Nathan Explosion

found this at walmart for $8 in the car department. you can angle each light.

found this cigarette adapter at the 99cent store next door ..............for uh..... 99cents.

it looks like something walmart should carry too, but i found it at 99c first!

DONE . lol

I am sold!

Results? VOILA!!!!! it was one of the strongest moonlights i ever had! GLOWING!!

- Now the tank is just as a show at night as in the daytime. I angled them at the frogspawns and other luminescent corals.

- Makes the greens greener, blues bluer, and oranges... orangier, etc.. it's not just a flat blue w/ other moonlight brands.

- my orange monti caps glows a very strong tangerine color, but my cheapo camera couldn't get a justifiable picture (looks like a good-lookin ric).

...blows this P.O.S. away ! (which was already installed b4 adding the new lights). it was sooo weaaak compared to the walmart light.

(on sale on Dr.F&S for $15/unit + $11 link + $9s/h)

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+1 to this. The cause is most likely excess nutrients and light.

The article sounds a bit scary. If you are raising a tank parameter high enough to "melt" a living plant in the tank, I would imagine it could do significant damage to corals (which have "plants" inside them). Or at least cause significant stress to the non-hair algae in the tank.

My solution when I had a hair algae attack, was:

1) Treat the cause (in my case, water quality .. switched to my own RO/DI water, and added a skimmer).

2) Added more turbo snails. They ignored the hair algae for a few weeks, then BAM!, it tasted like candy to them. Cleaned up the 24g in a matter of days.

thats where my problems are at rite now, green algae. its kinda coarse hair that grows like little shrubs that i can pluck but my snails clean around it, i think they are spoiled and only eat the tastiest of algae in my tank

The only thing directly on my way home is the Salt Lick.

(Ok, sorry for hi-jacking your thread ... back to helping the tank setup).

Is there a reason you are looking at both the sump and the in-line filters? The inline filters seem a bit overkill, you could put the heater and chemical medial in bags in the sump.

i just was going with the some filtration is good and more is better, would get the sump or the inline filters? one reason i like the inline filters is that i (at least i think) i dont have to get my tank drilled and they just look like a neat and clean setup. I could be totally wrong with that

you need a RCA up in minnesota!

$ the way i look at it is if i get stuff here and there for the next year i wont even blink at spending a couple thousand. but all at once is a different story, i guess i am wondering what kind of system is best for a reef in that area, what do you guys have because your tanks are AMAZING! i enjoy looking at all the pics and it makes me a little envious. ALSO i have discovered i bet everyone here knows this already) that using a black light also makes colors jump out, does anyone else use a black light with their tank?

Hey, those are really cool! Might have to look are supplementing my current lighting with some of these.

thanks for the advice! As for the LED's on doctors fosters and smith i get the mags and have seen them, they look cool but you can build and install them in your current fixture for like a 1/10th the price literally, they are so easy! thats why i was asking about them. and using rite around 225 if them instead of 4 like you get. you can also get blue ones that are almost the same spectrum as the acentic ( i cant spell).

here is the filter system i was thinking about putting in let me know what everyone thinks...............

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=18999

in conjunction with..................................

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=13648

So I think I have a good handle on how to keep a saltwater tank going. I have started with a FOWLR tank and had good success, now I have been getting some corals (noen green starburst, mushrooms, leather's, zoas) with good success also. I want to start getting into the larger reef set up. So I am gonna be building my own stand, and building a custom light, and I need some advice and pointers that other people wish they would of known when they started.

My first thing is that i konw slow is better. I dont plan on stocking it to the max rite away, i mite have a couple of fish 6 line wrassel, mandarin dragonette (i had one for 3 years till my seal went out and drained my tank on my floor ) some green chromis, and fire fish.

LIGHTING- I am an electrician and also have had experience with digital electronics technician exp. I am gonna build my own light (not 100% for sure on that yet) but was wondering for a 75 gallon tank I hear people saying like 8 watts a gallon. I was wondering where people get their supplys for that stuff, what light spectrum (in general) corals prefer. The only reason I ask is because I am thinking about instead of using MH or VHO I might use LED's (like hundreds of them) and they will cover the spectrum with over half the watts being used. But I need to know the spectrum that (in general) corals thrive on.

TANK- All I know about the tank rite now is that it is either gonna be a 75 or 90 gallon, dont know if its glass or acryl. but i know that the filtration is gonna be a sump and it needs to be drilled. Anything else i should maybe know or you would reccomend? i am just looking for ideas on how to do this the rite way this time.

FILTRATION- Is gonna be a sump. This area I dont know anything about, this is where the most advice would be helpful. I want the skimmer to be able to used inside the sump. I want an extremely clean looking tank ( no cords or pipes that obscure the view) When I build the custom stand I will be plumbing all hard lines in, around, and under the tank. Power heads, what kind are good and economical. This part to me is the most important, is there a set up that you guys use that works great, or a set up that you wish you bought?

STAND- I am building a custom stand, its going to have a 1.75" thick granite slab for the top with pre drilled holes for the plumbing, then 4"x4" uprites, a 29 gallon ( the tank i have now ) QT. the whole front will be removable, as will the sides for easy servicing. Anything that you would reccomend that you wish your stand had? what else should i be wanting to put inside? filtrattion is the area where the help is needed the most.

i have come to realise that planning is the way to go. when i first got into fish tanks i had NO idea on what to do, everything was trial and error. and if i could do it over i would of saved a lot of time and $ in the process. i plan by next year having this thing up and going. not even stocked, just the tank rock and water. thanks for the input, it is much needed. if you have any ? just let me know.

Thanks.

I'm thinking of putting one in my laundry room using the lines for the washing machine and running the output through the wall to the garage to a container out there.

No convenient access to power in that area, so that should work well.

the only time they mite require power is for a small jockey pump to up the pressure, if you have poor water pressure then some of the ro/di units have them as an option. at least the ones i saw in dr fosters and smith did. but i am no pro at this either.

Tap water is fine as long as you treat it for chlorine.

Algae is caused by nutrients. You need to increase you nutrient export and decrease the inport. How many fish do you have and how often do you feed?

The Fluval is probably not doing you any good. In fact it can act as a breeding ground for nutrient producers.

More water changes and a better skimmer will help. There is no magic panacea for algae.

If you are worried about you tap water, get it tested. You should also test you tank water. That will give you a good idea where the nasties are coming from.

Adding a RO or RO/DI unit is a great way to go. You will know exactly what is (or is not) in your water. Of course you have to supplement lots more calcium for what the carbon sucks out of the tap water.

i have one blue damsel (spell?) i feed him about every other day, i change 5 gallons a week, my tap water tested for some ammonia ( i use a additive), i use a phosphate sponge (kent marine), the tank is not exposed to outside light, ph is steady with regular water changes, i have never taken my water anywhere to get tested. the problem more arose when i got corals and went for having my lights of 2 hours a day to 10-12 hours a day. maybe i should cut back the light to like 8 hours then maybe 6?

So I have a little problem with some green algae. I have a fuval 305 and a seaclone 100 skimmer for filtration on a 29 gallon tank. Still have algae growing in the tank thats just on the rocks and its starting to get annoying water clarity is great but just algae on the rocks is ugly to me and is hindering the growth of some of the corals (not getting the light) i use to remove it by scrubbing the rocks. i cant do that now with out exposion the corals to air. i have like 10 snails 15 hermit crabs 1 larger crab (dont even know what kind) and they dont even make a dent in it.

so i am thinking it could be my tap water so i was looking at ro/di units and they are spendy and i dont think i have the h2o pressure required at the faucet. so do you think water from a water delivery company would be just as good ( or at least better to off set what i am using now) or should i just get the ro/di unit and be done with it. $ is kind of a object, but if i have spent a boat load on this tank the last 5 years, why stop now?

So recently i have been watching the condition of my water get worse and worse every day, i did a test today and my pH was like 7, i have never had that problem before, ever. then i test my tap water and that tested like 7.5 (about) a little lower then usual. my big concern is that i have no idea how to adjust the pH. need some tips in the worst way.

recently i noticed after i got a new filter (fuval 305) and a protien skimmer (seaclon 100) the condition of my water changes more rapidly. wondering if i mite have to give the new filter time to built up the biological filtration side (or maybe that has nothing to do with it). i dont know. i usually do a 3-5 gallon water change every week and try and keep it as neat and clean as possible.

also i mite buy a RO/DI unit and the one i was looking at was a coral life (copy and paste in browser)

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=12093

item # CD-18783 50 gpd 4-stage

tell me (cause you usually know better then i) if this is a good deal or if there is a better one for about the same $

i am running out of ideas, i got new bulbs for my light, new filter, protien skimmer, and i am having more trouble then when i just had my emperor 280 filter and a heater

rite now i have a Emperor 280(4 years old) and a Seaclon 100 skimmer(1 month old) going, which works fine, but i am looking to upgrade. i know there are many different types and styles of filters . i am looking at going from a FOWLR tank to a reef tank. i have a couple of filters in mind but i want to know what everyone else reccomends. someone at a local pet store reccomended a Fuval 305, another reccomended a sump w/refugium, there are a lot of choices. i only have 1 fish, so feeding is at a minimal (once every 2-3 days). just kinda wondering about operating costs, ease of finding replacement media, ease of use of filter set up. i want to keep it around $200, rite now i still use tap water but will be switching to a RD/DI unit as soon as i close on my house (going from an apt to a house - YA!) that way i can just plumb it rite in. thats a whole different ordeal anyway.

as always thanks for the help!

peanut worm?

are those bad for a tank? what "takes care" of them?

Here the pics of those pesky and ugly worms i have discovered lately. I hope it helps.

But all movie referances aside (that was off Dumb and Dumber") I do have some type of worm in my tank, my light turned on this am and I saw these things comming out of my rocks going into the substrate, at first it was just one of them about a month ago. And now there were like 5 of them.

They are a pail white color and about the diameter of......... (trying to think of a good comparison)........ a #2 pencil lead, not the wooden part but just the lead part its self. They are about 3" long that hang out of the rock, and look like tight guitar string comming out of the rock, and usually are only active at night time , just kinda wondering if people know what they are and if the are good or bad. Tell ya the truth they kinda gross me out.

Any reccomendations on a reef safe fish that would eat them, or an invertabrite, or some thing, i will try to get a pic of them tomarrow.

Yes get an RO/DI! Will save you headaches and money in the long run. Like Andrew said if you are doing weekly water changes I would not add any of that stuff either except maybe the calcium. Just test it to see if it needs extra calcium. Should be around 400.

What kind of test do you do (sorry i am a beginner ) are they like strips or drops or is it like hydrometer (spell?)

Don't dose anything you're not testing for. If you're doing 5 gal weekly water changes, you shouldn't need to add any of that. You might need to dose calcium if you have a lot of calcium demanding corals.

REALLY!?!?!?!? glad to know, i have a small problem with amonia in my tap water, had it tested and its like .25 to .50, so i am thinking about getting RO/DI water now, would I still not dose? sorry for all the questions. thanks a million!

This is what I have so far:

My Tank set up:

29 gallon tank

Current 130W light with SunPaq Dual Daylight (6700°K/10000°K) and Dual Actinic (420 nm and 460 nm) bulbs

Emporer 280 filter (carbon filter) and (kent marine phosphate sponge also)

Seaclone 100 skimmer

200 watt heater

20-30 lbs of live rock

30 lbs of live sand (crushed coral)

Livestock:

1 flame angle

1 blue damsel (blue devil )

1 (frag) mushroom coral (about 6-8 mushrooms on it, type? will be posting a pic soon)

Adding to the water:

iodine (kent) 1/2 cap full a week

coral-vite (kent) 6 drops a week

calcium (kent) 6 drops a week

strontium & molybdenum 4-6 drops every 3-5 days

Maintainance

I will do weekly water changes of 5 gallons almost every week

My light is on about 6 hours a day

I have owned a saltwater FOWLR tank for about 4 years and now decided to get into reef keeping

Let me know what I should or should not be doing with my tank to prepare for more coarls, ANY advice will help, money is not a real big issue, time wont be an issue, espically when winter rolls around and it freaking -50F outside!

Well I am just getting into the reef set up. I have a 29 gallon tank with an Emperor 280 filter, a Current 130W light (t5 I think) with lunar led's, about 20-25 lbs of live rock, and about 2 inches of live sand for substrate, 200W heater (i do live in MN) and i just added a Seaclone 100 protien skimmer.

For fish i just have one flame angle and a blue damsel who kills anything else in the tank smaller then him. so once the fish live out their natrual lives i am moving on to corals.

I first wondered if my skimmer was supose to add tons of bubbles into my tank, i know how they work and what they do but i didnt think that the bubbles would be deposited into my tank. there is nothing wrong with that except they get caught up in my live rock and stay there

next i am looking to turn it into a reef tank and was looking for some good starter corals, something very colorful, and need some ideas, the pet stores around here have no idea what they are talking about and i just need some general advice on what types of coral need what to feed on (if anything at all besides trace elements).

anything helps, i do weekly water changes of 5 gallons almost every week so my water is almost always in good condition, i try and not overfeed, i just need help with the corals and how they grow and placement so i dont want just rush into this with out thinking (again)! money and time are not really a concern, i just wanna do this rite.

NOV 7

got a new filter B) i couldnt spend the $ like i wanted on a sump but it was a fuval 305. my old one was 4 years old and it was on its last leg. i also bought new bulbs, the color difference was amazing. i am an electrician and i always heard about the spectrum changing but the difference was amazing i got some xenia, starburst polyps, zoas, mushrooms and leather corals (got pics up) they are all doing well except the xenia whitch died in like 2 weeks but there is a Baby one growing (like 1/4" tall and has like 4 arms) so that might take off. thats about it, oh ya...... i am down to my last fish (**** blue devil) and after he is gone not sure what (if any) to get.

Welcome to the club!

The only fish you have that might pose a problem for corals is the flame angel. I had one that loved the taste of SPS, but I know others who have them with no issues. You could probably get Zoas and have no issues. They are toxic so he should leave them alone. They will also do fine under the lighting you have.

The main thing I would look into is getting a skimmer. That will be much more beneficial to your tank than the Emperor. HTH

i do a weekly waterchange of 5 gallons. that usually keeps my water in check, but yes i do want one because i think it will help my cause a bunch, plus added water flow. i am looking into getting some "green flowerpot coral" or some "green star polyp" i just need general advice on corals because i dont know anybody with this hobby. good advice is hard to get up here.

So i am new to the ARC and it looks like there are a lot of people here that enjoy what they do! being form MN there are not a lot of places for me to go and look and buy saltwater items. i currently have a 30 gallon tank, 200w heater (remember i am from MN!) a Current 130watt light w/ luner leds, Emperor 280 filter. I also have about 30 lbs of live rock. I have 1 flame angle, 1 blue damsel, and 1 fire fish.

When the last of my fish live their natural lives i plan on changing my tank to a reef tank. does anybody have any pointers on starting out with corals, LPS, SPS, cleaner packs? Just beginner stuff like that so i get a feel for what to do. Anything helps!

I to have the same thing growing in my tank. After a long search online I think its called Codium edule. I am trying to find a way to get rid of it because of the looks. I keep removing it off the front the rocks in my tank but the back has quite a bit of it. Does anybody know of anything animal that eats it? I read that a some people want it to grow in their refugium. So if you want any let me know and I will be happy to part with as much as possible. Will be adding a pic of it in a day or two.