29 gallon: R.E.E.F Tank

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

On ‎6‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 11:54 PM, Tamberav said:

I personally would change to disposable floss changed twice a week and make a DIY surface skimmer for it. I have seen them made out of pop bottles or PVC and other cheap crap that might set you back like two dollars 😛

 

I am not sure what the pads are but no sponges, if the pads are carbon, that is okay but needs to run AFTER the floss. You would be better off buying media bags and BRS carbon and bagging your own. 

 

If you arn't, I would also be soaking and scrubbing all the pumps/heater and filter clean so its spotless monthly. This keeps them working to spec and removes crud build up. 

 

Basically find what is consistently successful with other people and try to emulate that. Ignore the outliers like the guy with 8 fish an no algae issues or the guy who runs a canister and hasn't changed it in a year (I am being dramatic). Some people win the lottery too but it probably won't be us 😛

 

@Clown79 does a fantastic job and it's all on the TOTM page. 

 

 

You are going in the right direction but you aren't there yet so I would be hesitant to add more fish. We all face dumb crap though... clown had Dino... I had Dino... now I have cyano because I overshot feeding trying to kill the dino 😮 Scorches tank went through some bad times. It happens but only patience and hard work will turn it all around. 

 

 

Well said tamberav, I have had a hell of time with my tank and it's now finally going way smoother.

Ethan, just keep with it and it will come. Everyone at one point or another has some crazy shit happen that has you scratching your head.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

On ‎6‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 7:08 PM, Tamberav said:

This is what I use in my media baskets but there are many viable options. Floss/carbon/purigen are generally always acceptable additions. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterprises-ABE16720-Chemi-Bags-Aquarium/dp/B00BUFTSV6/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=media+bag&qid=1561157884&s=gateway&sr=8-12

 

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-premium-rox-0-8-aquarium-carbon.html

 

https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-67101660-Purigen-250ml/dp/B000255PJE/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2N5PUWG3JMHKK&keywords=purigen&qid=1561157956&s=gateway&sprefix=purigen%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-4

 

https://www.bigalspets.com/big-al-s-filter-floss.html

or

https://www.amazon.com/inTank-Aquarium-Pond-Value-600-square-inches/dp/B00B50UPE0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=filter+floss&qid=1561158016&s=gateway&sr=8-3

 

 

I would get this first since you don't have one:

https://www.amazon.com/Refractometer-Smarthome-SH-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B0791GFF59/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2JDDYY4EXW0FP&keywords=refractometer&qid=1561158087&s=gateway&sprefix=refractome%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-7

and

https://www.amazon.com/AccuBrate-Refractometer-Salinity-Calibration-Fluid/dp/B07HQSY9QG/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=calibration+fluid&qid=1561158117&s=gateway&sr=8-4

 

There are many ways to make a DIY surface skimmer. Just be sure to top off your tank every day. If you let your water evap too low, it won't be high enough to get into the filter.

 

 

 

or

 

 

or 

 

 

A surface skimmer is just a box or pipe with teeth to gather the water from the surface before it goes into the filter. You can find lots of examples googling. 

I have never even seen something like that before lol. Granted, I've never actually looked for one though.

[Melfy77]

1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Well said tamberav, I have had a hell of time with my tank and it's now finally going way smoother.

Ethan, just keep with it and it will come. Everyone at one point or another has some crazy shit happen that has you scratching your head.

So true!!! I too had dinos in my previous tank. A nightmare!! My new tank had been running for 2 months, still going through the uglies. I went to my LFS yesterday and my PO4 was at 0ppm (with hanna checker). NO3 at 2ppm I pulled my rowaphos bag out a my tank! Don't want to deal with those again lol.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

3 minutes ago, Melfy77 said:

So true!!! I too had dinos in my previous tank. A nightmare!! My new tank had been running for 2 months, still going through the uglies. I went to my LFS yesterday and my PO4 was at 0ppm (with hanna checker). NO3 at 2ppm I pulled my rowaphos bag out a my tank! Don't want to deal with those again lol.

Luckily(knock on wood) I haven't had dinos. My tank was going well for 6-8 months then bam massive gha outbreak. Been dealing with it slowly for about 4 months and finally beating it. I think my order of snails I got all died and exploded my nutrients. But, anyway, I've finally got things on track but it does take work and patience.

 

edit: I will never buy a cuc from anyone other than reef cleaners.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

6 hours ago, Melfy77 said:

Have you gotten your tests? Curious to see PO4 levels. Although testing for this is    hard because they are somewhat inaccurate. I just bring mine to my LFS and they test it with their hanna PO4 checker. I would also get something to add some water agitation in top, like a powerhead or wavemaker. That's  29g tall right? I have one sitting in the basement because trying to get decent flow with those dimensions kinda suck lol. Either too much or too little.

I need to buy a po4 test kit. I’m hoping to get a maxispect gyre, would that fit my tanks dimensions? My lfs does not test for  po4, it’s stupid.

[ECLS Reefer]

5 hours ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Well said tamberav, I have had a hell of time with my tank and it's now finally going way smoother.

Ethan, just keep with it and it will come. Everyone at one point or another has some crazy shit happen that has you scratching your head.

😬😬I try to only change my tank floss every week at most- A it’s expensive and B I’m afraid it’ll disturb the pods I grow in the sump. I check the parameters religiously every three days though, so I always know when it’s a good time to get new floss in there.

[ECLS Reefer]

5 hours ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Luckily(knock on wood) I haven't had dinos. My tank was going well for 6-8 months then bam massive gha outbreak. Been dealing with it slowly for about 4 months and finally beating it. I think my order of snails I got all died and exploded my nutrients. But, anyway, I've finally got things on track but it does take work and patience.

 

edit: I will never buy a cuc from anyone other than reef cleaners.

Why reef cleaners? I pick and choose my CUC based on appearance and abilities so they’re interesting to look at. I’ve gotten almost all of them from LiveAquaria and they’ve done really well. 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

So, anyone know if the maxispect gyre will fit my tank?

[Melfy77]

24 minutes ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

So, anyone know if the maxispect gyre will fit my tank?

I was actually looking to get the icecap 1k for my lagoon 25 but many reviews said that it was bordeline too much flow at 10% lol. I already have 2 return pumps, so that would have been too much hahaha. I went with the IM wavelink instead.

But your tank doesn't seem to have a lot of flow already and it's 30 inch long. I think it should fit nicely 🙂

[Melfy77]

2 hours ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Why reef cleaners? I pick and choose my CUC based on appearance and abilities so they’re interesting to look at. I’ve gotten almost all of them from LiveAquaria and they’ve done really well. 

Same. But I'm in Canada so it's not even an option lol. That being said my LFS only does reef tanks so that helps. Good selection and good prices.. and a 15 minutes walk😁

[pgrVII]

8 hours ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Luckily(knock on wood) I haven't had dinos. My tank was going well for 6-8 months then bam massive gha outbreak. Been dealing with it slowly for about 4 months and finally beating it. I think my order of snails I got all died and exploded my nutrients. But, anyway, I've finally got things on track but it does take work and patience.

 

edit: I will never buy a cuc from anyone other than reef cleaners.

This. I had a huge cleanup crew die off early on and it really prolonged that uglies phase breaking the tank in. Now I keep only what Jables needs for food plus a bit more.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

51 minutes ago, Melfy77 said:

I was actually looking to get the icecap 1k for my lagoon 25 but many reviews said that it was bordeline too much flow at 10% lol. I already have 2 return pumps, so that would have been too much hahaha. I went with the IM wavelink instead.

But your tank doesn't seem to have a lot of flow already and it's 30 inch long. I think it should fit nicely 🙂

Ah, thank you. I’m saving up for that right now, I hopefully will have enough for it by next week

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

4 hours ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

😬😬I try to only change my tank floss every week at most- A it’s expensive and B I’m afraid it’ll disturb the pods I grow in the sump. I check the parameters religiously every three days though, so I always know when it’s a good time to get new floss in there.

I get a giant roll from Amazon for like 14 bucks it's 12"x72" lasts me months. Granted I only have the tidal 55 for filtration. I do get lazy and only change once a week, but I do try for 2 lol.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

4 hours ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Why reef cleaners? I pick and choose my CUC based on appearance and abilities so they’re interesting to look at. I’ve gotten almost all of them from LiveAquaria and they’ve done really well. 

No real reason other than recommendations. The lfs hardly has any good selection of inverts and the last place I ordered from, they all died super fast. I just placed an order with reef cleaners and John was so helpful with what I needed. I figured give them a shot and see what happens.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

1 hour ago, pgrVII said:

This. I had a huge cleanup crew die off early on and it really prolonged that uglies phase breaking the tank in. Now I keep only what Jables needs for food plus a bit more.

I've never had enough. I'm hoping this little shipment I'm getting will be awesome and very little loss. Fingers crossed.

 

4 hours ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Why reef cleaners? I pick and choose my CUC based on appearance and abilities so they’re interesting to look at. I’ve gotten almost all of them from LiveAquaria and they’ve done really well. 

Ohh I forgot it was very affordable too, I was really surprised how much it ended up being as well.

[pgrVII]

Just now, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

I've never had enough. I'm hoping this little shipment I'm getting will be awesome and very little loss. Fingers crossed.

 

Ohh I forgot it was very affordable too, I was really surprised how much it ended up being as well.

Now the tank is old so its pretty seasoned and use to itself so as long as I dont go haywire with feeding a small crew works😊 hermits are always busy busy working,until the Mantis finds them.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

2 minutes ago, pgrVII said:

Now the tank is old so its pretty seasoned and use to itself so as long as I dont go haywire with feeding a small crew works😊 hermits are always busy busy working,until the Mantis finds them.

Yeah portion control is hard having one fish 😂.

[pgrVII]

1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Yeah portion control is hard having one fish 😂.

Hey, I have 2😂😂

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

1 minute ago, pgrVII said:

Hey, I have 2😂😂

It's funny who would've thought having one mouth to feed would be so damn challenging. I can't even break off a small enough piece of lrs. I gave up and now I just thaw out a good chunk and feed a couple pieces. The rest just gets dumped. Sucks to waste it but it's hard to pull a small chunk.

[pgrVII]

2 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

It's funny who would've thought having one mouth to feed would be so damn challenging. I can't even break off a small enough piece of lrs. I gave up and now I just thaw out a good chunk and feed a couple pieces. The rest just gets dumped. Sucks to waste it but it's hard to pull a small chunk.

I feed prime reef flake mostly and form.1 pellets. The pellets are good and easy to dish out with out overfeeding I've found. Flake is good to make em chase the food in the tank a bit.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

4 minutes ago, pgrVII said:

I feed prime reef flake mostly and form.1 pellets. The pellets are good and easy to dish out with out overfeeding I've found. Flake is good to make em chase the food in the tank a bit.

Hmm I'll have to look into those as well. I love the lrs food. It's expensive but my clown loves it. I feed the rock flowers it also so I get some use out of it. I ordered my first macro algae so I'm hoping they can control some nutrients.

[pgrVII]

Just now, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Hmm I'll have to look into those as well. I love the lrs food. It's expensive but my clown loves it. I feed the rock flowers it also so I get some use out of it. I ordered my first macro algae so I'm hoping they can control some nutrients.

Sounds like a good plan my friend.

[Tamberav]

I have a gyre on my 22g and the flow is nice, I wouldn't buy one again though. Too tedious to clean compared to my vortechs and the some parts needed replacement way too soon... oh and the magnet exploded/rusted too 🙂 I am careful with my pumps and I don't have any small snails in that tank so nothing jams them up. My three Vortechs are going since 2012 so maybe I have been spoiled by them being so dependable for me. 

[Melfy77]

6 hours ago, Tamberav said:

I have a gyre on my 22g and the flow is nice, I wouldn't buy one again though. Too tedious to clean compared to my vortechs and the the bearings needed replacement way too soon... oh and the magnet exploded/rusted too 🙂 I am careful with my pumps and I don't have any small snails in that tank so nothing jams them up. My three Vortechs are going since 2012 so maybe I have been spoiled by them being so dependable for me. 

I would totally buy one!! But at 400$...there goes my livestock for the next year lol. Replacing the wet or dry side also costs  a lot. Gonna try IM wavelink, it's got pretty good reviews!

[Ratvan]

@EthanPhillyCheesesteak Did your Mushroom Coral ever settle down in the end?