30 Gal "reef" tank questions

Postyoa28 · 05/27/2008, 02:06 PM

Hi all.

I'm fairly new to the saltwater hobby and I was looking for some advice for my tank. First here's a quick summary of the tank.

30 Gal
Undergravel filter with aragonite substrate (coarse)
30 lbs live rock along with coral heads (just the skeletons)
Fission Nanoskimmer (30gal max rating)
Flourecent light hood
2 rio 50 pumps for circulation

Fish
Juv. yellowtail damsel
2 juv. flase perc. clowns
Mated pair of banded killifish (local Long Island Sound caught and slowly aclimated to higher temps)

Inverts
3 trochus snails
1 turbo snail
1 hermit crab
1 cleaner shrimp
assorted zooanthids
colt coral
unknown non-photosynthetic octocoral (obtained from a science lab, was told it was from off the coast of florida- can't positively ID)

The live rock was taken from a friends tank and placed into my tank. The live rockcontained numerous zooanthids and star polyps along with one colt coral. He had these in an excelent reef system under metal halide lighting. My question is how will the colt coral and zooanthids do under just the flourecent lighting?

Another I have is regarding the remaining space I have for fish. Do I have room for any more fish. I was thinking of putting a firefish and possibly a goby into the system.

Thanks for any help. It's much appreciated

BradsOcean · 05/27/2008, 02:09 PM

To Reef Central

HumanIMDB · 05/27/2008, 02:11 PM

Not sure about the Undergravel Filter...if you are thinking crushed coral for your substrate I would caution against it.

If the flourecent hood is the stock "Normal Output" type, that won't be enough for anything but fish.

What is the GPH for those pumps? You are trying for a minimum of 30x flow or 900 GPH.

Damsels are mean, or so I've heard, haven't kept any myself. Don't know anything about Killifish.

Postyoa28 · 05/27/2008, 04:03 PM

Alright, I guess I'm going to need to upgrade the light. I also forgot to mention that I have a SPS coral, I think Acropora sp. on some of the live rock. It's been doing ok for about 2 weeks under this lighting, but has only lost a small amount of coloration. I'm probably going to lose this one with my current lighting but I didn't plan on having any SPS anyway. Too bad though.

The flow in the tank is 120 gph per pump. So 240 between the two. The killifish are mated and spawning regularly (between the last tank and this one), they are a brackish water species. Is there a bulb anyone would recomend that would work while still keeping a 36" flourecent hood? If not any suggestions? In terms of the crushed coral substrate and undergravel filter, why not. I've heard that it causes an unacceptable level of nitrates and nitrites. Why would this be? Is it the large interstitial space between the grains of the crushed coral?

BradsOcean · 05/27/2008, 04:23 PM

you DEFINITELY need more flow...you need 2-3 times what you have now

abulgin · 05/27/2008, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Postyoa28
Hi all.

Mated pair of banded killifish (local Long Island Sound caught and slowly aclimated to higher temps)

There is no such thing as acclimating a cold-water species to a tropical reef tank. Cold-water species are totally unsuitable for a tropical tank. Please put these fish back in Long Island Sound. You will surely shorten their lifespans significantly.

Postyoa28 · 05/27/2008, 10:22 PM

While I typically agree, the banded killifish is a marsh pool community fish where the salinity and temperature vary a great deal. They survive being frozen in the winter and can be subjected to extreme temperatures during summer months if they get stuck in a dry tide pool. These are some of the most hardy fish around and I've kept them for 3 years now in a heated tank and they've continuously spawned and reached larger sizes then I've seen in the wild. The killifish in the LIS is close to its northernmost range and lives all along the eastern seaboard. I know the fish and its habitat. I'm more than sure they will be fine. The only question I have for myself is if the constant temperature will affect the fish as compared to its natural winter summer cycle.

I appreciate the comment though.

demonsp · 05/27/2008, 10:37 PM

You need flow and then done use that under gravel filter. If this is your first SW tank then i would get a book and read up along with useing RC for help. It can be a great and rewarding experiance or a continued cause of headaches.

http://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aqu...5050392&sr=1-1

05/27/2008, 02:06 PM	#1
Postyoa28 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cape Cod, MA Posts: 81	30 Gal "reef" tank questions Hi all. I'm fairly new to the saltwater hobby and I was looking for some advice for my tank. First here's a quick summary of the tank. 30 Gal Undergravel filter with aragonite substrate (coarse) 30 lbs live rock along with coral heads (just the skeletons) Fission Nanoskimmer (30gal max rating) Flourecent light hood 2 rio 50 pumps for circulation Fish Juv. yellowtail damsel 2 juv. flase perc. clowns Mated pair of banded killifish (local Long Island Sound caught and slowly aclimated to higher temps) Inverts 3 trochus snails 1 turbo snail 1 hermit crab 1 cleaner shrimp assorted zooanthids colt coral unknown non-photosynthetic octocoral (obtained from a science lab, was told it was from off the coast of florida- can't positively ID) The live rock was taken from a friends tank and placed into my tank. The live rockcontained numerous zooanthids and star polyps along with one colt coral. He had these in an excelent reef system under metal halide lighting. My question is how will the colt coral and zooanthids do under just the flourecent lighting? Another I have is regarding the remaining space I have for fish. Do I have room for any more fish. I was thinking of putting a firefish and possibly a goby into the system. Thanks for any help. It's much appreciated

05/27/2008, 02:09 PM	#2
BradsOcean Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Island Posts: 1,173	*To Reef Central* __________________ the low cost of 3 Ramen meals a day is feeding my zoa addiction Current Tank Info: had a few small reefs in the past, researching for my future 125 :)

05/27/2008, 02:11 PM	#3
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	Not sure about the Undergravel Filter...if you are thinking crushed coral for your substrate I would caution against it. If the flourecent hood is the stock "Normal Output" type, that won't be enough for anything but fish. What is the GPH for those pumps? You are trying for a minimum of 30x flow or 900 GPH. Damsels are mean, or so I've heard, haven't kept any myself. Don't know anything about Killifish. __________________ Chris Rivers Will do computer support for frags. :) Click on the Red House to see our AGA92 Corner Reef Tank Build thread. Current Tank Info: 10 Gal (Aqualight 96W Quad 50/50, AquaClear Power Filter 70 with Chaeto lit by 6500K Bulb, AquaClear Power Head 20, 50w Tronic Heater), 92 Gal All-Glass Corner (Cycling)

05/27/2008, 04:23 PM	#5
BradsOcean Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Island Posts: 1,173	you DEFINITELY need more flow...you need 2-3 times what you have now __________________ the low cost of 3 Ramen meals a day is feeding my zoa addiction Current Tank Info: had a few small reefs in the past, researching for my future 125 :)

05/27/2008, 04:03 PM	#4
Postyoa28 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cape Cod, MA Posts: 81	Alright, I guess I'm going to need to upgrade the light. I also forgot to mention that I have a SPS coral, I think Acropora sp. on some of the live rock. It's been doing ok for about 2 weeks under this lighting, but has only lost a small amount of coloration. I'm probably going to lose this one with my current lighting but I didn't plan on having any SPS anyway. Too bad though. The flow in the tank is 120 gph per pump. So 240 between the two. The killifish are mated and spawning regularly (between the last tank and this one), they are a brackish water species. Is there a bulb anyone would recomend that would work while still keeping a 36" flourecent hood? If not any suggestions? In terms of the crushed coral substrate and undergravel filter, why not. I've heard that it causes an unacceptable level of nitrates and nitrites. Why would this be? Is it the large interstitial space between the grains of the crushed coral?

05/27/2008, 10:22 PM	#7
Postyoa28 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cape Cod, MA Posts: 81	While I typically agree, the banded killifish is a marsh pool community fish where the salinity and temperature vary a great deal. They survive being frozen in the winter and can be subjected to extreme temperatures during summer months if they get stuck in a dry tide pool. These are some of the most hardy fish around and I've kept them for 3 years now in a heated tank and they've continuously spawned and reached larger sizes then I've seen in the wild. The killifish in the LIS is close to its northernmost range and lives all along the eastern seaboard. I know the fish and its habitat. I'm more than sure they will be fine. The only question I have for myself is if the constant temperature will affect the fish as compared to its natural winter summer cycle. I appreciate the comment though.

05/27/2008, 10:37 PM	#8
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	You need flow and then done use that under gravel filter. If this is your first SW tank then i would get a book and read up along with useing RC for help. It can be a great and rewarding experiance or a continued cause of headaches. http://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aqu...5050392&sr=1-1