Need some help

In all of your opinions, Would it be ok if i took down my filters to make room for lighting on the top? They are 2 marineland bio-wheel filters (30 gallon filters). Would this make it worse for the tank? i only have about 7 pounds of LR and the rest is BR. I do have 20 LBS of livesand though. Are the filters necessary? what does the filters help (other than the obvious)

Thanks,
Ryan

 

If you don't have a sump, you'll need some kind of mechanical filtering. Also, usually there is carbon in those filter cartridges to help clarify your water and remove other waste. You need a filter of some sort or it'll be a cesspool. Other wise they wouldn't put filters on a bio cube or nano.

 

If you had all lr and no dead, then maybe if you have a good skimmer also. Dont get in such a hurry. your tank is only a week old.

 

Also more light in a 20 long may give you heat issues... then, you'd want to look into a sump there too. Since you are making basically a self contained nano... leave the mechanical filtering. 65 puts you over 3 watts per gallon >>> that's a good start for most salt creatures.

 

optimist i appreciate your help but every single person has yelled at me when i told them i have only 65 watts for a soon to be reef. haha you really think that will suffice because i was going for 130 watts in the near future

 

What kind of reef? Hard stuff like SPS (Acro and Monti)? or soft stuff like leathers and mushrooms? If you look at most nano bulbs, most are one bulb up to 96 watts. If you want to go heavy and run hard stuff, where you'll need to put additive in the tank like calcium, you don't want to burn your corals and again... you'll want to look into a sump were you can mix and put a skimmer. Then atleast you'll have a bit more control over your params. 3+ watts will grow you some shrooms and stuff. If you are doing a full reef nano, I'd strongly recommend a sump with a skimmer. Then you can add your second light and remove your hob no problem.

 

ok im just goin softies on this one.

Based on that response, what do you think now? and what exactly can i keep in there?

 

Once you answer that question, i have another one. As you see in my signature it says future investments a powerhead x2. will that help all the "film" on the top of my tank? My 2 filters are definately disturbing the water at the top so i dont get why there is so much. i know a skimmer is what gets rid of that but i dont believe in a skimmer for a 20 gallon

thanks,
ryan

 

if you are getting a white film on the surface of the water, these are protiens and they are held there by surface tension
because they are bonded to the water surface, your skimmer cannot get at them
do you have an air pump and air stone? if you add this to your set up this will help to break the surface tension and put those protiens back into the water column where the skimmer will be able to deal with them

a secondary benefit is that the increased aggitation will help with gas exchanges and help you maintain stable PH

additional PHead directed at surface would also help disturb these bonded protien molucules

Steve

 

so do i want these proteins? are they good? since recently, there has also been bubbles forming on the edges of the water (the top of the water). i dont even have an air stone in there at the time! whats going on?