Alittle Help for a new guy anyone?

[chargher]

Hey all I must say I have seem some amazing tanks. i live in Brooklyn I went from a 10 gallon tank to a 55 gallon African chiclid setup to a 68 gallon half circle. Im moving in the up direction up is always good right.


I paid a fortune for this custon 68 gallon since the room was small and I must say not the best tank. The atuall tank is amazing, real wood, thick glass, and just overall good material, just setting up a reef in a half circle isnt easy.


I had a few question and needed your help to set up my tank, take a look at the attached images this is after 6 months still havent hit the corals hard yet just some small stuff.

I wanted you opinion more rock or less, i have some more in the sump, how you would you stack the rock i was thinking more to the left and right? also if i wanted to get corals where is the best spot brooklyn aquriums i been to so far seem bs.

How to corals attach to the rock itself i cant understand this i know some use a plug but how od oyu attach plug to rock glue it? i want to add color to my tank and need help setting it up in general anyone can point me in the right direction. and which corals can touch? I have a metal halide and put two korilia pump on each side one 4 and one 3 i think the korilla 4 is too stron gpushes sand alittle from the bottom....

 

[Keith P]

I would add more rock. Keep stacking them loose so you get large caves.

To attach plugs, I break off the tail and use marine epoxy. Some people use crazy glue.
IC Gel glue is amazing for this and worth the $$.

 

[rbtwo4]

Hell of a tank u got there! Definitely more rock & I'd try to arrange it to where there are caves for the fish to come in & out of. Koralia 4 is too strong 2 3's would've been sufficient IMO

 

[daisy]

Hi. Welcome.

The more rock you add, the better for now - the rock will not only serve as a source of home/shelter/safety for your fish, but will eventually be the base of your reef. The higher you build the rock, the closer to your lights some of your corals can go (the ones that need more light you'll want to place higher).

Also, the rock will become more and more alive as your tank ages - it will be a major source of bacterial filtration as well as a home to all the different forms of life that will grow (worms, pods, sponge, more!) in your tank.

Keep looking at pics on the tank threads forum to see different ideas for aquascaping. Lots of crevices are a great idea! If you can create a shape and not just a pile of rocks, you'll probably be happier with the effect.

I am partial to the left side high, middle low (with or without a bridge between the two sides), right side high (with a slight difference between left and right sides). Makes it visually more interesting.

Have fun!

 

[House of Laughter]

Welcome aboard -

I would add more rock - have it create a triangle in front of the overflow in the center. Put the powe head low, nearest the bottom and closer to the middle adjacent to the overflow box pointing upwards diagonally across the tank towards each opposing corner. one higher and one lower - don't' want them to collide.

This, along with your return should be enough -

see images

House

 

[Keith P]

Fancy art work Jim :tongue1:

 

[TOTAL AQUARIUMS]

I don't know where you got that tank or who told you it was custom. That tank is from a chinese company, as far as I know they don't do custom they just have a large range of stock sizes and a long list of tanks with issues. I used to work at a place years ago that got these in all the time and they would somtimes have gaps of over 1 centimeter between the glass panels that would be filled with just silicone on tanks over 2' tall. Not to alarm you but check the tanks seams and make sure they are all good just to be safe. Also, their overflow design is just a glorified strainer, it doesn't actually overflow since it's a single wall with slots at the top middle and bottom. Just a heads up since you seem to be genuinely into this hobby.

 

[Killerdrgn]

Jim must be a football offensive coordinator huh?

 

[chargher]

thanks

Hey thanks to all of you guys, I had a hard time adjusting to powerhead thanks for the heads up im going to change them tonight, House of Laughter thanks you for being so helpful.

I called my brother it seems to be a Chinese company not sure why i thought it was a custom, i think im going try to go left high and right high with rock and try to make a bridge but I also like the idea of covering my overflow so i will have to test and see.

I dont understand when you say not a real overflow explain total? also I think tank is designed well it terms of how stable it is but hate the fact that they made the canopy so low so i cant use it on any type of light.


thanks again guys anyone know good spot to buy corals to start this tank

 

[TOTAL AQUARIUMS]

Their single wall design keeps the water level in both the stand pipe chamber and the display area of the tank. Most overflows have a dual wall design where the outer wall is the same as yours with the slots in it to pull water from all levels of the tank and the inner wall is solid but slightly lower than the water level set by the first wall. This allows the water to be "pulled" through the first wall and dropped into the overflow to help clear the surface water of polutants. Dual wall is just more effective.

As for the canopy that is another reason I never pushed these tanks. They're ok fish tanks just hard to use them as a reef tank and that feeding hole in the top glass and through the canopy is the biggest pain to keep clean.

 

[TOTAL AQUARIUMS]

You can retro fit a second wall in there if you can measure it properly and make it into a real overflow if you're so inclined.

 

[chargher]

how does this wall help compared to what i have. the overflow in my tank just brings the water down to the sump and back up what purpose is a second wall for? Excuse my lack of knowledge in this area i continue to research and learn every time i get a chance. Also i lost a Koralia Pump magnet anyone know where i can purchase a new one?

 

[TOTAL AQUARIUMS]

The second wall adds velocity to the water "pulling" it through the first wall's slots rather than just passive bypass. It also skims the surface water where films can build up effecting light penetration and gas exchange. Essentially, 2 walls are better than one.

 

[chargher]

i checked the tank it actually has two sheets first layer has slots on the bottom top that leads into second slot sheet that has slits on the top to drop water in the actual box.

 

[chargher]

hey

picture attached let me know what you think is this the double walled you were talking about?

The second wall adds velocity to the water "pulling" it through the first wall's slots rather than just passive bypass. It also skims the surface water where films can build up effecting light penetration and gas exchange. Essentially, 2 walls are better than one.

 

[reefman]

that does look like a real overflow.

post more pics with lights on n under the tank.

 

[chargher]

oh goodie i was worried for a sec there

that does look like a real overflow.

post more pics with lights on n under the tank.