Finally Ready to fill the new tank (Need your opinion)

reefcartel

reefcartel

New member
After weeks of construction and electrical wiring, I can finally get ready for day 1 of filling this tank up with water.

Compared to how I always set up my tanks Im going to try out different things and I may need some suggestions.

For corals: I am planning to do a mixed Reef (LPS dominant) want to incorporate some BTAs and Softies.

Fish: Wrasse, Copperband, Tang, Clowns, Anthias,


My set up:

-190 Total Gallons (Glass) Square
-Bottom Drilled holes
-40 Gallon esshop Sump
-Vertex 180i
-Apex Lab grade system
-Vortex Mp40 and Mp10
-x2 Ai Sol Vegas
-x2 Kessil 360N
-Zeovit Reactor (ULNS)


Questions
I was planning to go Bare Bottom with only DryRock. For those of you that do this, do you think this is a better idea?

Should I start the Zeovits system immediately?

For lighting, Will x2 Ai Sol Vegas and x2 Kessils be sufficient enough? or over kill?

Calcium reactor or Doser?

View attachment 6896
Front Side in Living room
View attachment 6897
Back side/Sump Cabinet in Garage
View attachment 6898
Vertex Omega 180i and 6 Stage RO/Di
View attachment 6899
40 Gal Sump
 
IMO, many people go w/ bare-bottom for nutrient export purposes. they trade the beauty of the sand to keep their nutrients in check. If you're going to go zeovit then you don't need the benefits of bare-bottom. So go with sand, but try to stay around 2-3 inches deep to avoid future potential deep sand bed problems. Also, I would not start the zeovit until after the tank has cycled and you establish the dead rock naturally. It is good to have a natural biofilter work in tandem with zeovit. if you start the zeovit from day-one you won't build up much of a natural filtration which you'll need to avoid a cycle or crash if the zeovit ever goes offline. If you want my honest opinion, don't go with the zeovit system. Keep it simple and traditional. the fewer points of failure you have the less likely you will be to experience issues. Regarding the calcium reactor, that boils down to your personal preference but is something I'd consider at a later date, if needed. many LPS tanks can be maintained with water changes, especially in the beginning. Dosing 2-part or kalk might be all you really need once your LPS get larger but on the other hand there is a lot to be said about the "set it and forget it" benefits of the reactor, plus the stability factor is attractive if you head into SPS. IMO, I think Ca reactors are best suited for sps tanks with high demand otherwise overkill.

Regarding the LED's...don't have an opinion.
 
EricTheRed said:
IMO, many people go w/ bare-bottom for nutrient export purposes. they trade the beauty of the sand to keep their nutrients in check. If you're going to go zeovit then you don't need the benefits of bare-bottom. So go with sand, but try to stay around 2-3 inches deep to avoid future potential deep sand bed problems. Also, I would not start the zeovit until after the tank has cycled and you establish the dead rock naturally. It is good to have a natural biofilter work in tandem with zeovit. if you start the zeovit from day-one you won't build up much of a natural filtration which you'll need to avoid a cycle or crash if the zeovit ever goes offline. If you want my honest opinion, don't go with the zeovit system. Keep it simple and traditional. the fewer points of failure you have the less likely you will be to experience issues. Regarding the calcium reactor, that boils down to your personal preference but is something I'd consider at a later date, if needed. many LPS tanks can be maintained with water changes, especially in the beginning. Dosing 2-part or kalk might be all you really need once your LPS get larger but on the other hand there is a lot to be said about the "set it and forget it" benefits of the reactor, plus the stability factor is attractive if you head into SPS. IMO, I think Ca reactors are best suited for sps tanks with high demand otherwise overkill.

Regarding the LED's...don't have an opinion.
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Thanks for your input. Some ppl have been telling me to start zeoVit upon set up because Zeobac, zeostart and sponge power accelerates the bio filtration?? Im confused lol
 
reefcartel said:
Thanks for your input. Some ppl have been telling me to start zeoVit upon set up because Zeobac, zeostart and sponge power accelerates the bio filtration?? Im confused lol
Click to expand...

In my honest opinion it may very well speed up the biofiltration process but regardless of whether or not it does, it's still good practice to introduce multiple bacteria strains for long term longevity of the reef. I myself have always dosed Prodibio products and have had great success with them, that includes their Start Up kit. At the same time I have no problem introducing some Microbac7 or other bacterial agent during the life of the reef. Some people add shrimp, some dose bacteria to start, either way you are introducing a bacteria, it's just important during the life of the reef to introduce multiple strains so you don't have a monoculture.
 
I'm saying starting with zeovit is fine, nothing else is needed from the start, just don't hesitate to introduce different strains of bacteria throughout the life of the reef tank.
 
oh okay gotcha. Is microbac7 a good product? how often should I introduce more bacteria and is there a limit to how much is introduced?
 
r33fswagg3r said:
it's just important during the life of the reef to introduce multiple strains so you don't have a monoculture.
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this was my thought about adding the zeobac etc from the start. However, I am not an expert on the zeo process so if the experts are recommending it then I wouldn't discount their advice.
 
Also, the shrimp is used to generate ammonia through it's decay for those who want to have a fish-less cycle. It is not related to bacterial strains.
 
Thats where I was getting a little confused..The shrimp can initiate the ammonia spike and die off for the cycle right?
 
Oh no, you go to the grocery store and buy some raw deli shrimp and put them in a small media bag. They will rot and produce ammonia. Adding live shrimp would not do you any good :)
 
3-4 shrimp should be good. just make sure you have them in a media bag because they putrefy after a week or so.
 
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