Almost new tank - many qn to ask

[bivi]

thanks Gerrard,

Is there a thread that reviews skimmer available?

Reef Depot recommended me this big skimmer... but don't think there's enough space to put in the area below the fish tank. And it'll ugly to put it outside.

Any good skimmer around that could fit 80cm x 45cm for a 4.5ft tank?

[Dazza]

hihi bivi... yes the reef depot skimmers are top grade stuff... probably deltec rite... if budget is constraint, maybe u cud explore macro wh is cheaper or search ard src for second hand ones.... i think its best u test yr water b4 doing anything else cos watever we say here is just hypothetical as we r not sure wat the prob cud be..... a simple test n u'll know the cause n then a better solution cud be found. Until then please do not add anymore fish or corals into the tank ... btw nice tank design

[bivi]

thanx Dazza,

yep, my hubby is quite reluctant to spend on the skimmer, dunno why.

But i've ordered test kits already: Ammonia n Nitrite (cos Nitrates out of stock). Do i miss anything else? Hubby has PH test though i have no idea how it works (will ask him tonight).

OK, I know.. no more addition of fish or corals.

I'll report the test results once the test kit delivery is here.

So Live Rocks is ok to add?

[madmac]

The.... er, i dunno what it's called... filtration system?

Thats called a sump.

The water pump (black one)?

Thats called a return pump.

Not sure if you already have one, a device to test for salinity levels will come in useful later.

The chiller and add a few more pumps for better flow.... even for a fish only tank, it really looks to static for comfort.

The rest will fall in place in time.

The skimmer is fine... for the current moment... with better flow, you'll be able to get more 'tank turnover' thru the skimmer, so get more flow in tank first before considering a bigger skimmer.

Long term though, and if your serious enough, then IMHO (pls I say this will all humility), and if I were you, I'll work-on your hubby and his self-defeating attitude, you'll be able to achieve more that way. This hobby sure has a good way of teaching egoistic and impatient ppl how to go on...

oh... no enough live rocks, save the money for the chiller and more flow pls

[arcanehacker]

MAN!!!. .. you gotta change your skimmer first.. get a better skimmer or you will see your self spending more $$ with water change ... there are also budget skimmers like Macro, Octopus.. even a weipro is a much better choice compared to that.

Not to forget then wooden airstone have to be changed every 2 months else its useless.. gonna cost a lot also if you get good ones..

start with this and then change your water slowly to lower down your NO3. I bet its sky rocketed by now.

[bivi]

which one is the airstone'? the balls?

the test kit for NO3 is sold out at Reef Depot. I just ran the test kit for ammonia and NO2. Did i tell you guys that I'm bad in Chemistry n Bio?

Can't really match the colour lah... the NO2 light pink, so i think abt 1-2

Ammonia is a cloudy almost off-white so i think it's either <.25 or .25.

I'll get hubby to run the test himself.

Madmac, what is salinity? the level content of the water? I think we hv one. Will check it later.

Heart attack! I think my brown anemone is not well!! it's shrinking and looks dying.

Will ask hubby to take it out tonight if really the case.

Gosh, i wonder if having a baby will be worse than this! My heart almost stops when i see the anemone. The clownfish tried to dig its way to the inside, prob to stimulate it. Sigh...

[ong2ah]

I suggest that u used mysis shrimp (come in frozen cubes) to feed yr fishes as u mention the pellets are too big for the fishes.. and having the pellets lying on the bottom of tank and slowly decomposing, will add on to yr ammonia, nitrite and nitrate... u k easily get the mysis shrimp from any LFS.

I k see that the tank setup with the cabinet is very nice...must have cost quite a bit also... hope yr tank will eventually get to an excellent tank soon.

And i recommend u getting tropic marine salt... red sea salt is cheap, i understand... but quality wise left to be desired... if u use a more quality salt like tropic marine... u would no need to worry abt the magnesium, kh and calcium level of yr water... juz my 2 cents worth of opinion

And do change to a better skimmer... get a macro-skimmer...if budget constraint.. u k look around at pasam malam section to get second hand skimmer to save more $.

[ong2ah]

which one is the airstone'? the balls?

the test kit for NO3 is sold out at Reef Depot. I just ran the test kit for ammonia and NO2. Did i tell you guys that I'm bad in Chemistry n Bio?

Can't really match the colour lah... the NO2 light pink, so i think abt 1-2

Ammonia is a cloudy almost off-white so i think it's either <.25 or .25.

I'll get hubby to run the test himself.

Madmac, what is salinity? the level content of the water? I think we hv one. Will check it later.

Heart attack! I think my brown anemone is not well!! it's shrinking and looks dying.

Will ask hubby to take it out tonight if really the case.

Gosh, i wonder if having a baby will be worse than this! My heart almost stops when i see the anemone. The clownfish tried to dig its way to the inside, prob to stimulate it. Sigh...

Sis bivi,

Get a refractometer to measure the salinity of water is recommended. Do keep the salinity at ard 1.023 to 1.025....

If use a hydrometer, get a corallife deep six hydrometer, really think a refractometer would be a much better choice... cost ard $60++ at reefdepot... or u k get it second hand at pasam malam section. It be cheaper.

[fongster]

yes definitely cannot stress more on the protein skimmer cos its the most important piece of reefing equipment, saves many a reef. See the thing about the skimmer, it removes waste (DOC) even before it is broken down into the A N N cycle, meaning it will also lessen the NO3 buildup. For your tank a big skimmer would be required

some recommended skimmers would be

1.deltec ap851(needlewheel) ard $1000 can get second hand would be cheaper(but then again not many people selling cos.... tada nothing better to upgrade too, says alot it itself. can be outsump

2.H&S (needlewheel) v good skimmer can get from sealife, about $950 ? frot ehyour tank size

3.beckett skimmer, ok there is no actual brand called beckett its just the type due to the beckett nozzle injector. Its considered as a DIY skimmer also, alot of reefers swear by this cos it removes alot of DOC fast, but it is power driven so it eats electricity in the long run. Initial cost $700+ , mthly cost about $10 (depends on pump you use) can find from many of our sponsors marinelife, bio-ocean, harlequin

can be placed outsump, must be raised to above water level if outsump

4.AquaC this is a spray injector model some more innovative designs, i am thinking in case you have space problems in the sump this skimmer is more compact and not as tall, checkout the specs at www.proteinskimmer.com or www.eaquanature.com... i think you will be looking at a ev-240 model

5.reefoctopus. can get from marinelife, aquamarin needlewheel series, much cheaper than deltec n h&s $300+ (ofcourse the price conmensurates the performance)

6.weipro or macro these are more budget but it does ok. $200+

some reefers spend over $2000 on a bubbleking skimmer even haha

you can go and check them out, if you want your tank to be beautifully populated a skimmer is a must if not with your air stone skimmer i think only can put 4-5 small fishes in the long run.

checkout www.wetwebmedia.com it is a good site for everything from setup, equipment, lifestock....

happy fish keeping its a learning curve, your current attitude is very good

[gerrard_boon]

yes a macro or reef octopus would be fine if money is a constraint...i find reef octopus slightly better...but i'm biased.....coz i'm USING A REEF OCToPUS!!

[bivi]

macro skimmer $200+? sounds like my budget

Where can i buy this from (other than pasar malam)?

Frankly i don't mind getting the expensive one (investment, right?) but hubby will kill me.. coz i'm still out-of-job hehhe...

So will get one to get by and let my current fish survive for the next few months.

Once we got the knowledge level up, i think we could decide on the next upgrade.

I think this is how 'ER' feels like... "emergency, emergency"

[bivi]

About Nemo and its dying anemone, will the nemo move to the other anemone if we take out the dying one?

(I can't avoid using the word 'dying' since i hv the tank!)

[bivi]

This is the other anemone, which i think looks better but somehow clownfish prefer the brownish one.

[gerrard_boon]

dun worry..they will move on...but not all clowns host on anemones....

some prefer corals or even juz LRs....

[fongster]

macro is not a long term solution but it will have to do for the moment, check out the pasar malam forum can get good deals there,i think should be able to get a big one for about $100 including pump.

you can post a

"WTB(want to buy) macro or weipro skimmer enough for a 4ft tank, pm me "

actually i am a student so i know how it feels not earning your own money for the moment, but dont worry i am sure you will get a job soon!!

as for the anemone it is a myth that a clownfish needs an anemone to survive, it is tough for an anemone to survive in the tank, if there is any signs that it is deterioating better take it out fastt, before it crashes the entire tank (like it is known to do)

anemone need alot of light so that is another thing to consider, light fixtures are not cheap

just something for you to consider is all

[Elune]

Just in case u are still wondering what is the "airstone" (seems like many ppl missed out ur question)... its the brown piece of wood inside ur current skimmer. Thats why they called it "airstone" skimmer.

Really appreciate fongster listing out the range of skimmers. If you are really really budget constraint, get a Weipro brand skimmer bah... should be less than $100 for one Weipro that match ur tank-size. At least its better than ur current airstone skimmer ya?

Yes, its better to take out that anemone before it dies. Also, certain clown fish prefers certain species of anemones, and is not necessary to provide anemone for them. Hope things turns out well for you.

Keep the questions coming~! Dun be shy~! hehe

[arcanehacker]

true.. with an unstable tank, I recommend you take that anemone out first.. if you really have a liking for it, maybe some bros here or LFS will be willing to house it for you temp. At least till you get everything right.

Yeah .. we call it airstone coz it produces bubbles and usually it comes in forms of stone. But for skimmers, wooden ones are better.

Amonia, nitrite, nitrate.. no rocket science.. just get reliable test kits and instructions are all in there.. Yes.. we emphasize reliable brands.. Some brands just can't make it.. maybe you can also tell us the brands of test kit you are using. And that 3 is basic.. can't miss out any..

Skimmers.. everyone here will tell you this. Get the best you can afford.. not a $7 airstone one for a 4ft!.. I still can't imagine.

Dunno salinity level ? I do hope at least your husband does.. maybe you should see him using some container with a sorta triangular shaped needle, or a motorbike throttle look alike thingy..

[andylee]

Sis,

I would advise u to get ur hubby involved in this forum as well and learn along with all of us. I wouldn't listen to my gf too when she talk to me abt reefing stuffs, seemingly to noe more than me Man's pride u noe.. same for ur hubby i guess

Ok for now, I would suggest u get more quality live rocks, cos from the pics those LR in ur tank seems like dead rock (pardon me if i'm wrong) .. but u would definitely need more LR than those.

Then do a more complete cycling of ur tank and test the water parameters regularly, namely pH, kH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, not forgetting salinity.

U would need to upgrade ur skimmer as well, but for now this shld do as u have to stop adding more livestock. Chillers are not of immediate concern IMO.

And reduce feeding if u find the fishes not eating the pellets. u can try enticing them with frozen food first, such as mysis or brine shrimp.

Anemone might not be dying, it might be shrinking due to not enough lighting or food.

Hope these helps

[andylee]

Just a note, get everything right in the opening period and u wont need to go thru so much hassle in future.

(Now i change water every 6 weeks and have only tested for salinity, pH and kH for the past 3 months.. never did any for ANN )

[bivi]

thanks for explanation...

I have many qn as I read each of your reply:

- What's ANN? ... oh, Ammonia-Nitrite-Nitrate?

- I used Salifert tester, bought from Reef Depot (only place i know at the moment). Test kit showed the colour chart, but didn't say which is the 'safe' range. So far, the colour range seems to be in the middle of the chart so shd be 'average' cos don't fall in the extreme side.

Well, I'm still waiting for Nitrate test kit.

- As for Skimmer, I told my hubby to get $200+ skimmer and he gave me the 'shock' look and he said the current one is ok coz we have only small fishes so their 'dirty stuff' is diluted in the large amt of water so it won't affect the fishes so much. Hmm... is that right? It made sense though...

(but once i got a job, maybe i'll buy a better one hihihi..)

- My qn abt anemone is.. i have 2 anemone but only 1 clownfish. Will the anemone survives without clownfish? It just need light?

- As for dead rock, i'm not too sure what's the reason hubby prefers deadrock. But he'll get LR he said.. prob later.

- Hubby just got blue light but not strong enough so he'll get one more. He said it is moonlight, and shb be good for fish he thinks.

Well, I'll rest for today and am going to prepare for interview tomorrow (Wish me luck!!). Please feel free to give advice. Basically, I think I need to read a lot more on this fish tank thing. Maybe getting a book is good so at least I could point it out to my hubby so he'll learn too.

- Any good 'basic' and comprehensive book to recommend for beginners?

[arcanehacker]

- As for Skimmer, I told my hubby to get $200+ skimmer and he gave me the 'shock' look and he said the current one is ok coz we have only small fishes so their 'dirty stuff' is diluted in the large amt of water so it won't affect the fishes so much. Hmm... is that right? It made sense though...

(but once i got a job, maybe i'll buy a better one hihihi..)

arrgg..

sound logical only vs the amt of water change.. if you only like change 20-30% per month then its not enough.. NO3 is just gonna accumulate.

[Elune]

Good luck for ur interview!

1) Yep, ur idea of ANN is correct. Learn more of it. its the basics.

2) Salifert is a GOOD brand. Reliable is the word. Preferably, after using the test kit, u can't detect any traces of Nitrites and Nitrates. Thats the best outcome.

3) abt ur hubby's theory of the tank waters' volume diluting the whatever bioload ... erm, make sense... but ur plan of getting a good skimmer once u got ur job is a wise choice-- long term investment~ Becuz in time to come, u tank's gonna be housing bigger fishes I suppose?

4) Anemone do not need clown fish to survive (& vice versa). Its needs food and light (strong lights).

5) Dead rock? Depends how "dead" u would define it. Some are "cured" rocks -- no more red red coralline algae on the surface, but full of good bacterias housing inside.

Live Rocks comes covered with red coralline algae, but they also comes along with lotsa good and bad stuffs. Some ppl like it, some dun ( I dun ).

Wats impt now is that, if you plan to cycle your tank, with liverocks or dead rocks, get the rocks now. Avoid adding more liverocks during cycling. It will not help to speed things up , but will slow things down instead. Only after ur tank is properly cycled and the water is 'mature', then u can consider adding pieces of liverocks slowly to ur liking.

6) Blue lights? or moonlights? I add moonlites just for aesthetic appeal...

Regarding the main lights... lights are darn (opps) expensive. So before committing to a good set, decide what u wanna keep in ur tank first.

IMO (In my opinion):

a) FOWLR (fish Only with Live Rocks) : Normals lights will do.

Reef tank (mixture of fish and corals) : Stronger lights... ranging from T5HO to even MH lights. With corals, u need to branch further out... LPS or SPS type of corals... read up on their requirements first ya?

IMFO (in my further opinion) : Stick to FOWLR first. and stay clear of Anemones... at least for the time being..

Good luck ya? Keep the posts coming~

[Skipper32]

bivi...not sure u've got the fan u wanted...cos read thru ur mails...lots of words...blurr...i got my at aquastar (near yishun cetral area) they have got lots of stuff for tanks...got my huge fan there ($25), single unkit but with proper care and maintenance..it will last longer than those 3in1 or 4in1 mini fans avaliable in e market...worth getting one if chiller is not on e list as yet...but ur ane look pretty k lei...compared to ur fishes that are aldy UTL...

[Elune]

bivi...not sure u've got the fan u wanted...cos read thru ur mails...lots of words...blurr...i got my at aquastar (near yishun cetral area) they have got lots of stuff for tanks...got my huge fan there ($25), single unkit but with proper care and maintenance..it will last longer than those 3in1 or 4in1 mini fans avaliable in e market...worth getting one if chiller is not on e list as yet...but ur ane look pretty k lei...compared to ur fishes that are aldy UTL...

"UTL" as in "Up-The-Lorry"? Nice one there~

Oh just to add on to the fan thing, the fan i was using is :

The fan blades are not the usual kind of circulating fan type, its the "barrel" type, similar to the barrel fan u have in the house aircon unit. Rotating barrel. This baby is strong and silent. Price is abt a piece of blue color note.

Hope this helps.

[arcanehacker]

Oh yah.. saw thing but decided not to.. thoug I still wonder if its as strong as what they proclaim on the box.. bout $40+. Then I just decided to get 2 huge $18 fan... not as nice but cheap..

BTW the super tornado blades are metal. Must be careful not to get water in..