Reef Tanks

elescher

Member Sponsor
Sep 12, 2010
201
1
0
New York
IMG_0051.jpg IMG_0078.jpg Thanks Steve. Maintaining a reef tank is quite a challenge. Takes a lot of patience (and patients if you get my drift) but I think the perseverance we Audiophiles apply to our quest for the ultimate in sound is the same prerequisite to success in reef keeping. I am sure you can do it if you are dedicated.

I have two tanks. The big one pictured is 225 gallons and I have one built into a wall (runs off the same filtration system) is 50 gallons.

There available that (if programmed correctly) will pretty much prevent any disasters that will totally annihilate a mature tank overnight, but you need to be prepared to handle any disaster before it happens. IMG_0073.jpg IMG_0055.jpg .

PM me if you want more info.
 

Orb

New Member
Sep 8, 2010
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0
So is there any particular coral your looking to get your hands on to add to the tank?
Also from what I remember the price can be incredibly expensive for certain types that are mature; not sure what is worst loosing a bit of expensive coral or the time taken for it to reach large maturity

Cheers
Orb
 

GT Audio Works

Industry Expert
Feb 12, 2015
79
46
60
63
Stockholm NJ
www.gtaudioworks.com
Anyone using a Refugium ?

I don't see too much activity on the subject, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I am in the process of downsizing my Fish only marine tank to a 50 gal. cube.
Up to now I have run a DIY wet dry sump which has worked well. The ammonia and nitrite levels were acceptable, but not great.
I thought this may be a good time to try something new.
The old setup was a pain to clean and change the water without making a mess. Which led to my not maintaining it as well as I should.
The new tank will drain through the floor into a sump in the basement. This give me lots more room to work with.
It will be piped to a drain and a salt mixing tank, so water changes will be painless.
The tank water will filter into a mechanical filtration box then thru a UV sterilizer and a protein skimmer into a 30 gal sump tank.
The sump will hold the refuegium.. and consist of 6 inches of live mud and sand, live rock and lots of macro algae plant life.
The Chaetomorpha Macro Algae will be under 5500K compact fluorescent bulbs to keep in growing.
The water will exit the refugium thru a small mechanical filtration baffle to keep little critters and sand from getting into the return pump which will circulate the water at about 600 gph. back to the main tank.
Anyone have any success with this type of system ? They say its much better at lowering ammonia, nitrates and stabilizing ph levels.

Greg
 

beaur

Fleetwood Sound
Oct 12, 2011
459
165
950
60
Brooklyn
Greg,

As an FYI, I've been involved with the hobby for 30 years but mostly been out of it for the last 6 years so my knowledge may not be completely current. I have had similar tanks in the past and made them last. Currently thinking about getting a tank set up again and will probably involve a refugium but don't have the space to expand anywhere but the tank footprint. You may know most of what follows but here goes;

Just about any system will work but the ultimate success will depend on care and maintenance, as as far as I know there is no such thing as a set it and forget it aquarium.

1. Consider eliminating the mechanical filtration. There are some new systems out there advocating this, look up Triton from Germany.
2. If you are going to have a refugium, go with a mostly bare bottomed main aquarium. One less point of failure.
3. Given the size of the tank and the size of your refugium you should definitely have a nutrient sink unless you pack your main aquarium with fish. You may also find yourself with more Caulerpa than you can handle. :)
 

GT Audio Works

Industry Expert
Feb 12, 2015
79
46
60
63
Stockholm NJ
www.gtaudioworks.com
Greg,

As an FYI, I've been involved with the hobby for 30 years but mostly been out of it for the last 6 years so my knowledge may not be completely current. I have had similar tanks in the past and made them last. Currently thinking about getting a tank set up again and will probably involve a refugium but don't have the space to expand anywhere but the tank footprint. You may know most of what follows but here goes;

Just about any system will work but the ultimate success will depend on care and maintenance, as as far as I know there is no such thing as a set it and forget it aquarium.

1. Consider eliminating the mechanical filtration. There are some new systems out there advocating this, look up Triton from Germany.
2. If you are going to have a refugium, go with a mostly bare bottomed main aquarium. One less point of failure.
3. Given the size of the tank and the size of your refugium you should definitely have a nutrient sink unless you pack your main aquarium with fish. You may also find yourself with more Caulerpa than you can handle. :)
My main goal is to make it more maintenance friendly so I will be able to keep on top of things better, which putting it downstairs will do.
No more dripping hoses and plastic garbage cans dragged in the living room.
It also will let me spread things out and devote a large area to the refugium. The bigger the better I am assuming.
I see many hang on back of tank type refugiums. While they may do something I don't think the area is enough to make a difference.
As you suggest, I plan on very little sand in the main tank. No mechanical filtration seems like a good idea too, not letting the crud break down back into the water. The food particles will feed the small critters that will dwell in the sump
But I will use a skimmer as the crud is taken out of the water stream and can not cause an issue.
Letting the Macro algae grow in the sump also chokes off the nuisance algae in the main tank, a good thing.
I imagine I will have to regularly remove the extra growth from the sump, but that's not a problem.
 
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elescher

Member Sponsor
Sep 12, 2010
201
1
0
New York
New Tank

Moved up to a 300 gallon tank from my 180. Major pain in the butt, but worth it in the end. hahaha. Here are a few photos.
 

BruceD

VIP/Donor
Dec 13, 2013
1,508
576
540
Interesting thread --

As an accredited Marine Biologist to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park plus a PADI MSDT I personally am not a fan of indoor Aquariums -but not to be the party pooper if properly maintained and the inhabitants cared for then they do have a place in our habitat

i.e calming influences-especially with children--the social and anti social behavior in the Tanks can amuse and keep one fascinated I agree entirely.

It is pity the the Cleaning station mantra so important for undersea health and well being cannot be maintained in a Land based Tank environment

This is a failing and usually the reason Fish and the creatures so inbound do not survive for the full term of their natural lives.

Sort of think of ourselves with no access to Doctor/Dentist/etc--we can survive I agree but sooner or later we will succumb to factors that are unavoidable without attention

However Please enjoy the Aquariums -if the bring pleasure and calmness --then they have achieved for the beholder

BruceD
PADI#113416
 

elescher

Member Sponsor
Sep 12, 2010
201
1
0
New York
Unfortunately, I believe the people like myself comprise a small fraction of all aquarium keepers, and that most get their advice from LFS or wherever else. They go through livestock like crazy until they get too frustrated and quit. I can't blame the haters for hating when the majority of livestock taken from the ocean will be dead in less than a year, and probably much less. I'm sure they'd be happy to see small part of the community that does a great job at caring for their animals, but in the big picture, it doesn't make much of a difference to them.

That being said, I think that things are changing as we begin to open our eyes to what is happening to our beautiful oceans. As an example all the contents in my (new) tank are either grown in the ocean in designated areas or grown in an "outside" enviornment. The rock in the tank was not taken from any living reef but rather from mines in Florida that have been dry for millions of years. All but few fish can now be bred in tanks and in a lot of instances are actually saving species.

This practice is becoming the norm within the industry now. It is important to note though that over 90% of the damage being done to our precious coral reefs is caused by climate change and enviornment problems relating mostly to fuel such as coal and oil, etc. this only makes the problem worse and harder to overcome. It is very disturbing for me to see photos of our dying reefs, and planet.
 

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