If You Are New to Reef Central, Introduce Yourself Here! - Page 33

Michael · 08/30/2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hop
Just wanted to say and be the 800th post

you beat waterkeeper to it

WaterKeeper · 08/30/2009, 06:08 AM

Only by 3 and who get up at 2 AM to post anyway.

TrucknReefer · 08/30/2009, 08:26 AM

Hey everyone, been building my 29gal reef for the last 6 months or so and have been pretty successful.. i have a 10 gal sump/fuge that i just got a light for so i can start growin things in there..i have 2 tank raised false perc clowns a handfull of snails and recently just started seeing slugs. a medium sized brittle star and a peppermint shrimp..coral i have a very nice green torch, a rock covered in yellow polyps, some purple shrooms, green candycane, some xenia, 2 small unknown polys, and a very small frag of sort of sps that was thought to be dying by the lfs

WaterKeeper · 08/30/2009, 01:37 PM

Hi Truckn

To Reef Central

Sounds like the tank is doing well.

Paul B · 08/30/2009, 04:11 PM

Greetings Truckn

Michael · 08/31/2009, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul B
Greetings Truckn

welcome to rc paul

JShearer83 · 08/31/2009, 03:32 PM

Hey Everyone. I'm Jay, and I'm a law sudent. I am pretty new at this, but I did previously have freshwater tanks and one poor attempt at saltwater. I live near the ocean and I love fish, fishing, and surfing. I have read a book or two on marine aquariums, so hopefully I understand the basics. However, as mentioned, I am poor student, so I am attempting to collect my own seawater and my own fish. I want to create a truely local tank. . . yes I know it is a bad idea...but I'm also stubborn. My tank has been running for 2 months now. I collected the seawater and then filtered it with 5 micron filter media. I've collected local snails, crabs, and a few fish. I have done my first water change with more seawater, but I am now considering making my own water for subsequent water changes. I am currently treating my tank with copper and giving my 3 jacks freshwater baths to get rid of the parasites (the fish are rubbing on rocks and they have small white specks on them). I am already learning my lesson for trying to do my own collections! It would be great if anyone had any advice. Any thoughts?

Here is what I'm working with:
55 gal tank
wet/dry sump with bioballs
~30 lbs of rock (no liverock)
one powerhead
32 w florescent (i think) light

*I am about to purchase a protein skimmer...I am considering either (1) a Coralife 65, (2) a Sealife Systems 150, or (3) a Berlin X2 Venturi.

Any suggestions?

Hagisan · 08/31/2009, 04:51 PM

Hello everyone!

My name is Bradley (aka Hägisan) and new to RC.

I'm just getting back into the hobby after 13 years after assisting a friend start up his first reef tank.

I once owned a custom aquarium and maintenance business that lasted 3 years.

Currently our family has a 30g with breeding pair of Maroon Clowns w/ some anemones, shrimp and blue Damsel, a new 90g reef setup in the cycling process, 14g biocube mini reef, and 10g planted show w/ green high-fin pleco.

Aquarist007 · 08/31/2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JShearer83
Hey Everyone. I'm Jay, and I'm a law sudent. I am pretty new at this, but I did previously have freshwater tanks and one poor attempt at saltwater. I live near the ocean and I love fish, fishing, and surfing. I have read a book or two on marine aquariums, so hopefully I understand the basics. However, as mentioned, I am poor student, so I am attempting to collect my own seawater and my own fish. I want to create a truely local tank. . . yes I know it is a bad idea...but I'm also stubborn. My tank has been running for 2 months now. I collected the seawater and then filtered it with 5 micron filter media. I've collected local snails, crabs, and a few fish. I have done my first water change with more seawater, but I am now considering making my own water for subsequent water changes. I am currently treating my tank with copper and giving my 3 jacks freshwater baths to get rid of the parasites (the fish are rubbing on rocks and they have small white specks on them). I am already learning my lesson for trying to do my own collections! It would be great if anyone had any advice. Any thoughts?

Here is what I'm working with:
55 gal tank
wet/dry sump with bioballs
~30 lbs of rock (no liverock)
one powerheadthen
32 w florescent (i think) light

*I am about to purchase a protein skimmer...I am considering either (1) a Coralife 65, (2) a Sealife Systems 150, or (3) a Berlin X2 Venturi.ny suggestions?

If you are currently treating your tank with copper you will probably lose all your inverts and the rock will be usless too.
Copper medications should be used to treat fish in a quaratine tank for the reasons above. This will probably cost you to and I feel bad for you on a limited budget.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if the tank was mine I would be starting over with live rock and naturally letting the tank cycle for 3 weeks--then adding inverts etc again.

Hopefully we can help you here from further mistakes or give you other opinions on your situation

To Reef Central

Aquarist007 · 08/31/2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hagisan
Hello everyone!

My name is Bradley (aka Hägisan) and new to RC.

I'm just getting back into the hobby after 13 years after assisting a friend start up his first reef tank.

I once owned a custom aquarium and maintenance business that lasted 3 years.

Currently our family has a 30g with breeding pair of Maroon Clowns w/ some anemones, shrimp and blue Damsel, a new 90g reef setup in the cycling process, 14g biocube mini reef, and 10g planted show w/ green high-fin pleco.

welcome back into the hobby. Imo reef keeping is an addiction for some people. It just takes that first help, first look at a neat tank or fish and you fall off the wagon again

To Reef Central

Paul B · 08/31/2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

I want to create a truely local tank. . . yes I know it is a bad idea...

Jay, Not a bad idea at all. I have always had a local New York tank. It is easier where you are.
You can treat with copper as long as you are just going to put fish in there. If you want to add inverts you will have to change that rock. In time the copper will come out of the rock but where you live I think you can manage to get all the free rock you want.
As soon as you get some good natural food into those fish for a while, your ich problems should be over. You need to de-stress those fish with a secure home and some food that is loaded with oil like live blackworms or fish roe.
It gets much easier in time

capo larzo · 08/31/2009, 06:10 PM

Hey
I've been viewing for months but only started posting today. Enjoy all facets of the saltwater, first and foremost sharks and rays. I have a 12 foot sharkpool. But I also have my nano reef! Trying to become more and more knowledgable in every niche of this great hobby

Aquarist007 · 08/31/2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul B
Jay, Not a bad idea at all. I have always had a local New York tank. It is easier where you are.
You can treat with copper as long as you are just going to put fish in there. If you want to add inverts you will have to change that rock. In time the copper will come out of the rock but where you live I think you can manage to get all the free rock you want.
As soon as you get some good natural food into those fish for a while, your ich problems should be over. You need to de-stress those fish with a secure home and some food that is loaded with oil like live blackworms or fish roe.
It gets much easier in time

thanks for the second opinion Paul---since they have already started using copper in the display tank I think the inverts already in there will die so they might as well drain the tank and start over with new live rock????
Although I think WK has a more liberal approach to reusing copper loaded live rock?

Aquarist007 · 08/31/2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capo larzo
Hey
I've been viewing for months but only started posting today. Enjoy all facets of the saltwater, first and foremost sharks and rays. I have a 12 foot sharkpool. But I also have my nano reef! Trying to become more and more knowledgable in every niche of this great hobby

wow--interesting--can you post some pics of the sharks and stingrays. While you are at it invite water keeper over for a swim in the tank

To Reef Central

JShearer83 · 09/01/2009, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
If you are currently treating your tank with copper you will probably lose all your inverts and the rock will be usless too.
Copper medications should be used to treat fish in a quaratine tank for the reasons above. This will probably cost you to and I feel bad for you on a limited budget.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if the tank was mine I would be starting over with live rock and naturally letting the tank cycle for 3 weeks--then adding inverts etc again.

Hopefully we can help you here from further mistakes or give you other opinions on your situation

To Reef Central

I started treating my tank with Mardel Coppersafe about a week and a half ago, the label claims it will not kill my good bacteria. So far all of my crab and snails are fine....should I put activated carbon filter back in to remove the copper? Collecting live rock is illegal from my understanding. I am not trying to keep anything fancy, just local fish, shrimp, crabs, and snails.....Any advice on how to salvage? I really do not want to start over and have to get new rock.

Paul B · 09/01/2009, 08:30 AM

That is true, it will not kill bacteria. I don't think it will kill all of the paracites either. Coppersafe is not really a pure form of copper. It is Chleated which helps it be safe for fish and some inverts but it also makes it safe for paracites which are also inverts.
If you used real copper, the snails would be toast almost immediately and the crabs would last a couple of days.
I would use some carbon and you should not have to lost the rock.
Collecting rock from the sea is illegal in most places but where you are the stuff is all over the place on land. You would just have to clean it to use in the tank. It will become live very shortly as long as you have some live rock in there especially being you can use NSW.

JShearer83 · 09/01/2009, 08:38 AM

NSW? Have you heard of people putting rock in the ocean to create live rock? I have a dock and could easily do this. Is it advisable? I appreciate the the help.

Paul B · 09/01/2009, 09:36 AM

I would. I take stuff from my dock all the time

WaterKeeper · 09/01/2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JShearer83
NSW? Have you heard of people putting rock in the ocean to create live rock? I have a dock and could easily do this. Is it advisable? I appreciate the the help.

There are several companies that aquaculture rock in similar fashion in Florida. Should work fine.

JShearer83 · 09/01/2009, 10:21 AM

Is there a good place to do some research on doing my own aquaculture rock? I would just tie a rope to my rocks and put them in a fast moving current off the dock, but my novice ideas have been getting me into trouble. How long should I leave them there? Thanks again for the tips!

Paul B · 09/01/2009, 11:32 AM

The longer, the better

wishfish · 09/01/2009, 11:51 AM

I've been reading RC about DI and RO water and auto top off of s/w and replacement fresh water and pumping, float switches, controllers for sensing water levels, specific gravity, etc. -
--doesn't a lot of the fresh water evaporate, therefore just fresh needs to be added every day or week to maintain the water level? In my fish only tanks of the past, I never adequately resolved this issue. For a reef, does one need both a salt water supply and freshwater supply and top off from both based upon the specific gravity you have in your tank water and based upon the water level? How does one go about this if it is a really big tank like 100+ gallons? Some type of specially switched pump with sensors that tell a valve to pump in fresh or salt water (ASW?)? I am super confused about this issue and know that for a reef, it is very important to maintain the correc S.G., alkalinity, and pH. Please help. I am extremely dangerous to my animals and inverts unless I can get a good handle on this issue.

---Wishfish

Paul B · 09/01/2009, 12:24 PM

You just need to replace fresh water, the salt stays there unless you change water. You need to replace a little saltwater that is lost by skimming but this is usually replaced by water changes.
I have a 100 gallon tank which evaporates a little more than a gallon a day. I have a float switch that replaces the water with fresh ro/di water. About a drop every five seconds enters my tank to make up for evaporation.
You can just add water every day manually if you are home every day. A gallon or two does not make a big difference in a 100 gallon tank but an auto fill is best.

wishfish · 09/01/2009, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul B
You just need to replace fresh water, the salt stays there unless you change water. You need to replace a little saltwater that is lost by skimming but this is usually replaced by water changes.
I have a 100 gallon tank which evaporates a little more than a gallon a day. I have a float switch that replaces the water with fresh ro/di water. About a drop every five seconds enters my tank to make up for evaporation.
You can just add water every day manually if you are home every day. A gallon or two does not make a big difference in a 100 gallon tank but an auto fill is best.

Thanks a lot, Paul B - That is great to hear. Do you ever have a problem with the RO DI producing too much water, say, while you are away for a couple of days?
I also thought that the water changes would be made with the auto top up too?

So that the changes could be made incrementally instead of mixing up a huge batch of water each week or so? Is this possible? Does anyone do this? It seems like a good thing to be able to top up daily and accomplish the water changes at the same time? I guess you'd have to have a big bucket of ASW heated, mixed, and tested for several things sitting there with a pump/hose/line in it going to the tank. Don't people have the Neptune and other controllers doing this type of thing or is the wiring real complicated? As I said, I never really got good water changes or display tank water levels consistent or correct. I appreciate any help you can give. I see you have had a reef going since 1972? Holy moly! Also, you are a lobster too? I go for them down here in S. Florida but just with mask & snorkel.

Paul B · 09/01/2009, 05:59 PM

I don't make too much water. I built a shut off switch on my water tank.

I don't know what you mean by incremently changing water.
You do need to mix up whatever amount you want to change like 30 gallons at one time. You can't really change tiny amounts a day. Well I guess you can but I think a larger change would be better and much easier

08/30/2009, 06:08 AM	#802
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Only by 3 and who get up at 2 AM to post anyway. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

08/30/2009, 01:37 PM	#804
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Hi Truckn *To Reef Central* Sounds like the tank is doing well. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

08/30/2009, 04:11 PM	#805
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Greetings Truckn __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

08/31/2009, 04:51 PM	#808
Hagisan Preparing to move on... Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wilton, CA Posts: 697	Hello all! Hello everyone! My name is Bradley (aka Hägisan) and new to RC. I'm just getting back into the hobby after 13 years after assisting a friend start up his first reef tank. I once owned a custom aquarium and maintenance business that lasted 3 years. Currently our family has a 30g with breeding pair of Maroon Clowns w/ some anemones, shrimp and blue Damsel, a new 90g reef setup in the cycling process, 14g biocube mini reef, and 10g planted show w/ green high-fin pleco.

09/01/2009, 08:30 AM	#816
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	That is true, it will not kill bacteria. I don't think it will kill all of the paracites either. Coppersafe is not really a pure form of copper. It is Chleated which helps it be safe for fish and some inverts but it also makes it safe for paracites which are also inverts. If you used real copper, the snails would be toast almost immediately and the crabs would last a couple of days. I would use some carbon and you should not have to lost the rock. Collecting rock from the sea is illegal in most places but where you are the stuff is all over the place on land. You would just have to clean it to use in the tank. It will become live very shortly as long as you have some live rock in there especially being you can use NSW. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

08/30/2009, 08:26 AM	#803
TrucknReefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1	Hey everyone, been building my 29gal reef for the last 6 months or so and have been pretty successful.. i have a 10 gal sump/fuge that i just got a light for so i can start growin things in there..i have 2 tank raised false perc clowns a handfull of snails and recently just started seeing slugs. a medium sized brittle star and a peppermint shrimp..coral i have a very nice green torch, a rock covered in yellow polyps, some purple shrooms, green candycane, some xenia, 2 small unknown polys, and a very small frag of sort of sps that was thought to be dying by the lfs

08/31/2009, 03:32 PM	#807
JShearer83 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St. Augustine, Florida Posts: 58	Hey Everyone. I'm Jay, and I'm a law sudent. I am pretty new at this, but I did previously have freshwater tanks and one poor attempt at saltwater. I live near the ocean and I love fish, fishing, and surfing. I have read a book or two on marine aquariums, so hopefully I understand the basics. However, as mentioned, I am poor student, so I am attempting to collect my own seawater and my own fish. I want to create a truely local tank. . . yes I know it is a bad idea...but I'm also stubborn. My tank has been running for 2 months now. I collected the seawater and then filtered it with 5 micron filter media. I've collected local snails, crabs, and a few fish. I have done my first water change with more seawater, but I am now considering making my own water for subsequent water changes. I am currently treating my tank with copper and giving my 3 jacks freshwater baths to get rid of the parasites (the fish are rubbing on rocks and they have small white specks on them). I am already learning my lesson for trying to do my own collections! It would be great if anyone had any advice. Any thoughts? Here is what I'm working with: 55 gal tank wet/dry sump with bioballs ~30 lbs of rock (no liverock) one powerhead 32 w florescent (i think) light *I am about to purchase a protein skimmer...I am considering either (1) a Coralife 65, (2) a Sealife Systems 150, or (3) a Berlin X2 Venturi. Any suggestions?

08/31/2009, 06:10 PM	#812
capo larzo Moved On Join Date: May 2009 Location: new york Posts: 116	Hey I've been viewing for months but only started posting today. Enjoy all facets of the saltwater, first and foremost sharks and rays. I have a 12 foot sharkpool. But I also have my nano reef! Trying to become more and more knowledgable in every niche of this great hobby

09/01/2009, 08:38 AM	#817
JShearer83 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St. Augustine, Florida Posts: 58	NSW? Have you heard of people putting rock in the ocean to create live rock? I have a dock and could easily do this. Is it advisable? I appreciate the the help.

09/01/2009, 09:36 AM	#818
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	I would. I take stuff from my dock all the time __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

09/01/2009, 10:21 AM	#820
JShearer83 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St. Augustine, Florida Posts: 58	Is there a good place to do some research on doing my own aquaculture rock? I would just tie a rope to my rocks and put them in a fast moving current off the dock, but my novice ideas have been getting me into trouble. How long should I leave them there? Thanks again for the tips!

09/01/2009, 11:32 AM	#821
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	The longer, the better __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

09/01/2009, 11:51 AM	#822
wishfish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Palm Bch. Gdns., FL Posts: 47	horrible newbie question! I've been reading RC about DI and RO water and auto top off of s/w and replacement fresh water and pumping, float switches, controllers for sensing water levels, specific gravity, etc. - --doesn't a lot of the fresh water evaporate, therefore just fresh needs to be added every day or week to maintain the water level? In my fish only tanks of the past, I never adequately resolved this issue. For a reef, does one need both a salt water supply and freshwater supply and top off from both based upon the specific gravity you have in your tank water and based upon the water level? How does one go about this if it is a really big tank like 100+ gallons? Some type of specially switched pump with sensors that tell a valve to pump in fresh or salt water (ASW?)? I am super confused about this issue and know that for a reef, it is very important to maintain the correc S.G., alkalinity, and pH. Please help. I am extremely dangerous to my animals and inverts unless I can get a good handle on this issue. ---Wishfish

09/01/2009, 12:24 PM	#823
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	You just need to replace fresh water, the salt stays there unless you change water. You need to replace a little saltwater that is lost by skimming but this is usually replaced by water changes. I have a 100 gallon tank which evaporates a little more than a gallon a day. I have a float switch that replaces the water with fresh ro/di water. About a drop every five seconds enters my tank to make up for evaporation. You can just add water every day manually if you are home every day. A gallon or two does not make a big difference in a 100 gallon tank but an auto fill is best. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

09/01/2009, 05:59 PM	#825
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	I don't make too much water. I built a shut off switch on my water tank. I don't know what you mean by incremently changing water. You do need to mix up whatever amount you want to change like 30 gallons at one time. You can't really change tiny amounts a day. Well I guess you can but I think a larger change would be better and much easier __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971