75 gallon FOWLR filtration and set up.

JimBinSC

OK, so here is the first pic of the tank. Still cloudy from the sand. A work in progress. I was hoping the T8 50/50 bulb would work in the old light strip, but it doesn't, so now I'm going to try and change the ballast to a T8 electronic one. I know the background is bad, it was there when I got and I just didn't take it off. I'll fill it the rest of the way and adjust the flow and properly place the spray bar.
What is the optimal pump placement? Should one be on the front bottom, and one on upper back on the ends? Or does it all depend on the rock placement?
It contains 50lbs or dry rock, 50 pounds of sand (30# agramax, 20# Live sand from Petsmart), 2 Koralia Nano 425, and a Eheim 2215 canister running only filter pads right now.
Feel free to offer any advice, critiques, etc.

Attached Images

tank.jpg (47.9 KB, 29 views)

Reefing Madness

Looks good to me. Pumps placement would be on each side of the tank middle upish and pointing at each other.

JimBinSC

Bought a few pounds of live rock (complete with a snail or two and what looks like a tiny starfish) and a Percula clown yesterday. The clown didn't like Hikari Marine-S pellets this morning, but the Mysis shrimp the LFS sold me is expired (3/12) so I'm taking it back for a new one or a refund. Does frozen fish food go bad?

Reefing Madness

Good question, I never looked at frozen food. I just use Freeze Dried, and occasionally Squid Chuncks which are frozen, but never looked for a date on them.

JimBinSC

Many people say filters become nitrate factories so I'm wondering if I use the dry rock rubble in the bottom of the Eheim canister in the hopes of it being colonized, would the nitrate be prevented from building up?

Reefing Madness

No, detrius will still collect there. Over time, it to will bocome an issue.

JimBinSC

I figure I'll just keep adding to this thread.
My LFS says I won't need a skimmer for at least 6 months but I dropped by another store in Savannah today since we were out that way and the guy said I should get one now. So which is it: nice to have now (need in 6 months) or need it now?
My test this AM were: Ammonia 0, nitrite 0.25, Nitrate 5. pH 7.8. I bought some Seachem Marine Buffer to raise the ph.

Reefing Madness

You should have the Skimmer now. Unless you plan on running a ATS (Algae Turf Scrubber) then with your size tank, you must run one, or you will be changing large volumes of water out weekly trying to keep the nutrients in check.

JimBinSC

My protein skimmer (BH2000) should be here tomorrow (7th) maybe it will help with the algae.
First pic hopefully shows the diatom bloom spreading on the dry rocks and sand.
Second (tank4) is a rather blurry pic of the green algae (hair algae, I suspect), there is one right in the middle of the pic. How do I get rid of it? Lessen the lighting, buy some GFO maybe?
Third is my best close up a rock with brown and purple algae (and an anemone). The guy said the rocks were cured so I didn't bother brushing them off or cleaning them. The two cloudy dots are on the glass.
Any advice is welcome. Oh, parameters are Ammonia 0, nitrITE 0.25, nitrATE 5ppm, pH 8.0.

Attached Images

	tank3.jpg (66.4 KB, 11 views)
	tank4.jpg (45.0 KB, 11 views)
	tank5.jpg (64.9 KB, 11 views)

Reefing Madness

That rock is not fully cured, if it was, it would already be brownish and have things growing on it, you were lied to. Your skimmer will not get rid of the Diatom Bloom, this happens and it will run its course wihout any intervention by you. Your tank wil go thourgh a normal 4-6 week cycle, I hope your Clown makes it through.