Filtration Help needed

gilbertjanke · 03/09/2008, 09:15 PM

Im working on getting parts together to start a 30g reef tank. Im not using a sump, or an all in one. Just old skool style with a painted black background to hide most of my gear. Im going to use a bunch of Live Rock, Live Sand, and a protein skimmer for filtration, what else if anything besides water changes should i use? I will also be using powerheads to avoid dead spots.

Is a protein skimmer enough?
Should i also use a HOB or Canister filter?

Any ideas? What would you do?

Thanks in advance

Blown 346 · 03/09/2008, 09:27 PM

I would avoid Livesand, just go with dry Araganite base sand, it will become live with the liverock.

I would avoid canister filters as they can become a problem with nitrates. For the price you will pay for the canister filter you can make your own sump for and pocket money.

agean109 · 03/09/2008, 09:32 PM

I would like to know also. I have just started a 28 g bowfront with 2" live sand and 2" crushed coral, 23 lbs live rock, fission protein skimmer, 30 gal bio wheel filtration and a 6" air wand buried in back of tank. It is stocked with 2 Bangii Cardinals, 1 Maroon Clown, 1 anemone (unidentified at present but clown took to it within seconds of it being put in), 3 green chromis, 1 arrow foot crab, about 20 emerald legged crabs, and 1 converted black mollie (from fresh to saltwater) that was too aggressive in FW tanks but doing great now. The tank is three months old now and except for occasional very minor pH fluctuations all is good. Also I would like to know the best lighting for the tank ( currently only have a one bulb strip light with a 50/50 Coralife, on a timer for 12 on - 12 off) and best food for anemone. Do I need supplements? Feeding frozen myasis shrimp, thawed in tank water, 2 x daily , and fresh shrimp...veined, shelled, and chopped, every other day in am in place of frozen. The other fish eat the myasis and bloodworms. I put some shrimp pellets in and the mollie ate them but the rest went to the crabs. Also freeze dried krill, but they don't like it either.

Blown 346 · 03/09/2008, 09:43 PM

Honestly i would remove the crushed coral as it can cause a nitrate problem. 2nd get the bio wheel out of there, it will cause the same nitrate problem. The bubble wand isnt a need to have, it will just add to the salt creep buildup on the edge of the tank.

You have to upgrade your lighting, Anemones need a very well established tank of at least a year mature and good lighting to do well. A anemone can look fine eat etc, but actually be dwindling away. They depend on light.

I would get what you can afford for lighting, PC's do well, T-5s and of course halides.

If your not testing for certain elements you shouldnt add any supplements. The only time i would add supplements, is if you have alot of corals that demand such, otherwise the salt mix you use will contain everything the tank needs.

agean109 · 03/09/2008, 09:54 PM

How do I remove crushed coral without destroying the tank? It is on top of the sand, and of course everything is buried in it. Also if I remove bio wheel how will I filter the tank? It is a marine filter, not fresh...will it still harm my tank? My nitrates are down to 0 when I tested two days ago with master chem. I have an in-tank hydrometer, and test the water every two to three days. The light strip I can do this week I think. I saw a two bulb strip I can get, but trying to get the right size bulb is tricky. Most I have seen around here are for larger tanks. I need a 24" with an 18" bulb. The bulbs I have found are all 24" and 30".

agean109 · 03/09/2008, 09:56 PM

Oh, and I don't have a power head so I used the wand. Temporary measure for circulation.

Blown 346 · 03/09/2008, 10:01 PM

You can take out what you can, eventually the crushed coral will go to the bottom of the tank and the sand will be at the top. This happens just from size of the CC, the sand will work its to the top.
Next time you do a water change, siphon what you can of the CC out. If it takes 2 or 3 waterchanges to get it all out thats fine. Dont rush it.

The tank will get its filtration from the liverock you have, liverock is a natural filter. Removing the bio wheel wont harm your tank, by keeping it, it can creat alot of unwanted alage and spikes in the nitrate.

The HOB filter will help with circulation.

agean109 · 03/09/2008, 10:13 PM

Bio wheel out, HOB filter stays, wand to go and gradually crushed coral to go. No supplements. Get better lighting. Check. Thank you!

03/09/2008, 09:15 PM	#1
gilbertjanke Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cleveland Posts: 21	Filtration Help needed Im working on getting parts together to start a 30g reef tank. Im not using a sump, or an all in one. Just old skool style with a painted black background to hide most of my gear. Im going to use a bunch of Live Rock, Live Sand, and a protein skimmer for filtration, what else if anything besides water changes should i use? I will also be using powerheads to avoid dead spots. Is a protein skimmer enough? Should i also use a HOB or Canister filter? Any ideas? What would you do? Thanks in advance Last edited by gilbertjanke; 03/09/2008 at 09:25 PM.

03/09/2008, 09:27 PM	#2
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	I would avoid Livesand, just go with dry Araganite base sand, it will become live with the liverock. I would avoid canister filters as they can become a problem with nitrates. For the price you will pay for the canister filter you can make your own sump for and pocket money.

03/09/2008, 09:32 PM	#3
agean109 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 4	I would like to know also. I have just started a 28 g bowfront with 2" live sand and 2" crushed coral, 23 lbs live rock, fission protein skimmer, 30 gal bio wheel filtration and a 6" air wand buried in back of tank. It is stocked with 2 Bangii Cardinals, 1 Maroon Clown, 1 anemone (unidentified at present but clown took to it within seconds of it being put in), 3 green chromis, 1 arrow foot crab, about 20 emerald legged crabs, and 1 converted black mollie (from fresh to saltwater) that was too aggressive in FW tanks but doing great now. The tank is three months old now and except for occasional very minor pH fluctuations all is good. Also I would like to know the best lighting for the tank ( currently only have a one bulb strip light with a 50/50 Coralife, on a timer for 12 on - 12 off) and best food for anemone. Do I need supplements? Feeding frozen myasis shrimp, thawed in tank water, 2 x daily , and fresh shrimp...veined, shelled, and chopped, every other day in am in place of frozen. The other fish eat the myasis and bloodworms. I put some shrimp pellets in and the mollie ate them but the rest went to the crabs. Also freeze dried krill, but they don't like it either.

03/09/2008, 09:43 PM	#4
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	Honestly i would remove the crushed coral as it can cause a nitrate problem. 2nd get the bio wheel out of there, it will cause the same nitrate problem. The bubble wand isnt a need to have, it will just add to the salt creep buildup on the edge of the tank. You have to upgrade your lighting, Anemones need a very well established tank of at least a year mature and good lighting to do well. A anemone can look fine eat etc, but actually be dwindling away. They depend on light. I would get what you can afford for lighting, PC's do well, T-5s and of course halides. If your not testing for certain elements you shouldnt add any supplements. The only time i would add supplements, is if you have alot of corals that demand such, otherwise the salt mix you use will contain everything the tank needs.

03/09/2008, 09:54 PM	#5
agean109 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 4	How do I remove crushed coral without destroying the tank? It is on top of the sand, and of course everything is buried in it. Also if I remove bio wheel how will I filter the tank? It is a marine filter, not fresh...will it still harm my tank? My nitrates are down to 0 when I tested two days ago with master chem. I have an in-tank hydrometer, and test the water every two to three days. The light strip I can do this week I think. I saw a two bulb strip I can get, but trying to get the right size bulb is tricky. Most I have seen around here are for larger tanks. I need a 24" with an 18" bulb. The bulbs I have found are all 24" and 30".

03/09/2008, 09:56 PM	#6
agean109 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 4	Oh, and I don't have a power head so I used the wand. Temporary measure for circulation.

03/09/2008, 10:01 PM	#7
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	You can take out what you can, eventually the crushed coral will go to the bottom of the tank and the sand will be at the top. This happens just from size of the CC, the sand will work its to the top. Next time you do a water change, siphon what you can of the CC out. If it takes 2 or 3 waterchanges to get it all out thats fine. Dont rush it. The tank will get its filtration from the liverock you have, liverock is a natural filter. Removing the bio wheel wont harm your tank, by keeping it, it can creat alot of unwanted alage and spikes in the nitrate. The HOB filter will help with circulation.

03/09/2008, 10:13 PM	#8
agean109 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 4	Bio wheel out, HOB filter stays, wand to go and gradually crushed coral to go. No supplements. Get better lighting. Check. Thank you!