When I grow up.....

[daluminum]

I wanna be a reef tank.. just tell me if you think Im ready.. My 55 hex corner has been running for about 3 years at someone else's house.. It was running with about 20lb's LS. and 40LB's LR with little corraline growth.. I added about 120lbs of LS to have a 6" to 8" DSB in the entire tank. with about 20lb more base rock under the sand.. The filtration is a normal wet/dry with bio balls still in it. and a skimmer that has been disconnected. It leaks and I need to repair it. (not sure if I want to use it or not.)
plus a 100W heater. For lighting I have a 175W MH that needs a new bulb. and a 24" marine glo 20W flourescent. to add some blue to the tank. I also have a cheap red incandescent light for night viewing. right now the livestock includes a yellow tail and a humbug damsel and a 6" choc star.. all of which have to go.. I have other tanks to put them in. (unless someone in austin texas wants them) So my question is what else should I look into before purchasing any coral's. I have not yet started researching reef's so Im pretty unfamiliar with calcium reactors and other equipment.. but I want to know what is different from a FO that I should look into.. please complain and gripe all you want it will only help me.. you wont hurt my feelings.. THX ~DAniel

 

[dad]

ok, not sure where to start.
First of all a hex tank is not really a good reef tank?
second: I would read all I could about reef tanks and their setups before I went any further.
even though the tank had been set up for 3 years does not make it a good set up.
This is a very expensive hobby. Try to start off with the right setup.
There are too many flaws in your setup now to discuss. sorry

 

[y2says]

I have a 35g hex reef tank it has been running for about 5 months now. So far so good without any type of filtration except for the l/r and l/s.

 

[garyfla]

Hi
Do a lot more reading and planning.
You will not only save a lot of money
you'll save the lives of some very delicate animals.Maybe keep the stuff you have now and
learn first hand Moving a tank will always involve
a recycle and only time will tell to what degree.
Go slowly and learn and read.
Gary

 

[daluminum]

thanks for the floggin.. I said in the post that I was going slow and doing more research.. I am not a newbie that just bought a tank. I dont need a lecture..
the only statement made was that the hex was bad with nothing to inform me of why.. I realize it is a deep tank and it will take alot of light to reach the bottom. However I have a 8" DSB which puts the bottome at about 20" from the light..
The tank will of course recycle.. I added 120lbs of LS. Im not dumb enough to think nothing will be affected. My primary concern is about the skimmer.. Im curiouse as to rather I should fix it or not because there are lot's of opinions on rather a reef tank is better with or without it. So Im curious to some opinions.
on a side note I think people are to quick on this BBS to say "slow down and read" perhaps a little reading of the post and responding to the questions asked would be more helpful. this is a problem I have noticed on nearly every post. Not trying to be an ass.. just dont like to see everyone get offensive..

 

[nosmada]

i think the reason most people think hex tanks are bad is because, as you stated, there always deep. if you do go with the 8" DSB that would be much better to get everything up closer to the light. with a depth of 20" you may want to go up to a 250watt instead. i just was reading somewhere on what wattage you should have for what depths but, as usual, i cant find it again. i dont see any reason you cant use a hex tank as long as you place things stratigacly (sp?) ie. low light critters such as shrooms twards the bottom and so on. and i think i would definately go with a little more wattage, just to be safe.
just my .02
hth,
chris

 

[daluminum]

Thank you.. Also let me clarify this isnt a normal hex tank.. its a hex CORNER tank.. which means its 5 sided.. but 2 of the sides are real long.. and 2 of the sides are real short.. this gives a huge viewing area... so essentially it is more of a triangle shape than a hex...
as far as going up to a 250W I dont mind spending the $$ on it.. but would my ballast currently running a 175 work?? I have little familiarity with MH ballast and Im not sure if you can just screw in a brighter bulb.. if so.. then great.. I need a new bulb anyway..
also who uses calcium reactors and dosers? I dont have alot of room left at all.. so I think I will just use a drip bag.. and monitor it..
does anyone know a good book for reading up on reef chemical aspects.. such as kalwasser, calcium, iodine.. thats the part Im still very unfamiliar with..
THX ~DAniel

 

[captained]

I'm still somewhat confused about kelvins, but trust me that you don't want to put a 250 watt bulb on a 175 watt ballast- something will cook, and your insurance agent will no longer love you
I love my $59 rebuilt Peristaltic Dosing Pump so much better than the IV bag thing: <a href="http://www.reef-aquarium.com/" target="_blank">http://www.reef-aquarium.com/</a>
Good luck moving the tank- I won't share my experience with that, its too depressing.

 

[daluminum]

great link ed.. the FAQ was a good long one.. This same guy sells them on ----.. I think Ill pick one up.. they seem to be small enough.. Ill find room for it somewhere..

 

[kimf]

I think my husband came up with a good drip method. First took a 5 gallon bucket and drill a hole 2" on the side from the bottom. Glued a regular outdoor faucet (like you would get at Lowes) on the outside. On the inside put a pvc elbow going up. Theory: Kalkwasser water needs to come from the middle, not the film on top or the debris that settles to the bottom. To the fauct we hooked a regular garden hose cut to 24".
Now for the drip bag. Walmart sells "Camping Showers" Heavy duty vinly bag with whole in top to put water (Kalkwasser in our case) and hose coming from bottom(used to shower with but we cut it off and glued iv tubing) You can get sterile IV tubing from your local veterinarian(no needles attached).
IV tubing has a flow control which we use to control the amount of drip into the sump. We have a closet close by sooo....Indside the closet is a shelf the 5 gallon mix bucket sits on, the hose runs into the "Shower bag" with the iv tubing running under the door and into the sump.
Really works very nicely.

 

[daluminum]

VICTORIA TEXAS!!! woohoo.. thats where Im from.. yup.. good ol V-town.. I graduated in 97 and havent been back since.. well actually I go back all the time.. its a great little town.. if a little town is what you want.. my best friend still lives there.. He manages empire services and has a saltwater tank.. well anyway.. back to the subject.. that seems like a cheap way to dose calcium.. but has it been good at keeping the calcium level consistent?? I have no experience with calcium level's so Im not sure how bad they fluctuate from day to day.. but thanks for the info.

 

[dad]

First of all, I did not imply that you were a newbie. You yourself said that you were new to reef tanks? This is what I was implying.
Hex tanks are not good reef tanks because of some of the things mentioned.
They require more lighting because of the larger depths and the lights have to fit in a smaller area.
because of the smaller opening; it is harder to get good water circulation.
And because of the smaller floor surface; you are restricted to how much you can put.
The MH lighting question you had about a larger bulb is: you can put a smaller bulb in but not a larger one.
As far a skimmer is concerned: I recomend one very much.
YOU do not like people getting offensive?
no one was!
Sorry if I sounded that way.

 

[daluminum]

No problem.. sorry.. Im quick to take the offense and the defense.. Im very young person in a much older industry.. my average co worker is more than twice my age.. so naturally I am quick to throw up a defense mechanism to defend myself.. and I apoligize.. but anyway.. back to the tank.
I agree with the recomendation for a skimmer. I wouldnt live without one on a Fo tank.. but I have read that they MIGHT take away some of the nutrients that corals thrive off of.. so Im curious as to who actually uses one on a reef tank.
the light I think I will be ok with.. I will be replacing my bulb months before I consider buying my first coral.. and its a few weeks till I consider buying my bulb.. so Im in no hurry.. I dont like working.. so I want a stable system before I go and screw it up..
as far as the tank goes.. Im still not to sure why a hex is bad.. I like it because I have a viewing area of about 45wX30H.. which is really really large for a 55gal.. almost half of the view is of live rock.. but this still leaves alot of room in the tank.. The opening is farely small.. but I have great circulation from the return pump.. GPH unknown.. and I will be adding a PH going straight up from the middle of the tank for gas exchange.. and a wave maker on the side of the tank.. for the body boarding corals.. So I really hope this will work as a reef tank.. I will get it stable.. and if it does not work then I will just turn it into a community fish tank.. no big deal.. but I think its worth a shot either way.. but thanks for pos. input.. ~DAniel

 

[captained]

re:

[hr]
if you buy from his website, shipping is included, but there is a charge if you buy it off ----, so figure that into your bid.
re: calcium levels- I drip 1/4tsp per gallon at 90ml (~1/4 gallon a day). That roughly matches my evaporation and keeps the pH stable. I do need to calcium sometimes, but with the kalk dripping everything stays more stable.
re: KimF's DIY- sounds like a good method, especially for a higher volume. I have space issues, so the little doser and a gallon jug fits under my tank, and it doesn't have to be above the sump- it will drip uphill.
re: Hex tank- I'm still curious as to why they wouldn't make a good tank- with a sump and a few PHs, and MH lighting, it sounds like you would compensate fine for the issues outlined by others. I"m thinking about adding a hex since it would fit in the space I have, but haven't figured out what to put it in if I do.

 

[nosmada]

no the 250watt bulb will not work with a 175 watt ballast and vice versa. they must be matched......sorry.
captianEd, as far as kalvin. that it the color tem the the bulb burns at. a lower kalvin bulb will have more of the red spectrum as the higher kalvin bulbs will have more of the blue spectrum. lower means more yellowish color higher means more crisp white/bluish color. and again. i had a web page that had a chart on it but AS USUAL its lost out there in cyber space somewhere. if i find it i will post it for you.
chris

 

[daluminum]

hey nosmada go.. <favorites> <add to favorites> hehe.. you seem to loose more websites than I can find..
thanks for the help guy's.. I guess I will buy a doser.. much better than measuring and repeating..
anyone have an opinion on a skimmer in a reef?? who uses them.. I think I probably should with since I want to keep a snowflake.. but.. there would probably be only 1 other fish.. so I'm still deciding.. any input?

 

[kelly]

DAluminum,
I use a protein skimmer, and in my current tank I always have. It is not one of the better ones, it is just a cheap, I mean inexpensive one the uses as wooden airstone. It ran around $20-$30 about 10+ years ago. I removes excess nutrients, but not as many as the new ones do. My water always has been crystal clear. I would recommend one, but that is a personal preference.