my 50 gallon

brent mccloskey

brent mccloskey

Member
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/bbtm64/IMG_20121016_052643.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/bbtm64/2012-10-15_08-55-05_86.jpg
it won't let me insert the link. guess that's what I get for using my phone, lol
 
S

siptang

Guest
Looking good!! Which direction are you headed? Reef or fowlr?
 
brent mccloskey

brent mccloskey

Member
planning on a reef. my only problem with that right now is a 7" volitan lion, lol
I know he won't mess with the corals and such but he'll sure as heck
eat any shrimp I put in there.
 
S

siptang

Guest
That and his spikes and hooks will hurt any fleshy type of corals..
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Yeah, it's possible to have an aggressive reef, but you'll be constantly after corals that the fish knocked over. It can be done, though, and done well. You just have to plan the rest of your animals around the show fish.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Is this the tank with the high nitrates? I'd say your 'trate problem is from the lionfish eating/pooping. What kind of filtration do you have here?
 
brent mccloskey

brent mccloskey

Member
yep, its this tank.
I have 2 circulation pumps in the tank and an older wet/dry with 2 foam blocks and 2 units of Chemi-Pure in it. There's also a pre-filter foam in the over flow box.
I just got a new SeaChem test kit and tested it this morning and it read high too. I've been using an API kit. I was beginning to think my API kit was old, but I guess not, lol. I'm going to test my tap water tomorrow and see what it reads. The water around here is ridiculously high in phosphate. I'm in the process of getting a R/O unit. Just haven't got there yet.
Flower recommended going to Wal-Mart or Meijer to get distilled water. I'll be doing that when I do my next water change. I may even call one of the bottled water places and check on 20-25 gallons of it a month.
I'm to the point of not adding any more inverts if I can't get it to, at least, level out below 20 ppm. I'm trying Instant Ocean's Nitrate Reducer. If it works, I'll be keeping a bottle on hand at all times.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
The nitrate reducer will not help imo. I would add a refugium to your tank. If it is not drilled, a hob unit would work just fine. That will give you a nice area to grow macro algae that will consume the nitrates. And yes, either use distilled water or ro/di for your water changes. How often do you change the sponges in your filter? I would change them frequently due to them collecting food, etc and becoming a nitrate factory. Hope that helps. ;)
 
brent mccloskey

brent mccloskey

Member
its a drilled tank but I've been considering getting one for inside the tank. CPR makes 3 models. small, medium and large. I don't have room for a hob unit. I rinse the foam out when I do a water change, which is about once a month, give or take.
the nitrate reducer wasn't that expensive so I figured I'd give it a shot
I have some macro algae in the tank but probably not enough.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent McCloskey http:///t/393449/my-50-gallon#post_3501161
its a drilled tank but I've been considering getting one for inside the tank. CPR makes 3 models. small, medium and large. I don't have room for a hob unit. I rinse the foam out when I do a water change, which is about once a month, give or take.
the nitrate reducer wasn't that expensive so I figured I'd give it a shot
I have some macro algae in the tank but probably not enough.
The cpr refugiums are hob. I actually use the large one on my tank. If your tank is drilled, just make a refugium in your sump.
 
brent mccloskey

brent mccloskey

Member
I have limited room in the sump but I'll look into doing it there. CPR also makes in-tank refugiums too. found them on eBay. if you can't find what you're looking for on there, its never been made, lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top