FishChannel Forums / Saltwater Forums / Everything but Livestock

What is this?

Goldwing — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:27:20 GMT

I'm new at this and am researching equipment for a larger fresh water tank. (something between a 55 and 125 gallon cant afford any larger)

Can anyone tell me where to go to find basic info on things like what is the 1) best brand of canister filter, 2) what is a protien skimmer, 3) and a sump? and why would I want one?

Thanks,

Sheldon

To sump or not to sump

Nep2Ns PlumR — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:23:48 GMT

I was just curious what percentage of us SW keepers have a sump in their systems. I read an article recently describing a nano reef that had a sump hooked to it that actually held a larger volume of water than the display tank . I employ a sump in my system for the extra water volume and as a place to hide/discharge equipment I don't want to be seen. My sump is a 100 gallon Rubbermaid horse watering trough I bought at the local farmers supply house for $75.00.

Help with Marineland H.O.T. Filter

KeasbeyNights — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:30:34 GMT

My girlfriends H.O.T. canister filter is acting weird. I primed it, and turned it on, and for about 5 seconds, it works great, but then it sort of hiccups and just pulses.

I'm thinking it's a messed up turbine....any body ever had this problem, or know how to fix this?

calcium reactor

saltyfresh — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:27:47 GMT

im in the process of converting my 55g into a reef, do i need a calcium reactor? what does it do? benefits vs. faults?

Preferred reef lighting

Nep2Ns PlumR — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:05:25 GMT

Mine is MH mogul. I guess my reasons would be intensity and the diversity. Since these have been a staple of the hobby for a while, there are a wide variety of wattages, color temperatures and manufacturers to choose from. My current lighting consists of two 400watt lights. The lamps are made by Ushio and are rated at 10,000 degrees kelvin. They're driven by 400 watt IceCap ellectronic ballasts and are housed in Lumenarc III reflectors. (If you'd like some in depth reading on MH lighting, search Sanjay Joshi. He's done som really useful research.)

Second choice would be T-12 VHOs.

I've heard/seen great things from banks of T-5s but don't have personal experience with 'em. Heard great things about the new LED lights out too but can't AFFORD them.

Protein Skimmers

lakec — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:10:55 GMT

I am going to set up a salt water tank hopefully after the new year and i have not had any luck deciding which protein skimmer to buy. I know I have to get one of adequate size for the tank but which make is better? The dealers around my area sell the corallife skimmer with the pin wheel, is this a good skimmer theres alot more out there! Any advice appreciated thanks.

Pinned Topics

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Aquarium Power Gravel Vacum

deluxerider — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:27:48 GMT

Does anyone have one of these machines? I am looking for some feedback on this unit, it looks pretty cool. But does it work? I have a 90gl reef tank with 3-6 inches of substrate. I have contacted the company about their machine and naturally they say it works well, but can anyone provide me w/ any hands-on comments?

Filtration

Shark Hunter — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:45:11 GMT

I need help badly, I'm building a tank for a special project of mine called Project Shark, I need a filter that can filter large amounts of water on a commercial scale.

Kalk reactor

Nep2Ns PlumR — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:39:18 GMT

I have ordered a ReefTek Nielsen kalkwasser reactor for my reef. Curious if anyone is using one of these?

Also have a Liter Meter III w/water level sensor coming to feed it with. New toys!!!! Almost like Christmas.

Looking for advice for setting up 65 gallon tank

Madtaz — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:11:40 GMT

I am looking for advice on a skimmer and filtration, all external, and lighting for my 65 gallon setup. My plans are to have it house fish and coral. The tank and cabinet do not allow for placing a sump under it. I had fish and live rock along with living sand before. The filtration and lighting was all included in the original setup. I don't want to use to original setup again. It was a bioball filtration setup and a hood lighting system. I have a 125 gallon tank setup now and it is running great.

I need advice on other type of sand, besides living sand. I understand there are combinations of sand that can be used and it will eventually become live sand.

Look forward to advice. Thanks

Question on replacing stock pump on an AP 24 with a Maxijet

dgness — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:37:19 GMT

I am going to replace the stock pump in my Aquapod 24 with the Maxijet 900.
When I do the swap, the out take outlet on Maxijet pump is smaller the the stock pump out take outlet. Which makes the the tubing supplied with the Aquapod too big a fit over outlet. Should I just buy a small clamp to attach it to the Maxijet?
Anybody that has made the switch, please let me know what you did to resolve that issue.

Thanks in advance.

Refugium Designs

zachattack — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:46:42 GMT

My idea is to build my own Refigurim but I don't want another over flow box. So my plan was to make an acrylic refigurim, using the overflow box I had on my sump I'd run it into my refigurim the it would flow upwards into a hole on one side of the refigurim then just overflowing into the top of the sump then flowing through that and geting pumped out from the sump.

Heres my refigurim I want to make and its low on the right so I can maintence it from under my stand then on the left high enough to flow through the sump.

I'm sorry theres no picture there was a problem with the web site and I'll make sure to post one later this week

Need help with PS

Saltwater Aquarist — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 08:56:08 GMT

I am posting in here because I need help really soon. I was thinking about buying this PS for my tank http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4392+14676&pcatid=14676 for my tank its a 24 gallon aquapod. Does anyone know if this is a good PS someone said it did not work but another person said it work just fine. I cant use most other skimmers because the is no place for the tube and the skimmer cant sit too high or else it will push the hood open. Please helpme thanks SWA

Protein skimmer in brackish water tank

TeChNoT — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:36:30 GMT

Hi all, I've been breeding tropical fish for about 20 years, and I've been wanting to start a brackish water tank. I've been wanting to breed Sailfin Mollies for a while now. But anyway, my question is: the use of a protein skimmer is mostly for salt water tanks, but since brackish water is adding salt to the tank. Would a protein skimmer be useful ? Any ideas ?

Thanks

Robert T

10 Gallon:
4 Black Skirt Tetra
2 Cory catfish

TOM Rapids Pro Series Wet/Dry Filter Systems

yasmani01 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:10:37 GMT

Hello,

I'm trying to set up a 65 gallons semireef tank but I dont know exactly what kind of filter to use. Somebody at the pet store told me to use TOM

Rapids Pro Series Wet/Dry Filter Systems, but I doubt it will do a good job. Can you please tell me if is this the right filter for my tank or what filter - protein skimmer combination would be better.

Thank you

Best regards

fish lighting

shaun allen — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:41:22 GMT

i want to put a metal halide 150wats over a 16 gal bow.

i have a two 40wat compact florescent lights over it now will the halide hurt?

Fish Tank Lid Question

leecha — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:10:27 GMT

I finally got around to completely cleaning my fish tank today. My problem is that I took the lid (with the lights) all apart to clean it well and can't figure out how to put it back together!! Of course I knew to twist the bulbs back in and the metal plates underneith but there are two (one for each bulb) plastic curved things that I cannot figure out where they go! I know I should have payed attention when I took it apart but I didn't and now I need help!

It is a 10 gallon aquarium. The only numbers I could find on the lid were Sheng D405W.

Any help would be much appreciated!!

comparsion between aqudyne octopus 4000 and neptune AquaController III

intruder — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:36:24 GMT

can anyone tell me which one is better and the difference between the two. my octo3000 died looking for a replacement don't know if i want a 4000 or an aquacontroler 3

help please

Substrate heaters

Swiftwater — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 03:32:16 GMT

I'm planing to use a substrate heater in a 55g long. i'm going to cover my element with sand, an putting CaribSea Eco complete. Will this make my roots grow thicker an make faster growth