AlexM630 Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Hi all!I recently installed a Fluval Spec V in my Miami apartment. We're a few water changes in with normal parameters and everything is looking happy. So far we've got two little zoa colonies, a red people eater paly, a hammer coral (euphyllia) in the lower left on the substrate, and I just glued a green star polyp frag to the back wall. Crawlie-wise I've got a full clean up crew of 5 hermits, 5 astrea and a nassarius snail, and an emerald crab and everyone seems to be doing okay about two weeks in. My InTank media rack just came in and up till now I've been running nothing as far as filter media, with weekly 50% water changes. My last pico (2 gallons) I ran with just Chaeto alone in the back chamber and frequent 50-60% water changes, with great luck. It was a very stable tank until I went away for a few weeks and had some friends who weren't the best reefkeepers. My InTank media rack just came in and I plan on installing it at the next water change (Monday). What's the consensus on what to run in it? Again, in the past I didn't run anything but chaeto, and I hoped to somehow incorporate the chaeto again but I'm open to floss and other substances as well. For a tank this size and with the bioload I'm hoping to put in it (LPS, SPS, and softies along with at least one fish), what does everyone recommend? On that note, my second question has to do with water flow. I originally got a Hydor Pico-Mag 180 with intent to replace the stock pump. That proved a little more difficult than expected so I left the stock pump in and tried the Pico-Mag in the display. It was ugly and very loud so I ordered a Koralia 240, which had a cool look but seemed like way overkill for the tank. Does anyone have any recommendations? All the corals so far seem happy but I do want to eventually keep SPS. There seems like a decent amount of water flow with the stock pump, would they do alright if I glued them high on the rockwork where there's constant flow or do I need to find some other way to upgrade the flow? Last but not least, any advice on stocking? I'm including my most recent FTS. Definitely want to incorporate acans, some exotic mushrooms, and SPS (monti cap, monti digitata, and maybe a birdsnest up top) but really open to some interesting stuff as well. In the last tank I had a Maxi Mini anemone which was gorgeous but I'm paranoid about it eating my (future) fish. Thoughts? Thanks again!Alex Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 for inTank media, I run filter floss on top and chemipure blue in the middle. for flow, you should have gotten this pump from inTank that will fit in the return chamber: http://shop.mediabaskets.com/Aqueon-QuietFlow-Submersible-Utility-Pump-600-ES06616.htm I ran the koralia 240 in my Spec V before and it just looks too big in the small tank. I have the marineland 606 now and it's great. If you want more flow with the stock pump, remove the return nozzle completely or widen the nozzle holes with a filer. The stock return nozzle restricts a lot of flow. Your tank looks great so far! Link to comment
AlexM630 Posted August 6, 2016 Author Share Posted August 6, 2016 Thanks Ninja, yours too! In fact, it's one of the ones I looked at most as I was setting this up Definitely missed that return pump in my initial search but I think it'll be a big help. Looks like it won't be much of an issue to replace the return pump, I guess during a water change? When you mention the return nozzle, you mean the part that's actually in the display? That seems easy enough to take off. Agreed on the Koralia 240, decided to hang onto it for the next time I set up a larger tank but for now it's way too big. Has anyone tried reusing the stock pump as a powerhead? Might not be the best looking option either but it just came to mind so figured I'd ask. The Marineland 606 looks like it's unavailable/hard to find now. Thanks again!Alex Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Thanks Ninja, yours too! In fact, it's one of the ones I looked at most as I was setting this up Definitely missed that return pump in my initial search but I think it'll be a big help. Looks like it won't be much of an issue to replace the return pump, I guess during a water change? When you mention the return nozzle, you mean the part that's actually in the display? That seems easy enough to take off. Agreed on the Koralia 240, decided to hang onto it for the next time I set up a larger tank but for now it's way too big. Has anyone tried reusing the stock pump as a powerhead? Might not be the best looking option either but it just came to mind so figured I'd ask. The Marineland 606 looks like it's unavailable/hard to find now. Thanks again! Alex very easy to change the return pump during a water change. And yup, the return nozzle is the part in the display. I actually run without it. Link to comment
AlexM630 Posted August 6, 2016 Author Share Posted August 6, 2016 Thank you! I'll definitely try removing that nozzle until I can get the other pump in. Cheers!Alex Link to comment
AlexM630 Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share Posted August 13, 2016 UPDATE:I added a chalice frag and a 7 headed rainbow acan. Both seem to be doing hunky dory. I fed both chopped mysis today and the chalice ate but the acan closed up before it got much. I think maybe there was too much water loaded into the turkey baster which spooked it, by the time I got to the chalice I'd corrected it. My GSP didn't open up for a couple of days so I bought a fresh toothbrush to try brushing it (another poster recommended and I seem to remember doing it in the past) but when I got home tonight it was about 75% open so I didn't give it much bother. Since my most recent water change (Tuesday) I have been noticing a little bit of brown algae buildup on the substrate, and a bit (slightly hairier) on the top of the highest up rock. I'm still running the stock pump but removed the nozzle per Ninja's advice (will order the other recommended pump as soon as I get a chance). For the time being the flow does seem fine though. I blew off the sand and rocks a bit with the turkey baster after feeding today, not sure if that was a bonehead move but it looks better for the moment. I also reduced the photo period a bit last night. We had been running 8 hours (4PM-Midnight) with a 1 hour sunup/sundown period on both bookends, for a total of ten lit hours. Yesterday when I noticed the brown algae we dropped it to 5 hours (7PM-midnight) with a one hour sunup/sundown period on both bookends for a total of 7 lit hours. It's an Orbit Marine Current USA fixture and we've got it at 70% white and 100% blue. Anyone have any thoughts on the algae? Right now we're running the following in the InTank media rack: Top shelf: ChemiPure blue (1 little satchel for nano-reefs) Middle shelf: Filter floss Bottom shelf: Empty I had good luck with Chaeto in the past, so I was halfway considering switching it to chaeto on the top, ChemiPure in the middle, and the filter floss on the bottom. Thanks a million, I'm hoping to take care of this algae ASAP so I can feel comfortable introducing a fish as well as SPS along the top ridge of the tank.Cheers,Alex Link to comment
Gilly's Reef Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Yeah the stock pump is not that bad once you remove the nozzle in the display. I ran mine like that for awhile and it moved the water well Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 you should run floss first to trap detritus and junk before it reaches your chemipure blue. Link to comment
AlexM630 Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 Thanks...sorry, had that reversed but will correct first thing tomorrow before a water change! Alex Link to comment
RobSpeed13 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 first thing first, swap that stock pump for a $25 Aqueon 600 lol. it will help with the flow of water through the InTank Media basket. also with the "surface skimmer" that comes with it, i placed it behind the media basket forcing it against the overflow, no water falls inbetween the basket and over flow. all water goes straight through the media basket and helps with the increased flow of the new upgraded pump. As for the Media basket before i had it set up, filter floss X2, cheato, carbon, chemipure elite mini. I then noticed alot of copepods were growing in my cheato so i changed it to, Filter floss x2, carbon, chemipure elite, cheato that way my pump can suck in the ones that chose to go under that final rack lol and straight into the main display they go haha. pic for fun photos is prior to the swap of my media. Link to comment
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