6x2.5x2.5 Reef Tank Plans/Progress

[Tanggy]

Alfie... got update of your tank shot with the new scape?? anxious to see what it look like now leh... ke ke... so too bz with cny that no stength liaoz?? So no time to do your scapping??

[AlfaRomeo]

Adjusted a bit only lah tanggy, not much diiference but a bit more ht i think..will update the pics soon.. but now very ugly, lots of algae on the rocks..looking forward to finish the cycle so can introduce some snails to help take care of the algae..

Acanthurus, thanks.. I am still not very happy with the scaping so will adjust a bit more and buying some more LR i guess so that the structure a bit higher than now..

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

Adjusted a bit only lah tanggy, not much diiference but a bit more ht i think..will update the pics soon.. but now very ugly, lots of algae on the rocks..looking forward to finish the cycle so can introduce some snails to help take care of the algae..

Acanthurus, thanks.. I am still not very happy with the scaping so will adjust a bit more and buying some more LR i guess so that the structure a bit higher than now..

Understand Alfa...doing rockscaping doesn't always come right and it's not always satisfying when you do it the first time... It takes awhile before you're satisfied with the layout....just did some adjustment to mine recently and pretty satisfied with the outcome now....but my back , arm and legs hurt from climbing up and down.... more pics please...I bet it's looking much more georgeous now....

[AlfaRomeo]

Just an update, after roughly 2 weeks, the ammonia and nitrite has both fallen to 0.

Added 10 turbo snails to take care of the brown algae covering the LR and they seem to be mighty good at it.

Also, purchased those fern-like macroalgae and dump em in the refuge with PC lights blasting 24/7. Hope it helps with the nitrate levels.

Skimmer is still not operational as I am trying to fix it out of sump. Having some difficulties with the plumbing..

[roidan]

congrats bro!

keep up the good work....can't wait to see your stocked tank

[Marineman]

tank

Total flowrate 5800L/Hr more or less.. more like 5000L/Hr maybe. Hope its sufficient turnover rate..

For reef, you need a flow rate or water turnover rate of at least 10 times, looks like yours is less then that. Some hobbyist hit 20 times, the more water movement, the better.

You also have to discount +/-25% from your gross calculation as the power of the pump reduces the flowrate moving upwards/return flow.

[AlfaRomeo]

Marineman, does turnover rate and circulation rate includes the streams? Each of the stream is capable of 12000L/Hr at 100% and I have 2. So just need to clarify with you if circulation rate includes this or solely return pumps? Kinda confused.

[Marineman]

Marineman, does turnover rate and circulation rate includes the streams? Each of the stream is capable of 12000L/Hr at 100% and I have 2. So just need to clarify with you if circulation rate includes this or solely return pumps? Kinda confused.

What is stream? I guess the turnover/water circulation rate includes the water return pump and the power heads inside your tank. For example your return pump returms 6000 l/hr and your say, 3 powerheads inside the tankpumps or genrates 2,000 l/hr. I would have calculate your water circulation in your tanks as 10,200 l/hr ( 6000*70% efficiency plus 3 pumps multiply by 2,000). This is how I would calculate the water movement in your tank. Pump used for your skimmer does not apply as the water return in in your sump not your tank.

[jd_n]

What is stream? I guess the turnover/water circulation rate includes the water return pump and the power heads inside your tank. For example your return pump returms 6000 l/hr and your say, 3 powerheads inside the tankpumps or genrates 2,000 l/hr. I would have calculate your water circulation in your tanks as 10,200 l/hr ( 6000*70% efficiency plus 3 pumps multiply by 2,000). This is how I would calculate the water movement in your tank. Pump used for your skimmer does not apply as the water return in in your sump not your tank.

His tunze 6100 are capable of 12000l/hr and with 2 of tat = 2*12000 = 24000l/hr of flowrate and based on ur assumption of 3 ph inside the tank of 2000l/hr each will add up to 24000 + (2000*3) = 30000l/hr and on top of tat not forgettin the return pump flowrate which has not been added to the 30000l/hr flowrate yet.

Btw, tunze does not have defficiency so u nd not multiply the max flowrate by 70% unless its adjusted to perform at 70% which the 6100 is capable of.

Therefore his watermovement in the tank will be way off 10,200l/hr.

[AlfaRomeo]

Ok, for the record, i dunt have 3 x Ph in my tank. No other powerheads apart from the 2 x 6100 which gives 24000L/Hr at 100% + around 5000L/Hr from return pumps. Thats a rough total of about 29000L/Hr which is about 30X my water volume discounting LR/Sand Bed.

[jd_n]

Ok, for the record, i dunt have 3 x Ph in my tank. No other powerheads apart from the 2 x 6100 which gives 24000L/Hr at 100% + around 5000L/Hr from return pumps. Thats a rough total of about 29000L/Hr which is about 30X my water volume discounting LR/Sand Bed.

Yup.... plus minus frm ur return pumps, u shd be gettin at least 27000l/hr of flowrate in ur tank.

[AlfaRomeo]

If i really need more flowrate in the future, I will just need to pop in another 6100 and voila!!... another 12x my tank volume.. Streams are great!!

[Marineman]

[Therefore his watermovement in the tank will be way off 10,200l/hr.

My calculation is only an example not refering to Alpha's tank specifically.

What is stream? Is it a kind of pump? Please let me have some details as I need to check it out at a LFS in KL.

[AlfaRomeo]

Streams are a type of powerhead produced by Tunze. Check it out on our sponsors website. www.eaquanature.com , couple of models listed... or you might wanna check out www.tunze.com too..

[AlfaRomeo]

After about 3 weeks of cycling and Ammonia=0 and nitrite=0 for a while, in goes a very small 6-line wrasse and can see that it immediately starting pecking on the rocks eating copepods? hope that its a good sign that the first LS is doing well.

Still looking for a place to put the skimmer as the original site proved too difficult to access in the future.

Diatoms in the main tank have dissapeared after a week or so and after adding in rowaphos to absord any phospate from the initial water that was used to fill up the tank. Hope will not encounter much problem in the future with diatoms since i am using only RO/DI water as top-up

Cyano has started appearing in the sump and i hope it will be contained there till whatever fuelled its growth is used up. Lights are on 24/7 in sump to ensure that algae will find it attractive to grow there instead of the main tank.

[Maxima]

BTW, have you tested your RO/DI. I believe it is not efficient without a booster pump?

Max

[AlfaRomeo]

Hi Maxima, did run my RO/DI unit for top-ups so far and it seems to be working pretty fine. The output comes in little drips at about 3-5 drips/sec.

[Maxima]

Hi Maxima, did run my RO/DI unit for top-ups so far and it seems to be working pretty fine. The output comes in little drips at about 3-5 drips/sec.

Hi, what's GPD is is 180GPD or higher like 230GPD type. I measured mine and find piping has only 30PSI+. This result in alot more waste water. If you can boost the water pressure to 85PSI, which is optimum, you will get more water out of it and less waste. Chk with PUB and they stated that piping should be around 30PSI+/-10PSI on nearly all HDB.

To make RO unit work well, you will need a Booster pump that can coupe upto to 100PSI in most cases.

Max

[AlfaRomeo]

Max, its like 60GPD what kinda booster pump are you using for your RO/DI?

[ah^siao]

any updates of pics?

[AlfaRomeo]

Ah Siao, nothing much to update in terms of pics..... still only an empty tank with LR and sand only... oh yeah , and 1 very small 6-line wrasse which is very difficult to spot especially with it dashing in between the rocks and into the numerous caves/holes of the LR.

[AlfaRomeo]

Small little update for my tank. Skimmer is on-line since yesterday and it has pulled out a cupful of dark skimmate.. not super thick like the rest but more watery which looks like dark tea.. Will give it a few more days to break in and will adjust to get a thicker skimmate.

Using a MD55 to power the skimmer with gate valve wide open and air intake dialled down to about 80%

[AlfaRomeo]

On the LS front, these are the items present in the tank now:

1 x Six-line Wrasse

1 x False Percula (wife wanted it cos it is soooo cute )

1 x Hammer

1 x Brown Bubble

1 x multicolored Zoo

Will update with pics soon! Stay Tuned!!

[AlfaRomeo]

Facing Issues with lots of particles in water column. I am glad that they are in the water column and not settling down on the sandbed but its kinda irritating.. Have been advised to put in more cotton wool in the sump/overflow and also to eliminate microbubbles getting into the tank from the sump return compartment .. cracking my brains yet again on how to eliminate the microbubbles.. mistake that i did was no baffles...sob sob

[roidan]

read recently that microbubbles does no major health risk to the fishes and corals....maybe an eyesore..hehe