hows this for equipment

[chris246810]

ok i checked out some sites about the equipment i was looking for let me know if what i picked out is good or not good.
1)euro reef es5-3 with pump (skimmer)
2)kent marine 35gpd ro/di unit
3)aqua UV 8 watt sterilizer

 

[thomas712]

1 and 2 look fine, however 3 needs to be discussed.
Is this a reef tank?
What size tank?
It doesn't sound like much of a UV, and I don't like them anyway, they are a rather poor piece of equipment for a reef tank.
Thomas

 

[krux]

unless you have a nano, i would spend the extra few dollars to bump yup a size on the ro unit output... 35 sounds like a lot, but when you suddenly need some top off water, or want to do a water change, it is a pain to have to wait a couple hours to get enough to use.
uv you really don't need, unless you plan to just run it occasionally durring outbreaks and what not. overall it probably will not be beneficial at that wattage.

 

[chris246810]

thank you for your answers i was told by a lfs that i need a UV sterilizer for my salt water tank. quick newbie questions.
1)whats a reef tank?
2) whats a RO UNIT and whats a RO/DI unit?
instead of the uvsterilzer why not 2 maxijet 900 power heads for more circleation. i was planning on getting some inverts and corals later in the future thats why i am trying to buy the good equipment for them that will keep the tank clean.
write back
thank you

 

[thomas712]

A reef tank would contain corals, live rock, live sand, and fish of course but not necessarily. You will need to maintain alkalinity and calcium more carefully with a reef.
Reverse Osmosis water unit will filter your tap water and produce water that is more pure with the heavy metals removed, and can also eliminate nitrates from entering the system, and reduce phosphates or eliminate them as well.
Many try to prevent ick with a UV sterilizer, however it is not the best method. Quarenteening the specimans for a while is the best method, up to and including hypo salinity procedures if you find a problem with the fish. It serves to prevent infecting the main tank with unwanted parisites.
Plan your inverts(cleanup crew) after the cycle as you will most likey need them at that time.
Thomas

 

[ptchfork]

Let me chime in with a question here - when you say that quarentine is the best way to take care of ick ... I've seen refugariums where it's part of the sump. Will this do the job? To me, the same water is being recycled in the tank so I can't see how this would be good, but I thought I'd just ask.

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by ptchfork
Let me chime in with a question here - when you say that quarentine is the best way to take care of ick ...
Quarentine with hyposalinity is a stand alone seperate thing that is done in its own seperate tank. This could not be done with something that is plummed to the whole system.
If you were to place a fish in the sump or fuge for observation and it was carring ick then your whole system would become infected. The you would need to seperate your fish from that system and leave the main tank/sump/fuge fishless for about 4 weeks.
I suggest you perhaps read the sticky information in the disease and treatment forum. Everyone should.
Thomas

 

[chris246810]

my cycle has been done i have had my tank up for about 4 months now and just looking to get it running better.
so would the two maxijets 900 better then a uv sterializer?
and then go with a the 60gpd ro/di unit?

 

[thomas712]

Chris I don't see what tank size you are takling about, this would help me to determin what size RO unit you might need.
Thomas

 

[chris246810]

i am sorry i thought i put it in i am running a 55gal with LS,LR,1 yellow tang,3blue damels,two clown fish,and a cheap protine skimmer (dont know if its even working right)and a amirecial wet/dry filter.

 

[thomas712]

I don't see why a 35 GPD RO unit wouldn't be fine then, for some though the more the better. I think 35gpd would be fine.
Is the protien skimmer producing and skimmate?
Thomas

 

[chris246810]

whats skimmate?

 

[thomas712]

The stuff that collects in the skimmer cup

 

[chris246810]

there is nothing thats collecting in there thats why i have a feeling that its not working. one other question a ro/di unit that also filters the water right? so when i add new tap water do i put it stright into the tank or in the ro/di unit?

 

[skirrby]

run it through the ro/di first

 

[chris246810]

thank you really helped me alot

 

[fishfood]

a 35 gph RO/DI is more than enough. Set it up somewhere that you can store a 18 to 30 gal rubbermaid tub and you always have water on hand when you need it. Just add a float valve to the tub and always have the water turned on. I never run out of water. You can even put the tub on a stand and add a small bulkhead at the bottom and put a ball valve on to make a spicket to easily fill up the jug or bucket for water changes and top off. You could easily do without the UV sterilizer. I have the 35 gph RO/DI and with the way i have it set up I could have gotten away with something smaller. Yes you are limited when setting up the tank but how many times will you have to fill it up? 1 time hopefully.