bmaher1212

Bit of an unfair question maybe... but any particular store you would use to get your equipment?

There is a big bag of black stuff in my sump... assume that is the carbon? Will that stop the chemical warfare? Why is the protein skimmer too small? Wouldn't a small size just mean I have to empty it more often? Or is it a capacity issue?

that's funny LemonLemon, was going ask. Some mornings it looks like a bomb went off in my tank. Corals toppled everywhere... maybe that's when the big fella (as I've now named him) goes for his nightly walk?! Any ideas on how to catch him? Side question, is it true that for the first year the water is always more unstable? Maybe I just haven't run my tank for long enough? If so, how come my coral seems to be ok? I'm enjoying having the aquarium, lots to learn! Love the idea about covering the overflow... new task for this weekend!

Thank you one and all (even criticism is welcome, all part of learning). I realise I am running before I can walk! I'll post some pictures of my lighting and maybe someone can advise me on that too? Looking at the underneath section (is the whole thing call the sump?): 1. The water goes from the overflow in the tank down into the left most chamber. Seems to be filled with small circle item (ceramic rings?). What do they do? How often do you replace them? 2. The water then goes into the next chamber and I'm guessing is further filtered by the coral chips? Why is this two stage process (ceramic rings then coral chips) important? How often do you change the chips? 3. Now the water flows into the third chamber with the protein skimmer. Yep, stinks! There is also a bag of what I think is charcoal in this chamber? Does that sound right? What does that do? Filter process? I've read it in some books but can't get to grips with the explanation. How often should I change it? 4. Then the water goes into the final chamber where it is chilled and gets pumped back into the tank. Is that about right for the water flow?

Sure... condo is completely new, so we ripped the guts out of it and made the inside what we wanted. Part of that was to have a tank installed as I'd always wanted one. But it was done while the apartment was being built so I couldn't move in even when it was finished and the initial water fill added. I had coral before I had a home! So then I moved in (complete with damsel fish) and the expert who built the tank isn't all that forthcoming with information about what I own, how it works, how to clean it, when to replace etc. Part of it is language, part of it is him wanting to keep the money I pay him to look after it. I test my own water weekly, clean the protein skimmer etc. I'm learning but is a lot to pick up. For example, he says I can add tap water to the chilled section of the sump and just add water conditioner at the same time. And it seems to be ok, but from the posts here and the books I read you should leave the water alone overnight at least and then test before adding. Very confusing, so I figured I'd ask the wider community who have no reason to keep me in the dark! I read the posts, but I'm not sure what I own to know how the apply! Apologies if I am being confusing, not my intent.

OH... and all the damsels are still alive. They are unbreakable those fish, they'd survive a nuclear war...

Thanks! Yeah, I'm learning as I go along a little... I'm using an expert to come in and make sure I don't kill everything but eventually I want to be able to take over and do it myself. I keep asking questions but we have a bit of a communication problem with language. Makes asking harder questions (like how often to change the chips, ceramic rings etc) just a little bit harder! Plus he'd prefer I keep using him! So time to learn it myself I reckon... thanks for the reply!

OK, so this will sound weird... but have to ask. I keep losing fish! I started my tank in Sep / Oct, cycled the water for two months (with live rock from three weeks, coral from six weeks). Put in eight damsels in early Dec. No problem for two weeks... added more livestock. All good. In Jan added some larger fish, naso tang, yellow tang, Foxfaces (three), mature clown fish (tomato, zebra). They have all disappeared. Some are fine one day, completely gone the other. I lost five fish in one evening with only one actual body ever found! I have a crab, hairy fella about the size of my palm, that hitched a lift on my live rock. Could it be eating the fish after they die? Could it be killing them? Or is it that my water isn't mature enough? The tank is 8ft long x 2ft x 2ft, about 30% rock and coral. Thing is, my coral is doing great! Healthy, full of life... and the fish that live are also really healthy. All very confusing... any thoughts are most welcome!

Hi... I recently moved into our new home and we had a tank put together for us. Once in a lifetime chance to have it built in... always wanted one but never in one place long enough to make a marine tank a reality! Now I have a problem... I have no idea what equipment I own! Could someone help me identify the equipment?! I am really trying to get into this but maybe went too fast and now I need to catch up!