Bluetom

A few question Are you running a filter on the tank? If so what sort? What size is the tank? Do you have gravel in the tank? Cycle won't do anything unless there are fish in there. It only works on ammonia in the tank, if there isn't any the bacteria you are adding will not multiply. My suggestion is as follows; Give the filter media a little clean just incase it's got some nasty build up in it. Depending on the size or your tank, add a prawn or 2, teset your water for an ammonia spike. should get up to 5ppm of so (i think :-? ) let if go back to zero. then add a few small fish. Wait a few more weeks and add some more.

How about this? shouldn't take to long. http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2006.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=3&id=2 Best tank i've seen in a while! Another by the same guy http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2006.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=3&id=5

hmmm, that is a good thought, perhaps i should dig up the tank and redo it I've got, 1-peat, 2- aquatic mix, 3- propgating sand, 4-brightwater (dark grey) gravel. about 15-20mm of each.

I've found not all heaters are created equal. Jager tend to be the most efficent, they state a 150W can do 300W, perhps a little over estimiated. But an aqua one 150W I wouldn't try in anything over 150L, especially during winter. 2x200W should do it fine , but if you can 300w don't tend to be too much more so maybe get 2x300W will only be on less of the time, not cooked fish.

I'm am not in the least concerned of thread highjacking (mods), I was keen to find out opinions on NSW vs ASW anyways. Got it without asking, should have expected that though The tank idea is still in a bit of a holding pattern, almost everyone here has steered me clear of going small without a skimmer, however my other readings have suggest differently. I think I'll ponder a little longer. If a $500 skimmer is the cheapest "good" skimmer then it will have to wait. My plan was $500-$800 for complete setup.

there are hundreds of tanks online with similar setup, so must be possible. Just hard, would be my guess and if you had a large reef tank running at the same time I suppose you could always have a rescue plan for crashes etc. Interesting discussion about NSW vs ASW guys. Is there ever a single right answer? Ãsn't It all about the situation and what worksfor who?

That is a very nice tank, a little along the lines of what I'd love to set up. These were the nano tanks that got me inspired here This is one of the articials I've done a little reading of (almost finished)

I have seen the red sea, look very nice, just don't have the cash at the moment but more importantly I'm not too keen on a larger tank, as I have trouble finding enough time to keep my planted tank clean and thought prehaps smaller would be easier to over filter etc so keep lower maintence. For a small tank, 3ft 150L, for instance what sort of skimmer would you suggest? There seem to be alot out there and everyone has different opinons about whether each is good or not, I understand Deltec tend to be regard as the "bee's knees" but looking at prices probably not really a go in the next.. decade I know it would be best to buy as large as I could afford but just want to know where the line is as to cheap and not cheap if that makes sense? Well it's one of those cheap or not at all stituations. I would never start a tank if i thought I was going to be unable to give the inhabitants the necesary conditions. And based on your responses I think i'll leave it.

I'm think perhaps a 50L tank with a 75L sump. Housing soft corals, not a lot but a few and max 6 fish, clowns or chromis something small. Any thoughts as to whether this skimer is ok for that? Are air power significatly less powerful? Worth bothering with?

Is it possible to over skim a tank, for instance would a skimmer recommend for a 125gal tank be ok in a 40gal tank? If it was in a sump? Has anyone had a Weipro sa 2013 before? Doesn't come with a pump, any suggestions on pump size?

what about male mice, aren't they all culled when being breed for sale anyway?

Thats not too bad a pic I could give you a sodastram bottle buy itself for $5. empty though, so you'd have to pay $10 to swap it a t the supermarket. Just pm me if your ever keen.

Wondering about running HOB as a flow creator with carbon or the like. Would aim to have a good quanity (per litre) of live rock. Has anyone seen or used one of these before? What sort of price is rock and argonite sand? I remember reading jetskisteve used to sell live rock, how much do people tend to ask for $ wise? Thank you for your response wasp.

At the moment all I would really have to get is live stock( +rocks etc.) so another $200 for a skimmer is a bit. Just thinking could I get something going with all the stuff I have lying around. davidb: The setup looks quite good, $400 isn't what I really wanted to spend at the moment though. Could well upgrade later though using this. wasp: How long did you go before you decided to change to skimmer. Just wondering about starting with HOB filter, then upgrading to skimmer later. The aquaclear 500 is ment to have approx 1800L/h flowrate. Would I reduce the nitrates if I used an even smaller tank. Have one half the size, approx 30L.

I , as i bet everyone who doesn't already have a saltwater tank does, have been dreaming about possibly setting up a marine tank. My current freshwater is still a work in progress so unlikely to get into it any time soon. and with an already 500L tank wouldn't really want to go too big. I'm just wondering what peoples thoughts were on starting on a small scale. I can't really afford skimmer and lights for a large tank, no matter how I look at it. Was wondering if starting with a 50L tank would be ok? I see most nano tanks out there only use HOB filters and no skimmer? This was what my thoughts were, (mostly because I have most of the equipment lying around unused) Tank; 2x1x1ft approx 55 litres (14gal) Filter; aquaclear 500 HOB (suitable) Lights; 3-4 T8s or a couple of T5s Rock and sand. Easy soft corals, (I appricate the effort in keeping hard ones but not so keen on looks) 100W heater One or two small fish, (chromis or clowns?) Would try to use NSW, from Takapuna most probably So really only outlay with setting up would be Rock, Sand, Corals and fish. Does anyone have a suggestion as to monthly/weekly running costs ie food, chems etc. for a tank this size Thiswas the tank that got me thinking.

If he starts going for her and she isn't interested you'll have trouble. until then they may be ok

I cant see in the hole at all so I have no idea. The entrance faces the back of the tank which faces a wall. looking forward to it now, hopefully they have laid. :bounce: :bounce:

stone and water world isn't too bad for cost. Am i'm really cheap

what fish do you have in your tank? Looks like bubble nest to me, but having only had a handful in my tanks could be mistaken. If your keen to get what ever it is breeding, you can get them to create a larger bubble nest that stays together by place a thin piece of polystyrene on the wsurface by the bubbles.

I've got two kribensis in a my tank, I've got a feeling they have recently laid eggs in a cave the female dug between a rock and a piece of driftwood. The female only ever comes out for short periods of time and doesn't stray too far. Two questions; Do kribensis often dig out caves, they have plenty of other options in the tank for hiding? How long does it usually take for their eggs to hatch? Not really intending to make an effort to raise them but will be keen to see if they are breeding. Thanks

the other big problem with fertilisers it that they contain Nitrogen in NH3 and NH4 forms, which can be harmful to your fish. Not too sure about daphnia though.

The turnover through the over flow is very low, and I've been using soda stream co2 for the past couple of weeks and that has improved the algae a bit. My clean up crew (bristlenoses) unforunitly like to reside in the over flow compartment, so that is really algae free :lol:

brought some pygmy swords and and tennellis (sp?). have added to tank, will post a pic when they take off a bit more. tennellis at te moment just looks like small bits of cut grass stuck between the stones

6500k are only $4.50 from mitre 10 mega for 4ft

My vote is leave them alone and fill it. as it is a chip rather than a crack it is unlikely to create stress concentrations and propagate causing a large crack. And the thickness loss is pretty insignificant so as long as your tank hasn't been designed with no safety factor (highly unlikely) the strength shouldn't be effected really. I do however take no responsablity if somethings happens. but I'm sure it won't