First Marine Tank :)

[indir-emir]

Ok going to borrow a template from another forum I crawl around in (reef forum hehe).

So here goes.

Introduction:
I recently moved and sold my fresh water set up and decided I would not redo a fresh water set up, but rather start a reef tank for myself. After a few very good years of fresh water keeping, from planted tanks, to big fish, to small fish, to breeding fish and the like The tank is upstairs on my left while I watch the television infront of me, though i spend most of the time with my eyes on the tank ofcourse hehehehe.

System Objectives:
I would like the system to end up a very pretty attraction of the room, to keep everyones eyes on the tank (not just mine ). Would also like to try my hand at breeding marine fish eventualy

System Type:
The tank will hopefully be a mixed reef tank. Lots of pretty corals, some very pretty fish

Display System:
Strike up Date:
System was set up on the 12th of July. However 95% of the parts were received on the 17th of july and was all put together that night.

Display Tank:
This tank is a 4 foot long by 18 inch high by 18 inch wide. 4' x 18" x 18" (L x W x H)

Display Lighting:
6 x 54 Watt High Output T5 Unit.
Bulbs are as follows:
2 x Actinic Bulbs
2 x 10,000k bulbs
2 x 14,000k bulbs

Stand:
Currently a raw pine cabinet, will be painted/stained to match my table and tv stand once I figure out the colour

Hood:
Same as the cabinet.

Sump:
Sump is set up with a refugium. Total size is 2' x 16" x 16"

Refugium:
Currently has a DSB. Looking for macro algae. I intend on turning this into a coral frag tank eventually (once i have corals to frag ofcourse).

Refugium Lighting:
Currently no lighting (apart from the light it gets from the tank lights hehe). Will be set up soon as i find something I like.

Support systems:
System Water:
Natural Sea Water (NSW) bought from a LFS.

Display Water circulation:
2 x 3000L/h wave makers. May get one more to increase flow later on but for now is plenty of flow at approximately 23 times turn over rate without return pump. Approximately (bit higher) 30 times turn over rate with return pump included.

Return Pump:Sump return pump.
Eheim Compact 3000 pump. A 3000L/h pump. Max head height of 3 or 4m (cant remember, needa read the box again..)

Skimmer:
Waiting on this to come in on, should be here Monday the 19th of July.
Skimmer is a Reef Octopus Classic NW-110. Rated at a 500L aquarium. Approximately double my tank

Evaporation Top Up:
Manual, need to find a supplier of RO/DI water until I can afford my own. On a uni student budget

Chemical Support:
Calcium Addition:
None Yet
Alkilinity Addition:
None Yet
Other Chemical Maintenance:
None Yet

Current Water Chemistry: Test kit is arriving on Monday the 19th of July hopefully.
Nitrates:
Phosphates:
Alkalinity:
Calcium:
Salinity / Specific Gravity: - 1.025 - 1.026 (Going to recalibrate refractometer soon as i can find some distilled water).
Magnesuim:


Images: Click To Enlarge Photos!
First Day of Set Up:

Tank Shot With ALL Lights ON:

Tank Shot With ONLY 10,000k Lights ON: (I think)

Tank Shot With ONLY 14,000k Lights ON: (I think)

Tank Shot With ONLY Actinic Lights ON:

Tank Shot With ONLY Blue Moon Light LED ON:

Cabinet Shot - Sump Included:

Shot of Unopened Refractometer:

Thanks for looking, and keep coming back every so often and watch my tank develop and answer my questions. Im sure I will have ALOT of questions as time goes by

 

[drsquirrel]

6 bulbs for an 18"x18" seems a lot - corals? Myself I would only probably run the 5th/6th bulbs as a "noon" phase.

Can use RO to calibrate your refractometer, specially if the TDS is 0.

Don't assume your pumps run at the rated flow.

Cant see your photos (click them).

 

[indir-emir]

Yes i do intend on keeping corals Hence the light selection. Is this overkill for corals too? :\

Im thinking about doing a sunrise/sunset type thing... One hour of only 2 bulbs, then an hour of 4 bulbs then full power for certain amoutn of hours, then 4 bulbs , then 2. Then moonlights. However not 100% on this yet.

Still trying to get my hands on an RO supplier so i can do my top ups too :\ Going to ask my LFS's if they can help me out tomorrow.

Also trying to fix the photo issue now... No idea whats goin on though.

 

[nick87]

Yes i do intend on keeping corals Hence the light selection. Is this overkill for corals too? :\

Im thinking about doing a sunrise/sunset type thing... One hour of only 2 bulbs, then an hour of 4 bulbs then full power for certain amoutn of hours, then 4 bulbs , then 2. Then moonlights. However not 100% on this yet.

Still trying to get my hands on an RO supplier so i can do my top ups too :\ Going to ask my LFS's if they can help me out tomorrow.

Also trying to fix the photo issue now... No idea whats goin on though.

Lighting should be fine, i run a 6x24w unit over a 2' tank, it will give yoou more options when it comes to corals.

The sunrise/set idea is a good one.

 

[indir-emir]

Thanks nick. Figured itd be a nice adition to the tank since i dont have dimmable lights (to expensive!).

Also i went for the 6 x 54 with individual reflectors for that exact reason nick. Coming from planted tank scene where more light means more choice of plants, and from my research that appeared to stick here on the salty side too

Fixed the images too i think. They work on my side, can someone confirm please?

 

[seffieuk]

looking good, but any chance we could have the photos bigger rather than have to click on them? Think what has happened is you have copied the thumb img instead of the one above

Seffie x

 

[drsquirrel]

Yes i do intend on keeping corals Hence the light selection. Is this overkill for corals too? :\

Im thinking about doing a sunrise/sunset type thing... One hour of only 2 bulbs, then an hour of 4 bulbs then full power for certain amoutn of hours, then 4 bulbs , then 2. Then moonlights. However not 100% on this yet.

Still trying to get my hands on an RO supplier so i can do my top ups too :\ Going to ask my LFS's if they can help me out tomorrow.

Also trying to fix the photo issue now... No idea whats goin on though.

I asked about corals as this would be more than enough for just fish.
I'd stagger them too.

RO units can cost you as little as £50... granted filters need replacing too, but long run should be cheaper (and more convenient, no travel to lug water).

 

[indir-emir]

Ok seffie i will change that. I actually did it on purpose, in order to reduce space taken up and incase people were on a slower internet connection But im happy to change it either way. So will do that after this post.

Calibrated my refractometer, and tested the salinity of the tank. It is actually 1.028 now.. I think it may have evaporated a fair bit (though I will test the water source tomorrow and see what that is (need to get more for the sump fill up). How bad would it be to use treated tap water as the top up to reduce the salinity back to 1.025 (what im shooting for)?

And yeah i know that in eed to buy an RO unit, but cannot afford to dish it out right now (keeping my eyes out for a good deal though).


EDIT: Images are now fixed.

 

[seffieuk]

How bad would it be to use treated tap water as the top up to reduce the salinity back to 1.025 (what im shooting for)?

Just go buy yourself some ro water from your lfs - its cheap as chips test it though, so you know what you are putting in your tank probably is evaporation, mine is at an alarming rate at the moment. Don't start putting tap water in your tank, if you want any evidence why not, test it

Seffie x

 

[indir-emir]

What should i be testing for in the RO water?

And out of curiosity (because i WILL test it tomorrow lol), what am i testing for in the tap water?

 

[seffieuk]

Stick a TDS meter in and all the usual tests you would use on your tank including phosphate

Seffie x

 

[indir-emir]

Hmm do not have a TDS meter. Have the rest though :\ Time to see where and how much a TDS meter is. What exactly does it measure? Total Disolved Solids, but what does that mean?

 

[Morri]

TDs shows all the impurities in the water the higher the number the worst it is there are too many chemical added to tap water to use in a marine tank the water that is fit for us to drink is nowhere near as clean as needed for marine life to live in.

6 x T5s are good look at keeping LPS and SPS if you can keep your nutriants low Nitrate and Phosphates

Zoas and Rics will also be fine you may have issues with some of the leathers due to lights but you get (in my opionion) the nicer corals to keep

The first thing and main thing you need to master in a marine aquarium is water condtions once this is mastered everything else falls into place

 

[indir-emir]

I am staying away from zaos after reading that thread where the guy nearly died. No thanks :\ They look great but if their that toxic, im out.

Anyone heard of a green tree coral? LFS has a nice piece for nice price, considering getting it soon. Got the LFS to test my water a few times in the past few days, and has been 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5-10 nitrate. My test kits have not arrived yet, bloody pissed off with the store i bought it from.

Also are peppermint shrimp a good addition to the clean up crew?

 

[indir-emir]

I have what appears to be a peanut worm (closest ID but im not 100% sure it retreats fast with my flashlight). And i also have seen many worm like things that (as best i can describe them) is strands of white hair. Any one have any ideas on what this worm is?

Also would be good to get an answer for my previous post too

Thanks.