Setting up 1.5ft cube tank

[Yellowbelly]

Your current batch of clown fishes and damsel are hardy fish as such they can tolerate change in temperature....so be careful of what fish you want to place inside.

If you like colour fish.....you can try bi-colour dotty back...one of my fav...very territorial though.

Just thinking of it, makes me want to kick start a nano tank for myself

[xersion]

can keep mini tangs also.. they are nice to look at.. however will grow quite fast

[moi_dar]

Thank you for all the suggestion. So sad I didn't get to meet up the reefer who was offering to sell me some LR today. But I did place in the egg crate to elevate the pump for the skimmer.

Love to put in all those fish you have mentioned... Still have to get the system up and running first right?

Qns:

1) Anyone tried Marinium Sea Salt? I have to practically dump in the whole pack of 1.5kg into my 91l tank to increase the salinity to 1.020. Is that usual?

I used NSW but had to top up with some tap water...

2) Necessary to get a DI unit? Read that tap water is not suitable for topping up... Read that AM and Marine Life sell it... but price diff $108 and $290 respectively. Any idea why?

3) I notice that the water that comes out of the pump contains sand particles. Will that affect my corals later on? How to rectify the problem? Is my canister too strong for such a small tank?

[sherman]

Check and make sure your SG is 1.023 to 1.025.

Also your PH at 8.2-8.3.

Let the tank cycle for around 1 month with live rocks

and a piece of prawn.

Make sure your NH3 peak then zero,

NO2 peak then zero.

Your tank is ready for fish or coral once both

NH3 nad N02 is stable at zero for at least a week.

Longer better.

Regards

Happy reefing

[moi_dar]

Wah... one month??? That's quite a long time to wait... Well, I suppose it's not all too bad either since I will start working in Jan At least will have some income to substain this hobby

So meanwhile can only go look look see see and let those beautiful marine creature torture me mentally when i visit those lfs... Urghhh.... HOW CRUEL!!!

[pingpong]

Wah... one month??? That's quite a long time to wait... Well, I suppose it's not all too bad either since I will start working in Jan At least will have some income to substain this hobby

So meanwhile can only go look look see see and let those beautiful marine creature torture me mentally when i visit those lfs... Urghhh.... HOW CRUEL!!!

must get use to the habit of "look look see see" at the LFS la. even when your tank is ready u can't possibly house all the fishes that you like in your tank.. so in the end you could only drool at them at LFS or other reefers' places...

Nice Red Jazz/Fit you have.. your pocket also not that tight afterall... keke.........

[little bull]

Wow, so happy to see another gal gal into this hobby, at least I dun feel so odd ler

As for start, I wld suggest dun throw in $$ to buy chiller and DI unit. You maybe can put a mark on the glass to monitor water evaporation. If not so much, then you might want to consider to get the distilled water (bot) from NTUC. Cost $0.65/1.5l

Fan should be able to do a good job for 1.5ft. You can buy a timer to set it in operation 2 hrs interval.

You have already put in fishes. It is a bit risky to run the water cycling. Because, during the process, it actually pushed up Amonium and Nitrate... might harm your fishes eventually. (Those are toxic)

If I were you, I wldn't do anything for now, let all the things be it as it was. Dun add anything, just monitor the water temp. Pls keep it btw 26 to 28. If failed, dun let it beyond 30. If failed again, then.... add icebag since you are at home ma.. or shift your tank into the room that away from sunshine

Ops.. beside temp, the water salinity is impt.

Good luck

[fishtalk1517]

nice knowing you Moi Dar.... and welcome to my hse earlier... Tame cutie doggie u got Hope u kick start ur tank with patience and YES - PATIENCE Try not to add fish now, perhaps till the third week of the cycling process. Not to mention abt corals too. Gotta wait till the cycling process is over, with all the eprimeters in right tune, then u can safely and boldly go coral shopping

[ambystoma82]

Thank you for all the suggestion. So sad I didn't get to meet up the reefer who was offering to sell me some LR today. But I did place in the egg crate to elevate the pump for the skimmer.

Love to put in all those fish you have mentioned... Still have to get the system up and running first right?

Qns:

1) Anyone tried Marinium Sea Salt? I have to practically dump in the whole pack of 1.5kg into my 91l tank to increase the salinity to 1.020. Is that usual?

I used NSW but had to top up with some tap water...

2) Necessary to get a DI unit? Read that tap water is not suitable for topping up... Read that AM and Marine Life sell it... but price diff $108 and $290 respectively. Any idea why?

3) I notice that the water that comes out of the pump contains sand particles. Will that affect my corals later on? How to rectify the problem? Is my canister too strong for such a small tank?

dun nid to buy de ionsier...

but remb buy a bottle of water de-chlorinator...

mayb u wan to leave a pail of water overnight then slowly u can scoop water from there... or use e water with dechlorinaotr added

u dun nid chiller as i told u already...

for ur info... u muz added water part by part to ur tank...

dun one shot pour all e salt in ur tank n let it flow itself..

u neber knw whether u will pour overshot a not..e salt...

and when u hav main tank water salinity 1.027 then u add e newwater salinaty 1.021,it does not = to 1.024 things dun work tht way...

u got to add a bit n slowly test out...salinity....!!!

[ambystoma82]

Thank you for all the suggestion. So sad I didn't get to meet up the reefer who was offering to sell me some LR today. But I did place in the egg crate to elevate the pump for the skimmer.

Love to put in all those fish you have mentioned... Still have to get the system up and running first right?

Qns:

1) Anyone tried Marinium Sea Salt? I have to practically dump in the whole pack of 1.5kg into my 91l tank to increase the salinity to 1.020. Is that usual?

I used NSW but had to top up with some tap water...

2) Necessary to get a DI unit? Read that tap water is not suitable for topping up... Read that AM and Marine Life sell it... but price diff $108 and $290 respectively. Any idea why?

3) I notice that the water that comes out of the pump contains sand particles. Will that affect my corals later on? How to rectify the problem? Is my canister too strong for such a small tank?

wat pump u refering to got sand come out?

mayb e outlet pipe u can tied a black filter wool and rubber band but muz maintain washin e wool once in a while..

if i c e stuff u keepin is e ones in e pics..

shld b no prob..

ur leather n fish will enjoy e flow.... wat is ur pump rate btw?

[moi_dar]

First and foremost, must thank you all for "pong chang" this forum.

I finally met up with a nice reefer, Vandeam, and got some LR from him. While in the process, got to visit Fishtalk's place and drool over his tank. Really cool with alot of "weird stuff" that is simply fascinating. Must me all the more inspired to hopefully become a "pro" someday. ha ha ha.

Fishtalk

Thank you for allowing me to visit your place. It's really my first time to go other's place to check out tanks. Nice place you've got. Great view from your house and for the tank.

Little Bull

Thank you for the advice. Was thinking of getting a DI unit because I have two other 3ft fresh water tank to look after. Is trying to calculate the cost and see which is more worthwhile. I guess for a start will just get the water from NTUC like you suggest

ambystoma82

I have checked the salinity is ok. About 1.023. I'm using a Atman canister with an output pump rate of 1550l/H. Not sure whether the pump is too strong. Did stuff in some normal white filter wool hoping it will solve the problem, but can still see the sand being pump out from the outlet jet. Will stuff in some more to see if the problem persist.

pingpong

precisely becos of the jazz, the maintainence and constant feeding of petrol, while not working, that's why pocket tight tight what he he he. Trying to squeeze some sponsorship from my hubby now.

I have finally placed the rock in but doesn't seem to look sufficient to me. What say you? Should go get some more? Looks stable or not? Need to throw in dead prawn to cycle the water?

[moi_dar]

Forgot to say a big thank you to VanDeam

Attached are the pix of my tank after I put in the rocks

[moi_dar]

Ops. No pixs hehehe

Here it is.

[moi_dar]

The top view

[moi_dar]

Last but not least, the side view

[moi_dar]

Can your see... those sand particles "flying" around my tank... Very annoying.

[moi_dar]

Now l'm lying on my bed using my hp pda to send this. testing it out. Geez, i'm so hooked to this forum now. i can have the freedom to surf and reply everywhere i go! yupee!

[pingpong]

Now l'm lying on my bed using my hp pda to send this. testing it out. Geez, i'm so hooked to this forum now. i can have the freedom to surf and reply everywhere i go! yupee!

fwah u very the high tech...

for myself i would have preferred more LR, this would provide more hiding places for your fishes, LR also introduces bacteria to convert ammonia into nitrate yada yada....

also if you are going into coral, you would need more rock surface to place the colorful corals...

fwah sand storm? due to the arrangement of LR?

[fishtalk1517]

Hi Cel,

U r most welcome to visit my tank and thanks for dropping by too

precisely becos of the jazz, the maintainence and constant feeding of petrol, while not working, that's why pocket tight tight what he he he. Trying to squeeze some sponsorship from my hubby now

I think ur hubby will be confirm badly squeezed by u to set up a slightly bigger tank to satisfied ur reef hunger

for the sand storm, I would suggest replacing the egg crate which u put under the pump to rocks. Elevate the pump from the sand to prevent further ###### of it. Wat grade is ur sand? To me, seems like grade , fine grain type.

Ur rock scaping requires more rocks. definitely not enough U have seen my tank and more rocks got its benefits, jus like wat Bro ping pong quotes. Live rocks also contains macro organisms and pods which will provides as food for ur corals and fishes. Rocks provides also for easier placing of ur corals since u r interested in corals more than fishes

And ya, download more pixs from this site of members tank to sweet talk ur hubby for sponsorship $$$ Then next time can go reefing together

[big_ben102000]

i think the sand storm is caused by your canister. try pointing the outlet in a different direction. hope that helps

[fishtalk1517]

er sis, can suggest changing ur car avatar to ur doggie ? He's a cute little fellow

[Yellowbelly]

Oh yeah, if you wish to hastent he ann cycle...you could add in some benefical bacteria liquid......it is sold in the fish shop.....think it helps to consume ammonia faster.

Can't remember what it is call though

[fishtalk1517]

Oh yeah, if you wish to hastent he ann cycle...you could add in some benefical bacteria liquid......it is sold in the fish shop.....think it helps to consume ammonia faster.

Can't remember what it is call though

yup.... the bacteria kick start powder helps to cycle the process. I still got some, u wanna ? can collect from me Forgot to ask whether u need it last nite PM if u want

[ambystoma82]

ur flow 1550l/hr abit high arhz..

but then again depends on wat u wanna keep arhz..

and at which direction u blowin e corals at...

e wave should b blow pass e corals... unless u keepin leather n finger...

then e wave shld b blow at then but not too strong too make e coral move..

e current is to ensure tht when slime is shed off e coral it is able to b remove with e current pass by.. too stagnant e water e coral will b infested by pest n disease...

depends on wat corals u keepin..

btw i dun tink e small particles is sand..

hmm...did u reli disappoint me by blowing e outlet direct on e sandbed? cant b rite?

else shld b ur return pump e suction side got abit air bubbles...present..

thts way e bubbles r always so fine yet irritating...sight...

hope u take more pics... then can help u more...

remb to monitor ur water evaporation rate...

even if u not ard least u knw ur water wun run till dry = pump run dry...

[moi_dar]

Yo, the nocturnal creature is back!

He he he.... my biological clock is spolit. Can't sleep at night and kept surfing and reading this forum.

Fishtalk

As per your request, here's my dog's pic. But the resolution is really not fantastic since I have to shrink the size to less than 20k.

Anything that's free is fine by me ha ha ha... Me beggar cannot be chooser. Let me know when would be convenient and I'll drop by your place again.

You know my husband is in accounting. Very meticulous with money. Not easy to squeeze lah, not even if I would to cook dinner for him (which I tried last night without much success). So the saying "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" is not true! Or maybe cooking skill not up to standard yet? Hmmm...

Will try to get more rocks and place the pump on it, however the pump is for the skimmer, so I don't think there's any effect on the outlet pipe.

Thanks Ben for the advice!

ambystoma82

Nope! Didn't let the outlet blow at the sandbed. Tilted both the inlet and outlet pipe to see whether there's any change but not much observable difference.

Guess what, before I check out this forum... Was staring very hard at the particles to decipher whether it's sand or air bubbles... Hmmm... hard to see.

Will go take more photos now!!!