Oops I'm a fish owner

[SpaceCowboyMDK]

Hi All,

I randomly inherited an established tank a few weeks ago. It was a fish only setup. Now that I've relocated and stabilized it, I'd like to convert it to a coral tank. I've had a couple weird things going on so I'm giving the digest below and if you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

My current setup:
- 65 gal main tank
- 30 gal sump tank, wet-dry refugium using bio-balls and cloth filter
- crushed coral 1" sand bed
- fake rock and 10 lbs live rock

Critters:
- 1 fox face
- 1 brown tang
- 2 clowns
- 4 hermit crabs

Copper Issue:
When I got it, the original owner mentioned he used copper to heal the fish. I've heard this is toxic to crustaceons, coral, and live rock so I'm working to remove it. I've had activated carbon in there for 2 weeks, I later added the hermit crabs. I added the live rock a few days after the hermit crabs. The copper is below 0.1 and I've replaced the activated carbon with CupriSorb. The tank has had at least 2 50% water changes since I've had it and the copper was used a few changes before I took over.

Other Chemicals:
My salinity (1.029), nitrate (40), and phosphate (5.0) have been a bit high. The main assumption is due to using tap water so I'm start to cycle in LFS water.

So... on to my questions...
The bio-balls are gnarly and slimey so I'd like to get rid of them. It sounds like a protein skimmer is the way to go. I've started bundling the bio-balls in stockings so I can phase them out as I add in live rock. But to add the skimmer, I would like to reposition the 'dummy' walls in the sump.
- Does anyone have any tips on how to glue in plexi-glass to make waters for the filters and what not?
- Is one type more fish-friendly than another?
- How do i tear out the current walls?
- Is it safe to put coral in a DSB in the sump, after the protein skimmer, before the reflow pump? I figured this would provide high-flow but I'm not sure if planton would be caught by the skimmer or if I would have to directly feed the coral and somehow defeat the purpose of the skimmer...

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[Eienna]

Do not remove the bio-balls all at once. If you want to clean them out a bit, swish them in tank water in a bucket, but keep in mind they house a LOT of the bacteria you want to keep. If you do choose to remove them, do it slowly over time (not sure how much to tell you to remove at once.) Keep a sharp eye out for ammonia spikes while doing this, which will indicate you've removed too much, and DO NOT add livestock while you're in the process of removing them.

You really should have added the live rock after the copper was completely gone. Try not to add any more until then. Best to replace the fake when the copper's gone, as well, and before removing the bioballs.

Coral probably will not do so well in your sump, simply because of the lighting. Be sure to learn more about coral before buying any.

I cannot, sadly, answer at all about the plexiglass.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Welcome to the community! Great to have you

~CI

 

[SpaceCowboyMDK]

Hi Einna and Santa,

Thanks for the feedback. I know I know! I shouldn't have added the live rock yet but that was my first mistake... :X

I've cleaned the bio-balls up without using non-tank water, everything still alive but I'll be retesting the water tonight. (fingers crossed) I'm thinking I'll replace the crushed coral sand bed, live rock, and fake rock, prior to removing the bio-balls.

For anyone else reading this thread, I've found a couple of useful links regarding building the plexiglass walls. The correct search term is 'aquarium silicone' and there is already a compilation of safe and toxic ones linked here: http://albertaaquatica.com/?showtopic=36149

Also, this link provides some good recommendations for how many baffles to add depending on how you're filtering things. http://briansaquariumcare.com/customfiltersumps.html

My sump is out in the open and visible so I think I can easily light it and enjoy coral in it, and maybe some aggressive fish that needs to be isolated like a seahorse. I'll try to add some pictures later.

 

[SpaceCowboyMDK]

Most of this silicone requires 24 hrs curing time... Do you think my fish could handle a day without the sump cycling?

Maybe I should do I water change right before I start?

 

[Eienna]

Depends on what you've got in there...if you can point a couple of powerheads toward the surface, it should be all right. Just don't let anything in the sump dry out, as it will be housing a lot of your beneficial bacteria.

Get a half-decent test kit before you do anything else - at least for ammonia and nitrite. Avoid strips, as they can be dangerously unreliable.

 

[KJ]

Depends on what you've got in there...if you can point a couple of powerheads toward the surface, it should be all right. Just don't let anything in the sump dry out, as it will be housing a lot of your beneficial bacteria.

Get a half-decent test kit before you do anything else - at least for ammonia and nitrite. Avoid strips, as they can be dangerously unreliable.

 

[Eienna]

Your main issue in the main tank with the sump not running is going to be oxygen. Keeping the powerheads pointed toward the surface, to agitate the surface of the water, will help a lot in that regard.

 

[SpaceCowboyMDK]

Ahh good call. Didn't think about the oxygen...

Here's a few pics of the setup. The top of the tank is about 6'. The middle is the exposed sump and refugium. Water comes in on the right side, runs over the felt pad, and onto the bio balls before hitting the baffles in the middle (black foam pad as material filter), pump, heater, and cuprisorb on the left. Bottom level is storing supplies but could have additional tank added in chain one day...

 

[Eienna]

So exactly what are you trying to achieve with this filter? I'm thinking refugium and skimmer sections? Unless you're a fairly handy DIY-er I would actually recommend buying one made for the job rather than trying to mod this one. You will need to switch out the spray bar with a filter sock & holder, and I imagine put the skimmer in that compartment. The new baffle should be just after the first, starting at the bottom, reaching the height you want the water level to stay. You might put another between your return pump and refugium section to keep from sucking up your macroalgae and whatnot. That will also start from the bottom.

 

[SpaceCowboyMDK]

So the entrance to the spray bar comes from an overflow tank in the top left corner. Inside that cavity, there is a foam filter before it feeds the spray bar.

My thoughts are to tear out the middle baffles and create two sets of baffles. On the left would be the return pump, on the right would be the input and protein skimmer, in the middle would be a DSB with a few corals and ideally a seahorse.

I'm pretty crafty, I'd prefer to climb threw a few thorns.

 

[Eienna]

Sounds like it might work, though it would be a tight fit to get everything in there. I wouldn't recommend a seahorse down there, as they really get too tall and would bother the corals trying to hitch on them.

 

[Eienna]

Seahorses need a good 20-30 g minimum, I think, and that sump will not give one the space once it's baffled.

 

[spspirate]

Welcome to REEF2REEF!!!!

 

[SpaceCowboyMDK]

Hmmm, alright. So no seahorses.. yet.

I guess the big thing I need to figure out before I rebaffle the sump would be selecting the right protein skimmer. Have you seen anything that is 12" or shorter for 60+ gallons?

Everything I stumble across seems to be in the 18" range.

 

[Eienna]

I have to be honest, no, not really. I love my reef octopus but no idea if it comes in the size you need.