Moved To Marine - Yay

[petecrab]

I have now moved over to marine, got the tank set up, just doing the wait now!

Pete

 

[Chac]

I have now moved over to marine, got the tank set up, just doing the wait now!


Pete

You know it is the right thing to do Pete

Any chance of some Tank & Equipement Specs Pal

 

[petecrab]

Tank - RIO 180

im just trying to remmeber the details as i only just got it all

equipment
Juwel filter, rena filstar xp2 external filter, ummm i cant remember the details of everything else, my memory is bad.

I dont have a skimmer yet, can anybody reconmend one for my tank?

Pete

 

[Luke_e]

Always wondered, whats a skimmer for, an are the only used in marine tanks?

 

[Chac]

Tank - RIO 180

im just trying to remmeber the details as i only just got it all

equipment
Juwel filter, rena filstar xp2 external filter, ummm i cant remember the details of everything else, my memory is bad.

I dont have a skimmer yet, can anybody reconmend one for my tank?

Pete

Either a Deltec MCE600 or An Aquamedic Biostar Flotor

1 of my Tanks is a Rio 180 - very nice tank to set up

Always wondered, whats a skimmer for, an are the only used in marine tanks?

Quick description

A skimmer is another type of filtration it is an absoulte must (IMO) for a good tank, a skimmer removes uneaten food, and waste products from the tank (Proteins)
Now these proteins will always be in your tank, due to the fact that there is live in teh tank that neeeds to feed & poop, if left unattended these proteins will become toxic and kill all you livestock, so to stop this you must Protein Skim your tank and the instument to do this is a Tube/Box with tank water where air is constantly pumped throught it, on the top of this is a collection cup that collects the waste from your water (and boy is there waste, it is quite unbeleivable how much gunge actually comes out of a tank in a week)

New Skimmers use a pump to pump water throught the bottom of the Tube/Box and through a VENTURI Inlet, this causes millions of bubble in the water and basically the proteins are trapped on the bubble surface and as the foam/bubbles build it overspills and is deposited in to the cup, the cup will hold the Skimmate and isneeds to be cleaned regualarly, the skimmate should be either dark green (or black) and will smell real bad

Also with an overrated Skimmer you will be able to keep a slightly higher stocking level

Hope this answers your question Luke

Tank - RIO 180

im just trying to remmeber the details as i only just got it all

equipment
Juwel filter, rena filstar xp2 external filter,

Pete

What are you gonna be using the External filter for Pete

 

[Luke_e]

Cheers Chac, at least i know what people are talking about now. Thanks.

 

[petecrab]

Was just going to use the external filter as extra filtration...?

 

[Chac]

Ah right then, was gonna say that IMO they aint recommended for Biological Filtration as that is the job of Live Rock and a decent Flow, I use my external for Antiphos & Flow only

You will need a min. turnover (flow) IMO of 20x tank volume = 3600lph for a healthy reef tank, some peeps go lower, I go higher

 

[petecrab]

How do i measure that?

Pete

 

[Chac]

Just add the Litres per hour of your powerheads/Streams/external etc & add it together

The total (if you are aiming for 20x) - should be 3600lph or more

 

[Navarre]

Whilst 20x turnover is by no means overkill, it is also not the minimum. Its generally agreed across all popular marine forums that 10x tank volume is minimum.
So in a Rio 180 you want 1800 ltrs per hour turnover minimum.

However Chac is right to suggest you aim higher... the more flow the better in the tank.

Scrap the external they are just nitrate factories which is not what a reef tank needs. 40 gallon tank like a rio 180 will require a minimum of 20 kg of liverock.

 

[Chac]

Nav is absoulty correct, I did add MINIMUN when I shouldnt have, different Livestock do prefer varing degrees of flow.

I think I personanlly am a bit paranoid when it comes to water turn over, I am always concerned that it is to low & I regularly clean out my Stream/PH's just to make sure they dont get clogged.

So as Nav says 18000lth would be the minimum (10x) mine is currently running at 7020lph (39x) which sounds like a mini tornado, but all my livestock manage no probs, most of them quick like swimming against the front Stream current (6000lph), althought they never manage to get to the other side, they still jump back in and try again

I would also point out that althought powerheads/streams etc do all come with differing rating, I would be surprised if any of them actually deliver what they promise

 

[petecrab]

So you think i should just take the external filter out? if i did that would it be ok with just the juwel filter which IMO isnt the best!

COuld i leave the external in there just to add flow to the tank?

Does anybody know what the juwel filter gives out flow wise? just trying to work out the flow in my tank to see if i need to get powerhead today

Pete

found out the external filter gives out 300gbh, so if somebodyknows the juwel one then we can work it out

 

[bunjiweb]

pretty sure it is 600L/H for the Rio180.

I think you should probably get 1 powerhead to put underneath your live-rock to keep watermovement through there. At least another 600L/H. You ideally want a water turnover of 15, but at least 10. WIth what you have at the moment you are barely pushing 5 times an hour.

As for the external filter i completly disagree. Just fill it with biological media, DONT use sponges. Maybe 1 to polish the water but you have to remember to wash it weekly. If you are using the intenal filter you could fill it with bio-balls or ceramic tubes. Again more biological media is best.

Ben

 

[Chac]

Sorry Ben, dont agree on this one, I wouldnt add any Bio media to your External, I would just let your Live Rock do what you pay a good amount for.

Pete, If you wanna keep the External then i would only use it for to run a form of Phosphate removel

As for powerheads, give this site a lookie overeAquaNature Store , these are cheap altenatives to Streams, but they do take a couple of weeks to come from Singapore, I am sure that there is a UK supplier taking these in to stock at a reasonable price- I will find more info if you need me to

Also Pete I would get rid of the built in pump in the Rio as for a Marine tank it is no use, I would keep the housing a place your heater etc. in there as it will keep the tank tidy