1.0reef Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I know -1 on dosing lolz I meant fish stocking, for pest/algae and just to make the tank more active. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 I know -1 on dosing lolz I meant fish stocking, for pest/algae and just to make the tank more active. hmm. i may take you up on your advice. right now the only inhabitant i was planning was the tomini tang that outgrew the 29, the clown in the 10, and the cleaner shrimp. but what do you think would help? Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 2-part and kalkwasser are going to be your most cost effective options, IMHO, especially kalkwasser. I would dose kalk based on an amount daily (not as topoff) and then use 2-part on top of that if necessary. You can use 15mL of vinegar per 5g of water to get 3 teaspoons of kalk per gallon. With one gallon of water with 3tsp of kalk, that will calcium in 75g of water by 11.7ppm, and raise alk by 29.5ppm (1.65dKh). Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 2-part and kalkwasser are going to be your most cost effective options, IMHO, especially kalkwasser. I would dose kalk based on an amount daily (not as topoff) and then use 2-part on top of that if necessary. You can use 15mL of vinegar per 5g of water to get 3 teaspoons of kalk per gallon. With one gallon of water with 3tsp of kalk, that will calcium in 75g of water by 11.7ppm, and raise alk by 29.5ppm (1.65dKh). i thought you couldn't use kalk on a high demand tank. so wouldn't this eventually not work once the tank is too stocked (which i know is wayyyy later on, just planning ahead) because it'll raise the pH too high to get sufficient cal/alk? i agree though, in the begining, 2 part will be my friend, but in the future when it's all growing out and i end up dosing A LOT per day, is it really worth it? Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 i thought you couldn't use kalk on a high demand tank. so wouldn't this eventually not work once the tank is too stocked (which i know is wayyyy later on, just planning ahead) because it'll raise the pH too high to get sufficient cal/alk? i agree though, in the begining, 2 part will be my friend, but in the future when it's all growing out and i end up dosing A LOT per day, is it really worth it? You can use kalk and only kalk as long as your evaporation rate is higher than the demand. As long as kalk is dripped or dosed in spurts throughout the day and night, you won't have any pH issues. You simply can't (well, shouldn't) add more fresh water to the system than your evaporation rate. Once you get the system running, you can figure out how much evaporation you'll have. Then you can calculate your maximum amount of kalkwasser you can add to your system, and from there figure out how much that kalk will raise your calcium and alkalinity. When you start off, kalk is all you will need. Like I said earlier, I would plan on having a separate ATO, that way you are not always adding kalk water when it may not be necessary, like if your evaporation is 1.5g daily and you only need 0.5g daily of kalk to keep up with demand. How much two part do you think you're going to be needing? Unless the tank is panel to panel with big hunks of SPS, I don't think you're going to need that much. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 You can use kalk and only kalk as long as your evaporation rate is higher than the demand. As long as kalk is dripped or dosed in spurts throughout the day and night, you won't have any pH issues. You simply can't (well, shouldn't) add more fresh water to the system than your evaporation rate. Once you get the system running, you can figure out how much evaporation you'll have. Then you can calculate your maximum amount of kalkwasser you can add to your system, and from there figure out how much that kalk will raise your calcium and alkalinity. When you start off, kalk is all you will need. Like I said earlier, I would plan on having a separate ATO, that way you are not always adding kalk water when it may not be necessary, like if your evaporation is 1.5g daily and you only need 0.5g daily of kalk to keep up with demand. How much two part do you think you're going to be needing? Unless the tank is panel to panel with big hunks of SPS, I don't think you're going to need that much. i asume i'll need more than i use for the 29 eventually. maybe not to start, but eventually. my 29 goes through 500g of seachem powder cal/alk every 2-2.5 months. i'll wait and see what the demands are, then see what my best options are fromt there. Link to comment
1.0reef Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 wrasse from the Halichoeres, Wetmorella, or Pseudocheilinops would work. Combtooth blennies will eat algae in small areas where your tang can't reach. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 wrasse from the Halichoeres, Wetmorella, or Pseudocheilinops would work. Combtooth blennies will eat algae in small areas where your tang can't reach. awesome thanks! it's probably good to have maintenance critters in the tank as well. Link to comment
1.0reef Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Indeed. If you get any clams they'll also eat the pest snails. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Indeed. If you get any clams they'll also eat the pest snails. i like the Red-Lined Wrasse (Halichoeres biocellatus). pretty cool fish. but liveaquaria says reef safe "with caution." if i get a bunch of nerite/cerith snails its not gonna devour them right? Link to comment
1.0reef Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I think they prefer shrimp and maybe crabs Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 my poor cleaner shrimp. hopefully i'll have a big enough fuge for him. hah those christmas wrasses are pretty cool too. thanks for the insight! i appreciate it! Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 wrasse from the Halichoeres, Wetmorella, or Pseudocheilinops would work. Combtooth blennies will eat algae in small areas where your tang can't reach. a lot of those wrasses need a sandy bottom, which i won't have. is that okay? if i build a rock wall for hiding will they be okay? Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 a lot of those wrasses need a sandy bottom, which i won't have. is that okay? if i build a rock wall for hiding will they be okay? No. Most wrasses actually bury themselves under the sand in a cocoon they make. If they don't have sand, they won't survive. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 No. Most wrasses actually bury themselves under the sand in a cocoon they make. If they don't have sand, they won't survive. mk. those wrasses are out. maybe i'll just stick with the tang and the clown. Link to comment
1.0reef Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 You can always fill a small tub with sand, the wrasse will find it and bury it's self in there. Link to comment
Jacob042426 Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 You can always fill a small tub with sand, the wrasse will find it and bury it's self in there.+1, my friend had a leopard wrasse for over a year in a bare-bottom tank with a container of sand in the corner. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 +1, my friend had a leopard wrasse for over a year in a bare-bottom tank with a container of sand in the corner. maybe.... that could work. i could hide it with some LR or something... keep that section a bit more natural. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Well, if it's going to be a frag tank, there really won't be anything natural about it as it is. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 Well, if it's going to be a frag tank, there really won't be anything natural about it as it is. True.... I'll decide eventually. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 Finally investing in an RO/DI unit. I decided on the BRS 75 GPD with the dual TDS, flush kit, and pressure gauge. My mom is a Chemical engineer and she works with same brand of filters in the system. She said it legit. Also, the acrylic is ordered! Should be cut and done within the week. Getting so close.... Link to comment
box Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 I would recommend a calcium reactor! It is expensive upfront, but in the long run you will make a profit. I have one on my 60 gallon tank and it is awesome! It save me from having to be there everyday to keep the calcium up(which is important if you go on vacation). It will help you make money faster by saving you from buy supplements every month because frag tank need to have more calcium than normal tanks(since you have higher coral density in a frag tank than you would a normal tank). What you could do is buy supplements first and then when you make money off the frags buy a reactor. Pro tip: never buy a calcium reactor brand new! they have pretty much kept the same design for a long time now so buying a brand new one would not be cost effective. try to buy one off a local reefing club member. I got a $600 model for $200 and I have definitely made that money back in supplement cost. Most calcium reactor are built like tanks too so they will last you a long time. They do seem very complex at first but you realize that there are only 2 controls: the water flow through the reactor and the amount of C02 you are pumping into the reactor. There are a lot of guides online helping you find the best ratio to get your tank working. Supplements are great because they have very little upfront cost, but in the long run especially, since you are running a frag tank, will cause you to be unprofitable since the supplement cost will eat into your margin. just my opinion! I could be wrong Have a nice day! Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 I would recommend a calcium reactor! It is expensive upfront, but in the long run you will make a profit. I have one on my 60 gallon tank and it is awesome! It save me from having to be there everyday to keep the calcium up(which is important if you go on vacation). It will help you make money faster by saving you from buy supplements every month because frag tank need to have more calcium than normal tanks(since you have higher coral density in a frag tank than you would a normal tank). What you could do is buy supplements first and then when you make money off the frags buy a reactor. Pro tip: never buy a calcium reactor brand new! they have pretty much kept the same design for a long time now so buying a brand new one would not be cost effective. try to buy one off a local reefing club member. I got a $600 model for $200 and I have definitely made that money back in supplement cost. Most calcium reactor are built like tanks too so they will last you a long time. They do seem very complex at first but you realize that there are only 2 controls: the water flow through the reactor and the amount of C02 you are pumping into the reactor. There are a lot of guides online helping you find the best ratio to get your tank working. Supplements are great because they have very little upfront cost, but in the long run especially, since you are running a frag tank, will cause you to be unprofitable since the supplement cost will eat into your margin. just my opinion! I could be wrong Have a nice day! Thanks for the input! I've been looking into the calcium reactors, and they seem to make the most sense on a frag tank. dosing a frag tank to me just seems out of place. (maybe because every LFS frag tank i've seen runs a Ca reactor). At this point, i'm still undecided... thanks for the help again. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 acrylic is ORDERED! $168 for a 60g shallow tank. Not a bad deal. Link to comment
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