Hi and some questions

[ReeFGeeK]

Well first of all i would like to say hello cause im a new member here on the board and second i would like to ask a question. I have a 150 gallon tank i know its set up totaly wrong compared to how yall are setting them up now days so i was seeing what yall recomend. The specs are-

150 gallon dual overflows
4x55 watt PC's
170 pounds LR

1-2 in, of sand

bioball filter, turboflotor skimmer

naso tang
salfin tang
regal tang
clown fish
sand siffting star

xenia
frogspawn
toadstool
tree leather
fuzzy mushrooms
greenstar polyps
green and red open brain

now for the question how do i make this tank better i mean nothing really grows its just there i want to have a ecosystem that grows and is healthy i want to have some SPS corals too but was thinking maybe a SPS dominated tank so that leads to the next question im planing on getting this really cool 60 gallon cube tank this summer should i move the soft corals to it and make the 150 SPS or make the 60 SPS but right now i need the most help to get this tank growing and healthy.

ReeFGeeK

[Aragorn]

Heya ReefGeek!

First, allow me to welcome you to Reefland! Lotsa helpful people 'round this neck of the woods.

Anyway, for starters I would consider increasing the depth of your sand bed. This will help with your filtration. Perhaps a bit more Live Rock as well. If you're gonna go w/ SPS corals(acro's?) then upgrading your lighting will be a must. I run MH's augmented w/ VHO's which works for me.

For filtration, I would lose the W/D filter and go w/ a sump/refugium/skimmer solution....JMO.

Oh yeah, that Naso might outgrow your tank real fast. They need lotsa room. FWIW. Again...welcome my friend.

[scubadude]

I basically just wanted to say Welcome to Reefland ReefGeek!

I would have said everything that Aragorn did say...Upgrade them lights if you want your little jewels to start thriving. And after you add some sand you might want to seed it with lots of worms and pods from www.ipsf.com

[Northman_with_reef]

Welcome...

You'll prbbly need some trace elements and calsiumehydroxide......

And stronger light...

Thomas

[ReeFGeeK]

Well i apreciate all of thehelp and the nice welcomes i have a lot of thinking to do im thinking with the situation im in id be better steping down to a smaller tank as i cant barely keep up with a 150 and i kinda like smaller tanks anyways well i will be posting away soon with more and more questions so look out

ReeFGeeK

[organicreefer]

reefgeek,what are youre ca/ alk levels?what about you nitrates?
do you add supplements?
how often do you do water changes?
i think youre lack of "growth"is most likely related to youre water parameters.
the more info you provide,the more help youll recieve

[ReeFGeeK]

actually ive never tested the parameters on this tank i add calcium,iodine,and reef essentails once a week umm last time i did a water change bout 2-3 months ago im just going by what the LFS tells me i am supose to do the reason i say im thinking bout selling the tank one i have no money to keep this big of tank two i would rather have a nicely set up smaller tank then a big tank thats set up wrong and three i still live with my parents cause im in school and when i move i doubt i will be able to have this big of a tank in an apartment if see any resons why i should keep this tank let me know cause i really love but its just so darn hard to take care of i really like reefing when i had my 60 but this thing has just been a headache since day one

ReeFGeeK

[organicreefer]

ime a smaller tank isnt really that much easier to take care of,can be quite the opposite..............
but no matter what size tank you want,you need to test youre water parameters and dose accordingly,preferably with a two part buffer /kalk combo,imo.
first things first ,if you want a successful tank,get a SALIFERT alk/ca test kit immediately.either a ph moniter /or test kit(not critical short term,but very helpful in the long)would be good too.nitate test kit couldnt hurt either.
you might have to mail order the test kits..so i would immediately
do a 1/3 water change i think youre long over due...perhaps even another,smaller one, a few days later.....this will help get youre levels "back to normal" i suspect they are all screwed up.
get youre test kits and post back here with youre results....in the meantime stop dosing anything,and do those water changes.,,we can "fix" youre tank,im sure of it.

[ReeFGeeK]

Ok i will take your advice and do a water change this weekend and i will oredr the test kits ASAP. Umm i didnt know a bigger tank was easier but i guess it will be easy as soon as we get it set up the right way huh? Well i am in love with the tank so ill keep it as far as taking the balls out and doing a refugium can i do this in the sump i have now? also what kind of lighting would you recomend me upgrading to i want something nice and already in a enclosure ill probably stick with soft corals for now but would like the abilty to put clmas in if i wanted to.

ReeFGeeK

[Reefland]

Welcome to Reefland!

If you are willing to wait a bit on some test kits (until the auction closes), you may be interested in this thread: http://www.reefland.com/cgi-bin/foru...threadid=6276.

Scott Z.

[Firefish]

Hi ReefGeek, Upgrade those lights and add some sand. I didn't read all the replys so I'd assume this is old news I know you’re the world’s most leading authority on what you like but I think you would be happier in the long run if you stuck with your large tank…Ya cant beat the stability of a larger tank ;)