My username should have been Cpt. Blunders

[Zoanthrope]

New to reef frontiers after meeting a member at Red C in Shoreline. I started a reef tank about 3 months ago and the entire process has been a lurching process of fixing one mistake after another. I'm getting better! Honest! I got rid of the canister filter, and the crushed argonite substrate, and the biocube skimmer, and added more rock! (yes, i was a witless victim of Petco) I still have the 25 gallon HEX tank with no sump :der:. strangely the whole process has been rather forgiving with minimal losses (peppermint shrimp killed by the other one and a feather duster during a nitrate spike after adding the live sand). 250W metal halide, BH 100 hang on the back Reef Octopus skimmer, and 2 koralia power heads. current livestock includes 2 clowns, tailspot blenny, 6 line wrasse, peppermint shrimp, snails, hermits, wide variety of softie coral and some LPS mostly hammer. I'm looking forward to maybe trading some frags in the Seattle area and getting advice for a better tank. there's a 100 gallon in rob's shop that looks pretty good.....

 

[akunochi]

Welcome and soooo it begins.

 

[Zoanthrope]

it began with diatoms. we are somewhere entirely different now.

 

[Holygral]

Dont feel bad it is a on going learning curve, MOST REEFERS HAVE A CANISTER FILTER IN THEIR ATTIC, LOL

 

[user 26995]

Hey, welcome to the hobby. It is a continuous learning experience. We have all had some issue at one time or another. It is such a great hobby though.
If you want to go bigger...and you will....if you can get one, get a tank that has a built in overflow. Or one that has the ability to be drilled and have an overflow added into it. They are just so much easier than overflow boxes. Set up a sump for all the equipment, skimmer and heater and such.
But most important...Have fun with it. Dont let things discourage you. What ever you have problems with, it can be fixed.

 

[NC2WA]

Zoan,

Welcome to RF !!!

IMHO best way to learn the hobby is to make mistakes. Also, I would suggest getting the following book and read it at least twice:

Amazon.com: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists (Microcosm/T.F.H. Professional) (9781890087999): Robert M. Fenner, Matthew L. Wittenrich, Scott W. Michael, Alf Jacob Nilsen, Christopher Turk: B

First half of the book talks about live rock, tank setup, water parameters, diseases and how to cure them; second half of book talks about the different species of fish and which ones to buy and more importantly which ones to avoid. I have it in my library and after 15yrs in the hobby I still use it as a reference guide.

What size tank do you have now??

Keep asking those questions, as most people here (me included) don't mind and will take the time to answer them.

Again welcome.

 

[user 26995]

Oh I lied....Not all problems can be fixed...My problem is I want a MUCH bigger tank...That can only be fixed if I win the lottery...maybe I should start buying tickets.

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF!!!! :welcome:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TJL]

Hey! That was fast :welcome: aboard and as I said you'd get a good welcome to the forum here. Let me know what and/or how I can help you out with anything. We "North Sound Reefers" are meeting at Rob's next Saturday 11am -1pm for our Club 'Get Together' and you are more than welcome to attend. Should be 20-30 Local Reefers or more showing up.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Zoanthrope]

TJL, that sounds great! I can't wait to meet you guys.

 

[jrgilles]

it began with diatoms. we are somewhere entirely different now.

Dont feel bad it is a on going learning curve, MOST REEFERS HAVE A CANISTER FILTER IN THEIR ATTIC, LOL

Hahaha, too funny. I just dumped my old canister a couple of weeks ago (leftover from a FOWLR tank I had 10 years ago)

 

[Zoanthrope]

i think Ill make mine into a flower pot. i put in the skimmer 2 days ago but still not producing skimate. box says 2-4 weeks so i guess i am being impatient.

 

[tamarindthai]

welcome to the RF,,:welcome:

 

[NC2WA]

to produce skimmate, you need nutrients in the tank...give it a couple of weeks.

 

[Zoanthrope]

as the tank has been running for 3 months, shouldn't there already be nutrients in the tank? there is dome brown stuff in the unit, its just not producing bubbles large enough to rise into the catch cup. i have tried adjusting the cup up and down (not a variable air flow type). i suppose it is still just breaking in.

 

[user 26995]

This is the biocube protein skimmer? Or something else?
There should be an airline with a valve on it. There isnt?

 

[NC2WA]

ah yes..should be enough time, it does take time for a skimmer to break in...do you have a good supply of bubbles/foam in the chamber???

 

[Zoanthrope]

No, this is a reef octopus BH100 with a surface skimmer attachment. and no, no bubbles are making it into the chamber. they are just in the water being pumped in. they do not rise above the water surface unless i adjust the collection box all the way down. then they only go halfway up the tube.

 

[10gnano]

lets see some pics....HOB skimmers are a PITA to dial in

 

[NC2WA]

agreed..i have a reef octopus hob on my 40g in my office and I am pleased with it..but it does take time for it to break in.