Newbie

[X-fish]

I have a Sandra Maxi for almost a year. Had the same problem for the 1st 2 weeks. U have to play with the air-flow....try to open fullest & get as much fine bubbles u can. Then slowly adjust it to the right level. Usually I adjusted it till there was no excess bubbles going out from the water inlet. Hope I'm not confusing u. BTW, what's yr fish load & Sal?

Cheers

[X-fish]

Ah Boi,

What's yr budget? If possible, go for the biggest tank u can afford & don't save on equip. Trust me, u will regret if u try to save small $$$ here & there on equip. I learnt my lesson.

Also suggest yr do some reading before u start.

Cheers

[divinesloth]

X-fish, I'm currently cycling my tank. 3 dead prawns and 4inch sand, nothing else. Salinity is 1.022? Something like that. You mean I have to adjust the air flow till the foam stop spilling out from the side? Is that the inlet? I'm totally clueless man I'm not even sure if I assembled it right. Sigh []

[X-fish]

divinesloth,

Yes, the "inlet" is where water goes into yr cylinder (or whatever u call that) which is somewhere near the water surface. How long have u cycle yr tank?

Not sure whether it is also a good idea to cure some LR in yr tank at the same time. I cure mine separately in a QT.

Do u mind telling me your complete tank setup? Just curious though

[divinesloth]

I am planning to keep a fish only tank so no plans for any live rocks or corals. Preferably just DSB and water. The equipments i'm using are :

- 2x1x1ft tank
- 1 hang on top mechanical filter connected to a powerhead (does it suck? does it aerate water?)
- 1 Sander Maxi Skimmer

The tank has been cycling for 1 week with 3 dead prawns.
Is my process correct? I'm planning to keep just 1 porcupine puffer and maybe another 2-3 clowns.

Btw, the air bubbles don't seem to go beyond the base of the skimmer cup so how to fill the cup with wastes?

[X-fish]

divine,

Even a FO tank can have LR. Infact, LR have many advantages like providing add'l food source for yr fish, some kind of bio-cycle for the tank, interesting living creatures on it, etc etc. Try to have some LR, both u & yr fish will love it. I started the exact same setup like u. Now upgraded to a 3ft Reef Tank & hope to upgrade to a 4ft soon.

Yr current setup is ok....but may need frequent water change (at least 2 weeks once for 10-15%) if that's all the fish u are prepared to keep.

Turn yr skimmer air-flow full blast. U shld have very wet foam building up & going into yr collection cup. Then slowly adjust it down, very very slight adjustment please. Btw, are u getting very fine bubbles? If not, something is wrong.

[divinesloth]

X-fish

yes I'm getting very fine bubbles but they seem to flow just below the cup. To enter the cup it has to flow almost to the top of it right?

Hmm...live rocks...aesthetics leh. A plain tank looks better than a tank with few pieces of rocks. It also take up abit of space and a 2ft with the skimmer and powerhead is like quite pack already ;p

Alright, maybe I'll add just 1 or 2. Do I just dump them in while cycling?

Thanks for the help man! []

[X-fish]

Divinesloth,

Leave it full blast & wait for a while, check it again after an hour.

Just dump the LR in.

Btw, do u have a undergravel filter for yr DSB?

[X-fish]

divinesloth,

There's a 2nd hand eheim 2215 canister on sale in singnet classified. U may want to consider. Selling at $60+.

[Ah^boi]

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On 1/2/2003 7:25:57 PM

hmmm .. can i see a few pictures oF ur tank? a general picture , then pictures of those filters , skimmers , etc .

now, i think i gonna buy about 4 - 5 fishes , put them in a "container tank" and try to keep them alive. if thats my case , what special conditions or precautions should i take? (most probably clown fishes and damsels {they are so cute!})

what food do they eat? will they fight? etc.. ?
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erm .. Kelstorm ?

[Ah^boi]

i think i gonna test out with a small tank 1st ... maybe a 2 litre tank ...
to keep the fishes alive ...

i still feel quite confused ... over equipment wise ... so i think i start with books and a small tank.

ur need to help me ok?

[DragonGoby]

Please don't. You'll kill the fish.

Do as X-fish says, start with as big a tank as you can. It's never a mistake.

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On 1/3/2003 7:35:04 PM

i think i gonna test out with a small tank 1st ... maybe a 2 litre tank ...
to keep the fishes alive ...

i still feel quite confused ... over equipment wise ... so i think i start with books and a small tank.

ur need to help me ok?
----------------

[X-fish]

Ah Boi,

Not sure if u are directing yr last 2 msg to me. Anyway, no pic on my setup because I don't have a digital camera....all the $$$ went to the tank. I'm using UGF with 3" SB, 1 Eheim 2028, 1 UV sterilizer, 1 Eheim Surface Skimmer, 1 Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer, 2 Powerheads for UGF.

And yes, will try best to help u whenever I can, though my knowledge & experience is limited.

Don't think u can keep too many damsels & clown in 1 tank. They are very territorial. U can try 2 damsels at diff size. Same for clown...but at least not too fierce & kill each other. But don't try to put Maroon clown & other clown inthe same tank. The Maroon will chase after the rest ofthe clowns.

Good luck.

[Ah^boi]

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On 1/3/2003 7:47:05 PM

Please don't. You'll kill the fish.

Do as X-fish says, start with as big a tank as you can. It's never a mistake.

----------------
On 1/3/2003 7:35:04 PM

i think i gonna test out with a small tank 1st ... maybe a 2 litre tank ...
to keep the fishes alive ...

i still feel quite confused ... over equipment wise ... so i think i start with books and a small tank.

ur need to help me ok?
----------------

----------------

er ... how come?
eh .. anyway .. i go library borrow some fish booKs ...

[kelstorm]

now, i think i gonna buy about 4 - 5 fishes , put them in a "container tank" and try to keep them alive.
pls.. how long have u setup your tank? do a proper setup. read the most impt aspect of the the marine tank keeping..the nitrogen cycle.. i cycled my tank for 4-8 weeks. if u think marine is like FW, boy are u mistaken.. dun waste your money on it.. do a proper setup and then wait for it to be stable b4 dumping in your fish. i wun even recommend u to do that first... if u persist in those actions of yours; such as getting them and putting them in the container tanks, it is your call... i wun say anything else. chances are, ur setup is gonna fail on u and it will be an expensive lessons

[kelstorm]

Since this thread is for newbies ;p thought I'd crash in with a question on skimmer. I just got a sander maxi skimmer few days ago and so far no gooey stuff on the cup leh. My tank consist of only 4inch sand, filter and some dead prawns for ammonia growth. Is my skimmer not working or is it because my water has no stuff to filter into the skimmer?
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a protein skimmer removes dissolved organics.. which include wastes.. now, i presume that your tank is in cycling mode.. nothing much to skim.. give it time.. actually, in my case, i did not put in my skimmer till my livestock is in.. [:]

[kelstorm]

er ... how come?
eh .. anyway .. i go library borrow some fish booKs ...
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yes.. pls do so..

[kelstorm]

Infact, LR have many advantages like providing add'l food source for yr fish, some kind of bio-cycle for the tank, interesting living creatures on it, etc etc. Try to have some LR, both u & yr fish will love it.
besides that, LR also help in the filtration as they have the bacteria within to help in the denitration of the wastes.

[kelstorm]

divinecloth, can u set a new topic on this... tks..[]

[kelstorm]

Btw, do u have a undergravel filter for yr DSB?
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pls... UGF is very outdated.. do without it.. unless you are just using the plate to allow oxygen to flow and assist the bacteria in the DSB to multiply.