here's an idea for upgrading my tank.

[fish.freak]

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

Aiptasia willingly introduced into a tank for a filter? Interesting concept.

I wouldn't recommend it sounds like asking for trouble. I did have a xenia fuge until I moved to a SPS dominant tank.

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by fish.freak

I wouldn't recommend it sounds like asking for trouble.

Precisely I don't have a good opinion of Mr Calfo sometimes

[fish.freak]

Originally Posted by Gilraen Took

But the tank was set up to run skimmerless Which is what really made me think about it. I'd be a 20 gallon, and the bottom of my stand is set up to carry a 10 gallon and I figure I can just use the 10 I have now as the sump. All that guy has is a 20 gallon draining into a 5 gallon rubbermaid.

Also, something I was considering is saving up and going for clams. Someone on another forum I'm on was saying that when she(he?) had a 75 gallon that she had clams in it and if she started to get a rise in nitrates that she'd add another and it would usually get better. With the 150 watt halide on a 20 gallon tall, I should have enough light. And they are really pretty <_< And I think I have read someplace that xenia/anthelia is good at taking crud out of the water too? Could I do a barebottom sump with a frag of that tossed in and just do like with the macro and rip a chunk out and give it away when it starts to take over? I know it wouldn't do NEAR the job that the macro does(and the clams do?) but I'm assuming it couldn't hurt, and besides, it'd make the sump look a bit more attractive since my stand is open, so it'd be visible all the time.

A 20 w/ a 150 MH should be enough for clams, but dont forget to add extra calcium with a kalk drip. Clams can be tricky so please do some research on their needs prior to picking one up.
Making the sump/fuge a part of the display would be cool, but may be a PITA. Also having cheto and Xenia in there may get tricky as the floating cheto could block the light to the corals.
If you cant find a 20 pre drilled you could get a small hob overflow to do the job. good luck, and dont forget to make a build tread with lots of pics.

[Gilraen Took]

Yup, I've got a 65 watt pc that'll be on there for the chaeto anyway. And since the tank stand is completely open it'll look better even if the xenia doesn't do much

I've read about using aiptasia in a sump as a filter, but the only problem(if I remember correctly) is that there isn't any real foolproof way to keep any of it from migrating to the display and stinging your desirables.

[fish.freak]

Thats was i was thinking

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by Gilraen Took

I've read about using aiptasia in a sump as a filter, but the only problem(if I remember correctly) is that there isn't any real foolproof way to keep any of it from migrating to the display and stinging your desirables.

That is why I wouldn't try it. I have the same fear about putting macro algae (any kind) in my sump setups. Fear of it migrating to the display.

[Gilraen Took]

I like my chaeto because of that. Since it really doesn't root to anything it can't really become a pest like caulerpa(I HATE THAT STUFF!!!!! I've NEVER gotten any for my tank before, and yet I've got some in my tank that I probably got on a piece of rock that I'm still trying to pull out >=( )

I also didn't realise that there were 2 pages of this when I made my response last night :P I'm not going to be doing this for a bit. I know I can't get my hopes up, but there's still a tiny chance that we'll be moving Sometime, and I'd rather keep the 10 gallon as the only salt tank for a while longer until I figure out if we are or not. I'd hate to set up a new tank and have to move a week later. Plus money is still an issue with any upgrade, so I'll need to be setting some aside every month until I get enough.

I'm going to research clams before I get one too. I'm still not set on owning one, but if I do I want to be prepared to take care of it

[Gilraen Took]

*smacks head*

Okay, so I know that if I use a 20 gallon tank 1 150 watt mh would be enough. But if I used a 29 instead would it still be enough, or would I need at least a second bulb? I only ask because I'm just about ready to start scaping my 29 gallon planted tank and if I could get away with only one bulb on that one, I'd probably just toss it into my 20 gallon and wait until I get the money and use the 29 as the reef instead.

[fish.freak]

the 150 would do ok on the 29, except for near the edges would be lower light.

[Gilraen Took]

That's good to hear. Now to just find out from my plant forums if I really MUST get pressurized co2 if I go that route. I'd have a 65 watt pc light over a 20 gallon tank, and would be adding excel and ferts, but I don't know if that'd be enough, or if I would end up fighting algae non-stop because I was trying to stuff too much light on with a sub-par source of carbon. I've seen a lot of people say that a tank can/will be fine with it, but other people have told me only up to about 2-2.5 watts per gallon. XD

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by Gilraen Took

That's good to hear. Now to just find out from my plant forums if I really MUST get pressurized co2 if I go that route. I'd have a 65 watt pc light over a 20 gallon tank, and would be adding excel and ferts, but I don't know if that'd be enough, or if I would end up fighting algae non-stop because I was trying to stuff too much light on with a sub-par source of carbon. I've seen a lot of people say that a tank can/will be fine with it, but other people have told me only up to about 2-2.5 watts per gallon. XD

If you want to be able to regulate the amount of CO2, then a pressurized tank with regulators is the only way to do it without having a place to dump CO2. That is from my own experience with my FW Planted tanks which I was dosing with CO2. I made a DIY CO2 thingie with yeast and sugar. I ended up putting a T on the out line and having to dump the excess production to be able to control how much was going into the tank. If you don't dump it, the bottle will just build up pressure.

[Gilraen Took]

Yeah. I was told to try the excel and to get a diy bottle going if it wasn't enough. That it would "most likely" work, heh. If not I guess I could always skip to the not-so-nice looking low light plants and a 50/50 bulb that would at least make my fish look nicer XD But I DO assume that since I've always had the problem of not being able to keep my fish alive that a 29 would be an easier way to do that than a 20 would be.

Oh, also, how "low light" would the edges be? Would it be enough to keep anything alive, or would I be leaving a barren area with nothing growing in it along those edges? Could I keep something like a cup coral and some candy canes along the outer edges of the rocks if I planned it right?

Oh, and I Think I came up with a good stock list. 1 saddled blenny(about a 3" one) and 2-3 chalk bass. Or maybe 2 of each. Something along those lines anyway

[OneDummHikk]

DIY CO2 producer, you take a 2 liter bottle and drill a hole in the top to insert an air line into. Put 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon yeast, fill it with water, shake it good. Run the tube to the intake of a pump, not directly into it, but so that the bubbles get pulled into it. The pump will, hopefully, shred them up and dissolve them into the water, then dump it back into the water. The issue I had with it was trying to control the CO2 introduction. I ended up putting a T in the line, one side to the tank and the other to a control valve to control how much was going into the tank. It finally got to the point where it was such a pain that I got rid of it.

Low light edges will depend on the reflectors, bulb length, and some other things. The best suggestion would be to simply try it, and move them to where they are happy in the lighting.

[Gilraen Took]

How about instead of fooling around with that I cover part of the bulb with a bit of foil? Heh. I got that idea from another forum last night. . . It'd at least save trying to make the co2 bottle?

And in the 29, would there be any way to maximize the spots the light hits? Something like sloping the rock from the outside corners in, or to have a pile in the middle going lower as it goes outwards?

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by Gilraen Took

How about instead of fooling around with that I cover part of the bulb with a bit of foil? Heh. I got that idea from another forum last night. . . It'd at least save trying to make the co2 bottle?

And in the 29, would there be any way to maximize the spots the light hits? Something like sloping the rock from the outside corners in, or to have a pile in the middle going lower as it goes outwards?

I would be careful about the heat issue if you wrap the bulb. The light fixture I had on my 10G tank was sitting on a piece of glass, with no ventilation. It ran for about 3 weeks and then the fixture itself went up in a puff of smoke. Something to consider.

I would go with the canyon look first. Then, your eye gets drawn to the edge of the rocks. With the mountain look, your eye will get drawn to the rocks instead of whats on them.