^Advice Anyone?^

[shortalex25]

I'm in the process of setting up a 20 gallon long saltwater, its been about a week since 16lbs. of live rock have started the cycling process of the tank leaving a green tint to the water. As i sit on my hands and struggle through this cycle.I have been torn between setting up a 10 gallon refugium below the 20 gallon. Or doing a little DIY and modifying two HOB as refugium with chaeto algae and submersible halogen lights to provide photosynthesis and heat. so the chaeto algae will remove unwanted nitrates and have a safe haven for pods. I also have a canister filter, but would it be necessary to use since live rock is a natural filter?
My tank is still new so water conditions should be out of sequence, but it would be great if i could bother you guys for some advice so hopefully this tank can actually be a success!
current equipment:
T5 lighting fixture
power head
canister filter for 55 gallon
hydrometer
100watt heater
uv sterilizer (unplugged)
oversized Protein skimmer
water condition
nitrite 5.0
nitrate 160 ppm
ph 7.8
ammonia 0.25
specific gravity 1.023

 

[flower]

Hi,
Welcome to the site! Yes keep the live rock even though you have a filter running. It provides a place for the good bacteria to build up and it offers a safe place for fish to hide and gives a place for all the tiny critters to live. SW fish pick at the rock all day as they hunt the tiny things living in it.
You should not have a green tint to the water, algae growing on the rock is normal...is the tank set up near a window?
LOL...after re-reading your post...I realize you are asking if you should keep the filter. To that question I say yes. It's possible after the tank is good and established to not need a filter, in the first year at least use one. Personally, I have always run a filter of some kind no matter what.

 

[beaslbob]

Welcome to the site and I am really glad to see you are at least considering if not actively setting up a refug.
I highly recommend you add the chaeto and have seen successful systems with either a modified hob filter or a seperate refugium/sump. So I say go for it!
I would caution that you get some really expert advice and do some testing in the garage before setting the sump system on your display. It does work nice and es ver effective. But with imporper adjustments and/or design you can have floods as I found out a couple of times before I did the testing.
But whatever you do have a very nice succesful awesome tank.
Oh yea don't add any food until the nitrItes drop back down and my old api test kit always read .25ppm ammonia. Just the color of the test I guess.
regardless of my.
.02 LOL

 

[shortalex25]

Alright Thanks Beaslbob sounds good, and yes ill be sure if i go with the refug that I test it so that my living room doesnt become the next indoor swimming pool! And my test is an API also so that makes since.

 

[shortalex25]

Flower, My tank is not set near a window but crammed into a corner of the room, But still has a green tint. Sounds good Ill keep the canister on. Maybe throw some activated carbon in there, lol sorry for the confusion! Thanks for the response

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by shortalex25 http:///t/392911/advice-anyone#post_3492094
Flower, My tank is not set near a window but crammed into a corner of the room, But still has a green tint. Sounds good Ill keep the canister on. Maybe throw some activated carbon in there, lol sorry for the confusion! Thanks for the response
I would run the carbon and see if that helps... It should.
I agree with Beaslbob about the fuge. Set one up. If you setup a tank below the 20gL you would have more volume and room to grow your macro's. But it can be tricky if you don't have a reef ready (drilled) tank. Bob is probably the expert on how to set up a PVC overflow. I forget the screen name but someone is doing one of his designs on a 55g I think. I will try to find a link.
Here you go. And his name is Asp762.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/392546/my-55-gallon-adventure/80#post_3491928
I have also seen folks mod an aquaclear filter to a fuge. I am sure if you google that you can find some ideas.
Good Luck!!