New tank help

[Ghxst]

Hello all! I dont have one problem I have several and just want to get back on track. My RBTA is about to split again in my 34g tank. It did this last year (now ill have 3) and due to increased toxicity killed off a bunch of mushrooms and Zoas (my tank is all sps'ish now, no problems except for half my tank dedicated to anems and the sps and anems *** to face in a border war). I built my 45g tank with sump/ref last month and got my dried rock cooking in a brute container so i can have a 45g anem tank. Last night a bunch of things went wrong and figured it was time to start the move but am second guessing on everything.

1st: The 45g has 3 year old sand in the ref and 7 year old live rock in it, does this still count as a new tank because I will be adding "dead" rock? I don't want to rush anything but the anems are taking over! Just like last year my tank is getting real dirty and over night the corals look sad, except the goni frag.

2nd: My skimmer (not sure on the brand it just has a sticker that says B&K) broke at the collection cup while trying to empty it. It is such a clean break from the skimmer and cup I wasnt sure what happened at first but the black acrylic that the cup attaches too snapped off the skimmer. Can I use acetone on this or an acrylic glue? I read that it could be polycarbonite. Do I even need a skimmer for 3 anems, 2 clowns and live rock?

3rd: Lighting for rbta? I have t5 pc and cree leds in the 34, the 45 will have 2 double bright marine land 36" on it until I can get something better. Will this be enough to hold me off for a month or 3?

I think thats it for now, everything else I figured out last night from previous post. Sorry if there are already answers on here covering this, a link to them would be great too! Also It was nice to meet some of you at reef stock, my job has been crazy until this month so I will have a lot of extra time now that I only can work a few days a week. I have over 200 pics of everything salt water from the last 3 years, up till last night with a broken skimmer. I cant wait to go throu them and share!

Thank you!

 

[daverf]

Here are my thoughts. I won't bother answering 3 - plenty here have way better knowledge on that than I.

1.
When did you add the rock/sand after starting the system, and how long have you been cooking the dried rock? I would not rush adding any livestock to a tank unless you've measured and fully confirmed no trace of ammonia or nitrites. I would not add live rock to an existing setup unless you test same for it (from its cooking bin, bucket of water, or whatever). Otherwise, you're still cycling or will restart a cycle. Bad for fish, death for most inverts that you add.

Also, how deep is the sand bed, and did you clean the it before adding it to the new 45G? If you didn't, and it came from another fuge, I'm worried it was used as a deep sand bed before, which can bring issues with it if they are not mitigated. If you're not running it as a DSB, you may want to scoop some out and smell it (sulfur odor could be bad).

2.
A skimmer is always good, especially with fish and no corals. I do know you can use weld-on 16 acrylic cement to safely fix any acrylic (it will weld it back together). If it's a clean break, you can use that or some other acrylic safe product (just Google to make sure it is also reef safe).

 

[Ghxst]

1. I used new coral substrate, on the bottom of the dt, I didn't want sand again. I added it the day I set it up. I also used cleaned sand in the ref with 2 cups active live sand from the 3 year tank, also added same day with 1 large live rock. The Tank last week registered 0,0,0,0. I also have a lucky Chromis in the tank, hes doing fine chilling out and eating happy. I added him after last weeks readings. his entire pack was killed by the 14" anems arms.
The live rock was dried in the sun and stored for about 1 year and has been in the container with heat and flow for about 1 month. The test last week came out 0, 0, 0, 0. I will retest Saturday for week 4.Everything came from my tank, so no surprises.

2. I may replace the sump and skimmer at once for something more proven. If I cant I will try that!

Thank you, Ill get more data and pics by this weekend.

 

[Ghxst]

[attachment=64200:name] heres my frags im trying to save from the anem beast! This was taken 3/4 right after reef stock

 

[daverf]

Can someone answer 3 for Ghxst?

1. Sounds to me like you're ready to throw the cooked rock and livestock in the main tank.

2. Weld on is cheap on amazon. May as well use what you got, for no more cost, and upgrade later - that's what I'd do. You don't need much skimmer power if you keep the livestock load light.

Frags lookin' good!

 

[jahmic]

How deep is the tank? I can't remember the exact numbers, but I put a PAR meter under one of those marineland double bright LEDs and was fairly unimpressed with their output...those LEDs on that fixture are only 1W each.

 

[Ghxst]

Its a horrible tank, its about 2 ft deep. I was going to make rock towers or arches just so they can get to light they need. The tank is 36" wide x 24" tall and 12" front to back.

 

[greeneyedgirl]

New tank help

Run carbon. Use 2 part lock tight epoxy or you can use Devcon 5 minute epoxy for the skimmer.

 

[Smiley]

i would actually use acrylic glue over the 2part epoxy... the 2part wont hold up over time.

 

[Mav]

I have some weldon somewhere, let me look for it

 

[Cake_Boss]

Re: New tank help

Location? I have some Weldon #4 you could use if you're near foco

 

[Ghxst]

What a weekend! Our landlord dropped off a fridge and washer and dryer right after I got our garden prepped and took off 2 inches of top soil for 500sq ft saturday. I was so exhausted and blister ridden I didn't want to even look at the tank. If i had I might have averted the mishap that ensued. I put bags of carbon in my live rock container and tank (in the ref). Im not sure how but both bags broke, my tank was so dark it looked like a TV. Ive been cleaning it up all weekend, next time I run carbon i will triple bag it! The cooked rock just has carbon on it, no problem, Ill shake it off when I transfer. As for the Skimmer, I cant get the jammed piece out for the life of me. I did get some stuff to put it back together thou, thank you for the offers!!

So once I get this thing un-jammed I should be able to fix it. Here is a pic:

[attachment=64229:name]

 

[Ghxst]

Any suggestions on how I can twist the broken piece out? I soaked it in vinegar, used pliers, used leverage, tried hulking it, and even froze it in hopes it would shrink. All i did was put some scratchs and nicks in it with no budge. I suppose I will have to sell some stuff to get a new one. I love this hobby :wall:

 

[Mav]

Looks like the whole thing needs to spin 1/8 turn or so. Freezing it will just make everything shrink. Try holding the lower half in hot hot water with pliars.

 

[dakota1972]

Re: New tank help

As far as 3 you've seen my nem tanks, I run a Cree led fixture over them and have gray growth and color I do run light for ten hours a day.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ghxst]

A few blood blisters later I finally got it off!!! I put it in hot water, with little budge, then soaked it in dr brommners magic soap, (thus the blood blisters since the pliers slipped and I had the death grip on it crushing my finger, yeah im a dumb as$) and decided to get two vice grips and hulked it ( didnt want too cause of the damage but oh well). I am sure the hot water had the best effect, thank you for the suggestion. Soaking it released a bunch of particles which I think is what built up locking it up.

One question, the black appears to be polycarbonite and the clear acrylic, will that require something different than weld on 4?

As far as the lighting, I want to do Cree LEDs. Until then I hope the ones I have wont starve them. I have t5 and crees on my small tank now and they love it. Is there a particular unit you could suggest that is economical but not junk?

 

[Ghxst]

Thanks again for all the help!! I cant wait to post the final product!!!

 

[dakota1972]

Re: New tank help

If you look at my 90 in the fts section I have a Chinese led over it and the Nems love it as well. I know you can find them on eBay for aims 160

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

 

[daverf]

LOL. I hear ya. Gave myself mallet finger when I was doing fish tank stuff. Sucked!

You should presoak your carbon before you use it. Most put it in a cup (pitcher etc) of RO water for 24 hours. Then shake or wash it off in more RO water. That will get most of the dust out.

 

[Ghxst]

Another dumb mistake I made, I soaked the carbon in a bucket of RO DI water for 2 days, but I didn't shake it or rinse it good enough, doh! The skimmer was pulling a ton of it out but when I broke the cup off I think some blobs of it fell in the, I dont know an am speculating cause all I could see was red. It must have recirculated

I was inspecting the rock last night in the brute and found a hungry hungry hermit that had to have hitched hiked on my good established rock I put in there last week to seed it. Thats a great sign I would think.