My tank so far..and need a little decision help!

[Rainer]

Ok for those that saw my intro post here is its continuation. And for those that didnt, shame on you :D


Here is my list of things I have or have already ordered:

• 55 gal glass aquarium with wooden stand
• Nova Extreme T-5 Fixtures w/Lunar Lights 48" 216w
• Koralia 3
• Ordered 50lbs of Atlantic aquacultered LR from reeftopia.com (getting more later)
• Fluval 305 canister - Part time use

Here is what Im planning to order tonight or tomorrow:

• Aragamax sand - 30lbs
• Nature's Ocean Bio-Active Reef Sand - 20lbs
• Octopus Single Hang-on Protein Skimmer or Coralife Super skimmer needle wheel (what do yall think?)
• Another Koralia 3 (or 4? )
• Hang on refugium Hang-On Refugium with Protein Skimmer 24" Large - 705014

Thoughts on any of this would be greatly appreciated! With the hang on refugium it has a skimmer with it, but i want to make sure I get a good one so im getting the other HoB skimmer as well. I really like the idea of having a refugium and dont think Ill be able to do one under my tank. If anyone knows of another HoB refugium im open to ideas.

Thanks again!

 

[Rainer]

nevermind on the skimmer advice, been reading the great reviews on Octopus and found this, seemed to be a great deal and since you guys say you cant skim too much I ordered it.

Octopus Dual Hang-on-BackProtein Skimmer HB-300 - AquaCave

 

[Doc]

sounds great. good luck

-Doc

 

[reeffreak]

All the other HOB fuge are more expensive.That one will work just fine but don't forget to get a light for it.The skimmer thats built in is a POS but you have a good one coming.Consider the one with the fuge an added O2 producer.Here are some more refugiums..........Refugium/Specialty: Premium Aquatics

I'm a little leary of the aquacultured live rock.Many that I've seen looks like concrete slabs.Maybe its really good rocks,I just dunno.

Two model three Koralias should give you great flow.

 

[Bifferwine]

I also agree that one more Koralia #3 should be sufficient. I run an Octopus skimmer on my 240 and I love it. It's an excellent brand.

 

[fatman]

I like Octopus needle wheel skimmers, unfortunately the skimmer your looking t does not look like a needle wheel unit. Perhaps its two small needle wheel units, it does not give much information. I would email them for more information to be safe before putting out the money and/or possibly wasting time and hope. If your set on a hang-on you would have a hard time beating the performance of an Aqua C Remora Pro which only cost a little more. There are a lot of good needle wheel skimmers on the market now, but most are sump type, or a few adaptable to stand alone, do not remember seeing many hang ons yet, just the Coralife unit which starts at $104 @ Marine Depot (it is a typical two pump unit , only hang on). If forced to choose between the Octopus nd the Coralife I would choose the Coralife, as it is obviously just a simply modified remake of proven existing needle wheels such as the Turboflotor, Berlin Turbo, Kent Marine Turbo or Euro-reef RS.........

 

[Damseluver]

When y0u set up save r00m behind the the tank t0 add a sump. It is likely y0u will want t0 add 0ne d0wn the line when y0u get tired 0f all that stuff hanging 0n the tank. Especially a tank as narr0w as a 55 gal.

In sump skimmer will run far m0re efficiently regardless the brand and micr0 bubbles will will n0t be a pr0blem.

 

[fatman]

Damseluver, Whoa aquarium capital state of the country. I envy some of the options you probably have for purchases living in Florida. Great cultured live rock. Lots of phytoplankton algae farms etc. I tried to order some live rock from TampaBay live rock people but they would not ship to Fairbanks, Alaska during the winter. So I have to settle for Crap Caribbean live Rock From Drs. Foster and Smith. What are LFS's like down there. Oops, I guess I should have done this with a personal.

 

[Rainer]

the rock from that site came personally recommended by a friend, so lets just hope shes right....if anything else it will make a nice inexpensive base for more rock to come which i do plan on getting up to between 75 to 100 lbs total

and as far as a under DT sump goes ive looked at my options and measured and thought and measured again and thought some more.....I think ill skip out on it this time. The DT is in the living room, and no way the fiance will let it looking anything but super neat. Unless I took the cabinet apart and modified, i cant get anything over a 5 gallon into it and that isnt worth it to me.

that being said I will definitly be planning a sump for my next tank :helm2:

 

[Damseluver]

If y0u cant have sump (underst00d) I w0uld skip 0n the skimmer als0. The fluctuating water levels fr0m evap0rati0n and t0p 0ffs will keep the skimmer fr0m running efficiently and y0u will m0st likely be c0nstantly fighting a micr0 bubble pr0blem with a hang 0n skimmer.

This means a strict water change r0utine must be kept up and the tank fish wise must be under st0cked. 0utside feedings will be this tanks main pr0blem. I w0uld c0ncentrate 0n c0rals f0r this tank a just a few small fish y0u d0nt have t0 feed much 0r maybe n0t at all 0nce the tank is established.