Some Nano Questions

[mike22cha]

Well I'm setting up my 20g and I have some questions Before I ask the questions, here's a little run down on my plans. I plan on getting a 150w MH lighting system (one of those clamp on back of tank) and for filtration making a HOB Power Filter with two chambers into a refegium and using my T-5's for lighting for the refegieum. I'm going to add some more rubble rock in a week or two and then maybe buy some more rubble rock.
Here's my stocklist I plan on adding:
-Some Bangaii Cardinalfish
-Clean-up crew
-Feather Dusters
-For corals start out with a Kenya tree and some mushrooms and zoanthids and later on getting a clam and SPS.
Here's my questoins:
-When I had some corals in my 125g I was told to add suplements. Do I need to in my 20g and how much?
-Is the refegieum going to be enough filtration?
My mind just went blank so I may post some more questions in a little bit.

 

[nygel]

i've never used supplements, so for that one i'd say no, but if you have a deficiency in something, add some i suppose.

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by nYgel
i've never used supplements, so for that one i'd say no, but if you have a deficiency in something, add some i suppose.
Ok just wondering. They told me to my 125g and I did. And when I had a zoanthid in my 20g for a little bit I did add supplements and my calcium levels were through the roof.

 

[patrice]

Hello,
I do not add much supplement to but I have been told I should. how often do you do water change? what kind of salt do you use?
thx

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by Patrice
Hello,
I do not add much supplement to but I have been told I should. how often do you do water change? what kind of salt do you use?
thx
I do about a 5% water change/top off weekly. I don't know what I use, Red Sea maybe, I know they have a thread on here about which salt is the best. How big of tank do you have?

 

[matt b]

if your going to do clams and stuff like that i would buffer your cal and alk but dont buffer what your not testing for!!

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by MaTT B
if your going to do clams and stuff like that i would buffer your cal and alk but dont buffer what your not testing for!!
I don't have alk/calcium tests kits or anything I could test it with
But I don't plan on doing clams/SPS right away either.
Also instead of doing that clamp on thing I'm going to do some other kind of MH system Paintballer768 showed me.

 

[mike22cha]

Here's the lights I'm getting: 20 inch Current USA SunPod 1x150W 14K HQI-MH w/ 12 Lunar Lights
Getting a sweet deal on it, it's usualy over 320$ or somewhere above that, but I'm getting it for around 260$ and since it's an order over 175$ I'm getting free shipping!

 

[mike22cha]

Ok well I moved most of my smaller pieces of rock from my 125g to my 20g. I'm happy the way the 20g looks now. The 125g looks empty, but it's for to look at fish, not corals and rocks.

I'll try to get some pics of my new aquascaping in my 20g.

 

[coral keeper]

Do you have a thread diary for this tank?

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
Do you have a thread diary for this tank?
No not yet. I will start one as soon as I get some corals. Until then I'll just be updating on equipement and stuff I get.

 

[paintballer768]

Hey man. I wouldnt add supplements for anything you dont test for, but I would say test nitrate, calcium, alkalinity, pH, and have one on hand for trite and ammonia, but you dont need to test every few days for those.
I was going to order my lights the night that I talked to you on live, but my mom shot it down since I hadnt finished my work yet, so Im trying to power through it to order them. For clams and SPS, just make sure your lighting is godly and water parameters are spotless. Testing for the above should do it for the most part.
I read that Tropic Marin and Oceanic have great results for alk and calcium levels once you mix it (at 1.025 sg). Try for those, and I think salt doesnt vary too much in price when comparing them with equal sized packages. You know how to mix and all so I wont go there. Just make sure its good before adding it.
Zoanthids and mushrooms can survive through a whole lot, dont worry about them too sensitively. I ripped a mushroom's base yesterday on accident, and it turns out 2 more heads sprouted near it, and are slowly looking more and more like mushrooms by the day. If you have any questions more about some of this stuff, feel free to ask me on live. Im subscribing too.

 

[mike22cha]

Ok hopefuly soon I'll order the lights.
But here's a stocklist I'm thinking of:
-Pair of Bangaii Cardinal fish (should I get 2 or 3?)
-Maybe some Gobies for sand shifting
-Astrea snails, blue leg hermits, other clean up crew stuff
-Fire Shrimp
-Sexy Shrimp
-Corals obviously
-Any type of small anemone like a Haitian or would that possibly kill some corals?
-Feather Dusters

 

[mike22cha]

Ok I've been talking with PaintBaller768 and I he told me if I'm going to do a mixed reef I need to add carbon. So just want some conformation. I'm going to add it to my HOB filter if you guys agree.

 

[paintballer768]

Also, for the aquapods, you cant just pour loose carbon in the back can you? Is there some kind of reloadable pad that exists somewhere or how do people use it, if necessary? Thanks!

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by paintballer768
Also, for the aquapods, you cant just pour loose carbon in the back can you? Is there some kind of reloadable pad that exists somewhere or how do people use it, if necessary? Thanks!
Isn't there some kind of bag?

 

[paintballer768]

The pad, but I couldnt find any online. I hope the LFS has it.

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by paintballer768
The pad, but I couldnt find any online. I hope the LFS has it.
All it is is Penguin or whatever replacement cartiges.

 

[mike22cha]

Ok well thought of some new questions:
-When I get my MH's onto the tank, will I need to tank acclimate them and how soon till after the MH's are setup till I get corals? (I'm ordering the lights tonight!

)
-How can you tell the difference between a male and female bangaii cardinalfish? Are they like clownfish and can change gender?

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by MIKE22cha
Ok well thought of some new questions:
-When I get my MH's onto the tank, will I need to tank acclimate them and how soon till after the MH's are setup till I get corals? (I'm ordering the lights tonight!

)
-How can you tell the difference between a male and female bangaii cardinalfish? Are they like clownfish and can change gender?
Hey mike, I made a thread of about the acclimation question. Turns out that we should only have the lights on at first for like 4 hrs a day. Then weekly increase the photoperiod by 1 hr. So for instance, week 1 = 4 hrs, week 2 = 5 hrs, etc.. until the amount of time its usually on is reached.
The other alternative is to get a piece of screen and put it over the tank for a few weeks. Im going to with option 1.
As for bangaiis, Im pretty sure that they can change gender, but not 100% sure.
P.S. Friday the beast arrives.