Looking to improve my tank

akelly310 · 02/18/2015, 11:16 AM

Hello all,

I have a 55 gallon FOWLR that has been up and running for about a year now. This is the first salt water tank I ever set up and I am going to be completely honest, I took some shortcuts. I did a ton of research prior to buying (Jan 2014) and picked and chose what I thought I should use and not use. Well, after a year I realize that I need to make some improvements to my tank. I want to know what all i need to add to my tank in order to make it about as good as possible. Right now, I have 2 Ocellaris clowns and a diamond watchman goby. I just recently lost my dwarf angel and this was an unfortunate wake up call that my shortcuts are catching up on me. My tank currently has a mechanical HOB filter and a heater. All my parameters are checking out good and my tank runs at about 80-82 degrees. I am open to all criticisms and if you must rip me, I am open to that

,all I ask is that you include ways to improve the tank

Thanks for any help

akelly310 · 02/18/2015, 11:25 AM

Pictures for reference

super_steve85 · 02/18/2015, 12:17 PM

Do you know why you lost your angle fish? What are your water parameters? I would strongly recommend a protein skimmer if you plan on keeping more than a couple of fish...and I may even recommend one if you aren't.

A sump is a great way to improve your filtration without seeing it in your tank. Skimmers, heaters and other filtration can all be located in it which will help the appearance of your display. Also, maybe some more rock? It doesn't even have to start "live" as it will eventually become that way as it colonizes with bacteria and other organisms.

Cymonous · 02/18/2015, 12:23 PM

What kind of "shortcuts" are you doing? What were you feeding to the angel? I don't see much of if any algae for an angel to pick on.

You may want to add another small powerhead to the other side of the tank for more flow.

Zooxanthus · 02/18/2015, 12:34 PM

I have always trusted trickle filters because not only do they provide a great place for lots of bacteria to thrive they also fill your water with oxygen by way of constant air exchange. you might be getting some dead spots void of oxygen that can turn into an anarobic (spell check) crysis and kill things. A trickle filter would cure that and power heads to move the water around in the aquarium, you never want an area with no water movement. I dont see any air pumps or power heads running with air bubbles in the tank (not needed with a trickle filter or sump of any kind where the water is exposed to a lot of air). but without one it would need a way to exchange air.

If you dont like doing water changes (and who does) then anything would help that like a protein skimmer, that is usually the first place reefers look to help with cleaning water. More live rock..more live rock means more life and in turn will create more plankton for things to eat (sustainability).

In my opinion RO water is a must! if your not running RO water then your going to have a lot of problems with algae and cyno down the road. Constantly trying to clean up the problems its creating.

glenlikes_stuff · 02/18/2015, 01:05 PM

I would add some more live rock, build it up higher on one side and make more caves/passages for the fish to swim through and make them more interesting to watch.

akelly310 · 02/18/2015, 05:43 PM

I checked my parameter the day I noticed the angel was dying and the parameters all checked out. I was feeding the angel pellet food (formula 1) and algae sheets. I do use RO water that I buy from a LFS. Is a sump the only way to have an effective protein skimmer? I have read that HOB simmers are not very good. Do you think I should remove the HOB filter I have on the left side of the tank (left side of the picture that is)

02/18/2015, 11:16 AM	#1
akelly310 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 26	Looking to improve my tank Hello all, I have a 55 gallon FOWLR that has been up and running for about a year now. This is the first salt water tank I ever set up and I am going to be completely honest, I took some shortcuts. I did a ton of research prior to buying (Jan 2014) and picked and chose what I thought I should use and not use. Well, after a year I realize that I need to make some improvements to my tank. I want to know what all i need to add to my tank in order to make it about as good as possible. Right now, I have 2 Ocellaris clowns and a diamond watchman goby. I just recently lost my dwarf angel and this was an unfortunate wake up call that my shortcuts are catching up on me. My tank currently has a mechanical HOB filter and a heater. All my parameters are checking out good and my tank runs at about 80-82 degrees. I am open to all criticisms and if you must rip me, I am open to that ,all I ask is that you include ways to improve the tank Thanks for any help

02/18/2015, 12:17 PM	#3
super_steve85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Monroe, NC Posts: 132	Do you know why you lost your angle fish? What are your water parameters? I would strongly recommend a protein skimmer if you plan on keeping more than a couple of fish...and I may even recommend one if you aren't. A sump is a great way to improve your filtration without seeing it in your tank. Skimmers, heaters and other filtration can all be located in it which will help the appearance of your display. Also, maybe some more rock? It doesn't even have to start "live" as it will eventually become that way as it colonizes with bacteria and other organisms. __________________ These are my murder sticks. There are many like it but these ones are mine. -The Oatmeal Current Tank Info: 200 gallon Starphire, in-wall DIY, 30 gal sump, 30 gal fuge

02/18/2015, 12:23 PM	#4
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	What kind of "shortcuts" are you doing? What were you feeding to the angel? I don't see much of if any algae for an angel to pick on. You may want to add another small powerhead to the other side of the tank for more flow. __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

02/18/2015, 12:34 PM	#5
Zooxanthus Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Aurora, CO. Posts: 60	I have always trusted trickle filters because not only do they provide a great place for lots of bacteria to thrive they also fill your water with oxygen by way of constant air exchange. you might be getting some dead spots void of oxygen that can turn into an anarobic (spell check) crysis and kill things. A trickle filter would cure that and power heads to move the water around in the aquarium, you never want an area with no water movement. I dont see any air pumps or power heads running with air bubbles in the tank (not needed with a trickle filter or sump of any kind where the water is exposed to a lot of air). but without one it would need a way to exchange air. If you dont like doing water changes (and who does) then anything would help that like a protein skimmer, that is usually the first place reefers look to help with cleaning water. More live rock..more live rock means more life and in turn will create more plankton for things to eat (sustainability). In my opinion RO water is a must! if your not running RO water then your going to have a lot of problems with algae and cyno down the road. Constantly trying to clean up the problems its creating. __________________ May your passion and reason be the sail and rudder of your sea fairing soul. Current Tank Info: 180 gal Reef 3x 250w HQI's w/T5's, Phosban reactor, Protein skimmer, UV. sterilizer, Trickle Filter

02/18/2015, 11:25 AM	#2
akelly310 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 26	Pictures for reference

02/18/2015, 01:05 PM	#6
glenlikes_stuff Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 87	I would add some more live rock, build it up higher on one side and make more caves/passages for the fish to swim through and make them more interesting to watch.

02/18/2015, 05:43 PM	#7
akelly310 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 26	I checked my parameter the day I noticed the angel was dying and the parameters all checked out. I was feeding the angel pellet food (formula 1) and algae sheets. I do use RO water that I buy from a LFS. Is a sump the only way to have an effective protein skimmer? I have read that HOB simmers are not very good. Do you think I should remove the HOB filter I have on the left side of the tank (left side of the picture that is)