Converting to a DSB and LR ?'ss

[cirionrc]

I have a few question's on a dsb. Well, I now have 2.5-3 inches of crushed coral substrate in my 72g for about 4 months now. If I wanted to convert to a DSB should I just add the mud on top of it, and how many inches? Eventually, I am going to switch to a reef tank instead of FOWLR and just want to get it prepared and stable when that time comes. I have 40-50 lbs of live rock now, how much rock do I need? Also, can a lion fish live in a reef tank? If not, why not? What about a juvenile koran angel? Can any of these inhabit a reef tank - flame angel, yellow tang, lemonpeel angel, Snowflake moray, big hermit crabs. Also, how much lighting do I need? MH or PC? I have a bio canister filter right now, what are the benefits of a wet-dry filter, are they better? Why do people dislike using bio balls or a bio wheel on reef tanks? I am running a CPR Bak Pak right now and people tell me it is not powerful enough for my 72g tank. Is this true? If so, what is a good skimmer to use. Would the Aqua C Remora be a good choice? I've heard of people getting a big skimmer and getting rid of there wet/dry filter. Wouldn't that lack efficient skimming, and why not have both? I would think that it would be better to have both. And is there such a thing of too much beneficial bacteria, filter, sand, skimmer, bio balls?

[spectre]

I'll try to tackle this....

Questions answered in order asked:

1.mud? try a smaller sized (sugar-sized) aragonite sand on top of crushed coral

2. 5-6 inches min. (new sand + CC)

3.at least 1lb per gallon. preferrably 2 lbs per gallon

4.yes it can live in a reef tank, but it will eat any smaller fish and possibly shrimp as well.

5. no

6A. no

6B. yes

6C. no

6D. no

6E. no

comments on Questions 6: all angels can/will nip at sessile inverts if the mood strikes them. I said no, because I wouldn't keep them with my corals.

7. depends on what you want to keep (coral-wise)

8. MH (if keeping anything other than softies, for that size tank 2x175w should do; 250w if clams and sps are in your future) PC's for fish

9. more biological filtration

10. no opinion on being better, If it was my tank I'd scrap the bio canister as soon as I had enough LR to handle my biological filtration.

11. people consider bio balls and bio wheels nitrate factories

12. according to CPR it should be, but there are alot better skimmers out there. CPR requires some serious tweaking to get it to function efficiently.

13. for your tank, an AquaC EV-120

14. yes if $$$ is a concern, it is a better skimmer than the CPR, otherwise see above.

15. no

16. you can keep both

17A. no

17B. no

17C. no

17D. no

17C. maybe, depends on your nitrate readings.

 

WHEW!!! thats all of them I believe.

[tinyreef]

spectre,

i kept thinking about mel brooks' history of the world: roman empress picking her nightly 'guards'.

[lizbeth]

Originally posted by spectre

I'll try to tackle this....

 

WHEW!!! thats all of them I believe.

 

 

:woot: applauding loudly :woot:

 

good job spectre!

[cirionrc]

Thanks for all the help. Sorry about the essay! Well having too much biological filtration can cause a lot of nitrates which I assume can be taken care of by a refugium. You said to rid of the eheim once I had enough live rock. Would keeping the eheim running be bad? Would adding a wet/dry be better to have? Again, thanks for the advice.

[spectre]

Originally posted by tinyreef

spectre,

i kept thinking about mel brooks' history of the world: roman empress picking her nightly 'guards'.

 

 

:P :P

hehehe

[spectre]

cirionrc,

 

I don't think either one would be bad, just more maintenance. If you have a sufficient amount of LR to handle your bioload I wouldn't use it. (read=less maintenance).

When/If you buy more LR, leave the filter running for about 2 weeks, then take it off. Monitor your Ammonia, nitrites etc. and see how the Lr is doing. You will be pleasantly suprised.

Also with the addition of a DSB, and the refugium, your nitrates should be zip. HTH

[gobies]

Take a look around at www.wetwebmedia.com .... there's a search function (powered by Google), and a shipload of info there...