a few questions

[Kyliegirl]

Hi I am new here, but i hope in the next year or so to build and maintain my own reef tank, I dont like to jump head first into things. So i feel i need to learn now before even considering getting a tank.

I plan to get a tank 153cmx60cmx70cm - 165.19 gallons, I am still learning about filtration etc but I was looking at this companies filtration system

http://www.coralplantations.com/pages/filtration.htm

I am a bit sceptical but I would like opinions .

Just a note I am in australia, so reef products differ greatly here.

I am still learning about sumps and skimmers, but I am wondering if I had that filter would i still need or beable to use a skimmer to keep the tank clean.

I already know which fish I would like to add eventually to the tank, and I have studied alot about most fish. The main fish I have studied extensivly is the Mandarin Fish, as they are my fav, and as I have read, a complicated fish.

I am worried that I might have selected too many fish, I made sure i checked charts they were compatible with eachother, but I would like your opinions if its too many fish for a 165 gal or not

4 false percula clowns
2 mandarin dragonets
1 blue tang
1 royal gramma basslet
1 firefish helfrichi
1 clown goby
1 cleaner shrimp
trochus snails
turbo snails

I am curious if clowns house bubble tips often? as I am not keen on getting a sebai or ritteri enmeonie due to their size and how hard they are to maintain in captivity.

I am worried that bubble tips are dangerous for mandarin dragonets so any info if they are dangerous to them would help

I have no pictures as of yet of the tank design so far, but I have studied a bit about water flow in the tank, does it effect anything if the water flow is put close to the top of the tank , or should the water flow be set in the middle of the tank so anemonies can feel the current?

Are wave makers needed if you have sump? or needed at all?

alot of questions I know but I prefer to be safe than sorry

 

[LA-Lawman]

Hi! welcome to reefs.org!

Lets get you off to a good start. first i recommend you do alot of reading... pick up a few books. "The conscientious marine aquarist" and some if not all of julian sprung / j.charles delbeek's books.

Then get a look at the majority of reef systems. it is important to be able to visualize and understand the basics behind filtration.

most reef systems involve using a sump. a sump is designed to hide all of the components you do not want to see in the tank. (heater, skimmer, micron socks, etc...) The best part about sumps is that it allows you to add more water volume.

I would recommend a closed loop for a system like that but it is not a must. many people use powerheads on wavemakers.... i do. I wish i had a closed loop! :? hind sight is always 20/20.

you can probably order most of your equipment from the states...

I think you should next focus on the tank cycling....

alot of this stuff is in the books you should purchase. you will not want to stock your tank right away.... you will most likely lose everything.

take your time, research, buy quality equipment,research more, and then start it up...

there is a ton of experience here on reefs.org we are all very approachable and willing to help. you can click on the www link at the bottom of member's posts to see the webpages they have, and you can also look at the member's tank specs forum to further understand how we build our little ecosystems....

i hope this helps....

btw- i have never seen that filter system before. i will do some more reading and get back to you.


one again.... welcome!

 

[SnowManSnow]

Hi,

WELCOME.

If I may state a couple of things that came to mind upon reading your post.

1 Mandarians can be REALLY hard to keep. ESPECIALLY in a new tank. I believe their diet consists mostly of pods and so forth. So you MAY want to re-think this fish choice.

2 You can ALWAYS use a skimmer. I took a look at the filtration system you posted, and I'm sure it would work ok, but I'm really not sure it would be at all nessissary if you have adequate LR and a good skimmer.

3 As far as wave makers go. They really dont have anything to do with a sump. Most of the time, when ppl say wave maker...they mean a device that fires off powerheads in a particular order as to keep the flow randomized. There are such things as REAL wave makers that actually make real surges in your tank, but very few people actually use them (in ratio to total number of reefers).

4 I love my BTA's they've never harmed anything. I have 2 tomatoes that live in mine.

GL to you!

 

[Kyliegirl]

thanks a heap for the welcome

I did read about the extreme difficulty of owning manderines. and I planned carefully about the tank design having a special diner area to deposit a colony of pods daily or however much needed for the manderines (keeping a breeding tank or two for the pods to develop to keep a reliable quantity)

I was also not planning to own any fish until the tank met the right levels of nitrites nitrates etc, I read most of the newbie facts about that

Wave makers arent completely necessary then?

I was planning a closed loop system for the tank, I was just unsure if you also needed wave makers for the tank also other than just the water flow.

I guess the fish I listed is not too many for a 165 gal?

I will definately study more about this, as i said i may not get the tank even going for over a year or two (lots of study time.. and no money as of yet, we are currently moving town)

(i wasnt planning to chuck the fish in and hope im lucky lol )

thanks a bunch for the help when i get to the point i will ask about certain products in aus for tanks, see what you all think is best

 

[Meloco14]

Hi, and welcome to reefs.org! It seems like you have the first quality of a good reefer covered. The ability to be patient and research A LOT before actually purchasing anything. I agree with everything mentioned above. I would recommend picking up a couple books and reading them cover to cover. There is a ton of information to learn, so take your time. As far as filtration, there are a lot of different choices, but the majority of people with a tank your size will use a sump and skimmer. Your stocking list is fine, but as mentioned mandarins are tough. If you are set on keeping them i would recommend not adding them until the tank has been established for about a year. Also, mandarins will fight their own kind, but your tank should be big enough for 2 to have their own territory, just make sure you add them both at the same time. Are you planning for this tank to be a FOWLR? (fish only with live rock) Or are you planning on having corals too? If you want corals, lighting is another big issue that you havent addressed yet. But a good book will go over all these issues, including filtration and lighting for different types of tanks. I would recommend researching each aspect of the tank one at a time, and ask questions regarding that specific aspect. Trying to answer all your questions in one thread is a lot...hehe. If you start asking specifically about sumps or skimmers or lighting, for instance, people will be able to give more specific details from their own experience. And as mentioned above, check out everyones tanks in their links or on the members tanks forum. The best way to get ideas is to look at existing setups. Good luck with everything, and I think youre off to a great start with the patience and research.

 

[Kyliegirl]

thanks yes i am planning to have live corals in the tank too (im specifically fond of the pompom xenia)

I found on the filtration site i linked, they supply lights i needed, i was aiming for 250 watt metal halide lights, maybe 4-5, they seem strong enough , as why i didnt ask, but if you feel i would need more, please say so

I finished reading a 3 page info on sumps last night, it shone alot of light onto the matter. Though the confusing part now is having a skimmer to a filter to a sump to a water pump to make a loop circulation. I am not sure if i would need another seperate hole for the filter, or they can all be connected as one.

If you want to see the selection of carals i chose I can write the list, mostly I tried to find peaceful yet nicely coloured corals, its hard to find many corals that wont attack eachother though .. But the list may change as the quantity of corals here may differ completely to the types I have chosen.

I have been stalking the forums a few weeks now everyone has some awesome tanks..

oh that brings up another main question

all the tanks I see everyones rocks are in the middle of the tank, if i had a custom made enviroreef rock for my tank, could I make it so it would sit into the back so corals dont go behind it? or would it just cause algae problems?

these guys also make man made enviroreef rocks
http://www.coralplantations.com/pages/rock.htm

I am also planning to add live rock too, but it would be nice to have a cutom rock to fit in the tank how i like it.

thanks for the help guys

 

[Anonymous]

Living that close to the Great barrier reef?

I say forgo the tank and all it's problems, buy some good scuba gear, and go down there as often as possible. For what it will cost to run your tank for 10 years, you could BUY a home on the beach

hehe...just kidding! Best advice anyone could give you is take it slow, let the tank cycle, add a little at a time, and try to actually enjoy it.

Filtration is a matterof opinion, but protein skimmers seem to be the best way to go. ANy "media" type filter will need continual, undying maintenence, but it can be done.

Good circulation, plenty of live rock. Basically thats it.