OK, What Am I Missing? Experianced Reefers?

[SnowManSnow]

I'm fairly new to the reefkeeping hobby, but I believe I've got a pretty darn good start on things. My question is to some of the more experianced reefers. Here is my setup, what am I missing?

Equipment:
37G tank 12X30X24deep
250w 20,000 DE MH Aqualight Pendant (Photoperiod of 8 hrs/day)
MJ 1200 powered Aqua C Remora Skimmer
MJ 900 Powerhead for surface movement
MJ 1200 Powerhead for current movent

Apx. 30 lbs of LR (maybe I need a bit more of this?)
1 inch of Argonite substrate

1 BTA
1 Pretty Plate Coral
1 Long Polyp Leather Coral
1 3x3 Zoo Rock
1 3" tall Bird's Nest Frag
1 Galaxia Coral (far enough from everyone as not to inflict stinging)
1 2.5 inch Maxima Clam

1 Yellow Tail Damsel
2 Margarita Snails
2 Blue Legged Hermits

Nitrates and Nitrites = near 0
Amonia = near 0
Calcium = 400
PH = 8.2
Temp = 80F

I do a 5g RO water change each week and use Instant Ocean Salt.

Well thats all I can think of.. I don't have a place to install a sump or an under tank fuge. My tank isn't drilled so HOB is about the only option I have.

Any suggestions?
B

 

[Anonymous]

Are you having a problem?

 

[SnowManSnow]

not really, just wondered if there was anything I was lacking that I have overlooked.. ummmm besides fish of course.

 

[radar!]

post some pics if you don't mind. i always like seeing others aquascaping ideas.

 

[Anonymous]

I think it could use a bit more flow. Looks like you're a little under 20X per hour or so? JMHO.

 

[SnowManSnow]

probably right about the flow. The thing is though that I with the little LR I have I've only aquascaped a little more than half of the tank. The ph's I do have are concentrated on moving the water around that area.

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, you don't believe 20x is enough? Dang, I thought 10x was decent for SPS and LPS.

 

[danmhippo]

If you really have some spare cash, you may want to invest in a chiller. Otherwise, I think your tank is OK for now.

 

[Unarce]

The photoperiod seems low if you're not running a dawn-to-dusk system. I also have a 250W DE 20K that I run for 12 hours over a 40g. I'd maybe do at least 10 hours.

 

[Unarce]

Your clean-up crew could use a boost, too.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

More LR too. Shoot for 1- 1 1/2 lbs per gallon.

Add some variety to the snail selection, nassarius and cerith for the sand bed, more margaritas and maybe a few nerite and trochus as well.

 

[Entacmaea]

I'd second the call for more flow- especially if you don't have a return pump adding another flow pattern. Your skimmer when you get it will add more, but you will still need more IMO. My last tank was a 37 with a 600gph return, 4 MJ 1200 on a wavemaster, and a overhead fuge return about 100pgh, and that was barely enough!

Adding a wavemaster for your MJ's would be a good investment I think. If you are inspired, you can also mount these out of the water so they are not seen at all in the tank- this is great for small tanks and all you see, if anything, is a small intake screen and nozzle just below the water line... Takes some rigging, and once you get the siphon started, becaus the MJ's are sealed, it will never break and runs just like a closed loop, even on a wavemaster...

I think myreefcreations is coming out with a HOT skimmer soon.

 

[Tackett]

I agree with the flow thing. You can never have too much, Id invest about 200 bucks on a pump and run a mini typhoon in there.

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, you don't believe 20x is enough? Dang, I thought 10x was decent for SPS and LPS.

Not even close IMO, especially for smaller tanks. Would you only have 4 500 gph pumps in your 180 gallon?

The old 6 gallon I had used two MJ 1200s on a wavemaker--between 50-100X volume per hour--and that wasn't enough IMO.

 

[Tackett]

its never enough. Nor are certain....other aspects (read; two) that I deal with.

 

[Bucktronix]

a hob fuge would be a nice addition.

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_mis ... sp?CartId=

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, look at that caulerpa!