saltwaterbliss
New Member
Can anyone tell me the difference in reg protien skimmer and a CPR skimmer please...
I Could use some HELP PLEASE!! pic's
- Thread starter saltwaterbliss
- Start date
naclh2o nut
Member
So now the question I have is how often and how much should I be changing my water?
If you are going to add tap water then stop water changes, use the money on RO/DI filter instead of salt.
What will you gain by putting more TDSsa nd nitrates at 30 back in your tank? More Cyno
What is a good length of time to have my lights on? And I was told at the local pet store that my lights were fine for the corals I have......so witch one/all need different light?
Can you control the two bulbs individually? Use actinics for 12 hours and the other around 6-8 hours. This is not enough light for most corals. I have gone through three different lights to get to the M/H. If you are going to enjoy this hobby spend the money upfront( it will be cheaper in the long run and more enjoyable). Get at least more t-5s or IMO M/Hs- later this is not causing your problems!
And the one big quick fix- FLOW- IMO have atleast 30x tank volume in flow from P/Hs so look for whatever your LFS has that will move 1000 gph and buy two. Even better try to move upwrd of 3000 gph. ( I have close to 4000 gph in a 90 gal and picking up a sieo 1500 to bring me up to 5500. I still have a few spots that I have to watch with cyno. I started with tap and am still diluting it with RO/DI, getting better every week!
)
If you are going to add tap water then stop water changes, use the money on RO/DI filter instead of salt.
What will you gain by putting more TDSsa nd nitrates at 30 back in your tank? More Cyno
What is a good length of time to have my lights on? And I was told at the local pet store that my lights were fine for the corals I have......so witch one/all need different light?
Can you control the two bulbs individually? Use actinics for 12 hours and the other around 6-8 hours. This is not enough light for most corals. I have gone through three different lights to get to the M/H. If you are going to enjoy this hobby spend the money upfront( it will be cheaper in the long run and more enjoyable). Get at least more t-5s or IMO M/Hs- later this is not causing your problems!
And the one big quick fix- FLOW- IMO have atleast 30x tank volume in flow from P/Hs so look for whatever your LFS has that will move 1000 gph and buy two. Even better try to move upwrd of 3000 gph. ( I have close to 4000 gph in a 90 gal and picking up a sieo 1500 to bring me up to 5500. I still have a few spots that I have to watch with cyno. I started with tap and am still diluting it with RO/DI, getting better every week!
naclh2o nut
Member
Forgot, get a skimmer ASAP. This will help with the nasties in your water. With out a sump you will need a HOB.(Hang on Back). That might be what CPR is refering to also.
saltwaterbliss
New Member
Sorry should have clairified.... I willl NOT be adding tap water any more!!!
I'll go and buy some DI water at the store....but how much and offten do I start draining??
I'll go and buy some DI water at the store....but how much and offten do I start draining??
naclh2o nut
Member
That is a very debated question. You will get answers from none to 25% a week. I would like to do none. I am doing alot of research on this and the main reason(truthful) that people do them is that is what they were told to do.
The oceans do not do water changes, I know we dont have oceans but we do on a small scale. With the right filteration, bio load why would we need to do a water change?
We can add all minerals and vitamins with supplements. If water stays in correct para. what good can come from new water?
IME the average word on the street is 15% -25% a month.
The oceans do not do water changes, I know we dont have oceans but we do on a small scale. With the right filteration, bio load why would we need to do a water change?
We can add all minerals and vitamins with supplements. If water stays in correct para. what good can come from new water?
IME the average word on the street is 15% -25% a month.
natclanwy
Active Member
I would do weekly or bi-weekly water changes until your nitrates are under 20ppm then you can stretch it out to monthly and I would change 5-10g at a time whichever fits your budget more is better but since you are buying water....
"CPR" is a brand of skimmer they are ok skimmers but you can do better for the same money. They also make HOB overflows to drain water to a sump, stay away from them their design makes them unreliable or at least more unreliable than a u-tube style overflow.
As far as lighting the frogspawn is the only thing that is underlit the rest are border line if not a little underlit. MH is by far the best way to go IMO since you can keep anything under MH and the fixtures can be found for much cheaper than an equivilent T5 setup.
Also on a side note your flame scallop is not likely to live beyond a few months we just can provide adiquette food for them for long term survival
For your flow I agree you should have somewhere north of 30x turnover for a reef tank, I would get a couple koralias #3's they are the best value for your dollar. I have a total of about 2600gph in my 55g mixed coral reef tank and I may add another K4 powerhead in the near future.
"CPR" is a brand of skimmer they are ok skimmers but you can do better for the same money. They also make HOB overflows to drain water to a sump, stay away from them their design makes them unreliable or at least more unreliable than a u-tube style overflow.
As far as lighting the frogspawn is the only thing that is underlit the rest are border line if not a little underlit. MH is by far the best way to go IMO since you can keep anything under MH and the fixtures can be found for much cheaper than an equivilent T5 setup.
Also on a side note your flame scallop is not likely to live beyond a few months we just can provide adiquette food for them for long term survival
For your flow I agree you should have somewhere north of 30x turnover for a reef tank, I would get a couple koralias #3's they are the best value for your dollar. I have a total of about 2600gph in my 55g mixed coral reef tank and I may add another K4 powerhead in the near future.
natclanwy
Active Member
Originally Posted by NaClH2O Nut
http:///forum/post/3001199
That is a very debated question. You will get answers from none to 25% a week. I would like to do none. I am doing alot of research on this and the main reason(truthful) that people do them is that is what they were told to do.
The oceans do not do water changes, I know we dont have oceans but we do on a small scale. With the right filteration, bio load why would we need to do a water change?
We can add all minerals and vitamins with supplements. If water stays in correct para. what good can come from new water?
IME the average word on the street is 15% -25% a month.
To answer NaClH2O Nut's question about why we do water changes if all of our levels are kept in balance and we replentish trace elements with supplements, water changes are the only way to export toxins that accumulate in closed systems these toxins can come from minerals leaching from the LR and substrate, fish food, dust in the air, and even the additives you are using to supplement the trace elements. Take magnesium for example magnesium sulphate is a common supplement for increasing magnesium levels. So every time you add magnesium you add sulphate and over time the magnesium is consumed but the sulphate isn't and given enough time with no water changes the sulphate can accummulate to levels that are toxic to your fish and corals.
http:///forum/post/3001199
That is a very debated question. You will get answers from none to 25% a week. I would like to do none. I am doing alot of research on this and the main reason(truthful) that people do them is that is what they were told to do.
The oceans do not do water changes, I know we dont have oceans but we do on a small scale. With the right filteration, bio load why would we need to do a water change?
We can add all minerals and vitamins with supplements. If water stays in correct para. what good can come from new water?
IME the average word on the street is 15% -25% a month.
To answer NaClH2O Nut's question about why we do water changes if all of our levels are kept in balance and we replentish trace elements with supplements, water changes are the only way to export toxins that accumulate in closed systems these toxins can come from minerals leaching from the LR and substrate, fish food, dust in the air, and even the additives you are using to supplement the trace elements. Take magnesium for example magnesium sulphate is a common supplement for increasing magnesium levels. So every time you add magnesium you add sulphate and over time the magnesium is consumed but the sulphate isn't and given enough time with no water changes the sulphate can accummulate to levels that are toxic to your fish and corals.
saltwaterbliss
New Member
Thanks for the input everyone!! Please keep it comming!!
My husband is researching RO now, and I did look at some portien skimmers, not sure on witch one yet still reading!
I have all my corals up high in my tank right now and will leave them there for now, and hope they survive this.
Also I will be ordering the Korallas along with the skimmer!!
I will do the 5-10 gal weekly water change and I'll go buy DI water for now! Dont want to loose anything!!
AGAIN THANK YOU ALL!!!
My husband is researching RO now, and I did look at some portien skimmers, not sure on witch one yet still reading!
I have all my corals up high in my tank right now and will leave them there for now, and hope they survive this.
Also I will be ordering the Korallas along with the skimmer!!
I will do the 5-10 gal weekly water change and I'll go buy DI water for now! Dont want to loose anything!!
AGAIN THANK YOU ALL!!!