Low-cost high profile 20L

[Doug1]

Originally Posted by greggles

to make a DIY skimmer buy a cheap hang on filter. It has a pipe that goes into the tank. You can either cut it to just sit on the top of the water or use a heat rod to soften the plastic and bend it to sit just under the surface where it can suck up all the gunk. Also as it pushes out the water like a long smooth water-fall this creates a surface current which prevents any residue buidups on your tank.
The filter cartride can be changed or removed.

Whats being described is a surface skimmer, as opposed to a protien skimmer, BIG DIFFERENCE

In my experience even a large hang on tank filter like the old Aquaclear 500 I used to have on my 29 doesn't move as much water as we want in a reef tank, and shortening the intake tube isn't the best way to go, fluctuating water levels will put it too far under to surface skim or drop low enough to break the siphon. I have built a couple skimmer boxes using both the small and larger "Catch Cups" they use to hold the bag of water at LFS, cut away part of the bracket to get it close to the power filter and cut slots around the top so water can flow in.
You will want to clean the filter media frequently, dailey or everyother day so as to not elevate nitrates.

A protien skimmer on the other hand will physically remove organics from the water column so that their breakdown won't effect the tanks chemistry, at least not in a bad way

[skeety]

bah-da-dump, bah-da-dump, bah-da-dump, bah-da-dump ...


SKEETY BUMP!!

[fish.freak]

thanks for the bump, skeety.
I have been so busy with work and school and my tank that I havent had time to post about it.
everything is doing great, just planing what to do next...
still no bateries for the camera

[fish.freak]

Its really starting to come along
My original green star polyp has fully atached to LR and I just got two more 5$ frags. I used rubberbands to hold it in place. I got these other polyps zoo posibly Im not sure, but for 5 bucks what the heck.
Thanks to gregg I ditched the air pump and stone, for a power head to keep things moving. I think the clowns like to swim in the current.
I added a 18w 10,000 flourecent to ofset light shock and to get it up to 4w/ gal.
Guess its time to put up some pics right?

[fish.freak]

Here are some pics of the new 5$ frags and the female in her cave.
The second pic is of the green star polyp attached to rock, and zoo.
The last pic is a close up of the green star polyp

[skeety]

VERY nice!!!

Color! NICE NICE Color!!!

how about a whole-tank shot?

[fish.freak]

Here is a full tank shot for skeety and the rest of you...(at "dawn")
What is this polyp in the second pic, another 5$ frag. sorry for the bad pic.
I am starting to see Roger Aka Yard boy was right, its not a bubble tip, but I dont think it is a condy either.Could it be a LT?

[fish.freak]

well sombody had to do it...

[fish.freak]

Here is my new Xenia frag, I have had it for two days now and it hasn't opened up yet, hope its not melting.
LFS siad they might give me cred since they got it on trade and the other one they have looks the same now.
There is also a current pic of my anenome still not totally sure of its sp. but its has doubled in size and found its own home in the halimeda.
There is also a new green zoo rock that is doing well, and one of the center LR w/ 2 zoo colonies and green star polyps.
That wraps up the pics, I have also removed 1/2 the "bio" media from my filter and done the first cleaning of the substrate today.

I have been doing lots of reading to up my newbie knolwege.
I think I have been overfeeding by allot trying to get food to my gobies. (2X/Day)

Still have lots to learn, but I hope people others can benifit from my follies.

Still tossing the idea of a Hob skim vs a sump and diy skim, I want to lean towards the sump to free up some tank space.

Looking foward to get some feed back to what I am doing, and I still need some more advice trying to nurse back the xenia and up my Ph a bit.

[dobejazz]

Does the xenia stay like that all the time? it doesn't look like it's melting but I really don't know. My xenia looks like that at nite or when I make it mad.

[fish.freak]

yea it has been like that since i got it home

[dobejazz]

Sorry I have to ask did you test the water? Does it all check out ok? I'm not really sure what it could be

[fish.freak]

yea I 86-ed the xenia I was going to cut off the the white part, but the smell was so foul I thrashed it to protect my new one.

Oh yea i got a new one it is much better it opened up imeadiately pics coming soon.

[yardboy]

Xenia's funny, once it's established it'll practically take over but it doesn't ship well at all.

I've got some I can't hardly kill. I slashed it all out some months ago, now I see it's back. Yikes.
Great pics, by the way.

[Casey]

Let's see the pics