Captain Squid
Reefing newb
Well Ive been bitten by the bug, coral fish, I cant stop! Someone help me! :mrgreen:
Learning a LOT as I go along, biggest lesson is, THIS DOESNT NEED TO BE EXPENSIVE!
75 gal tank, trumpets, candy canes, frog spaws and zoos, other stuff I cant recall right now.....
What I found after buying a wet dry sump on the advice of my LFS ( PetZone in Pittston ) is that wet dry sumps with bio balls really stink. 600.00 later, the nitrates were climbing and I dont over feed! Water changes15% every 3 - 4 weeks. Water is crystal clear yet the nitrates wouldnt go down. he tells me dont worry, nitrates no big issue. ???? HUH ????
Well for fish not so much but Im trying to get my coral to grow like mad so I can roll this into a side business to fund my future expansion! ( dont tell my wife lol )
The LFS says add this add that, it will help. Yeah it helped, HIS bank account!
So finally I took the balls out. Put them in a bucket of clean fresh RO/Saltwater. Did a nitrate test. 60... an hour later it was 80!!
Called him the next day, told him I was disappointed in his advice and wanted to return this for a wet sump, like I originally wanted. Now he only wanted to give me 50% credit. Ive had it 6 weeks and spoke to him constantly about the nitrates climbing. Another 50.00 spent in additives......Oy ve... and at the end he wouldnt make good. Sad to say but the little guy with customer service like this MAKES people go to places like Drs Foster and Smith! At least you know you can return it!
So to top it off, I bought some coral from a guy with a 210. I asked to see his fitlration setup. A Rubbermade storage bin with live rock and a drop in filter sock that he spent 15 bucks on plus return pump , a homemade protein skimmer that he spent 8 bucks on and a calcium reactor. This guys tank was the Cats Meow! Loaded with fast coral so big I couldnt believe my eyes. had a head of trumpets the size of a basketball, a leather coral that reached from the bottom to the top ! Amazing. No additives, nothing. The calcium reacotr, the sump and skimmer and monthly water change and thats it. He doesnt even do water test but twice a year!
Live and learn. Dont get sucked into the additives and pricey equipment!
Learning a LOT as I go along, biggest lesson is, THIS DOESNT NEED TO BE EXPENSIVE!
75 gal tank, trumpets, candy canes, frog spaws and zoos, other stuff I cant recall right now.....
What I found after buying a wet dry sump on the advice of my LFS ( PetZone in Pittston ) is that wet dry sumps with bio balls really stink. 600.00 later, the nitrates were climbing and I dont over feed! Water changes15% every 3 - 4 weeks. Water is crystal clear yet the nitrates wouldnt go down. he tells me dont worry, nitrates no big issue. ???? HUH ????
Well for fish not so much but Im trying to get my coral to grow like mad so I can roll this into a side business to fund my future expansion! ( dont tell my wife lol )
The LFS says add this add that, it will help. Yeah it helped, HIS bank account!
So finally I took the balls out. Put them in a bucket of clean fresh RO/Saltwater. Did a nitrate test. 60... an hour later it was 80!!
Called him the next day, told him I was disappointed in his advice and wanted to return this for a wet sump, like I originally wanted. Now he only wanted to give me 50% credit. Ive had it 6 weeks and spoke to him constantly about the nitrates climbing. Another 50.00 spent in additives......Oy ve... and at the end he wouldnt make good. Sad to say but the little guy with customer service like this MAKES people go to places like Drs Foster and Smith! At least you know you can return it!
So to top it off, I bought some coral from a guy with a 210. I asked to see his fitlration setup. A Rubbermade storage bin with live rock and a drop in filter sock that he spent 15 bucks on plus return pump , a homemade protein skimmer that he spent 8 bucks on and a calcium reactor. This guys tank was the Cats Meow! Loaded with fast coral so big I couldnt believe my eyes. had a head of trumpets the size of a basketball, a leather coral that reached from the bottom to the top ! Amazing. No additives, nothing. The calcium reacotr, the sump and skimmer and monthly water change and thats it. He doesnt even do water test but twice a year!
Live and learn. Dont get sucked into the additives and pricey equipment!