What do you think?

Discussion in 'New To The Hobby' started by Smellsfishy1991, Oct 2, 2010.

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  1. Smellsfishy1991

    Smellsfishy1991 Astrea Snail

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    I just bought a 46 gallon bow w/ stand. I'm about two weeks into it and I have about 10 Pounds of live rock and ten pounds of lace rock and some live sand, I have three damsels and one goby. I have one powerhead making a nice current towards the bottom. For filtration I have an overflow into a sump ( this is were I would like some opinions). It's a ten gallon tank with another 1 gallon tank full of boiballs inside of it. The hose coming out of the overflow empties into the 1 gallon full of bioballs which over flows into the ten gallon. I also have the heater a uv sterilizer and of course the return pump. Is this a sufficient filter/sump.
    I was planning down the road to get a twenty long for my sump and incorporate a protein skimmer in it but that's well after my tank cycles completely . Thanks
    Here are some pics.
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  3. Bloodkip

    Bloodkip Ritteri Anemone

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    The first thing is wrong, you cycle with fish. Should of use a dead shrimp imo.
     
  4. Smellsfishy1991

    Smellsfishy1991 Astrea Snail

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    Well everything I did Someone told me to do but I read up on that a little sounds interesting for next time.
     
  5. jonjonwells

    jonjonwells Great Blue Whale

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    Cycling with fish is ok. Some feel it is mean, but it is effective. However, depending on what type goby you have, it may not survive the cycle. That is also a lot of fish to add for a cycle.

    Your sump looks fine to me. I love wet/dries for fish only tanks. Just make sure you keep up on maintenence with it.

    Tank looks good btw.
     
  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Cycling with fish is ok for the cycle and the tank, but stressful and sometimes deadly for the fish. Why do that to a fish when you have other avenues that work just as well.

    The tank looks very nice, I would add quiet a bit more LR.

    The sump looks good, personally I would remove the bio-balls, they collect detritus and can cause problems with presistant nitrates and algae development down the line.

    There usually is several different ways to do things in this hobby, getting as many opinions as you can.
     
  7. Smellsfishy1991

    Smellsfishy1991 Astrea Snail

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    Well I bought the damsels because they were really cheap and from what I hear hardy fish and my lps said as long as there doing fine the goby should be fine but I'm a sucker and they were probably just trying to make a sale.
    I do plan on getting more live rock I'm getting one or two Pieces every week.
    I was hoping what I had for the sump would be sufficient until I could save up for a bigger one with a fuge, protein skimmer and just more space to work with. What should I Put in place of the bioballs if I remove them?
     
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  9. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Oh I know you meant to harm to the fish. They are hardy but the ammonia spike you are going to experience with the cycle can not be comfortable for them.

    You might want to think about a fuge.

    The live rock should be doing a lot of the filtration so I see no need to replace the bio-balls with anything.