|
12/05/2017, 08:11 AM | #26 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
The aragoite sand. I used to do deep sand beds but now Im reading that most got away with it. If I get a larger pebble vs sand it will stay in place. Now do I vacuum it when it gets dirty? or leave it alone still?
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/05/2017, 09:05 AM | #27 | |
Ancient Eskimo Legend
|
Quote:
You either regularly vacuum SSB or replace it every couple of years.
__________________
The wind blew, the chit flew, and then they came two by two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Tank Info: 375g Tanganyikan Tank & 470g mixed reef |
|
12/05/2017, 09:07 AM | #28 |
Ancient Eskimo Legend
|
Just because “most” do something 10 years later doesn’t make it the best decision. Research everything, question everything, then before you decide on a methodology or piece of equipment, find all the cons to doing it that way, or buying that piece.
__________________
The wind blew, the chit flew, and then they came two by two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Tank Info: 375g Tanganyikan Tank & 470g mixed reef |
12/05/2017, 10:42 AM | #29 |
In Memoriam
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Higher than the Mile High City
Posts: 137
|
|
12/05/2017, 04:39 PM | #30 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
So is a deep sand bed the way to go still?
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/05/2017, 07:28 PM | #31 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Dallas
Posts: 359
|
I just started back up after a 10+ year break -
ATO is prob my favorite thing since I last did a tank Doser for ALK+CAL daily is also very nice and a lot better than I can do by hand. I know apex is expensive but I absolutely love mine!! LED lighting is much lower power and temp than my old stuff.
__________________
Thanks, Mako Current Tank Info: Returning Reefer - Red Sea 525XL, Mitras LX7s, Apex, check homepage for vids of tank |
12/09/2017, 10:39 AM | #32 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 1,010
|
There is no one "right" way. Pros and cons for everything to be weighted by your preferences.
For sand I still like and use the now no longer available play sand from Home Depot. I bought 30 something bags maybe 15 years ago...fine argonite sand, blows around. Some like the special grade - it does look nice IMO. doesn't move around as much. As for depth, I don't like it deep. Also don't vacuum it. various sand dwellers do what I consider a fine job keeping it tidy. Part of that is dictated by the tank - mine is quite shallow, so a deep sand bed would have looked out of place. So IMO do what you like. Deep, not deep, live rock, dry rock, whatever and no big deal. There are no guarentee's with any method. HTH P.S. I've just added a remote dark rock tub in the basement. 100 gallon rubbermaid full of rock. exceptionally slow flow. I'm hoping to transition to no skimmer. The rock was both dry and used, wet live rock from a tank breakdown. I used acid to clean it good, and then lanthanum chloride as a precautionary measure. All told the rock came to $1.65 per pound after the "treatment". |
12/09/2017, 11:08 AM | #33 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 548
|
Quote:
I would def go bigger. 90 Gallon limits alot of the types of fish you can get. go with a 125.
__________________
45 Gallon Bow DT - Lifereef Berlin Sump/Skimmer - 36" ATI Dimmable Sunpower 4 x 39W Phantom Clown, Ocellaris Cown, 10 Snails, 4 Hermit Crabs |
|
12/09/2017, 11:08 AM | #34 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
Thanks for your opinion. How do I use lanthanum chloride?
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/09/2017, 11:36 AM | #35 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 1,010
|
Depends on the situation.
While the rock tub was still offline I used the tub, a small pump for circulation, and just dripped into the tub with a knotted air line. Satisfied me. Many will suggest capturing the precipitate with a filter sock. I would have had I had some hose to fit the pump output on hand. There are a number of good threads on the subject. |
12/10/2017, 05:12 AM | #36 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
Ill look into it thanks
Update- I did order a 90g. the 125g was just to big for me room! DAMN THATS BIG ha.. Mine will be more of a coral tank with a few smaller fish. Is there a rule of thumb on aquascaping and giving room for fish to hide? Like, not pile a bunch of rocks on the back wall?
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/10/2017, 08:20 AM | #37 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 1,010
|
|
12/16/2017, 01:34 PM | #38 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
I called up the pet store and got a 120 with custom stand, canceled my 90 gallon set up. He was fine with it. It was $280 more but Im already spending a few thousand..... Now I'm pumped! More room for rock and corals
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/20/2017, 06:15 PM | #40 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
I have a question about auto top off so I’m currently going with a gravity fed one that hooks up to my sump but I don’t want to fill it constantly is there any RO options I can connect my system to my tank with redundancy so if it fails it shuts off ? Has there been success without overflows ?I could not afford a mistake . Can an RO system even feed to my tank from my basement up to the first floor ?
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/20/2017, 08:05 PM | #41 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 1,010
|
I don't see why it wouldn't feed to the first floor.
The surest fail safe is a reservoir with an overflow drain. I wouldn't run the RO/DI as a constant fill - TDS creep will chew up the resin. the good news is that low voltage solenoid valves are cheap. you could wire up a couple toggle switches upstairs to run the RO to waste to clear out the creep, flip the switch to DI to fill up the reservoir, and once that is full close a ball valve behind the float valve on the reservoir to shut off the RO. I'd avoid directly plumbed to the tank. |
12/20/2017, 08:23 PM | #42 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
Quote:
How about this? Because I might want to does kalk so what if I put a 10g bucket under tank and just buy a top of system. I will have a 44g tub in the basement with fresh water in it and only mix salt during WC. I will use 1 bucket for both. I will turn on the pump wirelessly to fill fresh water to my auto top off bucket. I don’t think left over salt in the tub downstairs will have an effect. This was I don’t have to pore water in the bucket it will be plumed. How’s that if it makes sense lol
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
|
12/20/2017, 08:26 PM | #43 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
I was setting up a gravity ato but I don’t have room to put the bucket above the sump.
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/20/2017, 08:33 PM | #44 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 1,010
|
|
12/20/2017, 09:18 PM | #45 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
Thanks,
I don’t have the room for a fresh water and saltwater RO container. Do you think after mixing saltwater and emptying the container then refilling it with fresh water to use for ATO?it won’t have enough salt left over to cause a fluctuation right? My pump will draw from the bottom.
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
12/20/2017, 09:55 PM | #46 |
Registered Member
|
For topoff, I find that using a constant-feed dosing pump from an RO/DI reservoir works better than one might expect. The flow needs to be adjusted seasonally, but I find that's not a problem. Every few weeks I have to refill the reservoir, but again I find that to be an easy task. This system had the advantage of simplicity: no sensors or valves that are likely to fail and I can ignore it for a few weeks without worry. My dosing pump has been running almost 15 years without fail.
__________________
Stuart Current Tank Info: 300G Caribbean biotype reef set up in 2003. |
12/20/2017, 10:05 PM | #47 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: East Michigan
Posts: 122
|
Quote:
__________________
Setting up a new 120 gallon tank Current Tank Info: New 120 Gallon |
|
12/20/2017, 10:20 PM | #48 |
Registered Member
|
It's an old Spectrapure. It feeds directly from a Brute trashcan into my refugium. I fill the trashcan with RO/DI periodically, adding a cup of kalk. I used to worry about calibrating the pump and proactively replacing the tubing but over time found that a periodic inspection is all it really needs.
__________________
Stuart Current Tank Info: 300G Caribbean biotype reef set up in 2003. |
Thread Tools | |
|
|