Anyone got any suggestions for my new tank?

J

just me

Guest
Hi all!
Okay, so I'm setting up a 40G tank. I've bought a HOB skimmer and 192W compact lighting. I plan on adding 20# of figi LR and 20# of brasilian LR from the LFS. (The Figi is half the price, but the brasilian is AWESOME!!!) I'm thinking of approx. 2 inches of sand. I also have my eye on a hang on type of refugium. To increase my water flow I am thinking of adding a couple of maxijet 900's.
I plan on stocking it with a false perc., maybe 3 fariy wrasses (what is the min # you would reccomend of fairy wrasses? I know they need to be kept in a group, but how big?) and possibly a small foxface lo. (I know he will grow too big to stay in this tank, but my husband and I also have a 120G that will be setup once the new carpet is laid and I thought he could be transferred into it) As far as inverts go, just a clean up crew and possibly a few mushrooms and xmas tree worms. Nothing too difficult
So what other equipment do I need? A mechanical filter is included with the protein skimmer. Is additional biological filtration needed to assist the live rock? If I purchase a HOB refugium, will it still need additional lighting or should it get enough from the tank's lights. Or conversely, will the refugium light bother the aquarium's inhabitants if it is left on all night?
I'd love to hear any suggestions that anyone has.
Thanks...Lora
 
weberian

weberian

Member
What kind of skimmer is that? The HOB refug. at my LFS has its own little coralife light which runs on the reverse lighting schedule as the main tank to help with pH swings at night (that's what I've heard anyway). This is on the back of the main tank and the light is blocked by the main tank hood from affecting the main tank. Is it a brand new tank or old one?
 
jmick

jmick

Active Member
Couple of things, first if you are gonna add 2 inches of sand you may as well add another 4” and use a deep sand bed for natural nitrate reduction because 2 inches is going to be for looks only. Also, if you have the room why not invest in 30 gallon, baffle it, and use that as an upstream refugium—it will be a lot more productive then a small hang on the back model.
Fairy wrasses are very peaceful fish and if you are going with a 30 gallon I’d make it a dedicated tank (no other fish) for the 3 wrasses. I believe they are hermaphrodites, so in time one of the 3 will turn into the male. From what I’ve read they are jumpers, so you’ll want a good cover for your tank.
I recommend an Aqua-C Remora hang on skimmer—it’s an awesome skimmer for the money. Go with a deep sand bed in conjunction with your live rock and fuge for filtration—it could be a cool little set up!
 
J

just me

Guest
Hey guys, thanks for the input!

The skimmer is an Odyssea. Is anyone familiar with this brand? I've been told it is pretty much identical to the CPR Bak Pak.
How difficult would it be to turn a 30G into a refugium? Is a hang on totally ineffective or just not as good?
I had considered a dsb. I was told that it is possible for them to release large amounts of acid and kill off the whole tank. How likely is that to actually happen?
Thanks again...Me
 
konrade

konrade

Member
A hang on is not as good because of it's size, the bigger the fuge the better, but it will still do what it's supposed to do. If you just want to grow macro algae then NO Fluorecsents will be fine for your fuge. Good Luck
 
konrade

konrade

Member
I have never heard of that acid thing happening and I seriously doubt it. All you would need for a 30 gallon fuge would be a return pump pre filter sand and some lr rubble imo and of course tubing. Lights if you wanted macro algae and dsb's are really good.
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
Hang on skimmers are alright and Hang on Fuges are good as well. I turned my penguine 330 into a fuge roughly a gallon of water but it will hold Sand, Rock and Macro that is on its way now!!. The odyssea skimmer is pretty mutch the same as the bakpak just a smaller price tag at around $20 to $40.
I have never heard of acid coming from a sandbed. I have a 4 to 5 inch bed now and I really like it.
 
lennon

lennon

Member
[QUOTE=Just Me
I had considered a dsb. I was told that it is possible for them to release large amounts of acid and kill off the whole tank. How likely is that to actually happen?
Thanks again...Me
I have heard bad things too about a deep sand bed and filtration. I would look up some threads just in case...
 
weberian

weberian

Member
The reason I asked about the filtration is that I think those type of skimmers just have bunch of plastic stringy stuff, which is OK for biological but not good for mechanical filtration. I'm making do for now with an old Whisper double-cartridge hang-on-back power filter, but I told my wife I will be asking for a Marineland Magnum cannister filter for Christmas.
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
All it is for is for bacteria to form on the bale to get read of amonia and nitrite and the actuall skimmer part gets read of nitrates and nutrients.
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
There's nothing wrong with DSB. What you probably heard is that large amounts of nitrates were released, not acid. DSB, because of the deepness, holds more nitrates in that does a normal sandbed. If the DSB gets stirred up too much, it will release these nitrates into your tank, and could possibly kill anything in there.
If you have sandsifters from the beginning of the DSB, you shouldn't have any problems with nitrates at all (at least from the DSB).
 
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