Chris's Very First Tank Ever! 30 Gallon Reef Tank.

Nope, no thread. I can show you my set-up and explain it to you. I won't be free until the beginning of thanksgiving break. Have a lot of papers, lab reports, and a test next week. So I am swamped.

I can also help you build a cheap sump/fuge. What type of stand do you have and how much space do you have under it? I will be buying a new overflow soon so you can have my old one for real cheap. This way you can feed the sump/fuge if you decide to build one. If you don't decide to go that route you don't need it. I don't throw my upgraded equipment out or sell it if it can be used as a spare. Therefor, I will always have it in the apartment if u want it. All it takes is some glass and a tank. Might be able to fit a 20 long in your stand or at least a 20 tall. A 10 gallon would work as well, but its nice having that extra height incase the power goes out.

I use to use a canister filter. My number one complaint is how annoying it is to replace media and clean it. Also, if you don't maintain it regularly it can raise your nitrates.

 

I am using a table stand that is actually the Districts but it has a lot of space under it so we should be fine. Yeah I'm all up for this just going to need your help to get through it lol. I really want to eventually upgrade, just like you said it seems like you always want something bigger, so I think I should go ahead and invest in this stuff. Just contact me on here or my phone and we can hang out and teach me some stuff. Good luck with your work load seems like a lot!

Nice setup! I actually upgraded my lights to two T5's so I think I should be good right?

Ha ha thanks. I think I'm going to have my friend that posted here help me set one up. I'll PM you if I need anything thanks again.

I just got the Koralia 3 that I needed to get but it seems like it might be causing too much flow? If that is even possible. It is probably how I have them positioned if someone could help me with how they should go in a little detail I would very much appreciate it. Here is how they are now.



My 1 on the left with the 3 on the right.

Here is a close up of the 1.



Here is a close up of the 3.



The top of my water is almost splashing and some of my substrate moves occasionally so any help would be appreciated.

 

really howd you do that? and yea it depends on what you plan on keeping.. you could probably get away with softies, but any hard coral sps or lps not a chance.


ps. as far as the DIY sump its a great idea in many ways because inside of it you can have a Refugium by adding a few baffles, im actually in the process of making one now, most people say use a 20g long tank because its exactly that.. long, to put a bunch of baffles in leaving good space between them for your Refugium.. but unfortunatly for me and you having a small display tank being only 30" in length, it most likely wont fit underneath your stand because 20g Long are also 30" in length meaning you would have to have a bigger stand than your tank is in order for it to fit(hope that makes sense)

i decided to go with a regular 20 gallon tank 24x12x12 because you can still hold just as much water but its just shorter and taller. (shorter but taller Refugium)

good luck, im subscribed if you need any help aswell as i picking up alittle info off your similar adventure

 

omg.. koralia 3 is going to be too strong for your tank............ koralia 2 will be more than enough for your tank.. some of your corals are going to be stressed from too much flow, like some LPS like frogspawn require a little bit of flow.. but too much flow will stress out the LPS corals and force some corals to shrivel up or stress out...... try to trade it for a koralia 2, if not, run the koralia 3 behind your rockwork from the back left side to the back right side to keep the detritus from collecting in your rockwork..

 

bring the koralia to middle back left corner and shoot it right across to back right corner.. if it doesn't work, you better trade it in or trade with someone.. dont know why someone would recommend a koralia 3......

 

Oh no really?! I just bought it so do you think if I take it back now they will let me switch it for a 2? Or is it a lost cause since I already put it into my tank?

My LFS said once it hits water his policy is he cannot take it back but he said that a 3 should not be too much for my tank or he would not have let me buy it. I am so conflicted now. Is there a way to post video on here without have it have to be on youtube so I can show you how it looks?

 

if you bounce the flow off of enough stuff it should dissapate the flow enough that you should be fine its just all about finding the correct angle

 

I think I have it now I'm pointing it down and towards the back of the glass so it hits the glass then the rocks.

 

Update!

Just ordered my clean up crew from reefcleaners and I am going to my LFS to order some copapods. My ammonia is 0. My Nitrite is 0. My Nitrate is at 15, so I think its ok to add the above to my tank now. I think I'll let the copapods go for about a week or so before adding the two clowns I want to add.

Should that give them enough time to reproduce into a nice amount that the clowns won't kill off and that will eventually be enough to feed a Mandrin?

 

You need a lot of rock and a vast supply of pods as well as a place where the pods are safe to reproduce. Steve doesn't normally carry pods. I had him special order me some because a small copper issue wiped out my pod population.