New tank now what?

[Photobug]

Now that I got pictures I can ask about a potential sump.

The area below the tank is 30x11x15". I am not sure what size sump I could get down there. Someone has offered me a 20x10x12, which is only 10 gallons but would leave room for other things on the shelf. The open space available (without going into the corners created by the stands legs is 24x12x15.

How much headroom should I allow?
What is meant by backflow from main tank, and how do I allow for it?

[Jarederaj]

The bigger the better but 10 gallons would work. Backflow is when your power goes off unexpectedly and the water gets sucked back into the sump, just make sure you dont put to much water in your sump and make sure the sump is big enough to hold the backflow.

[JohnnyAirtime]

Here's some help for ya;

[Jarederaj]

Or you could get a battery backup so when power goes out it still runs

[Photobug]

Thanks Johnny,
How'd you do that?
And thanks for the skimmer, just waiting for the foam to start. Hope the new set up went well. Your reef tank was inspiring. Of all the things going on in your tank the fact you had damsels schooling in the tank stuck with me.

Ps the mandarin did not make it.

[JohnnyAirtime]

Thanks Johnny,
How'd you do that?
And thanks for the skimmer, just waiting for the foam to start. Hope the new set up went well. Your reef tank was inspiring. Of all the things going on in your tank the fact you had damsels schooling in the tank stuck with me.

Ps the mandarin did not make it.

No prob. You simply click on the picture icon (above your post - where you also edit text) and use "URL". Posting the URL link of the pictures in the widget. And click "okay". And wha-la... done!

The "foam" doesn't start per-se. It's a spray skimmer. Doesn't use air to make bubbles like most skimmers which draw in air through a venturi. Over the next few days, you'll get a little bit of "foam" that creeps up to the top of the black lid (I guess that's where you could say it starts ). The foam itself won't spill over so much as the bubbles/foam will pop and create a "skim"... or what everyone calls "Skimmate". The 'stuff' that's coming out of your tank water... from building up on the rising bubbles within the skimmer body. On my 75gal, I only needed to empty the collector about once every 2 weeks. You should only about once a month.

Did you get the preskim box fixed? If not... use Weld-On 16, purchased at most local fish stores (Aquatic Warehouse has it). Super glue may work for the time being, but won't work very long. Or, bring it back... and I'd be happy to help repair it for you. As you know, I had no time being I had fish in buckets with no water movement or air stones (waiting on their new tank to be installed).

Those authors I mentioned, were; Martin Moe (for building your reef) and Julian Sprung (for identification). Some of the ones I learned from 20yrs ago were (and still sitting on my shelf today);
http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Aquariu...tt_at_ep_dpt_1
http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Aquariu...tt_at_ep_dpt_2

Those "schooling fish" are Blue/green chromis. 11 of them in the 240gal. They've been with me for about 6 months.

And sorry to hear your Mandarin didn't make it. I'm sure it wasn't the powerhead that did him in, most mandarins can handle some flow and usually only swim with their front fins. It could have been many things... Acclimation or lack of, food supply or lack of, stress, etc.etc. As I showed ya... the little pods in my overflow are what most mandarins love. No tank is too small to grow them, yet you must introduce them in some manner. Either by buying, or they'll come in something you buy/trade (like chaeto - or other macro algae). If you don't have any, it's best to get that part started before buying another mandarin... as most mandarins don't eat frozen or pellet foods.


.

[jmoney619]

The mandarin feeds on pods, which your tank may not had enough of. I poured a pack of live pods in my 14 gallon with the mandarin and he's happy.

[Photobug]

Hi Johnny, No did not fix the pre-skimmer yet as won't be using it in this tank. Already had to make room for the powerhead. Thanks for reiterating those authors, all I could remember today was Moe and Julius. Will be hitting up Amazon later today.

Here it is with the skimmer set up on our aquarium on day 6 in the house. What I have been really stoked on is looking around an seeing all the freebies in my tank. When leaving Aqua SD I was thinking "I can't believe I spent $90 on rocks". Today I am thinking wow look at those feather dusters, where did that micro star fish come from?



Is there no way possible for a fish to get injured by a flow? The mandarin was tank born and raised and was swimming around healthily then got slammed across the tank. Less than 30 minutes later he was in the corner looking deflated with a broken back. My wife thinks his swim bladder was injured. He was in our tank less than 48 hours and we had seen him eat frozen food.

I plan on visiting Pet Kingdom to check it out for today"s special event. I am looking to upgrade lights but waiting till I can spend the money to do an LED right. Right now I have a 20W blue T8 and a dual White/Blue Power compact. Is there any interesting invertebrates could i add with this much light? I am not expecting anything to grow yet but what can I keep healthy?

[JohnnyAirtime]

Looking good!!

Those micro star fish are more then likely asterinas.
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...N-_ZiQLR3pDbDQ
... if you ever get Zoa corals, you'll want those cute lil' buggers gone!

And, didn't you say the Mandarin was "porpoising" before the power head? If so, that's NOT normal. It had troubles before any power head trauma. Mandarins most often will be on the rock, or sand... looking for food (similar to a hover craft's action... just over the surface). Often hidden, and out of sight. It's rare, they are at water surface... let alone porpoising out of the water.

[JohnnyAirtime]

........
I plan on visiting Pet Kingdom to check it out for today"s special event. I am looking to upgrade lights but waiting till I can spend the money to do an LED right. Right now I have a 20W blue T8 and a dual White/Blue Power compact. Is there any interesting invertebrates could i add with this much light? I am not expecting anything to grow yet but what can I keep healthy?

Any soft hardy coral will do fine. First thing comes to mind... Kenya Tree Coral! A pest coral by most, but often great for the first timer like yourself. Plus, they are a good sign you've got decent water and lighting. I could have given you some when you were here....

[Photobug]

Something is wrong with my tank.

The Mandarin goby we added lasted about 24 hours. We have a small moray and fire fish I have yet to see today. There was some subtle signs on this goby this morning now it looks like this. I have tested the water every day, and the parameters are all good. What should i check now, what should I do?

Thanks


http://www.seapicture.com/data/500/medium/IMG_6814.jpg

[JohnnyAirtime]

looks like the dreaded "white spot disease"... or, ICH (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthyo...us_multifiliis

... can come from many things, and much to the reason why most Quarantine (QT) their fish before placing in the tank. There's so much to read on ich... it's overwhelming. There's many small things to do to the tank to help rid the fish of ich... but, in your case... I'd take the fish out and treat (since your tank is so small, and not too many inhabitants yet). And then treat the tank ... by way of removing all ich carriers for a period of 6 to 8 weeks (no fish or carriers for that long should be introduced!). ...but, like I said... you can go MANY different ways with this.

There's no "check" you can do to see if the tank has, or doesn't have ich.

[slicktoppomp]

Looks like it could be ich on that fish.

[Jarederaj]

think about getting a uv sterilizer epically if you are putting tap water into your tank. my fish used to always get it until I stopped in petsmart and got one..

[JohnnyAirtime]

think about getting a uv sterilizer epically if you are putting tap water into your tank. my fish used to always get it until I stopped in petsmart and got one..

Ya, they help with some parasites/algaes... but, it depends on who you ask, if they are beneficial or not. I use them, and always have (meaning, I believe in them)... and have a 36W on my 240.

Photobug; You interested, I've got a 9W here at the house for $40 (rated for up to 50gal)