koden's 32gallon m-tank

[kinetic]

koden's 32g m-tank

 

 

Current Pictures:

55watt Actinic PC, 70watt H.Q.I 14k Astralux Lamp w/ 70watt ARO Ballast

Before:

 

5 months later:

 

Updated 10-09-05

Tank status: Fish with LR only for now

Water parameters:

• ph 8.2
  ammonia 0ppm
  nitrite 0ppm
  nitrate 0ppm
  temperature 78*F
  salinity 1.023
  

Comments: Only 30lbs of live rock, and about .5" of live sand. Finished cycling about a week ago, added a pair of A.ocellaris (false percula) clown fish, a skunk cleaner fish, and 6 trochus snails. Trochus are hard at work cleaning up all my algae! One even perched on top of my clam.

Stock: 2x A. Ocellaris, 1x skunk cleaner shrimp, 1x clam, 6x trochus snails, 1x grazer hithchiker snail

 

Schedule / Todo

• Week 0: Cycle LS / LR
  Week 1: Setup tank, Install Quiet One 3000, Skimmer, Jager heater, coralife thermometer, compare display temp against sump temp (results: the same!), remove two trays, add microfiber / sponge
  Week 2: LS / LR + NSW
  Week 3: R2 Moonlight Retrofit, Adjust Skimmer, 70 watt HQI Metal Halide Retrofit
  Week 4: SCWD Installation, Spray Bar Installation
  Week 5: Fabricate and install Fuge, Replace Coarse Sponge with Carbon
   
  Monthly: clean sump, tank, clean pump impellers, skimmer, replace carbon, clean micro sponge.
  Weekly: 10% water change, test water parameters
  Daily: Feed fish, top off with RO water, use damp towel to clean around tank for salt creep
  

Equipment

32 Gallon Finnex Acrylic M-Tank
o Style & material: Bow front, built-in protein skimmer chamber and filtration chamber, 1/4" cell cast acrylic
o Capacity & dimension: 32 gallon, 30"L x 16"W x 18"H
 
Protein skimmer:

o Type and rating: Venturi-driven, rated 75 gallon
o Power head: 312 gph, ETL listed, with 18 blades impeller
 
Filtration:

o Type: Built-in wet/dry filter
o Rain trays: 2 layers of rain tray dripping system
o Filtration material: Micro sponge, Carbon
 
Water return pump:

Quiet One 3000 + SCWD
The Quiet One Submersible Lifegard Pump can be used in both aquariums and fountains, in dry or wet applications. High quality, corrosion resistant ceramic bearings ensure quiet operation. Innovative cooling chambers provide air-cooling during dry use and water-cooling in wet. Can be used in either fresh or saltwater aquariums. 120 volt, 40 watt. Pumps 780 gallons per hour. Max height is 10.5 feet. 6 foot cord.
SCWD uses the pump to create bi-directional water movement in your reef aquarium. Plumbed inline, SCWD directs incoming water to two alternating outputs, switching automatically at a rate depending on incoming pressure. It delivers quiet, smooth operation, and is clog-resistant. Features low back pressure so there’s no strain on your existing water pump, making SCWD the most energy efficient wavemaker available. Use with system pumps from 50-1,400 gph and maximum 5 psi. Completely waterproof; mount internally or externally for a wide variety of configurations. 4-1/2" x 5" x 2-3/4" deep. Uses 3/4" tubing. Use clamps to keep tubing in place (stainless steel for external locations; plastic for internal.)
 
Lighting:
Finnex XL-3055
Dimensions: 29" x 8 2/3" x 3 1/4"
# Electronic ballast
# Humidity resistant fan
# Aluminum hood with corrosion resistant powder coated finish
# Polished aluminum reflector
# Moisture resistant UV filtration lens
# Independant power control switches
# Adjustable fixture stands
Bulbs: 1x55 watt Actinic Blue
MH: 70watt HQI w/ 14k astralux bulb retrofit into area where the 55watt daylight pc bulb was. (with uv tempered glass).
 
Heater:
Ebo Jager 150watt 13\" Heater
.5 f accuracy
Pyrex glass construction
Completely waterproof
Set to 80 degrees farenheight
 
 
Test Kit:
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Master Test Kit
Tests include: high range pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Kit features complete testing instructions, 4 test tubes, a waterproof holding tray for testing bottles, and test tube rack.
 
Salinity: SeaTest Hydrometer
 
Thermometer:
See Alerts picture for thermometer
Coralife Thermometer
Temperature ranges from -10 to +140 degrees Fahrenheit. Mounting suction cups and battery included. 39 inch long temperature probe cord. Reads in Celsius as well. (-23 to +60 degrees Celsius) Dimensions are 2.25" x 1.38" x .5".
 
Alerts:

Seachem Ammonia Alert
Ammonia alert is an innovative color device for continuously detecting and monitoring toxic free ammonia. A sensor changes reversibly from yellow to green to blue, relative to the ammonia concentration. No test kits, chemicals, or procedures are needed. The device detects less than 0.05 mg/l (ppm) free ammonia and alerts you to the #1 killer before any sign of stress. It lasts over a year and replacement sensors are available. Marine or freshwater use.
 
Cleaners:
Mag Float Medium Acrylic Cleaner
he unique floating technology of the mag-float makes it float to the waters surface. The mag-float 130a is good for acrylic tank thickness of 3/8" or 10 mm.
 
Plumbing:


quiet one 3000 pump to 1/2" stock pipe to clear the filters.
SCWD attached to return and shoots out on both sides of tank.
 
Water: Instant Ocean w/ RO water

Live Stock

• 30lbs Live Rock
  8lbs Live Sand (.5" sand bed)
   
  2x Percula Clowns
  1x Randall's Goby (orange stripe prawn goby?)
  1x Flame Angel
   
  1x Skunk Shrimp
  12x Scarlet Hermits
  3x Zebra Turbo Snails
  12x Trochus Snails
   
  LPS on bottom of tank
  SPS on top of tank
  

Modifications

check page 2 for pictures etc

• Replace stock return pump with Quiet One 3000 (780GPH). DONE!
  

Setup SCWD attached to return pipe, then out to two flaired nozzles on two upper far corners.
Retrofit 70watt HQI metal halide. Replace the 55watt daylight bulb with this.
Retrofit R2 Moonlight ( 5 LED moonlight ) next to actinic blue bulb.
Create a fuge out of a container w/ aquaclear 10 (80gph) powerhead.
Add 150watt Ebo Jager heater to skimmer compartment. done
Corallife Thermometer probe inside display tank. done

[Fishfreak218]

jeez...make up your mind on what tank you want..lol...j/k...get what is best for you...

[kinetic]

Originally posted by Fishfreak218

jeez...make up your mind on what tank you want..lol...j/k...get what is best for you...

 

Haha seriously, this is probably the 4th time I've changed my mind. But it's final, especially since the tank has been bought already. Thanks for the help! Hope the Aquapod works out well.

[Fishfreak218]

it's ok...first i said 24g. Nanocube..than i said 20g. than 10g. and then finnaly got the 30g.

then i plan on a second tank and first said 2.5g than 5.5g then 7g. minibow, and now 24g.aquapod....lol...

[bbkid43]

I have a 32 m-tank too. but mine only has a 150w halide and is more of a softie reef. my only suggestion is that you should watch out for coral beautys. I got one and a week after i got it, it started ripping apart my frogspawn. so if you plan to have a coral beauty in your tank, choose wisely.

[kinetic]

9/16/05

Ordered Finnex 32 Gallon M-Tank from ebay $409 with shipping

Received SCWD in Mail

 

Tomorrow I'm going over to Alameda to get some LS from someone's established tank, about 20 lbs. of it for my tank. I'm also getting LR from a LFS for $2/lb., about 30 lbs.

 

I think someone's coming to pickup the remora from my place tomorrow too, so He'll be bringing a small powerhead to move the saltwater in my buckets of stuff.

 

When I get my tank next week etc. I'll post some pix =)

 

Haha after so much planning and shopping around, plans are picking up fast!

[kinetic]

Originally posted by bbkid43

I have a 32 m-tank too.  but mine only has a 150w halide and is more of a softie reef.  my only suggestion is that you should watch out for coral beautys.  I got one and a week after i got it, it started ripping apart my frogspawn.  so if you plan to have a coral beauty in your tank, choose wisely.

 

I read a couple books with marine fish, and said coral beauty's aren't too crazy about tearing apart corals... but that's just a book.

 

I may also get a Flame Angel instead of ac oral beauty, which I don't think would be much improvement in the reef keeping side. Nevertheless I'll try to get a dwarf angel, though if they're too mean to my corals, you'll see a For Trade post =) I guess I'll just have to get lucky and see if it's a nuisance.

 

Originally posted by drowning

my guess is you'll be waiting a little longer than three weeks before adding any live stock...clean up, corals, etc...(there isn't a set schedule...it's whenever your parameters allow you to add livestock)

 

It's true. I'm hoping that since I'm getting all water and sand from the same established tank, and some LR from an established tank at a LFS that the cycles won't be tooo bad. But I'md efinately going to wait for all the levels to even out before anything live goes in. I may wait a week or two extra after the levels have smoothed out even just to be safe.

 

THanks for lookin out

[kinetic]

9/17/05

Grabbed a good amount of live sand from a established tank, though it was sitting in a bucket for a couple days.

 

Also grabbed a good amount of NSW from the established tank as well. Hopefully the guy who's coming to pickup my remora today will also trade me his Aquaclear 10 powerhead so I can keep the water moving in there.

 

I have plenty of sand, though I might get some aromax arag-alive as well.

 

what LFS has the cheapest NSW in the San Francisco Bay Area?

 

 

Edit

Just transferred all my sand into a large square tupperware thing, plus a ton of water, I think the whole thing weighed a bit more than 120 lbs. How do I know? My gf is only about 110, and this thing was much much heavier. I also put in a Aquaclear 10 powerhead. A really low powered one, just to give some movement inside the salt water.

 

I found some large shells of some sort inside all the sand, though I don't think anything was alive in them. One was almost as big as my palm! It's fun getting LS from an established tank, especially one that was 150 gallons or so that was running for a couple years maybe.

 

So the water I got from him is very murkey, even after a couple hours of sitting still. I don't think I should use the water in my new tank, and that I should just go get NSW from the LFS instead. I also know a lot of stuff probably died in the LS so the levels in the water would be really high.

 

Do you think I need a heater? In Berkeley, CA it'll drop to about 58 degrees at night, and the tub is currently in my basement, which is just slightly warmer, like 60 degrees. Will this be ok?

[kinetic]

just did an edit to today's entry

[kinetic]

So I have over 20lbs. of sand from an established tank. I will only need about 13lbs of sand total for my M-Tank.

 

The sand was taken out a couple days ago, and was held in the same saltwater for awhile. I've now got it at my house in a bucket with a lot of water and a Aquaclear 10 powerhead (very weak but does the job of keeping the water moving).

 

Some questions:

 

1) How long will the LS last without dying too much in this situation?

2) Will just one aquaclear 10 powerhead be enough?

3) It gets to about 60 degrees celcius where I have it (in the basement), is that too cold? Should I add a heater?

4) How much stuff do you think is dead now that it was sitting without a powerhead for a couple days?

5) How will it effect my cycles? Should I just get all new sand from a LFS or should I completely use all of the live sand? Or should I just use a couple cups of the LS I have now mixed with aragomax arag-alive or something?

 

 

Thanks!

[kinetic]

Anyone?

[kinetic]

Cycle Plans:

This will be done before I get my tank shipped, so I have something going on while waiting.

 

Aquaclear 10 (80GPH) powerhead

35 Gallons of NSW from LFS

20lbs. Live Sand from established tank

30lbs. Cured Live Rock from LFS

Huge tupperware tub

Small Light (temporary)

Small Heater (temporary)

[kinetic]

Calling Finnex, and asking around here are the dimensions of the tank:

 

Entire Tank: 29.5" x 16" x 17.625"

Display Area: 29.5" x 12" x 17.625"

Entire sump: 29.5" x 4" x 17.625"

Skimmer Compartment: 14" x 4" x 17.625"

Baffles in Compartment: 1.5" x 4" x 17.625"

Tray Compartment: 14" x 4" x 17.625"

[kinetic]

9/20/05

 

Ordered almost all of the rest of my equipment from bigalsonline.com:

Return Pump Lifeguard Quiet One 3000 780 GPH $40

Ammonia Alert SeaChem Ammonia Alert $4

Heater Ebo Jager 150 watt 18" $18

Thermometer Corallife Thermometer $5

Test Kit Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Master Test Kit pH ammonia nitrite and nitrate $16

Cleaner Mag Float Acrylic medum $9.00

 

Including shipping: $101.20

 

 

Total spending so far: $847

 

I need 30 lbs. of live rock, which will cost $60. A total of $900! Goodness.

[kinetic]

A quick photoshop of where I'll be putting my SCWD. (thanks ryan for the pic!)

 

[kinetic]

I'm going to be losing a lot of PSI from all the piping, I might think of a different way to do this, or maybe get rid of the SCWD altogether. It just adds more things to clean every month, and if it seizes then I'll have trouble.

[kinetic]

9/23/05

Some updates! I've been keeping my LS in NSW for about a week now with a 80GPH powerhead and low light. The water cleared up, I guess because all the particles settled down. I saw a couple shells sitting in the sand but I don't think they were alive.

 

I went over to the LFS yesterday evening (New Alameda Aquarists, top notch store btw) and picked up 30 lbs. of live rock. There were lots of growth over more than 80% of all the LR they had there, plus a couple soft looking corals on some of them. There's a lot of evidence of crabs and clam looking things all over them. Looks great. I have it in my tub right now with the sand and water with a stronger powerhead. (THey gave me a really powerful one for $10!)

 

My M-Tank should get here in the mail today, though I won't be in town until Tuesday. Wednesday is when all my other equipment is estimated for arrival from bigalsonline.com.

 

I'll start setting it all up then!

[Open]

im kinda like you......... im gonna get the 24 gallon nc bu the store doesnt have em in yet so im waiting......

[kinetic]

Originally posted by Open

im kinda like you......... im gonna get the 24 gallon nc bu the store doesnt have em in yet so im waiting......

 

I'm not getting the 24 gallon NanoCube, it is just too prone to cracking. There have been enough incidents that I'm definately steering clear of that. I would wait for the AquaPod if I were you, which is a LOT better than the NC (as far as I've been informed). Thicker glass, more powerful, better dimensions, better lighting, and all that. Look into it!

[kinetic]

9/27/05

Just an update, I got my tank last Friday, and I have my LS/LR/NSW in a 12.5 gallon tub with a heater and two powerheads (no real light) going. I hope everything's still alive by tonight when I get home to see them.

 

All my other equipment is coming in tomorrow, so I'll try to set things up by friday to have everything start cycling.

[kinetic]

All my equipment is here! I'm ready to go! I have almost everything, but got too tired to start cycling. For some reason the tank lighting hurts my eyes... I'm going to sell the 250watt hqi, it's way toooo bright for my tank.

 

the 110watt system that it comes with is already so bright, my eyes hurt. Do your eyes hurt? I see spots.

[Open]

when i said im kinda like you, i meant that were both waiting.....

[kinetic]

I setup my tank completely. Pictures are uploading now...

[kinetic]

All my equipment minus one or two things:

 

Side View with Skimmer mounted temporarily:

 

Some stuff closer up:

 

More side view:

 

Other side:

 

Skimmer pump plus a bag full of plumbing I got

[kinetic]

Putting skimmer together

 

 

 

Installed on the tank:

 

Lighting installed: