New Tank

[Chazz]

I took back everything and restarted with ur guy's help

Instead of the 55 gal i decided to just got for the 72 gal.


Instead of the Biowheel filteration, I got a Canister.


Got a bigger heater.


100 LBS of Salt.


Getting ready to Non fish cycle this puppy for 2 weeks..


Any tips?




ALSO can u run a skimmer with a canister, or would that be over doing it?

 

[Fish Fingers]

In no way would running a skimmer with your canister over do it. IMO a cannister filter is close to useless for filtration on a marine tank unless you want it to fill it with live rock. It will do a much worse job at nutrient exporting than a skimmer so definately get one of them. How much live rock will you be getting? Remember the cycle may not be over in two weeks!

 

[superman]

I agree, personally I would get a skimmer instead of the canister filter.

 

[RoyalGrammaPrincessHannah]

I dont think it can be too clean, and I dont think a canister is a bad idea at all combined with the must-have protein skimmer.

 

[bunjiweb]

People dismiss canister filters but really they can be a good backup if anything dies in your tank like anenomes or a fish and you dont realise straight away. Personally I would fill it with Mechanical and Biological media, such as ceramic tubes and alfagrog (or similar), combined with one sponge that would be cleaned at least once every couple of weeks to keep down nitrates.

As said, you'd deffinately benefit from a skimmer.

Ben

 

[RoyalGrammaPrincessHannah]

Yeah the water in my area is about 6.8 in pH [actually I dont know what it is after the RO process, if it does change] and no salt Ive tried will raise it to 8.1 even. It usually sits at about 7.9 so I use a mesh bag with aragonite in it and stick it in the canister filter and it raises and buffers the pH to 8.1.

 

[Sunny.C]

I would go for a sump in such a large tank and put the skimmer with the sump. You will save yourself time and money in the long run. B)

 

[superman]

Yeah the water in my area is about 6.8 in pH [actually I dont know what it is after the RO process, if it does change] and no salt Ive tried will raise it to 8.1 even. It usually sits at about 7.9 so I use a mesh bag with aragonite in it and stick it in the canister filter and it raises and buffers the pH to 8.1.

8.1 during the day? That is pretty low for a daytime reading, test during the night, I wonder how low it is getting I would shoot for about 8.3-8.5 during the day.

 

[RoyalGrammaPrincessHannah]

Well, it actually got up to 8.3 after the aragonite had been running for a few days, the 8.1 was the very next day. When should I test it at "night" like when the lights have been off for an hour or so?

 

[crazyelece]

I have never heard that ph was photo affected before. Is there a reason for this or is it just a theory? I'll have to check my tank and see if it shifts.

 

[Chac]

Your ph will vary during lighting & non lighting periods

 

[crazyelece]

I am testing all day and tonight to verify but I am betting the reason I haven't been aware of this is because I have an alternating photo period on my fuge so at all times the water in my sytem is lit.

 

[superman]

Way to go crazylece! The alternating photoperiod will stabilize your ph quite well Photsynthesis will raise your PH during your photoperiod, after your photoperiod ph drops (due to oxygen uptake by corals and other photosynthetic organisms during the night) Crazylece, by alternating your lighting between your refugium and tank you have effectively leveled out your ph swing, good job. For those that do not do this, you should test your PH just before your lights come on, and just before your lights turn off, comparing the two numbers will tell you how large a PH swing you have, anything more than .1-.2 is detrimental to aquarium inhabitants, the more level the swing the better. Stabilization is key.

 

[crazyelece]

Well after checking over a 36 hr period, my Ph is stable at 8.2 to at least 0.1. I used the alternating photo period to try and control my temp swing, which is still about 1 degree F. I guess it helped keep the Ph stable as well. I am glad to know this info it might help me some in my freshwater tanks as well.

 

[superman]

please explain why you are using alternating photoperiods to control temp swings, I am confused.