BluePenguin Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Hello Again. I'm very happy to have all you guys Now that we have the fish deaths question... I'm moving on to buying... (Slowly..) My list: -Tank (90 gal) -Stand (metal - non-corrosive paint, will build wood around it) -Sump setup: (Tank will have overflow) -Skimmer (Please suggestions??? Good and powerful) -Filter (Again, suggestions...) I still confuse the filter and the skimmer to be honest. -Hydrometer -Heater -Lab kit (Although no stores suggested it, I see no other way to measure ph, chemical balance... suggestions?) -Water conditioner -Lights: fluorescent or mh? Do not plan to keep advanced corals at first, but suspect this will be the case later.. And i need MH for it... How much electricity do these bad boys consume? Do they have to be on for 12 hours to support the coral life? -Live rock (Start with less than 40 pounds, will add more gradually) Fish come later... THANKS!! Another newbie question... Concerning power.... Do you guys see significant increases in your bill because of your system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatpuffer Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 I though my electricity bill would increase but it remained the same. I keep my mh on for 8 hours and my pc on for 12 hrs. Js Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 If you have a sump going you probably won't need a filter on top of that. You are going to have to decide how you want to configure the sump, if it will act as a bio filter or not. If you only want to start with 40 lbs of live rock you should probably use some bio balls or rock (base rock is fine) in the sump to provide surface area for bio filtration. Later you can remove that if you want to go for a more balanced system. Skimmers are skimmers, they all have their good and bad points. You can put it in sump, which is nice, so look at a Coralife Super Skimmer (125 or 225) on the low end and an Aqua C Urchin on the high end. The lighting thing comes down to $ pretty much. If you have the cash you may as well get the MH now but don't skimp on something else so you can have it right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePenguin Posted January 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Thanks! Yes I will have sand in the sump to act as the filter - I understand now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert_dao Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Sand in the sump to act as a filter? What do you mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePenguin Posted January 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Sorry I don't know if I'm using the right terms there is ocean sand in the whole system you put under the aquarium to act as an extra filter. Again failing completely to describe it. I will have to go to the store and ask for the terminology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert_dao Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Are you in Calgary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Â Sorry I don't know if I'm using the right termsthere is ocean sand in the whole system you put under the aquarium to act as an extra filter. Again failing completely to describe it. This is a concept known as a Deep Sand Bed or DSB. It is sort of a filtration technique. There are 2 types of bio filtration we are excited about Anerobic and Aerobic. Aerobic (using oxygen )bacterias live on the surface of stuff in your tank. They take the ammonia from wastes and left over food and convert them like so: Ammonia (toxic) -> Nitrite (less toxic) -> Nitrate (toxic only in high concentrations) In a FW system you would use water changes to lower your nitrate levels, that's too expensive in SW so we get an Anerobic (not using oxygen) bacteria that breaks down Nitrate for us Nitrate -> Nitogen gas + oxygen to feed anerobic bacteria The Anerobic part happens in low water flow areas where there isn't much oxygen around like the crevices in live rock and your Deep Sand Bed. You will still require a certain amount af the aerobic bio filtration going in your tank, how much rock or other surface (bio balls) you provide for this you will have to experiment on. Later you want to balance that with the amount of Anerobic bio filtration you have going so you can maintain a low nitrate level for your corals. A Deep Sand Bed is only one technique for acomplishing this (lots of live rock does it too), not everybody likes to go this route, it has it's perils. I personally don't like it much and I'm sure Albert will be around promptly to give the idea a sound thrashing. Do some more research on the subject. Just out of curiosity (I won't judge) which store are you going to for advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert_dao Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 DSB doesnt' work in Canada. Thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePenguin Posted January 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Hi, I'm in Calgary and I've checked out all sorts of stores - but my fav. ones were always Golds and Ocean Aquariums (I think that's the name, on Center Street) Albert, I'm pretty sure we actually met in person too, will have to ask for you next time we're at Golds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOSStile Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Albert, I'm pretty sure we actually met in person too, will have to ask for you next time we're at Golds. You can't miss Albert... he is wearing this shirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePenguin Posted January 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 hehe i won't bring mace then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapor Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 I know we shouldn't encourage Hosstile but ............ -roll- -roll- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert_dao Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Harold is just tip toeing through a meadow of grasses that grow razor blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOSStile Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 (edited) Just a minute that one is in the laundry so it is probably this one. 2 of us can drink at this game. -ham- Edited January 21, 2006 by HOSStile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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