tip-top results.

But then there are just some reefers that follow blindly without finding out the pro & cons of each method and because tank setup wrongly, even after BB still got algae/cyano problem.

of coz i get ur point lah.......

this is why i saying if u do not maintain ur husbandry routine regularly, no matter what system u change to, the chances of success r slim.

btw, we oredi very , but, who follow blindly???

[weileong]

"follow blindly" is just a general comment and not directly at anyone as the case of all my post.

Sign..... again

[Trigger99]

I would have gone with a 2.5ft width or even 3ft wide and maybe height of 1.75 to 2ft tank.

Weileong, thanks for the tip. Will try to get as wide as possible tank. But I think I am limited by space constraints.

Thanks for the discussion on the sandbed. From maintenance point of view, I guess a shallow one is easier to siphon than a deep one. correct? One that is BB does seem a little "artificial" to me.

[Trigger99]

One more question: The basic tools needed for the SPS is the CR, skimmer, chiller,MH. What are the ones that are good to have and would benefit the tank?

Fluidize reactor? Ozone? Zeovit? What do these do and will it make much of a difference? IS you have $$, who you have use them?

[weileong]

CR, skimmer, chiller, proper lightings are all necessary for SPS.

Some reefers could get by without a CR by manual dosing which works too but CR requires some knowledge in tunning it.

Sometimes it's not so much about money but the amount of work needed to maintain the tank in tip-top conditions.

My advise is for you to talk to more reefers, read up more before you make your decision.

[minsmarine]

Tunze

Good test kits.

Sleepless night.

PUB Bills.

[weileong]

You forgot grumbing wife

[Trigger99]

Ouch......