PH Marine Fish Tank Thread
Discussion
Hi Guy’s, I was just wondering what Nitrate test kits you are using and how you rate them?
I’m currently using Salifert, but I don’t have much confidence in them.
I set up my first marine tank about 6 weeks ago & ever since my first test I’ve had really high nitrate reading, started at 50 and quickly rose to 100+ within a few days.
Went to my maidenhead aquatics this weekend to get a second opinion, their JBL test kit said that it was only between 30-40 (Mine is still 100+).
The tank is not currently stocked with anything yet, obviously wanted to get a handle on the Nitrate before stocking the clean up crew.
I’m currently using Salifert, but I don’t have much confidence in them.
I set up my first marine tank about 6 weeks ago & ever since my first test I’ve had really high nitrate reading, started at 50 and quickly rose to 100+ within a few days.
Went to my maidenhead aquatics this weekend to get a second opinion, their JBL test kit said that it was only between 30-40 (Mine is still 100+).
The tank is not currently stocked with anything yet, obviously wanted to get a handle on the Nitrate before stocking the clean up crew.
Roastie ITR said:
Hi Guy’s, I was just wondering what Nitrate test kits you are using and how you rate them?
I’m currently using Salifert, but I don’t have much confidence in them.
I set up my first marine tank about 6 weeks ago & ever since my first test I’ve had really high nitrate reading, started at 50 and quickly rose to 100+ within a few days.
Went to my maidenhead aquatics this weekend to get a second opinion, their JBL test kit said that it was only between 30-40 (Mine is still 100+).
The tank is not currently stocked with anything yet, obviously wanted to get a handle on the Nitrate before stocking the clean up crew.
Salifert are supposed to be one of the better brands - I use JBL, mainly as it came in a neat all in one case and will test pretty much everything.I’m currently using Salifert, but I don’t have much confidence in them.
I set up my first marine tank about 6 weeks ago & ever since my first test I’ve had really high nitrate reading, started at 50 and quickly rose to 100+ within a few days.
Went to my maidenhead aquatics this weekend to get a second opinion, their JBL test kit said that it was only between 30-40 (Mine is still 100+).
The tank is not currently stocked with anything yet, obviously wanted to get a handle on the Nitrate before stocking the clean up crew.
I had a huge problem with Nitrates in my 125l tank, it didn't seem to harm the fish much, but Algae was always a battle. I bought a reactor kit off eBay - basically a canister full of porous media, a small pump, and let the water go through the canister very slowly - the exit pipe dripped about 2 times per second back into the tank. It's the oxygen-less environment that makes the bacteria reduce Nitrate.
Just realised how long it has been since I updated this, or the UR thread. I have a phosphate reactor in place, and showing a trace on tests. I've also fitted an automatic temperature controller in place, when the doors are closed in the kitchen the temperature can rise quite a bit, and it's not summer yet - I've got black out blinds installed now, so hot days shouldn't be much of a problem - hopefully. I also have a 40 litre refugium compartment in the sump with a deep sand bed to reduce nitrates, similar principle to the reactor with slow flow and low oxygen levels in the sand. It also has a lamp that is growing cheato-algae, again to naturally reduce nitrates and phosphates. The added bonus is that I have a good population of copepods and amphipods - micro-shrimp that are free fish food. I'm struggling a little with red slime algae - cyano, but it's easy enough to siphon out. Now that the fish are feeding healthily and I have a regime that ensures even the slowest get regular food, I am cutting down feed times.
Stock - Couple of flasher wrasses, 10 chromis, mimic filefish that looks just like a Valentini puffer, two Naso tangs, Orange shoulder tang, sailfin Tang, magnificent fox face, a spawning pair of grumpy gobies, three lyretail anthius, and some cardinals. Corals are predominantly softies - zoas, palys, mushrooms and various star/daisy polyps. I've got a couple of LPS corals - hard skeletons, with large soft polyps, but after losing a nice big hammer for no discernible reason, I'm keeping away from them for the time being.
I've heard good things about Siporax, but the key is apparently to stack it into columns if there are too many large voids between the pieces, it can harbour nitrates, rather than remove them. I've not used it myself, but know a few people who do.
I was told that if you can learn to look after a small tank, then a big tank is easy as it is chemically a lot more stable.
But a bucket load more expensive.
I'm looking at getting a UVC steriliser, as certain Tangs can be prone to parasites - for most "large" tanks it's about £100-£150. I'm having to look at the TMC commercial range that they supply to retailers...
I was told that if you can learn to look after a small tank, then a big tank is easy as it is chemically a lot more stable.
But a bucket load more expensive.
I'm looking at getting a UVC steriliser, as certain Tangs can be prone to parasites - for most "large" tanks it's about £100-£150. I'm having to look at the TMC commercial range that they supply to retailers...
Dragging up an old thread, but I'm about to dip my toe into salty water...
Having kept mainly tropical planted community tanks for quite a few years, my old trigon 350 had to be broken down a couple of years ago due to a house renovation and redesign that meant there was nowhere for it to go.
Had a few friends (two couples) that we'd not seen for a while over for a bbq a couple of weeks ago, one let on he'd just upgraded a marine tank we didn't know he had - to a 650l!
Turns out, both blokes have quietly setup marine tanks over the last couple of years...
So, after a detour with the missus to check out both tanks (both looking great) my missus has decided I really should setup a mixed reef. So a recently broken down fluval m90 has been purchased for 25 quid and a pint. Result. Except it has no equipment... The Mrs is thinking it can't be much more expensive than the freshwater setups!
It'll be a while before getting wet - seems this is the perfect excuse for the better half to redesign the recently redesigned and renovated living room. Corner sofa is going apparently, which will free up a wall. M90 takes up a mere fraction of this wall, so upgradeitis has kicked in before I've even got the first tank wet...
Long term plan is a long, wide, shallow softy/lps setup. Don't want to be buying kit for the m90 for it to be useless on the bigger tank, so lights and skimmers are currently being investigated. Thoughts are currently aiming for hydra26 led pendants, as more can be added at a later date and WiFi will sync and control the lot. Anyone running these?
Skimmer - is it possible to 'overskim'? I'll be modifying the fluval to run a sump, so could fit something like a bubble magus curve 5 which should be sufficient for the bigger tank when it comes...
One big advantage - my front door is 75m from a beach with water classed as 'excellent'. Guess water changes will be free, although I am thinking of a UV setup to ensure no nasties.
Having kept mainly tropical planted community tanks for quite a few years, my old trigon 350 had to be broken down a couple of years ago due to a house renovation and redesign that meant there was nowhere for it to go.
Had a few friends (two couples) that we'd not seen for a while over for a bbq a couple of weeks ago, one let on he'd just upgraded a marine tank we didn't know he had - to a 650l!
Turns out, both blokes have quietly setup marine tanks over the last couple of years...
So, after a detour with the missus to check out both tanks (both looking great) my missus has decided I really should setup a mixed reef. So a recently broken down fluval m90 has been purchased for 25 quid and a pint. Result. Except it has no equipment... The Mrs is thinking it can't be much more expensive than the freshwater setups!
It'll be a while before getting wet - seems this is the perfect excuse for the better half to redesign the recently redesigned and renovated living room. Corner sofa is going apparently, which will free up a wall. M90 takes up a mere fraction of this wall, so upgradeitis has kicked in before I've even got the first tank wet...
Long term plan is a long, wide, shallow softy/lps setup. Don't want to be buying kit for the m90 for it to be useless on the bigger tank, so lights and skimmers are currently being investigated. Thoughts are currently aiming for hydra26 led pendants, as more can be added at a later date and WiFi will sync and control the lot. Anyone running these?
Skimmer - is it possible to 'overskim'? I'll be modifying the fluval to run a sump, so could fit something like a bubble magus curve 5 which should be sufficient for the bigger tank when it comes...
One big advantage - my front door is 75m from a beach with water classed as 'excellent'. Guess water changes will be free, although I am thinking of a UV setup to ensure no nasties.
I don't think you can overskim, but most skimmers, certainly the BM C5 are adjustable enough to cope with smaller tanks.
AI Hydra - look how many shops run them! - Great lights, either singly or as a system. I looked at them myself, but needed 4 of them to cover my tank and the budget didn't stretch that far.
Natural Seawater (NSW) is a contentious subject - some swear by it, others are dubious, some swear at it. Living in Sheffield, it's not something I have to think about really, but I still feel more comfortable with synthetic salt mixes as I'm not sure the micro-organisms and trace elements around the British coastline are ideal for tropical corals and fish. Just my unscientific opinion though.
LPS/SPS tanks do take a lot of time to set up and monitor, test, does etc. If it's your first marine, I'd think about starting with softies in your first tank, and get to learn about the water parameters, how KH, SG, temperature, PH, calcium, magnesium and temperature etc all affect each other. I started with a 120l tank, and worked on the basis if I can control a small volume of water, a larger volume will be much more stable, and therefore easier. To a degree this was correct, however my tank is well into supersize territory, which brings a whole host of different problems. Most of the kit available in local shops only caters up to 6-700l size. Anything 1000l upwards is into commercial products.
For starting out though, there are loads of facebook buy & sell groups where all the usual products can be sourced much cheaper, but also plenty of help available. Like any online resource though, you still need to filter fact from opinion!
We also looked at a full feature tank - 8ft wide, around 1750 litres, but the costs are disproportionately higher than anything up to 6ft. Budget on £500 per foot up to 6ft, and £1000 per foot beyond that to the point it is ready for livestock.
And if you are on joists, you will almost certainly need strengthened for anything 600l+ That was a cost we didn't account for beforehand...
I must update my tank thread - been a while, and a lot has changed. Coincidentally it was a year ago this week that it was delivered and installed.
AI Hydra - look how many shops run them! - Great lights, either singly or as a system. I looked at them myself, but needed 4 of them to cover my tank and the budget didn't stretch that far.
Natural Seawater (NSW) is a contentious subject - some swear by it, others are dubious, some swear at it. Living in Sheffield, it's not something I have to think about really, but I still feel more comfortable with synthetic salt mixes as I'm not sure the micro-organisms and trace elements around the British coastline are ideal for tropical corals and fish. Just my unscientific opinion though.
LPS/SPS tanks do take a lot of time to set up and monitor, test, does etc. If it's your first marine, I'd think about starting with softies in your first tank, and get to learn about the water parameters, how KH, SG, temperature, PH, calcium, magnesium and temperature etc all affect each other. I started with a 120l tank, and worked on the basis if I can control a small volume of water, a larger volume will be much more stable, and therefore easier. To a degree this was correct, however my tank is well into supersize territory, which brings a whole host of different problems. Most of the kit available in local shops only caters up to 6-700l size. Anything 1000l upwards is into commercial products.
For starting out though, there are loads of facebook buy & sell groups where all the usual products can be sourced much cheaper, but also plenty of help available. Like any online resource though, you still need to filter fact from opinion!
We also looked at a full feature tank - 8ft wide, around 1750 litres, but the costs are disproportionately higher than anything up to 6ft. Budget on £500 per foot up to 6ft, and £1000 per foot beyond that to the point it is ready for livestock.
And if you are on joists, you will almost certainly need strengthened for anything 600l+ That was a cost we didn't account for beforehand...
I must update my tank thread - been a while, and a lot has changed. Coincidentally it was a year ago this week that it was delivered and installed.
Cheers Steve!
Funny you should quote price per foot - I've just been into the excellent Maidenhead Aquatics on my route home (Crawley branch)... Excluding tank/stand, skimmer, rock, sand, the price comes to:
£1650 for a three foot. So just over the £500/ft.
However, I have overspecced on everything - hydra26 lights with WiFi controller, vortech mp10es, calcium reactor/PH probe, etc. 0% credit is handy too.
Not ready to get the kit just yet - pick the tank up tomorrow, need to get rid of current sofa and replace it/drill tank for sump/sort rcd power sockets, etc.
Aim is to get ready for kit by the end of the month, another month of dry setup, decide what ceramic rock configuration I want for my aquascape, then get wet end October when I've some time off as my better half is having a fairly chunky operation she'll need a nurse for. Livestock should start arriving for Christmas.
Current stocking plans are:
Ricordea and zoa garden on a rock 'boma', taller curved 'lagoon' at other end with hammer/torch and possibly plating montipora, blastos and clam on sand.
Pistol shrimp/goby pair, firefish, clown pair and small group of Indonesian wreckfish.
I'm fairly confident of maintaining parameters to ensure healthy livestock - managed to breed wild discus in the past!
I'll keep updating the thread as things happen - possibly thinking of a Web-blog that uses the tank as an analogy for the methods I use for my business, which if accountant is amenable drops the cost a bit!
Missus has already said she wants a bigger tank, thinking at the moment is to aim for a 4'x3'x18" which works out a smidgen over 500l. Add sump and I should be fine for floor loading, but BiL the builder will be consulted! Should only need to add an extra hydra52 and another vortech of I go that route...
Funny you should quote price per foot - I've just been into the excellent Maidenhead Aquatics on my route home (Crawley branch)... Excluding tank/stand, skimmer, rock, sand, the price comes to:
£1650 for a three foot. So just over the £500/ft.
However, I have overspecced on everything - hydra26 lights with WiFi controller, vortech mp10es, calcium reactor/PH probe, etc. 0% credit is handy too.
Not ready to get the kit just yet - pick the tank up tomorrow, need to get rid of current sofa and replace it/drill tank for sump/sort rcd power sockets, etc.
Aim is to get ready for kit by the end of the month, another month of dry setup, decide what ceramic rock configuration I want for my aquascape, then get wet end October when I've some time off as my better half is having a fairly chunky operation she'll need a nurse for. Livestock should start arriving for Christmas.
Current stocking plans are:
Ricordea and zoa garden on a rock 'boma', taller curved 'lagoon' at other end with hammer/torch and possibly plating montipora, blastos and clam on sand.
Pistol shrimp/goby pair, firefish, clown pair and small group of Indonesian wreckfish.
I'm fairly confident of maintaining parameters to ensure healthy livestock - managed to breed wild discus in the past!
I'll keep updating the thread as things happen - possibly thinking of a Web-blog that uses the tank as an analogy for the methods I use for my business, which if accountant is amenable drops the cost a bit!
Missus has already said she wants a bigger tank, thinking at the moment is to aim for a 4'x3'x18" which works out a smidgen over 500l. Add sump and I should be fine for floor loading, but BiL the builder will be consulted! Should only need to add an extra hydra52 and another vortech of I go that route...
S11Steve said:
I was told that if you can learn to look after a small tank, then a big tank is easy as it is chemically a lot more stable.
But a bucket load more expensive.
I'm looking at getting a UVC steriliser, as certain Tangs can be prone to parasites - for most "large" tanks it's about £100-£150. I'm having to look at the TMC commercial range that they supply to retailers...
That is correct, the more water you have the slower swings will occur (well, generally speaking).But a bucket load more expensive.
I'm looking at getting a UVC steriliser, as certain Tangs can be prone to parasites - for most "large" tanks it's about £100-£150. I'm having to look at the TMC commercial range that they supply to retailers...
It can be rather more expensive indeed, but frankly these days with pumps, skimmers and lights a lot cheaper to buy and run, it is more efficient. Furthermore, it is easier to keep a larger tank due to slower variations in parameters.
What tangs are you looking to get and what other stock - i.e. SPS/LPS and more importantly, what size tank? IME and IMHO tangs do fine in tanks which are suitable sized and stocked.... To the extent I've rescued a Regal that wiped out two tanks, never got whitespot at all in mine....
Jasandjules said:
What tangs are you looking to get and what other stock - i.e. SPS/LPS and more importantly, what size tank? IME and IMHO tangs do fine in tanks which are suitable sized and stocked.... To the extent I've rescued a Regal that wiped out two tanks, never got whitespot at all in mine....
I've got two Naso, a Sailfin, orange shoulder and Tomini Tangs at the moment, with an Achilles and Kole on the wish list. I have the usual assortment of clowns, lyretail anthius, gobies, file fish and blennies. A 110w UV is on the way, slowly, from TMC. The tank is 1200l, and had a refugium with cheato and billions of 'pods for the Mandarin.
We've built it up slowly and only lost two dwarf angels and an anthius all to the aggressive gobies when they're spawning. No illness or nasties yet, touch wood.
6x3x2.5 with a full length and height swimming area at the front. the Nasos came as a "bonded pair" that had been together in a similar size tank for months prior to us having them. Originally we only wanted one, but when we saw them swimming in tandem, we thought it would be unkind to split them. As soon as we took one out of the display tank, the other was looking very stressed and frantic. Out she came too, and back home with us.
They are a great pair, very placid and can be hand fed. They also recognise both me and my partner, if anyone else looks in the tank they initially hide and darken up before gingerly emerging from their cave! They don't bully anything else in the tank, and still mooch about as a pair. They do occasionally bicker like an old married couple, so we have named them after the in-laws. I'm watching them right now eating a strip of Nori with one at each end like Lady & the Tramp.
They are a great pair, very placid and can be hand fed. They also recognise both me and my partner, if anyone else looks in the tank they initially hide and darken up before gingerly emerging from their cave! They don't bully anything else in the tank, and still mooch about as a pair. They do occasionally bicker like an old married couple, so we have named them after the in-laws. I'm watching them right now eating a strip of Nori with one at each end like Lady & the Tramp.
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