I would do both GAC and GFO, I wouldn't bother with either the UV or ozone. As far as the Ca reactor is concerned, given the size of your tank, you might be better off with a two part doser. Either way, you won't really be needing either method for a while. Also, I'm a proponent of bio-pellets, which you also might consider. I have all my reactor's on their own pumps, so I didn't do any plumbing for them.
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New (tank and reefer) 90 gallon build
- Thread starter jwilson
- Start date
Thanks again Jim. I figured I wouldn't need anything for a while except that maybe the GAC and GFO would be useful while the rock is curing. I figured I might get a Dual reactor from BRS and plumb it off the return line.
I'm unfamiliar with Bio-pellets. I found this link to NP Reducing BioPellets but reading it makes me think that the "bacteria" is like adding a small amount of LR and the carbon is carbon. I'm sure I don't fully understand so anything you can teach me about their use is appreciated. First I guess is are they supplemental to, or in place of, GAC/GFO?
I'm unfamiliar with Bio-pellets. I found this link to NP Reducing BioPellets but reading it makes me think that the "bacteria" is like adding a small amount of LR and the carbon is carbon. I'm sure I don't fully understand so anything you can teach me about their use is appreciated. First I guess is are they supplemental to, or in place of, GAC/GFO?
Welcome to the club.I'll second the gfo. I started my 120 gallon tank in November with about 80 # of pukani rock. Since I was starting off from scratch I just rinsed my rock and allowed it to cycle in my tank. I initially had very high phosphate levels and the gfo helped to knock it back and keep it under control early on. Some dry rock including pukani is believed to leach phosphate. I've had my gfo offline for over a month while I started running biopellets and thankful my phosphate levels haven't been too long bad despite my heavy feeding.
You may or may not need to use the acrylic rods to join the rock together depending on what you want to do with your aquascape. The pukani locks together pretty well. I was able to just us some epoxy putty at a few places where the rocks touched each other. Good luck with it.
You may or may not need to use the acrylic rods to join the rock together depending on what you want to do with your aquascape. The pukani locks together pretty well. I was able to just us some epoxy putty at a few places where the rocks touched each other. Good luck with it.
I think you'd be better served if you were to use a separate BRS reactor for your GAC and GFO, since they really should have different flow rates. Contact time is important in both reactor's, but you'll need a little more for the GFO to keep it from clumping.
Here's a couple or reads on probiotics and bio pellets:
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/probiotics-demystified
http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.a...ium=email&mc_cid=4104eabaa1&mc_eid=deb9a37904
http://www.reefs.com/blog/2011/12/14/90-days-of-bio-plastics-use-my-observation/#more-6851
Not everyone has been successful using them. But I like a DSB too, and there are many who have had similar experiences. I've had good luck with both, but like anything else in this hobby there are guidelines that have to be adhered to.
Here's a couple or reads on probiotics and bio pellets:
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/probiotics-demystified
http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.a...ium=email&mc_cid=4104eabaa1&mc_eid=deb9a37904
http://www.reefs.com/blog/2011/12/14/90-days-of-bio-plastics-use-my-observation/#more-6851
Not everyone has been successful using them. But I like a DSB too, and there are many who have had similar experiences. I've had good luck with both, but like anything else in this hobby there are guidelines that have to be adhered to.
Thanks for the welcome Mike. Do you have any pics of your scape? I didn't see any in the gallery and a search of your name didn't come up with a tank build thread but I might have been doing something wrong. I'd be interested in seeing how you scaped the pukani. The one thing that I wonder about is that the rock appears directional, not that it really matters functionally but decoratively it would seem that it's better to have the rock oriented the same way.
Did you run GFO and then switch to Bio-Pellets in the same reactor or have two different reactors and just have the GFO offline ATM?
Thanks for the additional info and the tip on separate reactors.
Where are you from in Union County
Im in Springfield
Im in Springfield
If you need any help let me know i live in the border of of Summit and Springfield!!
Thanks I really appreciate that.
Right now most of the help I need is guidance. It won't be long (hopefully) till I'll need someone to help me place the base and tank. I was planning on my brother in law but hey - you know how relatives can be. LOL If you're up for that let me know.
After I get everything semi-situated but before I go live I would love to have some experienced eyes look at the set-up and tell me what I can do to improve flow, direction, etc.
Do you go to any local stores? I visited one place recently and it looked much better than I remembered when I was there many years ago. I visited the same place again a week or two later, in the morning soon after opening for the day and thought the place looked awful; a few dead fish laying around, others with fin-rot, bubble algae in one tank, etc.
Right now most of the help I need is guidance. It won't be long (hopefully) till I'll need someone to help me place the base and tank. I was planning on my brother in law but hey - you know how relatives can be. LOL If you're up for that let me know.
After I get everything semi-situated but before I go live I would love to have some experienced eyes look at the set-up and tell me what I can do to improve flow, direction, etc.
Do you go to any local stores? I visited one place recently and it looked much better than I remembered when I was there many years ago. I visited the same place again a week or two later, in the morning soon after opening for the day and thought the place looked awful; a few dead fish laying around, others with fin-rot, bubble algae in one tank, etc.
Can you get private messages yet?
Ill give you my number.
Ill give you my number.
Awesome another local reefer! 
I'm over in Stirling. If ya need a hand give a shout.
I'm over in Stirling. If ya need a hand give a shout.You asked for it.
Ok, here are some pictures. They're pretty ugly given the stage of the project.
Tank in the garage
sump with one mixing barrel to the left, the main return pump, the skimmer pump and one extra pump
my RO/DI (the only thing fully installed at the moment)
fuge,QT and lights (in the box behind the plywood)
some of the rock soaking in vinegar and water
Ok, here are some pictures. They're pretty ugly given the stage of the project.
Tank in the garage
sump with one mixing barrel to the left, the main return pump, the skimmer pump and one extra pump
my RO/DI (the only thing fully installed at the moment)
fuge,QT and lights (in the box behind the plywood)
some of the rock soaking in vinegar and water
Jim, couple things to add:
1. 1/4" rods would probably be fine for connecting your rocks, but 3/8" would be better... especially if you're stacking more than 3-4 rocks high or if you have long overhangs that might need more strength.
2. I'm a bio-pellet user also and agree with Jim (downbeach) on his suggestion to use them. They can cause problems if you don't use them properly. But you seem like the kind of person who does his research and learns from other's mistakes before making them himself. There are some guidelines you will need to follow in order to avoid a tank crash... but if you use them properly they work great! They are essentially a form of carbon food source for the good bacteria that filters your tank. The object is to promote growth of the good bacteria by offering them a constant supply of food to help populate them.
3. You should monitor your phosphate and nitrate readings often when using biopellets. Some say you only need pellets... but I also run GAC and GFO (in a dual reactor) as well as run a skimmer and have a healthy growing ball of chaeto in my sump. I think the combination of all of these provides redundancy and helps me keep my levels balanced.
4. I was going to suggest not using your skimmer while you cycle your tank (since it can remove good bacteria as well as algae promoting nutrients). But, if you think you will have some leaching from your dead rock... it might be helpful to run the skimmer right away.
1. 1/4" rods would probably be fine for connecting your rocks, but 3/8" would be better... especially if you're stacking more than 3-4 rocks high or if you have long overhangs that might need more strength.
2. I'm a bio-pellet user also and agree with Jim (downbeach) on his suggestion to use them. They can cause problems if you don't use them properly. But you seem like the kind of person who does his research and learns from other's mistakes before making them himself.
There are some guidelines you will need to follow in order to avoid a tank crash... but if you use them properly they work great! They are essentially a form of carbon food source for the good bacteria that filters your tank. The object is to promote growth of the good bacteria by offering them a constant supply of food to help populate them. 3. You should monitor your phosphate and nitrate readings often when using biopellets. Some say you only need pellets... but I also run GAC and GFO (in a dual reactor) as well as run a skimmer and have a healthy growing ball of chaeto in my sump. I think the combination of all of these provides redundancy and helps me keep my levels balanced.
4. I was going to suggest not using your skimmer while you cycle your tank (since it can remove good bacteria as well as algae promoting nutrients). But, if you think you will have some leaching from your dead rock... it might be helpful to run the skimmer right away.
Local stores are: Ocean Gallery in North Plainfield, Pet Shanty in Scotch Plains, Red Sand in Dunellen, Aquatic Obsession in Avenel, and Underwater World in Roselle Park.
As far as live rock goes, Absoulty Fish only had Real Reef artificial rock. Most stores are carrying this kind of rock and "real" live rock is getting harder to find at most stores.
As far as live rock goes, Absoulty Fish only had Real Reef artificial rock. Most stores are carrying this kind of rock and "real" live rock is getting harder to find at most stores.
Interesting enough I was thinking of using 1/2" dia, not for strength so much but for bearing surface since the rock is so porous - I figured I would have more rock to hold on to. I was also wondering just how much I can rely on the rods since the rock seems a bit brittle as well. I'll likely go with belts and suspenders meaning epoxy and rods.
Jim, couple things to add:
2. I'm a bio-pellet user also and agree with Jim (downbeach) on his suggestion to use them. They can cause problems if you don't use them properly. But you seem like the kind of person who does his research and learns from other's mistakes before making them himself.
3. You should monitor your phosphate and nitrate readings often when using biopellets. Some say you only need pellets... but I also run GAC and GFO (in a dual reactor) as well as run a skimmer and have a healthy growing ball of chaeto in my sump. I think the combination of all of these provides redundancy and helps me keep my levels balanced.
I'll likely start out without them but keep them in mind as my bio-load increases. It may be that I mis-read or misunderstood one of the reference links that Jim provided. While most of them dealt with the benefits of deep beds, one talked about the practice of carbon dosing via vodka, Borneman appears to be specifically against. While there are differences between bio-pellets and vodka, as I understand it both are trying to achieve the same beneficial bacterial growth by increasing the dissolved organic carbon food source they need. I guess the main difference is that the pellets are giving you an additional place for that bacteria to grow. Still, my point is that Borneman states that carbon is (or at least is expected to be) available in excess. Of course it could be that he's partially biased as the routine seems "crude" for lack of a better word.
I've read many folks opinions on this both ways. My thinking was that I wanted to limit the potential for a massive algae bloom. Now that I'm doing the acid etch and pressure wash and I have socks to filter the larger particles it may be that skimming would be less beneficial and, as you mentioned, somewhat harmful - although that may be too strong a word.
Thanks Jim - I appreciate the references but I've pretty much decided on the modified Berlin. It may not be a "good" reason but aesthetics played as big a role as any in my decision not to use a DSB as I just prefer the look of a shallow bed. In the end my opinion is that it's quite possible to keep a reef tank that's reliable over the long haul using a variety of techniques and I've chosen a modified Berlin.
Thanks Brian, I was aware of OCII and Pet Shanty, although I've not visited the Shanty. The others I'm not familiar with but I work near Dunellen so I'll head over there at lunchtime today to walk about.
I emailed a few stores inquiring about what live rock they had, where it was from, etc. and they pretty much all gave me the response of "it changes, stop by when you're ready to buy" so I figured I would just do some browsing when the time came or just order it online.
Thanks again,
Jim
Red Sand is the place to go for SPS frags and you have to check out the "L" display tank at the back of the store!
One thing's for sure in this hobby. There's no "1 right way". Many methods work if executed properly. Some may need more/less maintenance than others but that doesn't mean they are better or worse, just different.
If aesthetics is important to you, than use the method you prefer... and just make it work for you.
People will always like to suggest what works/worked best for them to people asking for help. That doesn't mean it's the best option for you or anyone else. Just keep in mind that lil tip whenever contemplating something for your tank. Try to compare system similarities (tank volume, equipment, lighting, etc.) whenever using any advice.
I don't think Jim (downbeach) was trying to talk you into something... he just likes to give informational reference links to give you all the facts/alternatives to let you decide for yourself. He always comes up with some good ones too!
If aesthetics is important to you, than use the method you prefer... and just make it work for you.
People will always like to suggest what works/worked best for them to people asking for help. That doesn't mean it's the best option for you or anyone else. Just keep in mind that lil tip whenever contemplating something for your tank. Try to compare system similarities (tank volume, equipment, lighting, etc.) whenever using any advice.
I don't think Jim (downbeach) was trying to talk you into something... he just likes to give informational reference links to give you all the facts/alternatives to let you decide for yourself. He always comes up with some good ones too!