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nicholas_yeo

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Posts posted by nicholas_yeo

  1. It is recommended that you do smaller monthly changes instead doing a large amt every 3 months. It helps to maintain the chemistry and composition of the water content.

    I use Aquaz Carbon with rowaphos - I use a small amt and incremently added on every month. Once in a while during the period, I will stir the bag alittle to get it to change surfaces for better flow.

  2. well, looks like your LPS got acclimate to it. Mine is much worse.... more like 50 - 100ppm. I am emulating a doseless routine and just do bi-weekly water change, only less than 3 months into the practise... yet to see the results. Maybe I need to increase to 50% like yours.

    Yes, I know skimmer can't remove nitrate but it can get rid of most of the load b4 it breakdowns into nitrate. My macro is not skimming enough to make me happy.... Based on your deltec spec, it looks like it can support 3 times your tank size.

  3. pal, the return pipe hole look too close to the edge - whats the actual dim? U may risk breaking it during the drill process

    If u intend to use tunze nano, heard that it is very sensitive to water level fluctuation. Based your CAD drawing, it looks like u are putting it in the 1st compartment, But your sump compartment wall design is not meant to hold a stable level of water... so, u may have problem tuning the skimmer water level.

    Secondly, your 2nd wall is only 20mm from the top.... looks alittle risky if for certain reason, the sump is clogged up while your return pump continue to work, u may actually overflow out.

    My personal preference is do may the wall like this... but it depends on how u like of coz.

    post-69-1142437864.jpg

  4. very impressive.... can share your husbandary skills? I got a 2ft tank as well and keep mushies and leather... but u really cramp things in there...

    Wkly dosing -

    Water Change -

    Any specialty formula - :D

    Your current ANN levels if u measure them -

    Can show your skimmer in close up? I am very interested in upgrading - never thot a deltec can fit in there..... using Macro ASP500... I still got nitrate problem.... yours looks darn good though.

  5. Guys, pls note 'moonlight' and bluelight are not the same.

    Moonlight span at 420nm color temp and the usual blue LED are higher in 450 - 470nm.

    SLS do not carry specs so no pt asking them. So, just using blue LED to me is just decorative. It doesn't really bring out the color of the corals. So, do check b4 u get them.

  6. They only 'behave' when their size is small.

    Mine is at 3inch already after molting twice in 2 mths. Sad to say I lose a damsel and cleaner shrimp to it. The bugger eat alot and guess it was looking for midnite snacks. It actually hide behind the rocks and when I put some meat in there, u can see it scurry for the food and uses it claws to lock onto it.

    I have a real hard time getting it out and banish it into the refuge tank.

  7. Guys, most of the smaller PL tubes are not popular coz it takes as long to make them as a std 2ft 36W PL tube.... u have to sell those smaller version cheaper still. Not popular with manufacturers.

    Secondly, keep the right color temp is harder for manufacturer to control in smaller size and alot of them actually just paste a label say 1000k or something. I measured a 1000k PL light b4 and it was below 700k in real case.

    If u really want high power and compact, use those 'spiral' energy saver lamps from Philips / Osram that are market as cool daylight. They are above 700k and has good lumens. Good enough to keep mushies and leathers.... coz these soft corals are above 60ft depth in sea.

    Also, it is harder to main actinic spectrum on PL. U noticed most are very blue at 460 - 470nm. The purplish type that carries 420nm is not available in PL actually; again this is due to mfg constraint. I personally like to use 420nm for actinic and this is best when comes to T8 tubes.

    On the other hand, if u are not into corals and just some basic fish / invert like shrimps for a nano tank.....

    LED lighting is catching up. I got a blue LED array from SLS for only $25 and it was strong. 3 of this (2 white and 1 blue) is enough to use for a long time plus they do not produce heat and last over 20k hrs. The lumens will not reduce drastically like flourcescent tube as LED is electronically fired up by excitation.

  8. Flaming Nemo: Do u dose any thing like SeaChem Reef Builder ™ to raise carbonate alkalinity ? It usually takes both calcium and alkalinity to maintain a good PH value. Pple either dose Kalkwasser daily at nite to helps or like me, I dose Seachem advantage calcium and reef builder on alternate days works well.

    Mine never go below 8.0 before and I never get a chance to use my ph buffer.... :P

    U can read more of PH from this website. Very useful.

    http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marphfaq4.htm

  9. Hi Alvin

    I am not sure about that. I only know that low magnesium will have problem maintaining calcium and thus coraline algae.

    Marinesavy: I still keep a bottle of iodine to use very sparely on few occassion. It is so far that I didn't really dose it regularly or even do not dose at all.

  10. overdose can be fatal to inverts.... so it is always safer to use testkit to check....

    but alot of pple who keep to the routine of just wkly water change has stable results which really dun need to put additional.... only in cases that u need to 'heal' a coral / invert.

  11. The DI tube looks pretty ordinary like those sell in DIY stores, didn't seem to be any different. It all pending the particles size of the filtration cantridge.

    But its patent 3 stage filtration draw my attention.... this is not an RO unit.

    http://www.gfsfilter.com/sterilight.htm

    It has a standard DI tube for 1st stage, follows by Ozone and UV Light in 2nd stage and 3rd with carbon filtration....

    Never seem one Ozone with UV Reactor chamber b4..... :idea: hmm... wonder what happen if we use both ideals and connect inline an ozonizer with UV sterilizer together in the sump....

  12. I dunno if u can find a blue version of this.. this is a new 4 tube PL light... only launch recently in Singapore last yr... I saw white version above 700k before but never blue...

    U can ask Jireh since they showcase Dymax version... maybe they carry some.

  13. cool...... but its online store (via yahoo) sell at US269.90 + ###### for UPS shipping to Singapore...

    If u just buy one, it is still at least US$310++ :sick:

    Cheapest is from www.fishsupply.com at $239.90

    but that still damm ex....

    But its design is pretty neat though... I like it but only at a more affordable price. If I got that money to spend, rather buy a beckett for now....

  14. guys, why bother to cut your own acrylic?

    Just measure to size and send your order to dama.com.sg.. (not selling for them but I bought a few from them and they have good price / service so far)

    it is cheap and they will cut it to your required size.... save the trouble

    If u want stronger... u can get thicker version (as they for sizes) or polycarbonate sheet... they looks like acrylic but much stronger...

    On the other hand, glass maker now make cheap sump to your spec as well... could be well under $80/- depend on your design / size..

  15. guys, better stick to LFS....

    It is against the law to pick corals from singapore coast. the coast have a watcher program that pple actually survey the area for poachers...U are consider a poacher if u start picking up corals.... so dun play play.... if get caught... your pic all over the papers... hee :D

    If free... I would have go and take some as well...

    But if u stays in Phillipines, then it is a different story. My fren lives there see and eat reef fishes... hee... HE doesn't even need to buy grade 0 sand.... it is everywhere.... too bad they dun keep them.

  16. hi colinsoon,

    U can speed up your coraline algae growth quite easily. I use Seachem Reef Complete and Reef builder to dose on alternate days. It will give a pretty stable calcium, carbon hardness with a proportion of magnesium and strontium.

    U also need a good dosage of actinice lights. I put 2 tubes of T8 under my 2ft tank at 12 hrs. Make sure u get those good ones than span 420nm is the best... (appear slightly purplish). The usual is 450nm which is pure blue.... I find those hard to cultivate coraline algae....

  17. It shouldn't be anything wrong with the skimmer since it has no moving parts.

    2100l/hr is more than enough... I agreed with Gouldian. Change to a better pump. I am using a Macro ASp100 with a Rio Pump at the same rate. Pump will stop once in a while.

    It is due to rotating blade being out of position. The design wasn't good and it get stuck at an angle sometimes due to the flimsy plastic shaft.... I have to give it a few hard knock on the pump b4 the blade free itself.

    Secondly, clean your venturi valve as it will affect the performance somewhat.

    I am on the verge of buying the German made Indra Pump at 2100l/hr with a much smaller form factor and better wattage. Waiting for ang bao money... :P

    A good pump is impt to save u from more troubles later.....

  18. hi firestarz

    Small tank doesn't means easier by the way. In fact, it is much harder to maintain its parameters since a little spike like dead fish can send the nitrate / ammonia all the way up or a overdose of iodine can be deadly to invert....

    In my personal opinion (I have 2 nano, 10G and 45G), Nano can be tougher than the next size which is a 3ft tank. Reason is u can house more proper equipment like skimmers, reactors, etc to maintain your parameter plus any 'wrongdoing' wont crash your tank since it is potent in small tanks.

    If u really want to start this hobby, it is my personal belieft u can start at a 2ft tank like most pple do here. It is always better to have sump since it allows u to install equipment and increase your load / capacity. Make it tidy as well.

    The LFS can be right on just do wkly change to maintain tank condition but that doesn't mean it is easier. Check this link out on the guys 2ft tank and read some of the threads from fellow reefers. It is crucial u understand it better b4 u embark on this. Otherwise, the result usually is a costly one.

    http://haaga.aqua-web.org/Nano/index.htm

    But it is critical u pick a good salt like Marine environment or something else and use DI or RO water to mix.

  19. bro, your bubble doesn't look 'micro' in the pic. Looks sparsely populated with larger bubble though. Doesn't seem right. Did u try to regulate the air intake? try adding those air valve from normal air pump, can help to control the airbubble size slightly.

    Nice setup though. Hope u add rowaphos and carbon , can't see if it is in your filter. If u dun add anti-phosphate during cycling, it will be harder to get rid of it from your sandbed and algae will bloom in a couple of months.

    The heatsink application is great. I have the same thing put on my hangon filter.

    Aluminium diecast wont oxidise that easily. It usually have a clear anodised coating to maintain it, try not to scrub it though. Just rinse under warm water w/o the fan.

    For other reefers: Yes, u can get it at SLS or SLT. If u want 'higher' performance, use copper heatsink... it has better heat transfer efficiency. Get those with attachment for fan is better. The best cooler is still Iceprobe. for nano Work similarly but it has piezo electric cooling...

    By the way, for those plug it from CPU, pls clean away the thermal 'pad' or glue from the heatsink b4 using. Its all chemical on the pads, wont do good for fish....

  20. pal, U got good spirit. But not to dampen your interest. The hard part is to keep it balance now.

    your nano tank is actually too small to hold too many fishes. When I saw it at TM, U can't possibly maintain that way. He put so many fishes in there -> bioload is too high and the weaker fish will not make it. The boss has to keep changing water at least a few days to maintain it or keep changing his fishes... :(

    There is no skimmer, only 2 small compartments for putting some biofilters, carbon and rowaphos. So, be sure u dun overfeed and use test kits to measure your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

    Secondly, u only can mount one 13W PL light. So I guess he give u the 50/50 tube with daylight / actinic blue. PRobably not strong enough. I use 2 PL x 13W instead.

    I have a nano tank too; the fast and most efficient way tp keep the water clean is to change 20% water wkly. Like what the others recommended, use DI or RO water and mixed with salt; Put anti-chlorine and run it with air bubble or pump for a couple of days;

    I usually do it min. for a day and change water. This way it replenish your trace element, strontium, magnesium etc. Be sure to does Calcium and carbon hardness wkly as well.

    Buy a good brand like marine enivornment for the salt. Anyway, there are plenty of info on the forum. Keep reading it and u will be able to pick up more info.

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