JB's Reef Tank

[reeffreak]

Sure,post a pic and maybe we can come up with something.

The bio balls that the beneficial bacteria adheres to is what leads to high nitrate.Thats why many people use plenty of live rock(1-2lbs per gal.)so no other biological filters are needed.Now with that being said,you can still have a successful reef with a wet/dry.

[jb61264]

OK..my first three picture posts...just picked up my tank and stand tonight and already I have my first reef dilemma...if you look at the third picture, you'll see my wet/dry and protein skimmer in the bottom of the stand...my wet/dry is so tall that there isn't clearance to run my return flow straight back up to the tank...can I put in some sort of "Z or L" connector that will help this out?

I'm having problems attaching a file...it doesn't look like .jpg's are allowed?...how do I upload pictures?

[yote]

This might help:
http://www.livingreefs.com/forums/re...ing-reefs.html

[jb61264]

OK...thanks to Yote, I have uploaded my first two pictures of my tank

Here's a straight on pic:


Here's a pic with my wet/dry and protein skimmer sitting underneath:

[reeffreak]

Its okay to have a bend in the return.It doen't have to be straight upwards.
Are you using pvc pipe,flexible pvc or vinyl tubing?

I can't see how much room the next chamber is.I'm going to assume its pretty small.If you can run the water level half way up in the sump,then the chamber with the bioballs could be replace with chaeto algae and rock rubble at the bottom.I don't think you can put sand there without it getting blown around.

[jb61264]

Originally Posted by reeffreak

Its okay to have a bend in the return.It doen't have to be straight upwards.
Are you using pvc pipe,flexible pvc or vinyl tubing?

I can't see how much room the next chamber is.I'm going to assume its pretty small.If you can run the water level half way up in the sump,then the chamber with the bioballs could be replace with chaeto algae and rock rubble at the bottom.I don't think you can put sand there without it getting blown around.

Each of the three chambers has about a 5"W x 8"D footprint...the wet/dry is 20" H. The more I've been thinking about it, the more I'm inclined to see if I can maybe trade my wet/dry for a different one at a LFS...something with maybe a "shorter" profile...also have a pair of acrylic light tube holders that I bought when I was going to build my own light hood that I could throw in to sweeten the pot with the LFS.

[fatman]

JB,
A protein skimmer removes dissolved organic as its principal function. It entirely removes them from the water. A trickle filter with bio balls breaks the dissolved organics down with different bacterias in several steps and the final remains are typically removed with water changes. This means the pollutants stay in your system for longer periods of time and the bio ball process is more susceptible to problems and failures. Even with the Deep Sand Beds (DSB) and refugiums often used today there is still more possibility of pollution and total filtration crashes than with a simple but good skimmer. Skimmers can be replaced in minutes, bio filters can take weeks to begin functioning. If you do decide to keep your bio balls in action make sure you send the raw unfiltered water through your skimmer, before your bio balls, to cut down on the dissolved organics which cause bio filter problems for reef tanks. Remember, trickle filtration was designed for sewage treatment where the effluent was/is massively diluted by a receiving body of water (ocean/river), whereas you are returning water to a small closed system. Is the light "on legs" a Coralife Aqualight? Lots of money for a "good enough" system that could have easily been made better. I have two of them and definitely wish they came with electronic ballasts for their HQI halides, but. They sell taller legs than the ones furnished eith the lights, but they still have the lights close to the water. Heat problems are a common complaint. I would stay away from them unless yuou are expecting to go principally to SPS corals.

[jb61264]

Originally Posted by fatman

JB,
A protein skimmer removes dissolved organic as its principal function. It entirely removes them from the water. A trickle filter with bio balls breaks the dissolved organics down with different bacterias in several steps and the final remains are typically removed with water changes. This means the pollutants stay in your system for longer periods of time and the bio ball process is more susceptible to problems and failures. Even with the Deep Sand Beds (DSB) and refugiums often used today there is still more possibility of pollution and total filtration crashes than with a simple but good skimmer. Skimmers can be replaced in minutes, bio filters can take weeks to begin functioning. If you do decide to keep your bio balls in action make sure you send the raw unfiltered water through your skimmer, before your bio balls, to cut down on the dissolved organics which cause bio filter problems for reef tanks. Remember, trickle filtration was designed for sewage treatment where the effluent was/is massively diluted by a receiving body of water (ocean/river), whereas you are returning water to a small closed system. Is the light "on legs" a Coralife Aqualight? Lots of money for a "good enough" system that could have easily been made better. I have two of them and definitely wish they came with electronic ballasts for their HQI halides, but. They sell taller legs than the ones furnished eith the lights, but they still have the lights close to the water. Heat problems are a common complaint. I would stay away from them unless yuou are expecting to go principally to SPS corals.

Thanks for the bioball explanation...I'm going to eliminate them from my system and do a refugium instead (as recommended by everybody here). The wet/dry I have is too "tall" for the area underneath my stand anyway so I'll be looking to see if I can trade it at a LFS for something I can turn into a refugium instead...now to read up on best practices of refugiums

I believe the "brand" of the lights that I am considering is Hagen GLO?...I think its Hagen although when I visited a LFS that had it it just said "GLO" on the housing for the tubes. I haven't really made any decisions as to what corals I will principally go with...will definately have some mushrooms and green star polyps, yellow colonials, but also want to get some additional variety in there.

Any recommendations on a lighting provider?

[reeffreak]

Hagen GLO?
Is that a planted aquarium bulb and is it a normal output florescent bulb.I believe in another thread I mentioned T5-HO.They will be you best bet on that size system.

[jb61264]

Originally Posted by reeffreak

Hagen GLO?
Is that a planted aquarium bulb and is it a normal output florescent bulb.I believe in another thread I mentioned T5-HO.They will be you best bet on that size system.

Yes...it is the Hagen brand...I went back to the LFS and looked at it. He said he can get me one that has two bulbs (10,000K and an actinic) for $155-$160...then when I start adding coral and fish in a month I would get another one with a single bulb and add another 10,000K. What do you think?...here is a link:
HAGEN - GLO T5 HO

When you refer to T5-HO you meant just a size and output (not a brand)..right?..I'm all ears if you have a good "bang for the buck" lighting recommendation