New Tank Project - Your Opinion

[Andreas]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of setting up my first marine set up (well the second but the first one was 10 years ago). I have a Trigon 190 and yes I know, it's not one of the best tanks, but I'm sure I can make it work. I have been thinking of using an overflow box and creating a refugium in the cabinet with caulerpa and mud (I would have to cut out part of the middle partion). The idea is that I would use the macro algae to absorb the excess organic compounds as opposed to skimming. The refugium would also add the water volume and stabilise the PH. For lighting I have bought an Arcadia I Bar with 2x24W T5 D-Deltec Aqua Blue plus. I would still use the internal filter but only filled with bioballs and I would use my current Fluval 404 for more bioballs, carbon and phosphate remover. The main filtration will be done by cured live rock and coral sand. In the tank I would use two more circulation pumps linked to a wavemaker. I would make 10% weekly water changes with RO water and add calcium supplement.

I am thinking of growing soft corals and some reef suitable fish.

What do you guys think of this set up? Any advice you can give me? What do you think would be the best corals for the somehow limited amount of light?

Andreas.

 

[Tiggs]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of setting up my first marine set up (well the second but the first one was 10 years ago). I have a Trigon 190 and yes I know, it's not one of the best tanks, but I'm sure I can make it work. I have been thinking of using an overflow box and creating a refugium in the cabinet with caulerpa and mud (I would have to cut out part of the middle partion). The idea is that I would use the macro algae to absorb the excess organic compounds as opposed to skimming. The refugium would also add the water volume and stabilise the PH. For lighting I have bought an Arcadia I Bar with 2x24W T5 D-Deltec Aqua Blue plus. I would still use the internal filter but only filled with bioballs and I would use my current Fluval 404 for more bioballs, carbon and phosphate remover. The main filtration will be done by cured live rock and coral sand. In the tank I would use two more circulation pumps linked to a wavemaker. I would make 10% weekly water changes with RO water and add calcium supplement.

I am thinking of growing soft corals and some reef suitable fish.

What do you guys think of this set up? Any advice you can give me? What do you think would be the best corals for the somehow limited amount of light?

Andreas.

imo.....i dont like corner tanks (i have owned a 190 and a 350 Trigon).....they have limited space for a reef as you are always working in a pyramid style with much greater space low down that high up.

i also think the 190 is too small for a reef- my brother still has one and it just looks to small for anything other than a simple trop setup (which is what they are made for....which is you other problem, yes you can fit the gear in there- but you may well learn to hate yourself for it! General maintenance will be a pain and the look (which is a big part of a trigon) will be ruined with ugly add ons like overflow boxes)

If you do get it why keep the internal? it will waste space and the bio balls may end up generating more nitrates than the LR can handle.

imo - find a picture of a 190 that looks like you want yours to look .....if you cant find one ask yourself why, if you can look at how much effort has been put into get it like that. Make sure you see a pic of the tank in the room- i have yet to see a trigon (which is a great looking bit of furniture) look good when altered for marines unless its a contents only picture.

good luck anyway

 

[steelhealr]

Hi..I"m not familiar with this type of tank but I agree with what Tiggs said. I wouldn't use any bioballs nor keep an internal filter. I also would not use caulerpa...too many horror stories about what happens if it goes sexual. Consider chaetomorpha. SH

 

[Ed4567]

There is a Trigon 190 setup here:
http/www.ultimatereef.net/forums/index.p...&hl=corner+tank
although it has had some big hardware upgrades.

 

[maestro]

Corner tanks arent as user friendly but ive seen some really nice examples and think it could work, as the other have said, ditch the bioballs, they work against the liverock.

I really would recomend getting a skimmer on there instead of the refugium setup, Ive seen some with mce600 skimmers

 

[Tiggs]

take a good look at the tank in the link above....no offence to the owner but it shows my point. Externally it looks a mess and internally the layout is limited (although concept of depth is good)

 

[Chac]

wrong post

 

[bunjiweb]

Its only messy if you make it messy. Corner tanks have the potential to look great, but you DO have to put in the extra work.

Use a red-sea prizm skimmer and take out the internal box filter and use an external.

Don't get put off...

Ben

 

[superman]

Its only messy if you make it messy. Corner tanks have the potential to look great, but you DO have to put in the extra work.

Use a red-sea prizm skimmer and take out the internal box filter and use an external.

Don't get put off...

Ben

No offense, but the prizm skimmers are known for being finnicky, much better off getting an ASM or a euro reef in my opinion.
As far as the corner tanks go, I love them, have fun with it, accept it as a challenge! Don't confuse the job of a refugium as being the same as a skimmer. Skimmers have the ability to remove proteins and large pieces of organic material that has not decomposed yet. Refugiums have the ability to only remove chemicals like phosphate and nitrates, and do not have the ability to remove particulate organics from the water column before they decompose. Using the two together makes for a very effective filtration system.

 

[Tiggs]

Its only messy if you make it messy. Corner tanks have the potential to look great, but you DO have to put in the extra work.

i agree...but the prob with a trigon is that in the state it is designed to be run it is a very attractive tank with a flush fitting lid. You cant even run an external on it without the lid having to be removed or altered- let alone a skimmer. and the small cupboard on the 190 means less options and more junk in the tank (which most trigons have.....you simply can hide stuff in a corner tank, god knows what stream would look like in one!)

its all well people saying "its a challenge" etc but its also worth noting that theres enough problems in this hobby with setups as it is- to give yourself even more is asking for trouble!

 

[Andreas]

Corner tanks arent as user friendly but ive seen some really nice examples and think it could work, as the other have said, ditch the bioballs, they work against the liverock.

I really would recomend getting a skimmer on there instead of the refugium setup, Ive seen some with mce600 skimmers

Hi guys,

Why do you say bioballs work against the live rock? It sounds interesting but I can't get how they work against the rock?

 

[andywg]

Bioballs, and other bio media from FW, are nitrate factories. They create nitrates faster than the LR can deal with it. Most algae, plants, and the like prefer to take ammonia than nitrate out of the water).

 

[Andreas]

Bioballs, and other bio media from FW, are nitrate factories. They create nitrates faster than the LR can deal with it. Most algae, plants, and the like prefer to take ammonia than nitrate out of the water).

Gottcha!

Thank you very much.