Barebottom 20g SPS tank?
- Thread starter snakeblitz33
- Start date
E
eric b 125
Guest
i could very well be wrong about painting the bottom glass black, or why to do it. i just remember reading about setting up a BB tank and in the article it suggested to paint it.
slice
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric B 125 http:///t/389423/barebottom-20g-sps-tank/20#post_3442436
i could very well be wrong about painting the bottom glass black, or why to do it. i just remember reading about setting up a BB tank and in the article it suggested to paint it.
I've also read that, but in the context of setting up a QT. I seem to remember that if left clear, a fish may see the lower shelf of the stand, or whatever is below the tank; think that is the "bottom" where they can find cover; take a dive for it and BOINK! into the glass.
I painted the bottom as well as the back of my QT based on that reading.
Originally Posted by Eric B 125 http:///t/389423/barebottom-20g-sps-tank/20#post_3442436
i could very well be wrong about painting the bottom glass black, or why to do it. i just remember reading about setting up a BB tank and in the article it suggested to paint it.
I've also read that, but in the context of setting up a QT. I seem to remember that if left clear, a fish may see the lower shelf of the stand, or whatever is below the tank; think that is the "bottom" where they can find cover; take a dive for it and BOINK! into the glass.
I painted the bottom as well as the back of my QT based on that reading.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Ok, So, I have decided to paint it flat white - like a faux sand bed, and I am going to look into the ASM skimmers. I can't promise that I won't keep looking at octopus. 
I have had my eye on some ASM skimmers for this tank. I guess I could spend a little extra money when I get ready to upgrade again, when the time comes.
I'm looking at G la ss Ho les for my overflow kit. I really think I am going to drill this aquarium and install one of their nano overflows. It would definitely put my mind at ease.
Anyways, gotta go to work. Thanks all.
Oh, by the way, does anyone have any suggestions for a ca reactor??? lol
I have had my eye on some ASM skimmers for this tank. I guess I could spend a little extra money when I get ready to upgrade again, when the time comes.I'm looking at G la ss Ho les for my overflow kit. I really think I am going to drill this aquarium and install one of their nano overflows. It would definitely put my mind at ease.
Anyways, gotta go to work. Thanks all.
Oh, by the way, does anyone have any suggestions for a ca reactor??? lol
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
You k ow what? I think that the ASM mini g is going to be perfect for my application and size tank for now.
travelerjp98
Active Member
Hmmm.... I've never heard of a faux sand bed in epoxy.... quite interesting!
Seth, I think that it will also look great if you painted it a sandish-color...
Seth, I think that it will also look great if you painted it a sandish-color...
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
IMHO, sand doesn't have any buffering capacity at all. Think about it. All sand does is provide a medium for micro fauna to grow and for some fish and inverts to be comfortable. Sand does get dirty over time and does need to be maintained. As far as buffering calcium, alkalinity, pH and trace - no, it does not. You have to lower the pH of the water for the medium to dissolve, ie: calcium reactors.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Oh, and as far as maintenance goes, I'm probably going to have to siphon off detritus or debris off the bottom of the tank During a WATER CHANGE. Lol and I'm going to try to keep coralline from growing too much on the bottom of the tank. Other then that, nothing really different.
acrylic51
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/389423/barebottom-20g-sps-tank/20#post_3442495
IMHO, sand doesn't have any buffering capacity at all. Think about it. All sand does is provide a medium for micro fauna to grow and for some fish and inverts to be comfortable. Sand does get dirty over time and does need to be maintained. As far as buffering calcium, alkalinity, pH and trace - no, it does not. You have to lower the pH of the water for the medium to dissolve, ie: calcium reactors.
Agree!!!!! Offers very little if any buffering. I had argued that point awhile ago an used BB SPS dominate tanks as a prime example...
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/389423/barebottom-20g-sps-tank/20#post_3442495
IMHO, sand doesn't have any buffering capacity at all. Think about it. All sand does is provide a medium for micro fauna to grow and for some fish and inverts to be comfortable. Sand does get dirty over time and does need to be maintained. As far as buffering calcium, alkalinity, pH and trace - no, it does not. You have to lower the pH of the water for the medium to dissolve, ie: calcium reactors.
Agree!!!!! Offers very little if any buffering. I had argued that point awhile ago an used BB SPS dominate tanks as a prime example...
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eric b 125
Guest
Seth have you ever used any GHoles products before? I have two of their boxes on my 125 and liked them fine until hearing (NOT HEARING) the bean animal overflows. i suggest you consider using one of those systems
geoj
Active Member
i could very well be wrong about painting the bottom glass black, or why to do it. i just remember reading about setting up a BB tank and in the article it suggested to paint it.
A little more on this subject. Fish will reacted to the bottom of the tank depending on how dark or light it is. So some fish will look better on a black bottom tank, others will look better on a white bottom. Light or dark lighting will also do this.
1guydude
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Seth have you ever used any GHoles products before? I have two of their boxes on my 125 and liked them fine until hearing (NOT HEARING) the bean animal overflows. i suggest you consider using one of those systems
Im doing a Gholes overflow kit (700gph) on my 20L and im doing a bean animal overflow on my 75.... ive heard both are silent but i wont know for sure till i get em both up and running! LOL
Seth have you ever used any GHoles products before? I have two of their boxes on my 125 and liked them fine until hearing (NOT HEARING) the bean animal overflows. i suggest you consider using one of those systems
Im doing a Gholes overflow kit (700gph) on my 20L and im doing a bean animal overflow on my 75.... ive heard both are silent but i wont know for sure till i get em both up and running! LOL
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I'll look into bean animal, however I'm really looking mainly at my budget.
So far I like GH because you just buy the kit and DIY it and it's ready to go. Even comes with a template. lol. But, I'll look into the bean animal design.
I'm thinking that I want to use a Mag 5 on this tank... as strange as that sounds. lol! I figure an overflow kit rated for 500gph with a baffle and a mag 5 putting out 400gph at 4ft of head is a pretty good choice. I also think that at 400gph of flow from the return pump will provide about half of the necessary flow in the tank. The other half can come from an MP10. Though, some other people are pushing me to get an MP40 because of a future upgrade. I'm still on the line about that.
I'm really liking the ASM Mini-G right now for a skimmer. It's only rated for 75g, but at $120 it's not so bad. I can get a skimmer sooner then I expected. I guess when I decide to go with a bigger tank, I'll go for an octopus nwb150 (for the 75g sps tank).
So far I like GH because you just buy the kit and DIY it and it's ready to go. Even comes with a template. lol. But, I'll look into the bean animal design.
I'm thinking that I want to use a Mag 5 on this tank... as strange as that sounds. lol! I figure an overflow kit rated for 500gph with a baffle and a mag 5 putting out 400gph at 4ft of head is a pretty good choice. I also think that at 400gph of flow from the return pump will provide about half of the necessary flow in the tank. The other half can come from an MP10. Though, some other people are pushing me to get an MP40 because of a future upgrade. I'm still on the line about that.
I'm really liking the ASM Mini-G right now for a skimmer. It's only rated for 75g, but at $120 it's not so bad. I can get a skimmer sooner then I expected. I guess when I decide to go with a bigger tank, I'll go for an octopus nwb150 (for the 75g sps tank).
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
So I decided that I am going to go for the ASM mini g skimmer and the GH super nano kit (300gph) with a mag 3.5 return pump on this order. That's my Christmas!
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Yes. The overflow thati am buying is only rated for 300gph. I figured that a mag 3 would give just under 300gph at 4 foot head. The display tank will be supplemented with an mp10.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Oh, and it will be plumbed with 1/2" PVC straight up. No elbows except at the top. I'm going to use a little locline at the top instead of PVC. The tank will look clean and free of clutter.