Jump to content
Cultivated Reef

Shallow 60F - Edge of the Ocean


etane

Recommended Posts

I started the planted tank hobby in 2012. Started with an ADA 60F shrimp tank then "graduated" to a 60P when I wanted to keep more fish. Just moved to an apartment thus decided to go back to the 60F. What to do with the 60P I asked? Either fancy goldfish or Nemo. I went with Nemo.

 

After deciding to do a saltwater tank, I looked at my planted 60F and thought wouldn't it be neat if I had another 60F right next to it. So, I decided to buy a second 60F and keep my 60P in the garage.

 

Started reading up on nano salted tank keeping. My first lesson in this hobby is that the correct term for what I am trying to set up is called pico not nano. A planted tank's nano size is actually a salted tank's pico size. My second lesson is that saltwater tank LEDs are so much more expensive than freshwater ones. Third, rocks are not only for aesthetics but also for filtration. Fourth, plants are not really part of salt water tanks. Fifth, salt water tanks require a lot more water movement than freshwater tanks. Sixth, it's important to top off the water on almost a daily basis because a little water loss could greatly affect tank paramter especially in a pico tank.

 

I learned all these from reading other people's 60F and Spec V tank builds. Facsinating reads. I am glad I started reading them after they have finished building their tanks up otherwise I'd be agonizing over the wait to see what happened next. Sorta like watching a whole season of TV drama all at once.

 

I got 2 week vacation starting this Friday. I've purchased virtually everything I think I need to get the tank started. Let me start listing them:

 

Equipment:

 

Tank - ADA 60F with lid and mat

 

Filter options:

1) None plus Tim's one and only and a dead fish

2) Eheim 2236 canister. If I use this, I plan to fill it up with live rock and nothing else.

3) Tunze ATO, MAME Nano Overflow, and an Aquatop 2gallon cube as refugium

 

1/4/2015: Mame skimmer, dead coral and caribsea fiji pink live sand

 

Light - Still suffering from sticker shock but my top 3 are

1) Truelumen Pro 12k 24" (already have it on my planted and can switch it over)

2) Aqualighter Nano Marine (might need two of these. just found out about this brand like two days ago. ordered one to try out)

3) AI Prime which is going through production delay.

 

1/4/2015: Truelumen Pro Marine Fusion 24" on ramp timer

 

Powerhead - Jebao WP10 (being delivered by amazon)

 

1/4/2015: Jebao DOA. Using Hydor Pico 180 for now.

3/11/2015: replace Hydor Pico with Ecotech MP10

 

Rock: Tufa mainly. I have yet to aesthetically adjust over from iwagumi type of rocks to reef looking rocks.

Sand: Whatever the LFS recommends not sure whehter I want white or pink. Won't use fine grain. Don't want a dust cloud.

 

1/4/2015: Tufa didn't turn out so good.

 

Fish Possibilities:

Yellow Damsel

Neon Goby

Orange Stripe Prawn Goby

Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby

Canary Damsel

Fancy Ocellaris

Black Percula

 

Invert/CUC Possibilities:

Sexy Shrimp

Porcelain Crab

Bloody Fire Red Shrimp

Purple Short Spine Pincushion Urchin

 

Coral Possibilities:

Dunno anythng about corals. I like seafans and sps based on what I see at lfs but are told these are demanding. Not wanting to go through hassle of using RODI probably elimantes many possibilities.

 

1/4/2015: 2 Clownfishes and 1 pink and gold paly

3/11/2015

Fish:

1 Wyoming White

1 Blue Neon Goby

1 Firefish

Coral:

1 Purple Bonsai

1 Green Plana

1 Mariculture SPS Green

1 Top Shelf Paly

1 Aussie Green Torch

 

Water: Using office's 3M RO filter. Mineralize with Reef Crystal.

 

Inspiration

isla-shallow-reef8_350.jpg

 

1/4/2014: tank looks nothing like this. Instead, it looks like this:

01-04-15-0.jpg

 

3/11/2015

DSC_6708.jpg

Link to comment
  • Replies 63
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Sounds like you have a good start. Its good you have done your research. Love the idea of the 2 tanks side by side by side. there is another member who has done this and it looks awesome. Here's a link http://www.nano-reef.com/featured/_/2014/dafil-r89

 

RODI water is very important, not only for corals but algae growth as well. RO water is good but you'll find that it only gets you so far, for example my faucet water comes out at about 220ppm, the RO filter brings it down to about 120ppm, but the DI filter takes it down to 0ppm.

Link to comment

My RO water is about 5-8 ppm. Still too deficient for marine life?

 

Sounds like you have a good start. Its good you have done your research. Love the idea of the 2 tanks side by side by side. there is another member who has done this and it looks awesome. Here's a link http://www.nano-reef.com/featured/_/2014/dafil-r89

 

RODI water is very important, not only for corals but algae growth as well. RO water is good but you'll find that it only gets you so far, for example my faucet water comes out at about 220ppm, the RO filter brings it down to about 120ppm, but the DI filter takes it down to 0ppm.



I've got two. :wub:

Looking forward to seeing it. I've got a 60F and love it. :)

Link to comment

went to lfs after work. coral collections just moved from hb to lf. matt spent a good hour with me on tank set up. he thought having a protien skimmer will make a big difference. so, am looking into the shortest length protien skimmer out there. it will go into an 8" cube which will sit in a shelving with 13" interior height.

 

if i go this route, this means i'd have to be more committed in moving away from natural filtration and getting the protien skimmer, mame of and return pump. matt also recommended i get an ato. i didn't fully understand the explanation but something about keeping the protien skimmer working right requires stable water level.

 

i think tunze 9001 ...

Link to comment

I'd definitely suggest the tunze for a smaller tank, they're glorious. An ATO prevents you having to open your cabinet daily or bi-daily and check the water level before topping off, it makes life easier and the water parameters more stable for your inhabitants, but when combined with a protein skimmer that requires stable water levels it's absolutely invaluable. You've just reminded me to refill my reservoir

Link to comment

I'd definitely suggest the tunze for a smaller tank, they're glorious. An ATO prevents you having to open your cabinet daily or bi-daily and check the water level before topping off, it makes life easier and the water parameters more stable for your inhabitants, but when combined with a protein skimmer that requires stable water levels it's absolutely invaluable. You've just reminded me to refill my reservoir

 

so ato really is an requirement for protien skimmer. crap i thought i could put off this purchase until later.

 

where is the journal for the 60f you've retired?

Link to comment
Marc.The.Shark

I'd go with an ATO before a proien skimmer. You can get by with water changes & Chemipure Elite/Blue for added filtratration. Add the skimmer later if you think you need it. ATO will make your life a lot easier, small evap changes make a big difference in salinity in our tanks. I have an 8 gal, fill up the ATO resivior & it's good for a week, never have to worry. I bought the Hydor ATO, had mixed reviews, but its been working flawless for me, was like 59.99 plus the Tom's AuaLifter. I also bought a skimmer, but have yet to use it (3 months in)

Link to comment

I'd go with an ATO before a proien skimmer. You can get by with water changes & Chemipure Elite/Blue for added filtratration. Add the skimmer later if you think you need it. ATO will make your life a lot easier, small evap changes make a big difference in salinity in our tanks. I have an 8 gal, fill up the ATO resivior & it's good for a week, never have to worry. I bought the Hydor ATO, had mixed reviews, but its been working flawless for me, was like 59.99 plus the Tom's AuaLifter. I also bought a skimmer, but have yet to use it (3 months in)

 

i just moved to my new place a few months ago. it's closer to the ocean than where i was before. and, i am seeing very little evaporation in my fw 60f planted tank with lid. i can probably get by with a weekly top off for the saltwater. down the road, i could get a fw resevoir and use it to top off both my fw and sw tank. they will be sitting right next to each other.

Link to comment

a change indirection. first, i was wanting to go with natural filtration. second, i was going to go with protien skimmer in refugium with mame overflow, return pump and possible ato, now i want to scale back to the first scenario but add a mame in the tank skimmer. this way i can keep the mnimalist set up of the natural filtration while minimizing number of water changes/maintenance with the protein skimmer. win win hahahahhahaha....

 

read that protein skimmer will remove trace minerals...



btw, a pic of my fw 60f with a second 60f right next to it... ready to be salted.

 

http://s458.photobucket.com/user/etane1/media/12-21-14-1.jpg.html'>12-21-14-1.jpg

Link to comment
Marc.The.Shark

The skimmer is not going to get you away from water changes unless you dose the tank, the coral will use up minerals from the salt mix, skimmer will remove some. You need to get it back somehow, either waterchanges or dosing.

 

I ran a tank for 5 years with only LR, heater, powerhead & small internal filter w/floss & carbon. Worked good, had it stocked pretty well, only fed every 2/3 days, coral once a week. But, 20% weekly/biweekly water change, not only to take out the bad stuff, but to put the good stuff back in. No SPS tho, that's a different monster.

Link to comment

The skimmer is not going to get you away from water changes unless you dose the tank, the coral will use up minerals from the salt mix, skimmer will remove some. You need to get it back somehow, either waterchanges or dosing. I ran a tank for 5 years with only LR, heater, powerhead & small internal filter w/floss & carbon. Worked good, had it stocked pretty well, only fed every 2/3 days, coral once a week. But, 20% weekly/biweekly water change, not only to take out the bad stuff, but to put the good stuff back in. No SPS tho, that's a different monster.

 

Just noticed that your name/username is also probably not only used by reefers but also by loan sharks or billiard players. Yup will still have to wc just not as often. Hoping it will be monthly instead of weekly with the skimmer. And, have to talk to lfs about the trace elements either dosing or what not. Anticipating a learning curve here....

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Received my Jebao wp10 last week. And, recently read that there's wp10 with white impellers and blue impellers out there. A reviewer on amazon stated the blue one is more powerful and reliable. Sure enough, I got the blue one. Well, it being less powerful is a good thing since my tank is small, and there's not too many power adjustment arrays on the controller. Anyone else here checked what color their wp10 ph's impellers are?

Link to comment
Marc.The.Shark

Just noticed that your name/username is also probably not only used by reefers but also by loan sharks or billiard players.

 

 

Lol, pretty good billiard player, not so good at loan sharking, never get my money back!! Haha

Link to comment

Ok where did I leave off since last update.. oh I wetted the tank.12-22-12-0.jpg

 

12-22-12-2.jpg

 

12-22-12-4.jpg

 

12-22-12-5.jpg

 

next morning.

 

12-22-12-6.jpg

 

notes:

 

1) live rock is actually a dead coral. i think it's a blue ridge coral. and, it's a bit too tall for my tank. i plan to cut it down right where the branches split from the base. that will lower the rock by about 2 inches. and, the base can be used as a "island" for coral frags.

 

2) i plan to get a clown fish and really wanted to get an anemone for it to host. but, those get too big for my tank. i could trade in for smaller ones, but that's probably more hassle than it's worth. so, no anemone for clown fish.

 

3) i plan on getting one or two maxi mini carpet and get some sexy shrimps and porcelain crabs to host.

 

4) i purchased salt water from lfs. my refractometer read 1.020 which seems low. and, my tds meter read 88ppm before i mixed it with sand and about 780ppm after i mixed it with sand. is tds a parameter worth keeping track of like they are in fw tanks?

 

5) sand is caribsea fuji pink live sand.

Link to comment

 

 

4) i purchased salt water from lfs. my refractometer read 1.020 which seems low. and, my tds meter read 88ppm before i mixed it with sand and about 780ppm after i mixed it with sand. is tds a parameter worth keeping track of like they are in fw tanks?

 

5) sand is caribsea fuji pink live sand.

I'm pretty sure the tds in mixed saltwater will always be > 0 since there'll be well...solids mixed haha. Not sure if 88 is good or bad though.

Link to comment

I'm pretty sure the tds in mixed saltwater will always be > 0 since there'll be well...solids mixed haha. Not sure if 88 is good or bad though.

 

yes but is there a standard for sw tds before and after mixing with sand? i try to stay under 200ppm in fw.

Link to comment

 

yes but is there a standard for sw tds before and after mixing with sand? i try to stay under 200ppm in fw.

I've got no idea lol.

Not sure if theres a certain range. Don't even know if anyone measures tds of mixed sw :D

Link to comment
jedimasterben

You don't measure TDS of saltwater. If your RO system is producing 150ppm water after your membrane, then your membrane is bad. Your membrane should be 95% rejection or higher or something is wrong, 220ppm tap and 150ppm post-RO is 31% rejection.

 

And if you are keeping coral, you need to add salt to your water from the LFS or tell them that they're not mixing to reef standards. Needs to be 35-38ppt.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...