Supertech99's 15g Triumphant Return to Reefing

[supertech99]

Pictures as promised of my tank and my tank of a dog:

http://s412.photobucket.com/albums/pp207/s...current=017.mp4

Edited February 19, 2012 by supertech99

[kevinlogan42]

Your tanks looking good. Here are a few pics of my 15 column.

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w425/K...3-21-36_857.jpg

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w425/K...-38_670-1-1.jpg

I thought I had more recent ones but Can't find them I ended up removing the skimmer and modifing an ac110 to fit on the back and putting a skimmer in there. Tight squeze but worth it I think. I will get some up dated photos and post them.

Kevin

[supertech99]

I have not posted an update in a while. I have this tank nicely established and am considering my second fish and possibally he nem after that. I have been going back and forth thinking of ditching the hood top for a inexpensive 178w mh/t5 combo from aquatraders (too much light?) OR retro leds like the above poster did (not enought light for the nem to be happy?) I am very interested to hear any thoughts and I will post an update pic soon! BTW the Petsmart near me is about to remodel and they had API biochemzorb carbon on sale for 60% off so I got one to try it before ordering my chemipure eliete, it made a real marked difference in less than 6 hrs to the tank clarity, of course the other carbon was exhausted too. What do you guys think of this stuff? I am thinking of going back and getting a few more packages. the bag states good for 55 gallon and 2 months....could i get 4+ out of my lightly stocked 15g? What are your experiences?

Edited May 21, 2012 by supertech99

[kevinlogan42]

I have rearranged my led setup sense I last posted. All my corals are growing like crazy I have had a duncan coral for a couple months and it has developed 4 new heads my zoas and paly's are are spreading like crazy and My frogspawn has developed 2 new mouths. The lights that I have setup are more than sufficient. I am running 7 blue 4 whites and 1 red led. I cant wait to see some pics.

Kevin

[Bakenn]

Nice tank and beautiful dog!

[mfield16]

Update?

[supertech99]

So this thread has been dead for a while but I need to resurrect it. Due to job searches and changes and a new baby, I have not been reefing much. Now with things a little more stable I have decided to jump back in. this tank has been fish only for more than a year and now I'm ready to move forward. I am planning on adding some LED lights to the tank and I am torn. I have been researching and feel confident I could do a LED build. I want to spend about 100-150. The end goal is still to have 2 clowns in this tank with a nem. I could DIY LED for about 110 from aquastyle or about 140 from rapid LED. Both of these options let me keep my stock look from the outside. That is something I would like. I could also get this fixture,

http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Aquarium-Lighting-EVO-Quad-Clip-Timer-p/56571.htm

which has seen some good reviews, and I get more LEDs (6 more). I do not get to play with the spectrum of LEDs as much but its also cheaper....

I am going back and forth every day.

So what should I do, get a cheap fixture or battle with a DIY.

 

And if DIY, what LEDs...I was leaning toward a 12 or 14 (enough?), non dimmable with 4 cool white, 2 warm white, 2 blue, 2 uv violet and 4 royal blue. I want a nice purply blue color.

 

Thanks for all the help, I am really torn on this.

[supertech99]

 

New led actinics, much better. Stay tuned for a rescape as my tower has fallen.

[supertech99]

 

Updated pics of my new aquascape it has 3 points on top with a valley in between and a cave underneath and above for multiple hiding spots. I am happy with it, now need more clean up crew to clean off that back wall uugghh.

[supertech99]

 

Video of the RGB led accent lights going thu the color fade cycle. its fun.

[supertech99]

I'm thinking about planting a algae in the sand bed but I have never grown anything but corals and cheato. Any special concerns for something like a shaving brush plant.

[supertech99]

Wow, I wanted to sign into see how long it has been since I started this tank. I can't believe it was 2012. Here we are 2016 and it's still rather lack luster. Since I put it up I have had a job change twice and a relocation. Tank fish died in transit, but it has been great sice the relocation and I'm finally serious with the upgrades. Before the pics, some thoughts:
1. The false overflow full of matrix rock and the C4 powerfilter have really worked great. I totally recommend this if you dont want to drill on a tall tank.

2. The crappy little aqueon powerhead is still kicking like the day I bought it. The suction cup is totally hard but the pump keeps on trucking. I figure it has been on, nonstop, for 3 years. I am suprised. It will be my new salt mixing head now though.

3. I think I like shopping.....for fish stuff, I might be turning into a woman.

Now for the update, I have a SA black and white in the tank, still no corals or nem, but soon. I have upgraded the lights to 2 Truelumen Pro 12inch strips retrofitted into the hood, one marine fusion, one actnic. I also have 2 "glo fish" led blueish violet led strips that make the purplish glow I love. The aquatop heater is still doing a great job and so is the C4 but I'm on my way to a overhaul.

On Friday I have a reefcleaners pack coming to boulster the crew.

 

I have ordered a Jaebo wp-10 wavemaker and a additional marine fusion light strip for the hood from Amazon, 5 days till I get em AKA free shipping option.

 

Today I picked up my glass for my custom sump and slapped it together with silicone. 1/4 in glass, 10x10x16 to fit under the stock aqueon stand. I plan for a hardline drain into a 4 section sump with a fuge and a aquatic life 115 skimmer.

 

Here is where i need some help. I want the fuge to be as big as possible, but I also want some mechanical filtration besides the skimmer. I can't fit a 4in sock and the skimmer in a 5x5 section of sump, if you guys can think of a way to make that happen I'll have a 5x10 fuge, which is much more to my preferences. Otherwise, the fuge will have to be 5x5 to accomidate the skimmer. Please add suggestions.

 

PICTURES

[supertech99]

Update:

Thanks to nano reefer sprite I've got a cadlights pls50 pipeless skimmer on the way! Smooth transaction too. I've had the aquatic life 115 on a 20L before and I could never get it to skim dark. The 3.5x3.5 footprint will be perfect.

 

Any ideas on how i can get some pre-refugeium mechanical filtration into a 5x5x15 with a skimmer in it already? Is there such a thing as a mini sock? Like 2in?

[jimbonds]

Hey man,

 

Nice tank. I like the concept. The home made overflow is cool as well! So I wanted to comment on your sump. I was in the same boat for a while. I've got the BC29 with stand and I wanted to build a sump to fit in the stand and house a fuge. My in-laws (way more experienced and knowledgable than me) urged me to forget about a fuge saying that at the size I had available it wasn't worth it. I didn't believe them.

 

After a crap load of research I finally stumbled on a video on youtube that made sense to me. It was a debate at MACNA about refugiums and basically the consensus was that unless it is a very large fuge the nutrient export isn't high enough to warrant the cost and complexity. I think that in nano setups it is better to just set up and sump and fit in the best skimmer and media reactors you can and maybe some ceramic media or live rock.

 

It actually makes sense if you think about the amount of export a little bit of chaetomorpha can really export. Think about it this way, the export happens when you trim the chaeto and remove it from the tank. The mass of the chaeto is small so the mass of the nutrients in it is even smaller.

[supertech99]

Thanks for the feedback. Do you feel the same about the ac70 fuge mods and hob fuges too?

[supertech99]

Freshwater sump test in progress after 48hr cure. Added the blue just to pinpoint any leaks.

[jimbonds]

Thanks for the feedback. Do you feel the same about the ac70 fuge mods and hob fuges too?

 

 

Even more so. I was going to turn my second chamber into a fuge to grow pods so I could have a Mandarin. What I learned is that it's simply not big enough to 1) grow enough pods, 2) provide substantial nutrient export. Now my second chamber is bigger than the AC70 fuge and all of the HOB fuges as well.

 

Watch this video...

 

Another point that Jake Adams makes is that the sand, rock, and macro in your fuge are (ideally) absorbing nutrients. If you aren't diligent about maintenance then you've just added a time bomb. What I mean is that this little box is absorbing all of these nutrients and storing them. If you don't export them, at some point it will export itself and that will have only one place to go. To support this claim, I've heard countless people talk about how they broke down their fuge for maintenance and when they emptied the water the sand smelled like something had died in it.

 

I'm not trying to knock fuges... I'm just saying that unless it is a big fuge, it's probably not worth the extra effort and that space would probably be better used for media reactors or ceramic media.

[supertech99]

Jim, thanks for your thoughtful reply. I have run successful refugiums on all of my past tanks, but never even considered any cons related to having one. In my experience with them, and others in my old reef club, we found that with a very, very intense lighting schedule, we did have success with nutrient export, or at least out competing other nusance algee for nutrients.

Thinking back on them though, they were of a larger volume, but as a percentage of total water volume, not to far from what im trying to do here. I did the ac70 fuge mod on a 5.5gal and it did not do well, but I also had a weak light and limited access for maintence.

I enjoy running a fuge, but with 2 clowns and anonome only, I can't think of a in sump reactor that I would need since extra calcium won't really be consumed. I will likley get a carbon/gfo shorty brs reactor eventually but it does not go in the sump. I think my surface area for bacteria is good,my false back overflow is already filled with matrix rocks. I will have to think about this........thanks for the input.

[jimbonds]

Yeah, I mean, this is all debatable. I guess the bottom line is if you want to run a fuge because you enjoy it, then do it. But if you are looking for a significant uptake of nutrients from a small ball of chaeto, you'll probably be disappointed. My in-laws have two large reefs. One has a sump with a fuge, the other has a sump without a fuge. Personally, if it doesn't give me much benefit, I'd rather not spend the extra $ on lighting and time maintaining it.

 

You have a small bio load like me. I'm even considering ditching my skimmer because I really don't think it does much. I'm actually about to shut it down for a month as an experiment. Either way you go, keep us updated. I'm following along!

[supertech99]

 

Reefcleaners delivery, Timed perfectly. Nice job John.

[supertech99]

 

Got first baffel siliconed into place, let me tell you, cutting 1/4 thick glass is a bit tougher than picture glass. I ruined alot of the second hand glass I had lying around the barn. I'm going to wait until my new to me skimmer gets here before I make a final decision on refugium/sock. Then I will place the other baffel(s). New Jaebo pump and additional light strip should be here on Friday. Anyone ever drilled a tank with water/fish still in the tank?

[sprite]

You should have skimmer there Monday or Tuesday... Build looks good!

[supertech99]

Thanks sprite, I'm glad your skimmer issue worked out, good luck on finding a replacement.

[sprite]

Thank you..I ordered a curve 5 for the replacement

[HarryPotter]

This looks really cool, following along. If you need any help with your PLS-50 let me know, I've been running one for a while.