Kevinmc

I'm Kevin, ie, "Mean Face Daddy" My tank is newly set-up, thanks to a few of the members of the club, craig, for the great deal on the 90 GAL, stand and two canopies. It has been a year in the making. I used live sand and live rock from one of the members that takes down tanks every now and then,...thanks Reef-Fisher, and finally I bought my skimmer and pumps from Albany Amazing Aquariums, Fishy-man in Albany, thanks Roger. I guess I can say that I'm stupid, because I a taking it slow not planning to rush the process and end up with a big pain in my a@@. WHAT I HAVE 90 GAL 45 GAL Sump/Refugium Catalina Skimmer Catlalina 1800 Skimmer Pump Catalina 2300 Return Pump 2 Light Fixtures 4 Bulb Each w/ 2 1200K 65 Watt Daylight 2 1200K 65 Watt Actinic True Blue 2 Moon Strips 2 200 Watt Ebo Heaters 100+ Pounds Live Rock From A Few Different Tanks 100+ Pounds Live Sand From A few Different Tanks LIVE STOCK 4 FLAME SCALLOPS 4 EMERALD CRAB 1 ARROW CRAB 30 VERY SMALL BLUE LEG HERMIT CRAB 50 SNAILS VARIOUS SIZES AND TYPES Will post pics within a few day, addtional lights will be purchased in a few week. I am in the process of reading up on T-4, T-5, and MH, but I am only going to buy light one time, one or the other. I currently have (CPF) 500+ Watts, all lights are 12000K. I value your input on a lighting choice, so please send me a PM. Thanks Kevin

I don't know that I made my very clear about the used sand. So, maybe I am not getting the best responds. This sand was not dead in a bucket, it was in a sump with lights and pump, it had brown and reddish alge on the sides of the sump. It was live sand with starfish and other life in it, it was just needing a good cleaning. I think that regular cleaning were neglected in the cleaning department. There was a saltwater smell with no odor, just a lot of dark brown cloudy merc that settles. I think that I will just use a suction vac and dump the water into the skimmer as I clean it. Does anyone have a idea of a good sand sifter that will help maintain the sand bottom? (scratch) I may put a few in to go to two, they just need to clean where the flame scallops are not getting, like under the sand. I am not concerned about the water, because I I have tested my water for more then a few weeks the only thing with any reading is the following. (scratch) Salinity 1.026-1.027 PH 8.0-8.2 Nothing else has a reading as of yet, so I am just guessing that it will be fine until later. (scratch) Ammonia is 0 Alkalinity is Normal Nitrate is 0-0.05 Nitrite is 0 So with those reading I may have a concern down the road, and I don't plan to fill it full of fish today and tomorrow. I am going to take it very slow to see what is going to happen. I currently have 4 flame scallops, 4 emerald crab, 1 arrow crab and tons of snails. To sacrifice for the sake of testing the water I put 2 damsels in and that are all doing fine. Hey, thanks for the reply, I will do more reading to see it I can find an answer to my problem. DOH! Thanks Kevin (rock2)

Hey, Just a quick question about buying used live sand. If it is used mixed live sand from a few tanks and it has a medium to dark brown water on top. 1. What is that a sign of? (scratch) 2. With a good rinse, then stir it while in the tank and skimming, will that help? 3. I have added bagged coral rubble with bacteria added over the top, will that change anything with the quality of the sand being put into my tank? 4. Is there a product that is out there the is a good bacteria that can be added on top like after water changes if some of the other sand is later removed? I am concerned about good health, water quality, and healthy sand. Can anyone help out? Thanks Kevin

Toasted Emerald Crab Yes, emerald crab did not make it. They only were out of the store about six hours. What could have gone wrong?

Thanks for the reply, I was just asking because I purchased 4 flame scallops, 1 arrow crab, 30 very small blue leg hermit crab, and 4 emerald crab. I bought them last night around 5 PM, and waited until I got the kid to bed about 10 PM. Then I started to aclimate all live stock and did so for about and hour. Well, everything is still alive except the 4 emerald crab. What do you think went wrong? My tank was se-up about a week ago, I skimmed my used live sanduntil it was clear. My live rock and live sand came for a tank taken down. Now odor was present, but sand was pretty dirty. This is why I vaccumed and skimmed the sand for a few day andcontinued to stir the sand about every few hours. The water is just a little cloudy in the tank, but in a secondary container it looks great. 1. Could this emerald crab have been sick? 2. What do I look for in the other inverts in the days to come? 3. Is this common with inverts. 4. Should I purchase from another shop, I do not believe these crab were in the shops water. The crab just arrived yesterday around noon, and I picked them up around 5 PM. I did not remove the crab from the bag when not sign of life was seen only 6-8 hours later, only water was transfered from bagged water, to my tank, and my tank to the bag. Thanks Kevin

What is the longest that you can hold over inverts and fish after purchasing them? I am having time issues do to kids, and I just purchased this evening?

Hey Guy's I am just getting ready to add more to my clean-up crew and I have been reading, and hear that some inverts do not go well together. Can you tell me if snails of all types and sizes will be okay with very small blue leg hermit crab? I am planning to add empty shells in my display tank as a place for them to hang out. The blue leg hermit crab are about the size of maybe half of your little finger nail. I was thinking of putting two in my refugium with the snails, and the other 20 or so in my 90 GAL. display tank. I just wanted to check before I did it. Thanks Kevin

I have a 45 GAL. tank used as my sump /refugium and I am wanting to add more light then my current 10,000K CP tube light fixture that sit end-to-end on top of my tank. I am looking to have an assortment of plants in my refugium and my returm section. What is the most cost effective lighting to fit this need? I was planning to add one 6500K for the refugium and one for the return section that I plan to fill with plant life. Thanks Kevin

I would like to join in on this question as a newbie. With my 45 GAL glass aquarium with my refugium in the center. I am looking for lighting that will be better for growing plant life. I currently have a 10,000K compact, which is laying along the top of the tank. I am concerned about cost, and with the refugium being 15 wide X 12deep X 15 tall, I am not sure what light is enough. I tend to think, more is better, manybe I'm wrong. Thanks Kevin

Thanks Nyles, I will just put a 1/4 tube on it and put it outside the tank with a cap on it for easier accesss later. I am a newbie, and I bought this skimmer used for $50.00 from a local shop that has helped me get into the hobby. I have been just running my sump/refugiun for about a week with about 20 snails of different types. I have just wanted to check it all out before going to quick. I have about 5+ pounds of live rock in my skimmer section, 10 pounds in my refugium with a 1 1/2 " base of used sand and new coral beach w/ bacteria added. This is in a 45 GAL glass aquarium divided into skimmer,refugium,and return. One more question. Can I, or should I add live rock to my return, or leave in empty with just water? (scratch) Thanks Kevin (rock2)

I have a question about skimming and my skimmer. I have a Catalina skimmer, "I think it is an 1004"? anyway, on the top of the skimmer at the base of the top water keeps coming out of a small port that looks like for a 1/4 connection. I can not find what this is for, do to buying this skimmer used, what would this be for, and where do I plumb the 1/4 tube when I hook it up? Also, is it okay to drill a small hole in the skimmer cup on the top to drain scum to a container? Thanks Kevin

(rock2) (clap) Finally got it up and working. Now I just need to know how much like rock to place on top of my 1" of used live sand, with 1/2" to 3/4" of fresh live sand from bag. Any good ideas of how much live rock, and do I need to crush any of it at all to bring more life to my refugium? Thanks Kevin (nono)

Thanks for the help,and advise, I will read more before I go much further. What I am wanting to do is this. 1. trurn a 45 GAL glass aquarium into a sump/refugiun using an external skimmer. 2. I want a nice refugium that will do it job for all of the room that I have in the 45 GAL, and enough room for ample return sump. Aside from the skimmer, how can I divide the remaining 35-40 GALS. If anyone has a good Idea, please post an let me hear your ideas so I can set this up this weekend. Sorry for all of the confusing posts, I'm a newbie just wanting more then a 10 GAL sump/refugium. Thanks Kevin

I am looking to build a Sump/Refugium out of a 45 GAL glass aquarium and I want to know if I can divide the remaiming portion after the skimmer box into 2/3's refugium and 1/3 sump for return to the tank? I believe that I have my overflow problem addressed (threaten) it better not overflow, I will finishing testing when this is divided. Thanks Kevin (plotting)

Can you recurculate back into your skimmer? I know that they make recurc. skimmers how do they work and are they worth the money? or can you use tubing or pipe to plumb the water back into the skimmer for a more efficient method? I am just wanting to rid myself of problems due to particulates being to consintrated to be removed in just one past through. What about a top water oil skimmer? Can the be effective? I am new and don't want problems, and have my wife always nagging about how much I spend and the water is not always "crystal clear". Any good knowledge will be better then my lack of knowledge in the area. Thanks Kevin

Hey, I am in Albany and have been looking for a way to clean my sand that I purchased from a club member that came from a few different tanks. But it has a lot of brown heavy merc that looks like muddy water. However, it is full of life and I am not going to rinse it or vac the hell out of it. Just looking for something to eat thee waste or uneaten food, not really sure what it is for sure. Thanks Kevin

Sand Cleaners and Brown Merc "WASTE"? I am looking for good combination of sand cleaners that will be benificial for sand that I purchased from a club member that had tons of life in it, but, it looked like it needed better filtration or needed something. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that I purchased this sand. It is filled with dime starfish, snails, and other this that I don't know what they are yet. I just want something that will clean what looks like waste that has settled in the bottom and it is going on three day and the water is still looking dirty, not cloudy. What could I put in to eat this brown merc that lingers. I hate to filter the water because I would like to keep anything benificial that is in the sand and not have life lost that is in the sand. I am not looking for something to turn my tank up-side down, but to enjoy eating tons of what appears to be waste and leave all living creatures in the tank. I am going to pick-up some snails today, just thought that I would ask before I go to the shop. Thanks Kevin (scratch)

I am trying to build my first sump/refugium out of a 45 GAL. glass aquarium to pair with my 90 GAL tank. Questions 1. Can I use and undergravel filter in the sump/refugium in the three sections. Skimmer Box, Refugium, and Return? Or only in the skimmer box and refugium, but not the return? 2. How much room do I need in my skimmer box for an external skimmer, and what else do I really need to have in that section. 3. What size do I need to make each section of this 45 GAL. sump to get the most out of it? 4. I would like to be able to recurculate back through the skimmer later when the tank gets where it needs more maintance to reduce water changes and heavy build-up in the bottom of the tank?

I am looking for information on undergravel filter and skimmer combo. Would it be possible to go from your skimmer, to your skimmer sock, then to a container of live rock for water to use as a bio filter before going into the refugium? If so, could you then recurc. the water through pvc with a ball valve back out of the refugium and into the skimmer again, and working back through again to the sump and up through the return to be oxygenated and pushed through the undergravel filter and then into the tank? Is that stupid, or what? (scratch) I am wanting to try to design and build a proto to test this. I want to try to take my sump/refugium to the next level by being able to use the ball valve to single or double pass through the skimmer. I am not planning to use the undergravel filter in the entire 45 GAL. sump/refugium, just the refugium and sump return would be undergravel with pvc if possible. Thanks

I am a newbie and I was wonder if these would hold over while my tank is being set up. I have a total of 6, 30 GAL rubbermaid totes and water was just mixed yesterday afternoon. If not, could I get enough water to hold them over for a few days to about a week? I am new so bare with me please, I am hooked already. Thanks Kevin (rock2)

I just thought that I would ask, I thought that it might be a stupid question, but hey, what does it hurt to ask. My 45 GAL. refugium/sump is 36" wide, X 22" tall X 12" deep. I then have 8 1/2" width to spare X 12" deep X 22" tall that I could come up with in my stand. I guess that if I made an acylic box as a sump to put the skimmer in to place a skimmer and filter sock into. Then what about a pre-filter with live rockbefore going into the refugium that could be as much as 2/3 's of the 45 GAL. sump. Is this a better idea? I am just wonder then if keeping the skimmer out of the sump and gaining that extra room if that would be more helpful in creating more room in the sump. (nutty) I know for myself, if I plan this right it will make life much easier and my wife won't be on my back about water quality and clearity. In doing it this way, what is the least I can get away with in a 45 GAL. as the return portion of the sump? Thanks for your help for a newbie Kevin(rock2)

D.Y.I Sump/Refugium (plotting)I have often wondered if it would be helpful to recurculate through the skimmer twice, and back through the refugium twice before going to the out and back into the display tank? I am new to all of this, but it seems to me that if you utilize the skimmer for double duty, and into the refugium twice, that you are ending up with a more thuro cleaning of the water. Is that not what the sump is intended for? I am not claiming to know anything, I am just asking a question. If something is dirty we clean or wash it. Sense people use RO, or RO/DI units to strip water of many different things, why would we not run through the skimmer twice and through the refugium twice, before we return it to the display tank? I am going to try this on my 90 GAL. display, and my 45 GAL. sump/refugium to see if it cuts down on water maintainance and water changes. Maybe it will buy me a few extra days, and maybe with less residue and micro particulates being returned to the refugium and display tank. Is this stupid? (nutty)

Thank you for you reply. I am looking to hopefully learn from all of the "mistakes" that others have made in the past so I can make better use of my time to be able to contribute in other ways. I am thankful that knowledge is not lacking in this club, it really helps new guys like myself get into this hobby. Kevin

45 GAL. refugium setup questions I have had this question myself. I have a 90 GAL to set-up as a reef with a 45 GAL as a sump/refugium and I am looking for information on the best ideas of setting this one up. I am open to the years of experience that all members have. I need pros and cons on skimmers, I am undesided on internal vs. external, also configuration of the refugium and return section. How would I know what would be the best size for each of the areas to be. My 90 and 45 sump are not drilled so I will do that first is it is needed before moving on to the next step. Thanks Kevin e-mail is better for me as I don't read all posts to find my answers. kevchrismccarthy@msn.com

Where Do You Live Somewhere near the dreadful city of Albany. Starting 90 GAL reef w/ 45 GAL sump/refug. I am new and need help and information. Thanks Kevin