Help Me Complete My Tank

[soulsigma]

everyone I need your input and expertise to help me complete my 75g sw tank, which has been up and running since 12-27-08 and completed it's cycle mid January 2009 and I began adding fish the very last week of January. My goal is to have fish and coral, once I completed my studies on coarls and narrow my choice down to the best four that intrigue me the most I will add them accordingly sometime in Dec of this year. In the mean time I will continual to build a healthy and vibrant tank which will give me the courage to move on to a 200g someday but for now I will hone my skill, knowledge and abilities on my 75g.
At the present my equipment consist of a Fluval FX5 and a Eheim ecco 2236 filter both are canister type filters which I clean on rotating bi-weekly basis. The media I use in my filters are Seachem matrix, seagel, denitrate, hyper sorb supplemented with Chemi pure elite and chemi mat both to help keep my phosphates in check. I only change out my fitter pads and clean my intake and outlet hoses when I clean my filters, I monitor the media and will not replace it until it hits the 6 moth period at which time I will change replace a little at a time as not to disrupt my established bacteria beds. I have one hydor koralia #4 power head which circulates 1200gph and this week I will be adding another #4 power head to bring my water movement/circulation up to par. I have a 220 w heater in the tank and a 300w on stand by along with a battery powered pump for an emergency. My holding tank is 10g with 20lbs of LS and 10lbs of LR a 50g in tank filter and 45w light nothing fancy as it for new arrivals and will be converted to an hospital tank in the coming months.
I have 160lbs of LS and 40lbs of LR, this week I will be adding 10+lbs of LR and possible an additional 40lb of agornite or coral sand which would put at 200lbs substrate, and I will keep adding LR until I hit 100lbs all of which will complete my biological filtration. I use Seachems reef crystal and water conditioning products, it's just makes since to me to remain in the same product line when just began out in this hobby it makes things much less complicated and besides the products chemical make-up are designed to react with one another (not saying that mixing product lines wont do the same) and another plus for me is trace ability when something goes wrong It will be easy for me to sort back the forwarded to come up with a end conclusion. In the upcoming two weeks I will be introducing a protein skimmer the one I have deiced to go with is the ViaAqua Multi-Skimmer Deluxe w/ 5W UV Sterilizer the goal is to bring my nitrates down to 0ppm so that my tank will be ready for it's corals this Dec. My current lighting system is a 48" 760W Metal Halide Aquarium Reef Light Support: 2x 250W HQI, 4x 65W PC, 6x LED. CE Certified. I choose this system because I plan on adding some corals in the future and won't have to upgrade.
Since my tank has completed cycling my water parameters have remained consistent, they are :As of 03/06/09 may water parameters are as follow:
Specific Gravity 1.020 - Salinity 27
Temperature 80 - 83°F
pH 8.1
Alkalinity 8 - 12 dKH
Ammonia (NH3) Undetectable 0ppm
Nitrite (NO2)undetectable 0ppm
Nitrate - Nitrogen (NO3)20 ppm has been like this since my tank has completed its' cycle

Phosphate (PO4) 0.2 ppm
Calcium - 450 ppm
Magnesium - 1350 ppm
Iodine - 0.10 ppm
Strontium - 14 ppm
Now can you guys review some pictures of my tank and tell how to position the power heads to achieve maximum water flow/movement/circulation , please keep in mind that I only have one right now and will be adding the second one some time this week. And what other equipment if any do I need to keep this tank healthy and thriving?

 

[renogaw]

you're doing well. just make sure your water surface is agitated enough, and i'd be interested to know two things:
1) what TYPE of rocks are the one in the center and the one on the right end... they don't look like normal reef rock.
2) you look like you have gravel and not sand on the right side. that's going to be tough to keep clean.
you have a ton of hair algae, which is common side effect of a new tank. BUT your readings for phosphates and nitrates are off because that algae is using it up before you can test it properly.
you need to get some way of exporting your nitrates and phosphates and stop feeding your fish so much. you have nitrates due to your canister filter and possibly your gravel substrate. you should seriously consider getting rid of the canister (yes... brand new equipment bought for no reason) and put a sump with some sort of macro algae, like chaeto, to get rid of your nitrates and phosphates.
what are you feeding btw?
i'd also suggest getting your salt level up to 35 ppm, everythig in there will be more comfey. how are you measuring it, hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[renogaw]

a uv will do, in mine and many other's opinion, absolutely nothing for you btw. put that money into something else.

 

[soulsigma]

Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/2980852
you're doing well. just make sure your water surface is agitated enough, and i'd be interested to know two things:
1) what TYPE of rocks are the one in the center and the one on the right end... they don't look like normal reef rock.
2) you look like you have gravel and not sand on the right side. that's going to be tough to keep clean.
you have a ton of hair algae, which is common side effect of a new tank. BUT your readings for phosphates and nitrates are off because that algae is using it up before you can test it properly.
you need to get some way of exporting your nitrates and phosphates and stop feeding your fish so much. you have nitrates due to your canister filter and possibly your gravel substrate. you should seriously consider getting rid of the canister (yes... brand new equipment bought for no reason) and put a sump with some sort of macro algae, like chaeto, to get rid of your nitrates and phosphates.
what are you feeding btw?
i'd also suggest getting your salt level up to 35 ppm, everythig in there will be more comfey. how are you measuring it, hydrometer or refractometer?
Answers to your questions.
1) The center and end rock that you are inquiring about is Chinese Live Reef Maze Rock it’s a new revolution in Reef and Marine Tank in aka Texas Holey Rock. CLR is made primarily of limestone similar to that of Kalkwasser or Purple-Up, but obviously dense (even more than regular Fiji Live Rock) so it doesn't over buffer the tank but does naturally allow a supply of high quality calcium and nutrients very beneficial to Reef Systems for great coral health, growth and reproduction. Hence eliminating the need to dose the tank with a bunch of chemicals which only create a synthetic environment and increase the chances of under/over dosing.
2)No its not gravel at all, it is pH rock which is a white mineral rock that has 18 trace element and plenty of CaCO3 and MgCO3 for all corals. pH rock is use as second part of my filtration system, place directly on top of the LS the acid from the bacteria is at the highest point and reacts with the pH rock dissolving it to release the trace element, CaCO3 and MgCO3. When using the pH rock in saltwater reef applications, it will maintain the pH at 8.4 and raise the Calcium level to above 450ppm, the pH rock takes the place of expensive hard to maintain calcium reactor and provide around the clock buffer for pH and Calcium. The advantage of using pH rock is a 24/7 automatic buffer system the require no daily or weekly maintenance. Even if you add more pH rock then its required, the highest pH you will get is 8.6, it will not go above that period. Thus eliminating the need for artificial chemicals and another piece of equipment to purchase and maintain.
The disadvantage: THERE IS NONE!
3) Cheeto is already in place I just have to give it time to do its thing, and I will be adding some shaving

 

[soulsigma]

Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/2980854
a uv will do, in mine and many other's opinion, absolutely nothing for you btw. put that money into something else.
I 4) I use a refractometer and I agree with you about the UV it just happens to be built into the skimmer am going to buy. Ask yourself this question, What is Density and what does it have to do with UV? This question is my reasoning behind why I keep my salt levels low.
What I am about to tell you here will blow your mind away and will create a big debate in this forum, everything you know about salt water fish keeping told you the opposite what I am about to show you. So keep an open mind on this.
Density measure how dense the salt water is by measure how much dissolved salt is in the water. Oh, do you mean Salinity?
Yes, I do mean Salinity. But the correct scientific term is Density not Salinity. The more dissolved salt is in the water the more dense the water is, dense water are harder to push through and harder for light to penetrate. Every book you've read and every web site you've visited on the subject of marine fish keeping all said the same thing: keep your water density (salinity) at 1.020 - 1.025; the reason behind these numbers are the ocean 's density is between 1.020-1.025. What people often forgot to take in to account is that the ocean is a very large body of water (it covered 70% of Earth's surface). The dissolved salt is spread across the entire ocean, if you could shrink the ocean to the size of your home aquarium the density wouldn't be between 1.020-1.025 it would be much much higher.
You can keep the density of tank at 1.020-1.025 but you shouldn't. You shouldn't because of one simple reason: Diseases control.
The most common disease in the home aquarium is Cryptocaryon aka ich or white spot, one way to treat this disease is by dropping the salt in your tank to 1.010 aka. hypo treatment. Hypo treatment usually last short period, when the disease is cured, the salt is raise back to where is was before. The reason for the Hypo treatment is saltwater ich can't live in fresh water condition or near fresh water condition for long, they die.
We know that marine fish can live in low density water, but for how long? People some how think marine fish can only survive in low density water for short period, that is why they always raise the density back up after the treatment. Well, guess what marine fish not only can they survive in low density water, they can live in such low density water for their entire life. By keeping the density low in your aquarium, you effectively reduce the chance you get an infection.
How low should I keep the density?
Instead of having a density of 1.020-1.025, how about 1.015 to start. I can hear people in the background "the fish is going to die!".At U of M, we keep all of our fish holding tank in my marine Bio class at 1.010 at all time. Some of our tanks are at even lower density around 1.005, those tanks never had problems with any disease, saltwater parasites simply can't live in such low density.
Are you in shock yet? Can't believe what you've just read.
Even if you do get an ich infection, at such low density a couple of medication treatment would take care of the problem, can you imagine try to fight an ich at 1.020-1.025, you would have lost all of your fish before you got the upper hand. With a lesser dense water, you'll get more light to penetrate through the tank, your fish will have more appetite, the water will be a lot cleaner.
What does all this have to do with UV?
UV is only effective when the disease is in free flow stage, once they found a host and attached to it, the UV is useless. The parasites isn't passing through the UV light, so it can't be kill by it. However, the low density water can kill the marine parasites without cause any harm to the fish itself. So by having your tank at low density, you can do away with the UV, one less equipment to maintain.
What about Coral and Inverts, would they be affected by the low density?
The answer is No! Our 200 gallon reef tank's in my marine biology class density is 1.015 never higher then that, the coral and inverts are doing just fine. We even have a green carpet anemone in the tank without any problem. As long as you bring the density down slowly the animal will adopt to the low density. If your reef tank has only a few fish like most reef tank I've seem, then what ever density you have is fine, there's no need to change it.
In order for me to add a sump that would entail breaking down the entire tank and having it plumbed correct? which in turns would mean after that mini project I would have to cycle the tank again correct?

 

[crypt keeper]

did you type all that or copy paste? People are trying to help and you come off pretty damn harsh and a know it all.

 

[jimmy 4]

It looks like you know everything. Why ask for advice?

 

[eric b 125]

wow, you just made this so much easier for me, THANKS! i'm going to lower the density of my water tonight, so my fish dont get sick. i have one question, what should i do with all my invertebrates, live rock, and corals?

 

[jimmy 4]

Yes, I do mean Salinity. But the correct scientific term is Density not Salinity.
The more dissolved salt is in the water the more dense the water is, dense water are harder to push through and harder for light to penetrate.
Wrong, Density is not determined by dissolved salt alone. Density and Salinity are not the same. If I dump a pot of coffee in my tank the density will go up but the salinity will stay the same, unless my coffee is salty.
Every book you've read and every web site you've visited on the subject of marine fish keeping all said the same thing: keep your water density (salinity) at 1.020 - 1.025; the reason behind these numbers are the ocean 's density is between 1.020-1.025. What people often forgot to take in to account is that the ocean is a very large body of water (it covered 70% of Earth's surface). The dissolved salt is spread across the entire ocean, if you could shrink the ocean to the size of your home aquarium the density wouldn't be between 1.020-1.025 it would be much much higher.
wow! They get the "density" and "salinity" from reefs where corals grow and many fish live. 1.020-1.025 isn't an average of the whole ocean. And if you shrunk the ocean down to fit in your tank you would have a crapload of salt.

 

[soulsigma]

Originally Posted by crypt keeper
http:///forum/post/2981025
did you type all that or copy paste? People are trying to help and you come off pretty damn harsh and a know it all.
Nope no type and past just using my notes to explain what I am doing and some of the things I have come across in class . And how I am trying to pull it all together. So I was not trying to be a know it all or----and I apolgize if it came off as such.

 

[soulsigma]

Originally Posted by Jimmy 4
http:///forum/post/2981029
It looks like you know everything. Why ask for advice?
No I don't that's why I am taking the class and asking for you input and advice because in this hobby no one can never know it all espcially a Newbee like me and I am sorry if I came across that way.

 

[soulsigma]

Originally Posted by Eric B 125
http:///forum/post/2981050
wow, you just made this so much easier for me, THANKS! i'm going to lower the density of my water tonight, so my fish dont get sick. i have one question, what should i do with all my invertebrates, live rock, and corals?
I was explaining why I was doing what I was doing and what information I came across while doing a project for class and how some of the research data was suporting some of the reasoning behind the tanks in our lab at school. My objective is to use what I have learned in schoo and combine that with the sound advice you all give me and build a successful marine tank. By no means was I trying to offend anyone, I am just trying to learn from you all because ,the thing of it is , is with all the books, the class and labs, and data on the internet, nothing is more helpful than to get information from some one with experience and thats why I am turning to the fourm, because there is years and years of experience and a wealth of knowledge that everyone here has. Once again I am sorry upsetting everyone.

 

[soulsigma]

SORRY RENOGAW IT WAS NOT MY INTENTIONS TO OFFEND YOU OR ANY ONE ELSE. yOU ASKED ME SOME QUESTIONS AND I ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHY I USING CERTAIN MATERIAL. YOU GAVE ME SOME GOOD ADVICE TO GET ME ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND FOR THAT i AM THANKFUL.

 

[jimmy 4]

Sorry that I jumped on you. You should take pics of the lab tank (post them) and compare them to the tanks in the "Share Your Aquarium" Section. Most if not all sucessful reef keepers have a high salinity 1.025-1.026. You shouldn't have to worry about disease if your fish are healthy, your parameters are in check, and you are careful about the fish you add. I kept my old tank at 1.021 and have changed my new tank to 1.026, and my corals have appreciated the change.

 

[soulsigma]

Originally Posted by Jimmy 4
http:///forum/post/2981149
Sorry that I jumped on you. You should take pics of the lab tank (post them) and compare them to the tanks in the "Share Your Aquarium" Section. Most if not all sucessful reef keepers have a high salinity 1.025-1.026. You shouldn't have to worry about disease if your fish are healthy, your parameters are in check, and you are careful about the fish you add. I kept my old tank at 1.021 and have changed my new tank to 1.026, and my corals have appreciated the change.
No problem^, I was just sharing some results that have been achieved from an ongoing marine biology project. It was the class that peaked my interest to get into the hobby and it was all the research I had to do over the past two years to complete term papers that equipped me with the basics to starting an marine tank. And everyone knows that college only prepares you with textbook knowledge, not real-life practical experience and thats why I turned to the forum to get real help from people who have been there done that and have a wealth of skills,knowledge and experience to help a fellow hobbyist succeed.
So to get my salinity up to par, would it be wise to slowly bring it up by using aged saltwater each time I top of my tank or should I slowly increase the salinity of co water each time I perform a partial wc? in either method I understand I would have to closely monitor this? I'll get some pictures of the tanks at school and post them this week.

 

[oceansidefish]

While keeping salinity low will help to fight off disease in fish, it is ultimately not ideal for a reef environment. Salinity varies widely in the ocean from around 1.020 to 1.030 depending on the region. You will find in the tropics that the salinity will be right around 1.024-1.027 which is why we tend to keep our tanks that way since that is where our fish come from. If you were keeping a cold water tank, you might keep it at a different salinity. Also if you look at the theories of thermohaline circulation you would note that salinity is generall higher in the top kilometer of the ocean due to evaporation when you are looking at areas near the equator, however when you move closer to the poles it changes in many places.
You have to remember that not all marine bio teachers are experts or have really spent the time to care for tanks. I was in college to once, take an oceanography class to learn a little more about ocean dynamics. Inverts may do fine for a few semesters in a low salinity tank, but they may have a shortened life expectancy. If you want better info look to Scripps in San Diego, they really are one of the premier oceanographic research institutes.

 

[olingerjccj]

I just wondering about lighting if lower The "Density" slowly do you feel average T5 lighting system would be enough for hard corals. Just wondering.
Thanks

 

[jimmy 4]

Originally Posted by soulsigma
http:///forum/post/2981159
So to get my salinity up to par, would it be wise to slowly bring it up by using aged saltwater each time I top of my tank or should I slowly increase the salinity of co water each time I perform a partial wc? in either method I understand I would have to closely monitor this? I'll get some pictures of the tanks at school and post them this week.
Either way sounds good to me. Slow being the key. I would do both.

 

[soulsigma]

Originally Posted by Oceansidefish
http:///forum/post/2981274
While keeping salinity low will help to fight off disease in fish, it is ultimately not ideal for a reef environment. Salinity varies widely in the ocean from around 1.020 to 1.030 depending on the region. You will find in the tropics that the salinity will be right around 1.024-1.027 which is why we tend to keep our tanks that way since that is where our fish come from. If you were keeping a cold water tank, you might keep it at a different salinity. Also if you look at the theories of thermohaline circulation you would note that salinity is generall higher in the top kilometer of the ocean due to evaporation when you are looking at areas near the equator, however when you move closer to the poles it changes in many places.
You have to remember that not all marine bio teachers are experts or have really spent the time to care for tanks. I was in college to once, take an oceanography class to learn a little more about ocean dynamics. Inverts may do fine for a few semesters in a low salinity tank, but they may have a shortened life expectancy. If you want better info look to Scripps in San Diego, they really are one of the premier oceanographic research institutes.
Thank you and Thanks to everyone for helping me out and getting on the right track^ So my first task to accomplish is to raise my tank Salinity, from the advice of Jimmy4, renogaw and you the target I should be shooting for is a specific gravity of 1.026, which would give me a salinity of 35 right?

.
I was also thinking about the good advice given to me from renogaw about adding a sump I like this I deal and I know of a not so lfs that will plum the tank for me so I can use a sump but first I have to get rid of the fish, the LR&LS and take the tank in to be plumed. So should this be my primary focus then once the tank plumed and connected to the sump I can cycle it again only this time around my specific gravity would be 1.026. What do you think

 

[shyshko08]

On another note, you might want to add more rock. Looks kind of empty.