New to the game -- advice appreciated

[Phil Krasnostein]

We are in the process of setting up a new marine tank (about 1 week into the
process) -- for the first time.

The tank is 1220 mm long by 350 mm wide by 450mm deep.
We have an Eheim 2217 filter (about 1000 litres per hour) with ceramic rings
and sintered glass substrate, and 1 additional powerhead of 1200 litres per
hour.
Lighting is one flourescent tube 40 watt Powerglo and one 36 watt actinic --
about 50 mm from the surface of the water.
We have an air driven protein skimmer.
We have 28 kg of live rock and about 75 mm of coral sand.
We are targeting SG 1.022, pH 8.1, Temp 26 deg. C.
The NH4, NO2, NO3 seem to be doing as they should so far.

Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what this
tank setup should be able to support, or what else may be needed would be
appreciated.

Our current objective is to have several(as yet undefined) fish and perhaps
some coral. What do you experts think???

Thanks for the help

Phil Krasnostein

[Chris Taylor]

"""We are targeting SG 1.022"""

You may want to increase this to about 1.024. Some on this group would
suggest 1.026. What does your LFS keep his at. This may allow a less
stressful transition from his tanks to yours when acclimatising.

"""Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what
this tank setup should be able to support""


Your tank holds just short of 200 liters of water. Some would argue here but
your tank should support (as a very rough guideline) about 25 Centimetres of
fish comfortably as is (remember to cater for growth). Some pack more
fish/liter in with agressive skimming some would argue for less.

You may want to increase the number of flourescents by one or two (look for
some reflectors for the top of the tube, arcadia make some that clip
directly onto the tube). You can then look for corals that require "moderate
lighting"

Welcome to the hobby

Regards


Chris

"Phil Krasnostein" > wrote in message
...
> We are in the process of setting up a new marine tank (about 1 week into
the
> process) -- for the first time.
>
> The tank is 1220 mm long by 350 mm wide by 450mm deep.
> We have an Eheim 2217 filter (about 1000 litres per hour) with ceramic
rings
> and sintered glass substrate, and 1 additional powerhead of 1200 litres
per
> hour.
> Lighting is one flourescent tube 40 watt Powerglo and one 36 watt
actinic --
> about 50 mm from the surface of the water.
> We have an air driven protein skimmer.
> We have 28 kg of live rock and about 75 mm of coral sand.
> We are targeting SG 1.022, pH 8.1, Temp 26 deg. C.
> The NH4, NO2, NO3 seem to be doing as they should so far.
>
> Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what
this
> tank setup should be able to support, or what else may be needed would be
> appreciated.
>
> Our current objective is to have several(as yet undefined) fish and
perhaps
> some coral. What do you experts think???
>
> Thanks for the help
>
> Phil Krasnostein
>
>

[Taff]

me no expert but u may just need a little more light for starters

"Phil Krasnostein" > wrote in message
...
> We are in the process of setting up a new marine tank (about 1 week into
the
> process) -- for the first time.
>
> The tank is 1220 mm long by 350 mm wide by 450mm deep.
> We have an Eheim 2217 filter (about 1000 litres per hour) with ceramic
rings
> and sintered glass substrate, and 1 additional powerhead of 1200 litres
per
> hour.
> Lighting is one flourescent tube 40 watt Powerglo and one 36 watt
actinic --
> about 50 mm from the surface of the water.
> We have an air driven protein skimmer.
> We have 28 kg of live rock and about 75 mm of coral sand.
> We are targeting SG 1.022, pH 8.1, Temp 26 deg. C.
> The NH4, NO2, NO3 seem to be doing as they should so far.
>
> Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what
this
> tank setup should be able to support, or what else may be needed would be
> appreciated.
>
> Our current objective is to have several(as yet undefined) fish and
perhaps
> some coral. What do you experts think???
>
> Thanks for the help
>
> Phil Krasnostein
>
>

[Phil Krasnostein]

Chris

Thanks for your advice -- I have found some double flouro fittings that
should fit our tank. Hope to have some good progress to report.

Regards

Phil



"Chris Taylor" > wrote in message
...
>
> """We are targeting SG 1.022"""
>
> You may want to increase this to about 1.024. Some on this group would
> suggest 1.026. What does your LFS keep his at. This may allow a less
> stressful transition from his tanks to yours when acclimatising.
>
> """Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what
> this tank setup should be able to support""
>
>
> Your tank holds just short of 200 liters of water. Some would argue here
but
> your tank should support (as a very rough guideline) about 25 Centimetres
of
> fish comfortably as is (remember to cater for growth). Some pack more
> fish/liter in with agressive skimming some would argue for less.
>
> You may want to increase the number of flourescents by one or two (look
for
> some reflectors for the top of the tube, arcadia make some that clip
> directly onto the tube). You can then look for corals that require
"moderate
> lighting"
>
> Welcome to the hobby
>
> Regards
>
>
> Chris
>
> "Phil Krasnostein" > wrote in message
> ...
> > We are in the process of setting up a new marine tank (about 1 week into
> the
> > process) -- for the first time.
> >
> > The tank is 1220 mm long by 350 mm wide by 450mm deep.
> > We have an Eheim 2217 filter (about 1000 litres per hour) with ceramic
> rings
> > and sintered glass substrate, and 1 additional powerhead of 1200 litres
> per
> > hour.
> > Lighting is one flourescent tube 40 watt Powerglo and one 36 watt
> actinic --
> > about 50 mm from the surface of the water.
> > We have an air driven protein skimmer.
> > We have 28 kg of live rock and about 75 mm of coral sand.
> > We are targeting SG 1.022, pH 8.1, Temp 26 deg. C.
> > The NH4, NO2, NO3 seem to be doing as they should so far.
> >
> > Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what
> this
> > tank setup should be able to support, or what else may be needed would
be
> > appreciated.
> >
> > Our current objective is to have several(as yet undefined) fish and
> perhaps
> > some coral. What do you experts think???
> >
> > Thanks for the help
> >
> > Phil Krasnostein
> >
> >
>
>

[Phil Krasnostein]

Taff

Thanks -- planning to get more light

Phil


"Taff" > wrote in message
u...
> me no expert but u may just need a little more light for starters
>
> "Phil Krasnostein" > wrote in message
> ...
> > We are in the process of setting up a new marine tank (about 1 week into
> the
> > process) -- for the first time.
> >
> > The tank is 1220 mm long by 350 mm wide by 450mm deep.
> > We have an Eheim 2217 filter (about 1000 litres per hour) with ceramic
> rings
> > and sintered glass substrate, and 1 additional powerhead of 1200 litres
> per
> > hour.
> > Lighting is one flourescent tube 40 watt Powerglo and one 36 watt
> actinic --
> > about 50 mm from the surface of the water.
> > We have an air driven protein skimmer.
> > We have 28 kg of live rock and about 75 mm of coral sand.
> > We are targeting SG 1.022, pH 8.1, Temp 26 deg. C.
> > The NH4, NO2, NO3 seem to be doing as they should so far.
> >
> > Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what
> this
> > tank setup should be able to support, or what else may be needed would
be
> > appreciated.
> >
> > Our current objective is to have several(as yet undefined) fish and
> perhaps
> > some coral. What do you experts think???
> >
> > Thanks for the help
> >
> > Phil Krasnostein
> >
> >
>
>

[Chris Taylor]

Don't know what lighting you are going to place in the fittings. I have 2 x
powerglo, 1 x marine white and 1 x marine blue. This is sufficient for the
present inhabitants needs. Of course if you are looking for optimum lighting
you can begin to look at T5, PC or Metal Halide, but then you are into a
different cost scale..

Regards


Chris



"Phil Krasnostein" > wrote in message
...
> Chris
>
> Thanks for your advice -- I have found some double flouro fittings that
> should fit our tank. Hope to have some good progress to report.
>
> Regards
>
> Phil
>
>
>
> "Chris Taylor" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > """We are targeting SG 1.022"""
> >
> > You may want to increase this to about 1.024. Some on this group would
> > suggest 1.026. What does your LFS keep his at. This may allow a less
> > stressful transition from his tanks to yours when acclimatising.
> >
> > """Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to
what
> > this tank setup should be able to support""
> >
> >
> > Your tank holds just short of 200 liters of water. Some would argue here
> but
> > your tank should support (as a very rough guideline) about 25
Centimetres
> of
> > fish comfortably as is (remember to cater for growth). Some pack more
> > fish/liter in with agressive skimming some would argue for less.
> >
> > You may want to increase the number of flourescents by one or two (look
> for
> > some reflectors for the top of the tube, arcadia make some that clip
> > directly onto the tube). You can then look for corals that require
> "moderate
> > lighting"
> >
> > Welcome to the hobby
> >
> > Regards
> >
> >
> > Chris
> >
> > "Phil Krasnostein" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > We are in the process of setting up a new marine tank (about 1 week
into
> > the
> > > process) -- for the first time.
> > >
> > > The tank is 1220 mm long by 350 mm wide by 450mm deep.
> > > We have an Eheim 2217 filter (about 1000 litres per hour) with ceramic
> > rings
> > > and sintered glass substrate, and 1 additional powerhead of 1200
litres
> > per
> > > hour.
> > > Lighting is one flourescent tube 40 watt Powerglo and one 36 watt
> > actinic --
> > > about 50 mm from the surface of the water.
> > > We have an air driven protein skimmer.
> > > We have 28 kg of live rock and about 75 mm of coral sand.
> > > We are targeting SG 1.022, pH 8.1, Temp 26 deg. C.
> > > The NH4, NO2, NO3 seem to be doing as they should so far.
> > >
> > > Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to
what
> > this
> > > tank setup should be able to support, or what else may be needed would
> be
> > > appreciated.
> > >
> > > Our current objective is to have several(as yet undefined) fish and
> > perhaps
> > > some coral. What do you experts think???
> > >
> > > Thanks for the help
> > >
> > > Phil Krasnostein
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[skozzy]

1ST. Me no Expert

My experiance seem to tell me your skimmer might be a bit small, light maybe
a bit low for the long term but maybe ok for now, and you need more water
movement (more power heads or a bigger unit), the level of live rock seems
ok, if it has any life on it now, you will find that in a few weeks or less
there won't be, my stuff died off in a week then started to slowly come
around after many water changes and scrubbing of the rocks.

Don't let the SG get any lower if you can, or maybe raise it a little (or
wait for some evaporation), pH is fair, my info here says 8.3 is good, water
temp is good too, don't let it get to 35deg'C like it did for me, if you can
maintain that temp of a deg or 2 lower then your fine.

Seem too that more and more people are recomending a higher level of a bed,
75mm to some is too low to support a good diverse range of bacteria.

As for the bed being coral sand (I think you mean crushed coral) or maybe
you mean arrgonite sand ??? the smaller the bed materail you will find the
more life that can live in it.

You tank is roughly 4 foot x 15 inch x 18 inch, after the tank is filled
with rock and a bed your dropping the size close to 1/2 of it's original max
volume. I would like to give a recomendation of the number/size of fish, but
I can't seem to find the correct page in my book to work it out. There are
messages in this group that explain the fish volume/size per litre or galon.

Ummm, thats 2 messagees I replied to tonight that seem to make sence to me..
I hope it's close to correct.


"Phil Krasnostein" > wrote in message
...
> We are in the process of setting up a new marine tank (about 1 week into
the
> process) -- for the first time.
>
> The tank is 1220 mm long by 350 mm wide by 450mm deep.
> We have an Eheim 2217 filter (about 1000 litres per hour) with ceramic
rings
> and sintered glass substrate, and 1 additional powerhead of 1200 litres
per
> hour.
> Lighting is one flourescent tube 40 watt Powerglo and one 36 watt
actinic --
> about 50 mm from the surface of the water.
> We have an air driven protein skimmer.
> We have 28 kg of live rock and about 75 mm of coral sand.
> We are targeting SG 1.022, pH 8.1, Temp 26 deg. C.
> The NH4, NO2, NO3 seem to be doing as they should so far.
>
> Any comments on the above configuration, particularly in regard to what
this
> tank setup should be able to support, or what else may be needed would be
> appreciated.
>
> Our current objective is to have several(as yet undefined) fish and
perhaps
> some coral. What do you experts think???
>
> Thanks for the help
>
> Phil Krasnostein
>
>