my 4x1.5x1.5 super budget tank

[tiger6222]

below is my 1st 4ft tank. the tank spec is; all commets and suggettion are welcome

1)tank size: 4x1.5x1.5 (size is abnormal.....right??..bcos it is a ready make tank used for my flower hon last time)

2)lighting: 2x 4ft T5HO

3)skimmer: RM dual becket skimmer (bought from ReDDeviLs)

4) FR: skimz FR

main tank pic.

[tiger6222]

SORRY forgot to resize it ......this is the one

[tiger6222]

sump picture

[jervismun]

Nice panaromic tank... I always wanted a long tank... I think your equipment list is alright (especially the skimmer, good choice)... but without a chiller you may be restricted to keeping "very hardy" corals and "very hardy" inverts. Other than that... I think everything seems fine... even the 2 HO T5 tubes will do the job since your tank is quite shallow.

More pix!!!

[tiger6222]

last saturday added 3 butterfly but after 3 days all died....+ 2 very small blue tang also gone...dunno y....no white/black spot on the body.....anyone can help??? below is the remainer fish in the tank...all cheap fiah.......hope u guys can help me to improve my tank by providing all ur valueable comments and suggestion..

[tiger6222]

another pic.

[tiger6222]

i having a problem with my skimmer also....cos almost 1 week time it still cannot skimmate nothing.......dunno y...can u guys tell me y????

picture of the skimmer

[jervismun]

Firstly, water condition. How long have you been running the tank? I suspect you are using either dead rocks or uncured live rocks...

How about these parameters?

1) Salinity

2) Temperature (min & max)

3) pH

4) Alkalinity

5) Ammonia

6) Nitrite

7) Nitrate

Is it crucial for any new tank to test the aboves and make sure all 7 of them are at optimum level before introducing any fish or corals. There's no fix time needed for the cycle, some may take days, some weeks, some months... very much depending on the state of the live rocks (and sand bed) the time you introduced into your tank.

One thing to remember... fishes don't usually die in a tank mysteriously... in order to learn from the hobby... you need to find out the reason/s... only then can you sustain the hobby in the long run as constant fish/corals replenishment is both harmful to the environment and the wallet.

All the best! Don't worry... we will be with you along the way

[Alvin Tan]

hi bro...here are some points you need to take note off..

1) the pic u posted abt your sump, i realise that u place those coral chips at both the gaps, take note that by doing this, it will restrict the flow and corals chips are not recommended because it will discharge sand that will cause nitrate probs n follow by phosphate. u can replace it with sinter glass rings but again i suggest not to place your filter media in between the gaps.

2)i believe your tank thickess is 6-8mm, be extra careful when you add in more rocks or corals, doing maintenance must be slow n steady because im afraid the tank will crack and it will be a nightmare.

3)since u are using a BK skimmer, plus a no. of pumps running, ur tank temp will naturally shoot up to above 30...lots of fishes cannot tolerate.

4)ur first picture also shows that ur sandbed is quite dirty, y not u go bare bottom or u can spend a great time siphoning those dirt out of ur sand, it will lead to bad water parameters and lastly, in future if u decide to keep corals, ur rockscape will have to improve on it...the current corals cannot accomodate the maximum number of corals u wish to hav in ur tank...

also, please state wad kind of return pump are u using..

hope my inputs will help u to improve in the near future..

[tiger6222]

Firstly, water condition. How long have you been running the tank? I suspect you are using either dead rocks or uncured live rocks...

How about these parameters?

1) Salinity

2) Temperature (min & max)

3) pH

4) Alkalinity

5) Ammonia

6) Nitrite

7) Nitrate

Is it crucial for any new tank to test the aboves and make sure all 7 of them are at optimum level before introducing any fish or corals. There's no fix time needed for the cycle, some may take days, some weeks, some months... very much depending on the state of the live rocks (and sand bed) the time you introduced into your tank.

One thing to remember... fishes don't usually die in a tank mysteriously... in order to learn from the hobby... you need to find out the reason/s... only then can you sustain the hobby in the long run as constant fish/corals replenishment is both harmful to the environment and the wallet.

All the best! Don't worry... we will be with you along the way

hi... jervismun.. thanks for your advice....my tank is more than 4 months if not wrong..too shame to answer your question below;

1) Salinity 26-28

2) Temperature (min 29 & max 30)

3) pH - no test

4) Alkalinity - no test

5) Ammonia - no test

6) Nitrite - no test

7) Nitrate - no test

cos super budget then haven't buy the tester yet........is it very important to have all these tester??? wat to do if the result if the test is not at the optimum level???

[Alvin Tan]

hi... jervismun.. thanks for your advice....my tank is more than 4 months if not wrong..too shame to answer your question below;

1) Salinity 26-28

2) Temperature (min 29 & max 30)

3) pH - no test

4) Alkalinity - no test

5) Ammonia - no test

6) Nitrite - no test

7) Nitrate - no test

cos super budget then haven't buy the tester yet........is it very important to have all these tester??? wat to do if the result if the test is not at the optimum level???

it is very important to have all these readings tested....

when u get all those accurate readings, those bad parameters can be improve..

if u never test, u will not know wad went wrong in ur tank..

wad do u mean by ur salinity is 26-28??.. ..it should be around 1.022-1.024

[tiger6222]

hi bro alvin....thanks for your advice also....will take note watever u stated here...

beside my sand bed is not very dirty wat u see is the blown algea... cos before it i never put any FR....n just run my FR abt 3 weeks time n now is getting better.

u r right that my tank's glass is very thin i already very careful...

[tiger6222]

it is very important to have all these readings tested....

when u get all those accurate readings, those bad parameters can be improve..

if u never test, u will not know wad went wrong in ur tank..

wad do u mean by ur salinity is 26-28??.. ..it should be around 1.022-1.024

hahaha.......actually is the same wat....no matter is 26-28 o 1.022-1.024.... cos sometime the LFS will used the two digit reading and some used the 1.+++ reading. n my shld be below 1.022

[jervismun]

hi... jervismun.. thanks for your advice....my tank is more than 4 months if not wrong..too shame to answer your question below;

1) Salinity 26-28

2) Temperature (min 29 & max 30)

3) pH - no test

4) Alkalinity - no test

5) Ammonia - no test

6) Nitrite - no test

7) Nitrate - no test

cos super budget then haven't buy the tester yet........is it very important to have all these tester??? wat to do if the result if the test is not at the optimum level???

Hi bro

Yeah I understand your difficulty also... a complete set of reliable Salifert test kits can cost up to $200. Ok perhaps you just need to focus on the following for the time being.

1) Salinity

2) Temperature

3) pH

5) Ammonia

The rest are crucial also... but at least you should know your pH (day and night readings) and Ammonia as it is highly toxic.

Another advice... if your Anemone shows sign of deterioration... remove it from your tank immediately. Anemone is hard to keep (for a new tank with your equipments) and they are HIGHLY TOXIC once they die and decay... so be extra careful. So many many many reefers experienced total TANK CRASH with dying Anemones... so you must be careful. Try to avoid Anemone in the future... they are nice to see... but the risk is way too high and I don't think you are ready to handle a TANK CRASH.

And what do you do if the water parameter u tested is not optimum? Improve on it... that's the only way you can keep your fishes happy... come to think of it... without a chiller to maintain water temperature below 29ºC... forget about corals. They will not do well in the long run

Remember... this hobby comes in various stages... looking at your setup and equipments... you belong to the beginner stage... therefore avoid expert level fishes and corals... trust me... they will "not-make-it"... there's no such thing as "try try" in this hobby

[ReDDeviLs]

bro where is the water level of the skimmer? can take apic?

[ReDDeviLs]

ur pump might be too far away try to locate in the first compartment and try again, too far pump losses power.

[tiger6222]

hi bro....got it thanks......

yes...i admin that i am "very" beginner in this hobby... so i am here to learn as much as all your experience.

perhap i will consider buying a tester for all u mention. can i said that if the water parameter can be maintain then the tank consider mature???? and i can start add in new fish???

my initial planning is to have a FOWLR tank....those anemone is just for clown fish to play.....n the LFS didn't tell me that it is high risk.

beside pardon this kind of q (newbie here)....wat i hv to do if the test result is over o below the optimum level...take example for ammonia???

[w3ish3ng]

water change. the best way to get your parameter to be good

[tiger6222]

ur pump might be too far away try to locate in the first compartment and try again, too far pump losses power.

hi bro....do u mean the wkimmer'spump??

i hv no space to put in the skimmer in the 1st compartment.

beside from my observation....i think is the water cycle from main tank is too slow. as the skimmer's pump keep ###### the same water in the sump..hope u understand wat i try i said.....

[Bob]

hi... jervismun.. thanks for your advice....my tank is more than 4 months if not wrong..too shame to answer your question below;

1) Salinity 26-28

2) Temperature (min 29 & max 30)

3) pH - no test

4) Alkalinity - no test

5) Ammonia - no test

6) Nitrite - no test

7) Nitrate - no test

cos super budget then haven't buy the tester yet........is it very important to have all these tester??? wat to do if the result if the test is not at the optimum level???

There's nothing to be a shame of it.

You're not alone,

I also did not test anything,not even the Ph level.

But you have to do alot of reading.

And most important thing,know what are you doing.

[tiger6222]

hi Bod,

yah...finally... i am not alone....by the way how u to maintain ur water ??? kepp changing the water??? o how?? mind to share???

[dr evil]

i having a problem with my skimmer also....cos almost 1 week time it still cannot skimmate nothing.......dunno y...can u guys tell me y????

picture of the skimmer

ur tank do not have any biolad....how can the beckett skim

my 2 cents

[tiger6222]

ur tank do not have any biolad....how can the beckett skim

my 2 cents

sorry...wat is biolad???? i really dun understand

[Bob]

I change water 1.5-2 liter daily.

[loneteelay]

sorry...wat is biolad???? i really dun understand

i think Dr.Evil want to say Bio-load. That means fishes and corals and the food you give them and their shit and waste

Even though I don't own a single tank right now, but i think i know more than you.. haha.. just kidding..! Advantage of reading!

IMO, need to remove that anemone. Your clownfishes do not need it. In the wild, they can't survive without it but in your tank, they dun need it at all. And actually, we can say the anemone is "surviving" for a period of time in the tank, that means not "thriving" like in the wild. They are sure not for beginners.

just my 1/2 cent Read more buddy!