31 replies to this topic

[golden_dase]

Hi All!

As mentioned in my other post, I'm turning my 5ftx18x18 into a marine tank. Some of my cichlids, 2 baby oscars, 4 clown fishes, 2 suckermouths have found new homes in my brand new 4ft tank!

Anyways, heres the list of equipment:

1x 60x18x18 (150x45x45cm) tank + pine stand
1x Eheim 2217 Classic canister (mechanical filtration)
2x Top mount trickle filters (bio-filtration) - Coming soon!
1x Jager 300w Heater
2x Otto 800L powerheads (with spraybars running along the back of the tank)
1x Weirpro 2011 Skimmer (hang on model) with AquaOne 104 2000L pump
25kg of Cook Industrial Limesand
Some Limestone.
6ft Twin 10K and 15K Fluro Lighting - Coming soon!
2ft VHO Lighting - Coming soon!

I've connected the equipment on hand and have filled the tank. Also added 10kg of SeaChem marine salt. (waiting for it to all dissolve)

I'll add liverock in a weeks time, and will take pics and post it up.

Anyways, thats all I've done so far... in a day! and no i'm not rushing.. this is going to be a long process!

I'll keep you all updated.

By the way, I'm not going to have live coral yet so don't post anything about needing metal halides instead of fluro etc..!! I know what I need or don't need, so STFU " Mr know-it-alls' "!!!

Cheers
Kevin.

[Ado1968]

Hey Kevin
Thanks for the fish mate.
BTW the marine set up you've got going is going to be great.
Good to see someone using a bit of lateral thinking for a change,instead of just re-quoting what they get told.

[Scat]

I cleaned up this thread.

Please direct any questions to me via pm.

Craig

[golden_dase]

I cleaned up this thread.

Please direct any questions to me via pm.

Craig

FYI, my topic is so others can see my progress (with pics soon). If I needed advice, I would mention it or ask for it in "technical" or something. Anyway Craig, thanks for clearing the mess... it was getting abit out of hand from an otherwise interesting thread I thought I had going...

Cheers all!

Kevin.

[golden_dase]

Hi fishfolks!

I've done some changes to the marine tank. Instead of using just the eheim 2217 canister, i've also added my 2213 as well. The two units are PURELY for MECHANICAL filtration. I've also have added a top-mount trickle filter for bio-filtering. My new 10kg of live rock is also in place (i'm curing it inside the tank). Since i'm not going to load up the tank with fish, im dont need much liverock. Also, I have limestone as a base so it can become liverock in a few months time. My lighting set-up has also changed. Im using my current 4ft twin reflector with 10K white and 10K actinic tubes. I'm adding a 3ft twin reflector on the weekend with simliar tubes as well. The reason why i'm not adding a full 6ft lighting setup is because of the trickle filter.. (there's no room!) haha!.
Also, at this stage i'm not going to be using a skimmer... (I have one "just in case" though.. )

On the left hand side of the tank is where the main rock formations are. On the right hand side, I've placed "seagrass" attached to liverock. This is to accommodate "grazing" fish such as Tangs etc.. No piece of rock is placed against the glass walls. This is to ensure adequate water circulation!

All measurements in the last few days have been spot-on. Ammonia is very low, same goes for Nitrate and Nitrite. My SG/salinity is around 1.023, and i've also added SeaChem Reef Buffer. Ph is currently around 8.3.

I'll try and post pics up in a few days. I'm busy setting up a home office in the study (where the marine tank is.)

If all measurements continue to be good, and the liverock is showing signs of thriving, I'll add one or two fish in about a week. Any suggesstions on starter fish? Clowns? Chromis? Damsels?

Cheers all !

Kevin.

[Iamsam]

If all measurements continue to be good, and the liverock is showing signs of thriving, I'll add one or two fish in about a week. Any suggesstions on starter fish? Clowns? Chromis? Damsels?

Cheers all !

Kevin.

Depends what you want to keep in the long run,
I wouldnt suggest damsels tho as they get large and agressive,
go with chromis, hardy and pretty friendly so you wont have any territory issues

[golden_dase]

Depends what you want to keep in the long run,
I wouldnt suggest damsels tho as they get large and agressive,
go with chromis, hardy and pretty friendly so you wont have any territory issues

Thanks Sam.

I was thinking that anyways. But wanted to hear others' inputs etc..

[Iamsam]

also just out of intrest you say you are using a top mount trickle, is that a HOB or what, do you have a pic of that filter unit?.

[golden_dase]

also just out of intrest you say you are using a top mount trickle, is that a HOB or what, do you have a pic of that filter unit?.

Sam, do you know any HOB that act as a trickle filter? lol

It's actually a type of filtration which I've used extensively. They're only available in Australia from Age of Aquariums under "Top Mount Filters". How it works, is there's an internal powerhead which pumps water up a tube into the trickle box. The trickle box can be filled with any type of media. In this case, I've put Eheim SubstratPro in the filter box. Anyways, water runs/trickles through the media and is trapped by the media. Clean water is then returned to the tank via a nozzle located at the other end of the trickle box. If you're using it as Mechanical filtering, then you would probably need to change/wash the media every fortnight or so..(depends on type of fish etc..). Using bio-media, the top-mount trickle system can go for months without any maintenance. This type of filtration are commonly used in AquaOne/Jebo "All-In-One" aquariums. This set-up(biofiltering) used in conjunction with canister filters (with mechanical filtration) has worked VERY WELL for me.

I'll post pics of the complete set-up in a few days, probably on the weekend.

Cheers.
Kevin.

[Iamsam]

Sam, do you know any HOB that act as a trickle filter? lol

Nope
but it was confusing the life out of me, i thought i was what you spoke of but i have never seen them for sale except in the all in one set ups.

also do you find they pick up my debris? may i make 1 suggestion tho, leave some room in it to add some phospate remover, ive been finding in tap water that the phospate levels are skyrocketing latly (Might just be my area tho)

Regards Sam
Ps. sorry for the hijack

[golden_dase]

Nope
but it was confusing the life out of me, i thought i was what you spoke of but i have never seen them for sale except in the all in one set ups.

also do you find they pick up my debris? may i make 1 suggestion tho, leave some room in it to add some phospate remover, ive been finding in tap water that the phospate levels are skyrocketing latly (Might just be my area tho)

Regards Sam
Ps. sorry for the hijack

Yes they do pick up debris. The powerheads that come with the 1000L trickle system has an "inlet cup/suction" that is around the same size as an Eheim 2217 Classic. I'm using the 700L/h version for my marine tank though, because of my lighting setup. Larger unit won't fit! Also, I'm only using 1 trickle box filter at the moment, and if I need to I'll be using another for "chemical" filtration such as phosphate remover etc...

Cheers!

Kevin.

[Iamsam]

What fish are you planning on keeping,
Gold Lipstick Tangs are simply Gawjus as are Kole Tang's

[golden_dase]

What fish are you planning on keeping

not sure yet. but will keep a school of blue-green chromis! My tank is 5ft so I can be generous with the number of blue-green chromis. Most people keep only about 3. I'm planning on keeping about 5.

Also, 1 or 2 clown fish. But, DEFINATELY a Scopas Tang! They are simply awesome. All they do is swim all over the tank and pecking at rocks! They also play hide and seek with the owner! Hows that for personality!!!! :D

[golden_dase]

Hi folks!

I'm keeping my marine tank at about 26-27 degrees. For all the marine keepers out there, what temperature do you keep your tank at?

Cheers!
Kevin.

[dazzabozza]

Gday

My tank is sitting at 29 degrees at the moment. That's without a heater. Our current air temps and the 400mW MH light keeps it that warm. Any higher and I'd have to invest in a chiller.


Dazza

[joop]

Gday

My tank is sitting at 29 degrees at the moment. That's without a heater. Our current air temps and the 400mW MH light keeps it that warm. Any higher and I'd have to invest in a chiller.


Dazza

wow thats HOT put a fan blowing air between the light and the tank to cool the air between it helps a lil bit

i used to try keep my tanks at around 26c
but if ur gowing fish only id say go 24-25c it helps keep diseases and parasites away most of ur tropical
marines can handle it as low as 21c the cooler temps is aspecialy good for your fish that get sick easly
eg butterflys , angles anuther good thing to do in a fish only tank is to add sum copper (not enough to kill ur live rock)
and a lower salinity of like 1.020 is good for fish only aswell
hope that helps anybody

[Iamsam]

mine is currently at 24, i try to keep it at 26 but i need to replace my heater, its set for 30 and the highest the tank has reached is 24

[golden_dase]

but if ur gowing fish only id say go 24-25c it helps keep diseases and parasites away most of ur tropical
marines can handle it as low as 21c the cooler temps is aspecialy good for your fish that get sick easly
eg butterflys

I thought "ich" threatens fish at low temps, and that most people cure ich by dipping fish in freshwater for 30 seconds or increasing tank temperature to 28-29c ?

hmm.. strange...

[dazzabozza]

cure ich by dipping fish in freshwater for 30 seconds

If only it was that easy . Best way to remove ich is to remove what it feeds on which is your fish. Once/if u get into keepings corals ich is the last thing u want in your display tank because u can't treat with copper-based meds or hyposalinity. Your focus is more on keeping your tank ich free rather than trying to cure your fish. This is where a seperate quarantine tank is a must.


Dazza

[golden_dase]

If only it was that easy . Best way to remove ich is to remove what it feeds on which is your fish. Once/if u get into keepings corals ich is the last thing u want in your display tank because u can't treat with copper-based meds or hyposalinity. Your focus is more on keeping your tank ich free rather than trying to cure your fish. This is where a seperate quarantine tank is a must.


Dazza

Which is why I was surprised to hear that keeping low temps in marine will deter ich... Ich thrives in cool water, and dies off above 28c.... Anyways, thats how i've treated my fish in the past. I might be right, or wrong... doesnt matter, it worked for me...so...