30gal system change

je339999 · 06/12/2009, 09:16 AM

about 7yrs ago i bought a 30 gal hex w/ the best of intentions. bought live rock, a couple clowns, etc. never added corals. i kept it running for a couple years that way. over time i kind of let it go to heck and after about 2 more years i ended up with a bunch of rock covered in algae and 1 turbo snail. i quit turning the light on and the algae eventually died. so about 4 1/2 years passed and about jan. of this year i finally had a reason to get it going again and caught the reef bug all over again.
cleaned up the tank, the rock, basically started over. i added some damsels, hermits and turbos. recently added a couple clowns and all seems to be going ok.
last sun. i added a green zoanthid and he isnt faring the best (though the 3 damsels, 2 sebae clowns, 2 pep. shrimp, hermits and snails seem fine) so i am really starting to question my basic water quality. my current setup includes a 250W metal halide with a 20k radium light, reflector in a canopy built to fit the hex. 4" high powered fan to cool the canopy. im running a cpr bakpak 2 skimmer, and a koralia 3 powerhead near the bottom to increase circulation.
seem to currently be getting a lot of bubble algae, and my temp is running high (sometimes reaches 85!)
way back when i had planned on installing some major equipment (at the time) and purchased a reef devil skimmer w/ 17gallon sump (i believe its 17 gal, its just a bit smaller than a 55gal tank but water doesnt go near as high), a 1/3 hp artica chiller, 2 mag drive 7 pumps, and a cpr overflow box (was never sure about drilling the hex) none of this equipment has ever been used (cost at the time was about $2500) and i am really debating whether to hook it all up. im figuring it wouldnt cost that much more in electricity and may improve water quality enough to enable me to keep some serious corals with the tanks current residents.
as i consider going full bore with this several questions come to mind and guess im looking for lots of advice, opinions and answers.
1) is all this equipment overkill for a 30 gal hex (i have a 55gal tank i can use if i need it)?
2) will the cost of operating all this equip. prove worthwhile or will it really be a major increase not worth the time and trouble (i mean other than a bit of bubble algae that im fighting now it doesnt look too bad)? or should i just keep running the equp. i am running now and wait it out, see if thing improve? the emerald crabs will eventually get the bubble algae right?
3) do i have enough (and is it modern enough) equipment to accomplish this goal?
4) am i doing something else really wrong that makes the whole point mute?
5) am i nuts? all this money and havent even used the equipment!
6) will more better filtration and chiller really solve my problems?
7) would the best option be to hook all this up to the 55gal and basically start over? i really believe the hex will be beautiful if i work at it.
8) is there something i have forgotten or completely overlooked?

thanks for taking the time to read my long story, i really appreciate any and all help/constructive criticism and dont mean to be a pain.

06/12/2009, 09:16 AM	#1
je339999 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: omaha, ne Posts: 31	30gal system change about 7yrs ago i bought a 30 gal hex w/ the best of intentions. bought live rock, a couple clowns, etc. never added corals. i kept it running for a couple years that way. over time i kind of let it go to heck and after about 2 more years i ended up with a bunch of rock covered in algae and 1 turbo snail. i quit turning the light on and the algae eventually died. so about 4 1/2 years passed and about jan. of this year i finally had a reason to get it going again and caught the reef bug all over again. cleaned up the tank, the rock, basically started over. i added some damsels, hermits and turbos. recently added a couple clowns and all seems to be going ok. last sun. i added a green zoanthid and he isnt faring the best (though the 3 damsels, 2 sebae clowns, 2 pep. shrimp, hermits and snails seem fine) so i am really starting to question my basic water quality. my current setup includes a 250W metal halide with a 20k radium light, reflector in a canopy built to fit the hex. 4" high powered fan to cool the canopy. im running a cpr bakpak 2 skimmer, and a koralia 3 powerhead near the bottom to increase circulation. seem to currently be getting a lot of bubble algae, and my temp is running high (sometimes reaches 85!) way back when i had planned on installing some major equipment (at the time) and purchased a reef devil skimmer w/ 17gallon sump (i believe its 17 gal, its just a bit smaller than a 55gal tank but water doesnt go near as high), a 1/3 hp artica chiller, 2 mag drive 7 pumps, and a cpr overflow box (was never sure about drilling the hex) none of this equipment has ever been used (cost at the time was about $2500) and i am really debating whether to hook it all up. im figuring it wouldnt cost that much more in electricity and may improve water quality enough to enable me to keep some serious corals with the tanks current residents. as i consider going full bore with this several questions come to mind and guess im looking for lots of advice, opinions and answers. 1) is all this equipment overkill for a 30 gal hex (i have a 55gal tank i can use if i need it)? 2) will the cost of operating all this equip. prove worthwhile or will it really be a major increase not worth the time and trouble (i mean other than a bit of bubble algae that im fighting now it doesnt look too bad)? or should i just keep running the equp. i am running now and wait it out, see if thing improve? the emerald crabs will eventually get the bubble algae right? 3) do i have enough (and is it modern enough) equipment to accomplish this goal? 4) am i doing something else really wrong that makes the whole point mute? 5) am i nuts? all this money and havent even used the equipment! 6) will more better filtration and chiller really solve my problems? 7) would the best option be to hook all this up to the 55gal and basically start over? i really believe the hex will be beautiful if i work at it. 8) is there something i have forgotten or completely overlooked? thanks for taking the time to read my long story, i really appreciate any and all help/constructive criticism and dont mean to be a pain.