Noobie needed help

[steven]

my belief is to use a needle skimmer or a good skimmer.

SKimmer is very important IMO in keeping marine tank.

I had a 2 ft tank with lot of nitrate problem.

Weekly water change of 20% failed to lower nitrate.

I was using the air wood diffuser skimmer then.

After that, i bought a aqua macro AS100P needle driven and wow !

Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all within specs.

A point for you to think abt....

[decentkid]

2 inch is not enough IMO...shld at least get a 3 inch...

why 3 inch....because bacteria which removes no3 thrives and only removes no3 in anaerobic conditions...which means no oxygen...so the deeper the sandbed, the lesser oxygen there is deeper down....so better....

next, get no3 test kit....do get it...

next, if u going into hard corals, pls do get better lights...best if T5...cos fl isnt bright enought for them...u will instead find your hard corals dying....

lastly, do wash your cannister often, usually dirt trapped in there will cause it to produce alot of nitrates

[Gouldian]

Thanks for all the advice again!

Im really impressed with this forum with the speed of how one member helps another.

I think im going to send back the fishes to the LFS and wait for the NO2 hike.

So if i continue from here, im still considered cycling the LR and Water right ?

BTW i got only a 2 inch DSB ..is it enough?

These are the accessories ive got so far, PLease tell me if i need to add in anything to make a good enviroment for the marines.

I got

Lights = a) dual light 2 feet florescent light (One blue , one white ),

A FL light 2 feet () another blue and white combo

Skimmer = got it off my friend... should be 10 dollars Made in China one.

Filtration = Jebao Cannistor filter 915

See bed = crushed corals that makes up to about 2 inch.

Blower = A mini Internal Water Blower to circulate water

A stick on ammonia tester

A stick on Thermometer

A floating type hydrometer

A Ph tester

A NO2 Tester

SO do i have anything else that i missed out ?

And below is a picture of my tank.

Pls Advice.

Thanks again

That's the attitude Sis!

There will always be some people advises you to take the convenient way out. But these people will not care when your livestocks suffers or your tank crashed!

I think you are begining to see who are the ones with Genuine Advises vs those that post for the sake of posting.

Btw, make upgrading your skimmer your first priority please. Skimmer is the most important devise in marine hobby.

Good luck with your cycling!

[steven]

juz curious.

yiling, how old r u ?

it surprised me that a lady is interested in keeping fish.

cos my mum and gf always complain abt my fish and the time i spent on them.

fyi,i am not sexist....

[Gouldian]

2 inch is not enough IMO...shld at least get a 3 inch...

why 3 inch....because bacteria which removes no3 thrives and only removes no3 in anaerobic conditions...which means no oxygen...so the deeper the sandbed, the lesser oxygen there is deeper down....so better....

next, get no3 test kit....do get it...

next, if u going into hard corals, pls do get better lights...best if T5...cos fl isnt bright enought for them...u will instead find your hard corals dying....

lastly, do wash your cannister often, usually dirt trapped in there will cause it to produce alot of nitrates

Great practical advise DecentKid, I couldn't have put it better.

[Gouldian]

Btw Sis, I think your LRs are no enough too.

[yiling]

Oh ok thanks for the advice all.

Im going to get the NO3 testkit later on today.

So how much roughly does a good skimmer cost or rather a value for money ones ?

The 3 inchs ones?

and for the T5 lights, can i just buy the bulb alone ?

Where is a good place to get these accessories ?

SO if i get new LRs to add on, do i need to cycle all over again ?

Oh BTW im 26.

Had always loved fishes:)

Happy weekend ahead

[Lin]

it surprised me that a lady is interested in keeping fish.

cos my mum and gf always complain abt my fish and the time i spent on them.

Hi yiling.. welcome to the club..u can always Pm those who u think can help.. ask ur LFS.. they shld able to advice u.. all BROs and Sis here are most willing to help u.. 1st.. do take time reading the section u think itz impt to u.. then start stocking up... i had alot of bros here who had given me precious advice.. let me recruit another elder sis here..

Slow, COol And Steady(SCS) ya! Good Luck!

[35Cents]

Oh ok thanks for the advice all.

Im going to get the NO3 testkit later on today.

So how much roughly does a good skimmer cost or rather a value for money ones ?

The 3 inchs ones?

and for the T5 lights, can i just buy the bulb alone ?

Where is a good place to get these accessories ?

SO if i get new LRs to add on, do i need to cycle all over again ?

Oh BTW im 26.

Had always loved fishes:)

Happy weekend ahead

A good slimmer will set you back a couple hundreds of dough depending on the type of technology and size it employs. A rather value for money skimmer is the marco skimmer, although I never used that b4 but witnessed some good skimmate from it.

I think you are using FL lights rite? In that case you cannot just buy T5 tubes as the diameter size and ballast is different. T5 meaning diameter is 5/8 of an inch, FL is known as T12...12/8 of an inch. Currently, there are some very value for money T5 available out there. But lights are not important if you intent to keep a FOWLF tank.

Check out the sponsers here, all are offering good range here.

Yes, if added new LR, need to cycle again.

Hopes this information helps. Welcome to SRC. Lin is very rite on reading up materials beforehand be it here or other sites...happy reefing.

[decentkid]

if u want to get new live rocks...add a little at a time...for your tank...maybe 1 per week, this is because any die offs will not cause too great a ammonia spike and the existing bacteria has the capability of clearing it...if u add to many at a go, the bacteria will not be able to clear the ammonia and nitrite, adding on your existing bio load...your tank will crash, so do it slowly and u need not cycle...do it fast then need to cycle

[limbssg]

maybe stick Oyama paper at the back of the tank?

Ur rockscape is pretty nice

[yiling]

Oh ok ... thanks

BTW can i fit T5 tubes into a a normal flourescent lamp holder?

Ive got the rainbow bat lamp one. If u have seen it before ?

Please advice...

Have u seen before corals surviving at 28 degrees ?

I saw it a Pasir Ris farm

weird huh ...

BUt i think they are using ML lights and no chiller.

[yiling]

maybe stick Oyama paper at the back of the tank?

Ur rockscape is pretty nice

Thanks and whats OYAMA paper ?

[pegasus1010]

28 degrees is ok. above 30 is dangerous for fishes & corals.

[yiling]

28 degrees is ok. above 30 is dangerous for fishes & corals.

oh hehe k

so in other words, if i decided to go into corals,

i do not need a chiller ?

Just a good light will do ?

[diabolus]

oh hehe k

so in other words, if i decided to go into corals,

i do not need a chiller ?

Just a good light will do ?

a good light is definitely important when you want to go for LPS/SPS.

but remember that good lights also emits more heat than "not so good" lights(for eg-MH lights), as such, the temperature of your tank will increase.

to maintain healthy LPS corals, the temperature of your tank should not exceed 28 degrees. A chiiler will be the best tool to have, either that or you can go for fans - but you have to be prepared to top up water everyday due to the high evaporation rate.

Therefore, beofre you think of wat good lights you want to get, think of how are you going to bring the tenperature down too.

just my miserable 2 cents worth.

[35Cents]

oh hehe k

so in other words, if i decided to go into corals,

i do not need a chiller ?

Just a good light will do ?

Usually good lights will give out more heat that in turn heat up your tank more. Fans are an alternative to chiller, either blowing on light/tubes or directly on water suface can bring temp down. Downside is that it will result in high evaporation rate unless you go buy a tubby.

Black oyama paper is those coloured (usually blue or black) one sided sticky paper people use to stick on back of tank for aesthetic reasons. Easily found in LFS.

You can house T5 tubes in FL housing, but need some DIY skills and need to buy eballast. Do a search on "DIY T5" in the DIY forum to read up more. Also some sponsers here offer to do the job for you at a fee.

Hope this helps.

[yiling]

a good light is definitely important when you want to go for LPS/SPS.

but remember that good lights also emits more heat than "not so good" lights(for eg-MH lights), as such, the temperature of your tank will increase.

to maintain healthy LPS corals, the temperature of your tank should not exceed 28 degrees. A chiiler will be the best tool to have, either that or you can go for fans - but you have to be prepared to top up water everyday due to the high evaporation rate.

Therefore, beofre you think of wat good lights you want to get, think of how are you going to bring the tenperature down too.

just my miserable 2 cents worth.

ic...thanks...

So maybe i should think twice about corals since all my equipments are not of good grade.

[yiling]

Usually good lights will give out more heat that in turn heat up your tank more. Fans are an alternative to chiller, either blowing on light/tubes or directly on water suface can bring temp down. Downside is that it will result in high evaporation rate unless you go buy a tubby.

Black oyama paper is those coloured (usually blue or black) one sided sticky paper people use to stick on back of tank for aesthetic reasons. Easily found in LFS.

You can house T5 tubes in FL housing, but need some DIY skills and need to buy eballast. Do a search on "DIY T5" in the DIY forum to read up more. Also some sponsers here offer to do the job for you at a fee.

Hope this helps.

I think you misunderstood me.

Im not that smart to DIY the T5 myself haha.

What i meant is that ....apart from my FL light, i also have 2x flourescent light (White and Blue).

SO , can i just change the bulb and use back my old housing ?

[35Cents]

I think you misunderstood me.

Im not that smart to DIY the T5 myself haha.

What i meant is that ....apart from my FL light, i also have 2x flourescent light (White and Blue).

SO , can i just change the bulb and use back my old housing ?

Yes you can. The tubes are the same if its all FL.

[yiling]

Yes you can. The tubes are the same if its all FL.

Hi all, guess ill stick to fishes and live rocks first.....till i outgrow my newbie stage.

will keep all the bros and sis updates of my tank

Am still waiting for NO3 ...to activate..

[tineng]

Oh ok ... thanks

BTW can i fit T5 tubes into a a normal flourescent lamp holder?

Ive got the rainbow bat lamp one. If u have seen it before ?

Please advice...

Have u seen before corals surviving at 28 degrees ?

I saw it a Pasir Ris farm

weird huh ...

BUt i think they are using ML lights and no chiller.

errr....sis, i think you better go really really slow.....don't jump into spending $$$$ on lights, skimmers....etc.....

you can do a lot of reading, but end of the day, you will need to experience some things yourself....my suggestion is that your current set up is fine (in fact for the 1st 2 month i had less equipment then you - not even the S$10 skimmer).... personally, your set up is fine to keep 1 or 2 'nemo', you just let to need things cycle through...after you can keep your fishes, then move on to other more chanllenging ones before moving to corals and buying more equipment....

this hobby is all about patience...not only about the tank, but also the patience needed to gain the neccessary knowledge and experience....

[yiling]

yes, i understand what u mean:)

BTW, my eel has been returned back in the tank.

Nobody wants him:(

lets hope he will be fine

[yiling]

my snowflake eel is amazing.

Think im going through the NO3 spike and he is still as hungry and as healthy each day.

i tried sending him away but my friend returned him to me:(

so my question is,

....is my cycle being affected?

will it hasten or slow down my cycle ?

or should i isolate him in a pail first?

will blue lights kill bacteria ?

Thanks for your time taken

[limbssg]

Snowflake eels are hardy and very greedy, my SFE will even try to bite my fingers. So be very careful. It managed to "kope" my finger once, but no harm done.

U can leave the eel inside the tank, I don't see that it will affect the cycling process. Some ppl can finish their cycle in 1 wk, some will tk 1 mth.