link to pics of my tank

https://s795.photobucket.com/albums/yy233/rlseeley/?previewTheme=155&previewCancelUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fs795.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy233%2Frlseeley%2F&offer=y
Sorry Im retarde and could'nt figure out how to get the pics here, so here is the url to my photobucket thing

The link just send me to this page. To upload you copy the URL of the image then click this and paste the url there. Then click ok and it will appear as an image

There we go, whats the SPS looking thing on the left?

It is the finger coral that Nate gave me

Has the finger corals come out yet? It looks like that Zenia is doing good. I cant tell by the picture on how much flow you have at the top of the tank there but that Zenia likes very little water movement. At least that's were it will look and grow the best.

So with those halides (i assume you have them set up) and that heater in your tank what is the range of temperature flux are you getting through out the day?

Have you tested for calcium levels in your tank lately?

Sorry for all the questions but i would like to help you get this thing a boom-in!

Becky are you interested in setting up a wet/dry sump? My friend has a wet/dry sump with all the bio balls, room for a simmer or fuge and he wants to get rid of it i think i have a picture of it if your interested.

Hey by the way i know you probably don't want to hear this but i have to tell you because i made this mistake as well.

You need to get that lava rock out of your tank!!!!

here is a break down of one type of lava rocks mineral content

Nitrate Nitrogen.................................4.0 p.p.m.
Phosphorus........................................ 6.0 p.p.m.
Potassium......................................... 59.0 p.p.m.
Zinc.............................................. ...........6 p.p.m.
Iron.............................................. ....10.0+ p.p.m.
Copper............................................ ...5.5+ p.p.m.
Magnesium.......................................2. 0+ p.p.m.
Boron............................................. ....10.0 p.p.m.
Sulfate........................................... ......7.0 p.p.m.
Organic Material.......................................... .5%
PH................................................ .........8.2 Units
Calcium..................................1.3 Meq/100 gm*
Manganese...........................0.6 Meq/100 gm*
Sodium...................................0.1 Meq/100 gm*
Cation Exchange Capacity..3.2 Meq/100 gm*
* Milli-Equivalent per 100 grams


not stuff you want to introduce to your tank willingly.

Nate, yea the finger corals have come out and seem to be pretty happy! or at least I think they do. I have moved the zinnia a couple times because my hermits keep knocking them off of things. i checked my calcium the other day and they were good. I keep the heater on a low setting for the night if it gets cold, otherwise my temp is 80-82, but usually is right at 80. I dont know about the sump, I was just thinkin about getting a hang on fuge, that Eric was going to help me out with I think, but I dont know as of right now. but just in case how much for the sump do you know?

Soft corals like Zenia and leathers will like it a lot more if you can keep the tank from 78 to 80 range most corals like that come from figi were the water is a hair cooler than the gbr and else were. something to try for if you cant they will eventually get used to it and do fine i am sure.

The sump he just wants it out of his garage mainly i would offer him 20 bucks for it.
Most people under estimate the NEED for a protein skimmer but you DO need one if you are to keep any kind of really nice corals despite what people say or have luck with on here and the local pet store might say. A sump is the only way to ever get a real skimmer. Even the best HOB skimmers are soooo cheesy compared to a in sump large capacity needle wheel skimmer

If you try to make your water as dissolved organic free as a skimmer would do you would need to do a water change every day and the cost of salt, calcium and changing the r/o filters alone would quickly add up to the cost of a decent skimmer. not to mention water changes usually are not done properly because people don't pay attention to matching exact salinity, cal, temp, and slow addition of the water and you are constantly shocking all inhabitants in your tank and therefor slowing the growing proses to ez twice to three times as long. Plus you get an added 20 - 30 gal extra water capacity that helps maintain constant water parameters. hence simulating the ever consistent ocean

in other words i would set a goal to add a sump to your system a overflow is like $65 lifter pump $15 and a return pump is like $40 plumbing is really cheap and if you need help putting it all together i would be more than happy to help with that it doesn't take long at all

yea but would I have to drill holes in my tank or can it go over the back? I have thought about getting a sump, but I was also worried that if something happened and I ended up with a flood I would be screwed since at the time being I am renting

no worrys about flooding. if correctly set up they are totally flood proof guaranteed. And google CPR OVERFLOW they hand on the back of the tank, no drilling required.

I will have to think about I am starting to get a little low in the cash area since im not workin right now and im getting ready to start school again on monday

Hey Becky,
To start off I would like to say great looking tank Becky. All the time and effort you have put in has payed off. I'm glad you got the lights before I did, you put them to good use .javascript:emoticonp('') Keep up the great work. BTW I haven't been able to find that refugium I thought I had, but I am sure we can make one if you like.

Hello Nate,

I'm sorry but I must disagree with you on the "NEED" of large protein skimmers. I would agree that they do have there time and place but "NEED", NO. The reef aquarium hobby hit the main stream in the mid 50's and protein skimmers the late 80's. That is almost a 40 year gap. People have been keeping Softies, LPS and SPS the entire time not just the late 80's forward. Odd.
I have never been a fan of having "pristine" water. When you have pristine water you lack biodiversity. Why, you skimmed it out! The goal of most hobbiest is to have a little piece of the ocean in there home and what is the ocean, divers. In my opinion skimmers in many cases remove to much. Micro fauna Is what feeds my reefs. In most of my tanks I do daily 2% water changes and dose with calcium and iodine. That's it. I use no other supplements. They grow like weeds and all is good. In the tank that I do have a skimmer on I do a 2% water change and add calcium, iodine, and Fuel and feed the fish and corals and all is good. BTW 2% X 30 days = 60% of the tank volume for most tanks that is affordable. There is more than one way to skin a cat.
I feel that the tank should reflect the keeper and the animals being kept.Not every reef keeper needs to have the biggest, baddest, and best. Some people like the mundane to you and are very happy with it. Having a reef tank is a learning experience and a hobby and with most hobbies constant evolution.
As for what "really nice corals" are, that is quite subjective. I would say that your definition would be different than mine and mine from yours. Who is right? I happen to like all corals but I feel no need to fallow the band wagon with the SPS and acan thing. My love has always been in softies and LPS. I do have SPS, Acans and Micromusas and they are in tanks with NO protein skimmers and do grow quite well. As a matter of fact the micros and acan do better in the unskimmed tanks than the skimmed tanks.
Thank you for your ear,
Eric

::edited by moderator due to malicious content::

Thanks for re writing my reply mod. your cool

Thanks Eric! oh and if you want some of these hermits just let me know.
I want to thank everyone for their input. yes eventually I will probably get a sump I just don't know when, I will move and I dont know when but eventually I want a bigger tank and what not. If it helps I do have a poly carbon reactor?!

My reply (before moderated for no reason)

I guess i have to pm FACTS about reef keeping becky. Eric has a great plan set your self up for a ton of work and be a Zenia and leather keeper. but i will tell you that you wasted your money on those metal halides because those will grow in a bucket with an incandescent light hanging over them.

i figured you may want to put together a plan for future reef keeping were you can have fish sps, soft, lps alike living in harmony just a guess.

like eric said there is more than one way to skin a cat but if you want modern advise from someone who knows just ask i cant stand the theory that what worked in the 70's is better or the same as today's technology. nor will i argue the point cuz i have never seen any "better" results by doing things that way.

I said I was greatful for everyones opinion, I appreciate all of it, thank you. Liek I said in the future I want a bigger tank and all the stuff to go with it, right now I am doing what I can with what I can, I would totaly go for the sump and if I was working or somewhere where I knew I was going to be for a while. I have one year left of school and then I can probably start getting better stuff, but right now my budget is kinda low. Everyone has good points, I like to look at all of them.

NaTe,

::edited::

I can see your point on how spending 5 min. a day on doing a 2% water change on your reef is a "ton of work" but I think for most people it could be fit in there schedule. I tend to run my reefs on knowledge and time in put, verses equipment and trust in it (equipment fails, good knowledge doesn't). I have been in the hobby for almost 20 years and have tried most methods and believe it or not most methods work well. Give them a try. You might be surprised but then again you might not.

As for Becky's tank I have no plans for it but I am more than willing to help her build anything she wants or needs. If she wants my in put she knows all she needs to do is ask. I have no agenda but to help others with a hobby I love. What can I say, I'm a helper at heart.

I wish you well on everything you do but would like to offer you some good advise. Be open minded. Try something before you put it down.
Eric

i just want to point out that you do not need sps or even lps to have "really nice" corals.
check this tank out.



that tank is zoa and mushroom ONLY. here's the linkmucho reef