• Launch our mini-sea (40x45x53cm

  • Melissa

2

Alejandro

There shouldn't be any problems with the light; basically, consider 1 watt per 1 liter of water. Although, in my opinion, the shape of the aquarium is very impractical—I'd be happy if you prove me wrong. Regarding dry reef rocks (S.R.K.), take all the live rocks (J.K.) you can; you won't have many, so it won't hit your wallet too hard. But the filtration and microflora of the aquarium will be much better and more stable. Plus, arrange the rocks in a way that looks nice, like a pyramid going up, to optimally use the space. You can also add two Ocellaris clownfish.

Angel628

The aquarium is not really suitable for the sea, it has a lid (it will overheat) and there is no osmosis yet... What are you planning to start with? Tap water? Then why start at all? What's the TDS in Kyiv - 400? Are you going to create a marine plant tank with filamentous algae? P.S. It's a bit unclear. I started without osmosis - but with distilled water from the pharmacy, and then I used osmosis water until I set it up at home. (100 USD on the forum without a tank and post-filter)

Devon107

Well, there was a topic about the aquarium logo, how to start it without osmosis. Read it, it's an interesting topic, and what it turned into.

Beth3383

Off-topic, do you think I haven't read it? The water is cleaner there, and Polina still has the osmosis system anyway.

Melinda2740

well, the beginning was the same)

William1830

Remove the word "time" and replace it with "priority." Also, it is a priority to buy a TDS meter to check water quality.

Jamie3553

Sanya, don't scare the person, everything will be fine with his temperature, he'll put a couple of coolers in the lid, and everything will be okay.

Ricky9405

It's better to buy 5 kg of live rocks; the volume is small, and I think it's just right for the setup. Right now, there are fresh live rocks available in Kyiv, and you can come by to choose the stones you like. It's better not to skimp on live rocks; it's been proven.

Brandi

There may be good dry stones that over time become similar to J.K. (living stones), but from those I bought online, even after six months in the aquarium, the difference is noticeable. So I agree with the advice.

Crystal4879

You can also start with live water, especially since you have plenty of sailors in Kyiv. You can go to them, I'll take a couple of bottles, and they will give you about 40 liters of water from my aquariums. It will be easier for you, and the startup will go faster.

Amanda5586

I didn't say that it doesn't work at all - I spent last summer with a lid myself, which is why I say "the option isn't great." The cooler will lead to increased evaporation, which "without the presence of osmosis" at home will create inconveniences. Off-topic, my 140 liters under a lid with a cooler (though the blade diameter was 15 cm) "evaporated" 4-6 liters a day in the summer, especially since the topic author also has LEDs there.

Michelle9986

I also think that without having an osmosis system, it will be a hassle. First, buy an osmosis system, and you will drink it yourself, and your aquarium will thank you; the prices for them are reasonable right now.

Patricia1746

Hello everyone again! We have started the process of salting the water. Today we went to get 3.5 kg of rocks and 2 kg of salt. We are very pleased, there are a lot of impressions, the rocks are fresh, and a bunch of creatures came out when we were playing with the arrangements. Now we are salting the water (Reef Crystals), we poured in distilled water, the temperature is 26, and the water density is 1023. We turned on the pump, let it mix until about 3 a.m. (it will be a sleepless night), at 3 we will add the carbonate powder to the bottom, and we will turn on the filter for about an hour. And we will place the live rocks, closer to morning.

Heather

What is this flour and what is it even for?

Charles4157

Calcium carbonate for reef aquariums. Hydrocarbonat is an exclusively natural product and serves as a filler for calcium reactors, biofilters, and hardness-increasing filters. It is also used in marine and Malawi/Tanganyika aquariums as substrate. Calcium carbonate is essential for all aquariums with a pH level above 7.0. It maintains the natural balance between calcium and carbon dioxide. In calcium reactors, when CO2 is supplied, it dissolves completely and remains in the water as calcium bicarbonate.

John

Why are you advising something you don't know about? Have you been to the company? There is only one aquarium with normal water, and most likely no one will drain anything from it. As for taking water for the setup from the other aquariums... dead fish in the tanks, rotting corals, it's better to collect water from a puddle. These are holding tanks.

Anthony4281

Is it really that bad? Well, it's clear that the fish are dying, but why are the corals decaying? ......... I think it won't be difficult to find 40 liters of live water in Kyiv; you can go to the Central Aquarium, they will definitely have water, or you can contact someone from the forum and make arrangements.

Courtney

I am all for reverse osmosis, but my first 300-liter aquarium was filled with bottled water, delivered by a service that brought 20-liter bottles to my home. There are several such services in our city, and of course, we checked for nitrates before making a choice... So if you can't buy a reverse osmosis system right away, you can find a temporary solution.

Christina9947

Yes, guys, he's telling the truth about the fish. We were also surprised that quite a lot of fish are "swimming upside down." P.S. As for the aquarium, last night, closer to morning, around half past three, we added some stones and played around with the arrangement for a long time. Here's what we ended up with: The temperature is 25 (although yesterday it confidently rose to 27..), the cooler did its job, and the salinity is 1023. Among the illegal residents, worms and eggs were spotted.

Darrell7542

Any salt intended for a marine aquarium already contains enough calcium for the life of marine inhabitants, so why more????? You don't have any "consumers" for it yet, do you? If you buy everything the store recommends, you won't have enough money!

Allison

Off-topic, but corals can also come with wheels.

Jason

Congratulations on the launch! Are you not going to cover the back wall? It would look even nicer...

Danny

Thank you! The photos don't look very good, I'll try to take some (despite the fact that it's a Canon EOS 350D), closer to the evening by moonlight. Maybe we'll cover it up, for now, there are so many emotions. Right now, I also want to hide the pump because they stuffed it under the lid in a truly horrifying way.

Carrie1606

Guys, we just saw the first inhabitant. We woke up this morning and decided to turn off the pump for an hour. While it was running, we didn't notice, but right near the pump's nozzle, something popped out (I understand it's a type of shrimp?). However, it hides when we turn on the pump, as if it gets sucked into the rock, and when we turn it off, it comes out. Does it like the current? Or should we move the pump? We're considering relocating it to another corner of the aquarium because, aesthetically speaking, it doesn't look very good there.

Christopher7213

By the way, we looked closely, and there are many more just as small.

Dawn6148

Congratulations on the launch!!! These are not zoanthids in the photos, the umbrellas are not hiding....

Mitchell3177

Everyone loves the current, some more, some less. However, for the current, either a flow pump or a deflector at the outlet is needed so that the current remains a current and does not hit with force at one point, as it does now from this head.

Eric8832

This is neither an umbrella nor a fan worm - I have the same one, noticed this thing a month ago - it was an ugly color of stone - now it's turning green - what is this - I don't know myself.

Melissa3820

It looks like the carpet anemone Stichodactyla tapetum. Why is it bad? These are holding tanks, not for keeping.

Joseph

Discosomas are.

Denise

Guys, I really need help choosing a location for the pump. We played around for a long time yesterday, but we still couldn't decide on a spot for it. Right now, I have two Aquael Circulator 1100 pumps (one is in the aquarium, the other one refuses to work at all). So, I actually have one working pump. It's installed as shown in the photo. How would you recommend installing it in a hexagon tank?

Kyle

Can they really be hidden behind the stones? And direct the exit pipes to the left and to the right.

Jade

Basically, I think it's possible since the stones don't support the glass, only the top one. I leaned it slightly against the wall because I built a little tower and was afraid it would collapse from the current or someone from the family would bump into the aquarium. But in that case, I need to somehow get a second one, as this one works sometimes and sometimes doesn't. However, if I take it apart, I think I can get it running again since it has just been sitting for a long time; there was renovation in the apartment, and maybe something got inside. PS So, at the same level, install it on the back wall, and I turned the nozzles to the left/right (roughly speaking, towards the walls). Did I understand you correctly?

Rita

Well, your logic is ironclad - hard to argue with that. You can do it at different levels. Right now, there’s nothing in the aquarium - that is, there won’t be any corals yet. However, there will definitely be different types of currents - the water will swirl, which is good for live rocks, and there will be turbulence at the edges of opposing flows - the eddies will then gently sway the corals in a wave-like manner, which is also very natural and beautiful.

Sherri1320

In my opinion, there would be only one acceptable option for placing the turbulence pumps in such an aquarium. Otherwise, the whole picture will be spoiled by the visible pump in a prominent place. I would grow the mini-reef using plastic or titanium structures almost to the surface, and disguise the pumps within the body of the mini-reef so that they are either completely hidden or only partially visible from the most concealed side. Then the prism would look more natural and impressive. The shape of the aquarium itself is very original. It just needs to be thought out carefully and executed without haste. In principle, no one is rushing anyone.

Eric5208

Thank you very much for the tip, I just started the second pump, I'm satisfied. I understood the essence/principle of placing the pumps, today I will try to hide them behind the rocks. They are ridiculously large, and visually the glass distorts them, making them seem even bigger, so it's just perfect... PS We initially planned to grow it all the way to the surface. We bought 3.5 kg of rocks to start, and a little later I was thinking about buying another 3 kg to bring it to the top!

Elizabeth1221

Buy them faster - you don't need that many, or you'll wait until the moment when the sea seems to be ready, and now you need to add J.K. (live rocks) carefully. In my case, it's better not to exceed 3-5 kg. In your case, you'll have to do it by grams - you'll reset the system. I almost made that mistake out of foolishness, but thankfully Sanya-Turbik pulled me back in time.

Rita

Well, we just finished playing with rearranging the stones, and there were casualties. A stone accidentally fell, and there was a fish inside (in the photo below), it got crushed by the stone (a terrible death), and it's pitiful to the extreme. A terrible cloud has risen, and now I'm sitting here thinking about how to clean the water, as the current is stirring up debris from the stones in the aquarium. At home, I only have a couple of filters for freshwater (with black sponges; I read about ammonia, and I don't want to take any risks). And there's nothing on hand to put in the filter compartments. Here are the photos of the pump placement (reef) and the photo of the victim.

John3142

Take any synthetic sponge or loofah (foam), and in a couple of hours, it will collect everything, and that's enough... You seem to have hidden the pumps, but does it not wash away the sand? P.S. Don't worry about the icky stuff—maybe even be glad, because there can be wild pests, not just icky things. P.P.S. Can't the stones be tilted more? So that it's not so vertical...

Jennifer9100

Something about the photo of the "victim" very much resembles a shell. Take a close look, is it not empty? If it's not empty and doesn't open from the top, consider yourself lucky, as you've solved one problem on your own. But it's not so easy to crush it with a stone...

Kimberly4253

I have the impression that it will wash out from the left. Can we tilt the nozzle upwards? At a 45-degree angle, for example. Otherwise, it just presses against the glass, making it impossible to clean later. And in general, maybe we should do the setup after adding the live rocks? Because losing the eggs is just a minor issue compared to the risk of breaking the glass. The pumps are working and holding up - that's great.

Ryan1989

Thank you very much for the tip. I took the shell from the bottom, and it was indeed empty, and moreover, there was another empty one lying nearby. PS This morning I decided to make the structure denser, took some soft, thin copper wire, and decided to tie the stones together in a way that wouldn't be too noticeable. It turned out to be not bad, plus I hid the pumps and turned the nozzles so that the sand wouldn't wash away from the bottom.

Chelsea

Copper is very bad.

Erin2730

Urgently remove the wire!!!!! Use plastic ties for this purpose. Later, they will be overgrown with corals or something else.

Yolanda

It is categorically forbidden to use copper in the sea; you can lay the entire reef with copper, but it is better to glue the stones with either epoxy or Moment gel.

Courtney4094

I removed the guys, thank you for the promptness, I was already starting to be happy that it came together well... Thank you very much!

Darlene4238

If you're going to use wire, it should only be titanium... I have everything fastened with it.

Emily3506

Watch out, or next time we'll send you to the stake for such jokes.

Anne4851

Guys, today we bought glue, this Moment gel. We also got a couple of plastic mounting ties, just in case. What does everyone think about this glue? How do you use it to bond stones? How long does it take to dry, and can you apply it on wet surfaces? Or is it better to use plastic ties?

Matthew

I use this glue, but first I dampen the surfaces to be glued with a napkin; I tried gluing in water, but it didn't work well...

Maria

Thank you, we tried gluing the large stones, but we didn't like it at all. We waited about 10 minutes, but it didn't stick "tightly." Then we just peeled it off like silicone, and everything was secured with plastic ties. It turned out very tight, not very aesthetic, but the main thing is that it is well secured, safe, and we hid the pumps. I think it will grow over time and won't be so noticeable. I'll send photos in the evening; I just put the filter in until the evening to stir up the cloudy water again, and today I want to redo the LEDs to make them more aesthetically pleasing.

Erica752

I traveled all over Mykolaiv in search of moment gel, and found nothing. You are lucky in Kyiv...

Angela6489

Everyone says that Kyiv is a great place, and that's why the population is growing; everyone is coming in search of the "moment of gel."

William5838

It's strange, I went to the nearest hardware store - they have various brands. Moment is the most expensive. Choose not Moment (that's the brand), but Gel glue from any manufacturer.

Bethany

I saw gel glue from another manufacturer, but I was hesitant to buy it, thinking it might contain substances harmful to the reef.

Natalie

Yes, all these glues have the same composition, or rather, even one component. Moment simply produces it under license from Henkel. There is a description online. I have taken this one - and this one - Their active ingredient is cyanoacrylate.

Natalie

We have plenty of this glue at Epicenter... although I don't live in Kyiv)))

Brianna

I took a little photo today, I couldn't resist.

Christopher3770

Have you found thinner plastic ties? Although these will eventually get overgrown too...

Kenneth7210

You also need to remove the protective glass from the lights; you are losing a lot of spectrum because of it.

Thomas1044

Thank you very much for the advice! Today I bought 15 more diodes, as it seemed a bit gloomy at night. I also bought another T5 lamp, exactly the same as in the photo. If I remove the protective cover, considering the presence of a lid, water evaporation, etc., will anything happen with the open lamps?

Adam4310

That's what night is for, to be dark. In my reef, it's completely dark at night, but how is it in nature? It's not always a full moon, right? Sometimes it's pitch black...

Andrea9320

I feel like there is a lack of a blue lamp.

Michelle1505

What is the color temperature of the lamps? I also think that there is not enough actinic light...

Scott8536

Yes, Vova, there's not enough blue.. and you did a great job with the harnesses)))

Nicholas

They will still live without blue for now. Unfortunately, there is no time to get to the bird market; maybe I'll drop by there on the weekend. I haven't measured the t-lamps.

Randy

Today I called around as much as I could. In the end, I can't find this blue lamp anywhere; the maximum I found is a T5 44cm (blue). But something like the one on the Arowana: T5 lamp, Jebo Coral Blue Light, 8W, 29cm. It's nowhere to be found; I even called and was told they only have the larger ones. Does anyone know where to buy a T5 29cm in Kyiv? I think they might have it at the bird market, but I physically don't have time to go there.

Angela

Be sure to stick it on, blue Arakal No. 86, it will look nice.

Martin3206

Search for a T5 Feron 8 Watt blue (light blue) lamp. Very cheap and quite coral! Lamp type: T5 Base type: G5 Maximum power: 6/8/13/21/28W Voltage: 220-230V Length: 226/302/531/863/1163mm Diameter: 17mm Color: white, blue, green, pink. You can take the electronic ballast from a 9 Watt energy-saving lamp. I've been using them for six months already. I bought them at a market store.

Rodney3101

Off-topic The color of Arakl No. 641-86 is great. I will also stick the same one on my nano sea.

Ronald5720

Great! Thank you so much! Tomorrow we will be running around looking for it.

Andrew9581

Guys, what does anyone say, is this iptazia? It looks very much like it! We just saw it and started to panic. I thought maybe I should spray it with a syringe? Or wait a week for it to grow? The photo is not very clear, but in person, it really looks like iptazia.

Brian

It seems so similar... but it's not a fact yet... the quality is not right... wait... apathy is not as scary as many paint it...

Sheila

For two days, I was doing this - spraying with a syringe. Until I turned off the current and stuck the syringe filled with lemon juice (I squeezed it myself) all the way to the glands - and waited for about 15-20 minutes - it didn't help. Even the ones I didn't hit with the syringe also burned. Only tiny ones are left - I'm waiting for them to grow so I can definitely hit them.

Christopher8654

Great! Let's give her some time to grow up, and we will...

Kathleen

Why didn't you think about using a 70W MH and a pendant light? Or going completely with diodes (only powerful 3W ones)? I think it would look just as good.

Shawn

Feron lamps should not be sought at bird markets, but in regular lamp shops or online stores. They also sell a Chinese lamp in a glass bulb here (it's a T4 lamp, which is thinner but longer). I was thinking of buying them and placing them along the path at the dacha. It's really original and airtight.

Beth3383

The aquarium is standing, that's clear. But why do you think it's maturing? Without any living creatures, it just sits there. A marine aquarium requires attention. If there's no time, then you should start a freshwater shrimp tank.

Nicholas2252

Guys, the other day we suspected that a long time ago, when there was a freshwater tank, acquaintances brought stones for the aquarium as a gift from the sea, they are in the photo. Now the question arises, are these dry reef rocks (S.R.K.) or decorative stones? They look porous, somewhat similar to dry reef rocks (S.R.K.), are they?

Kristen1161

Did they say which sea they were brought from? It seems that these are S.R.K. (dry reef stones). Smoothed by the waves. They must have been found in the coastal zone, i.e., in the littoral.

David3217

My wife says it's the Red Sea. I'm just thinking about putting them in a jar, carefully attaching them to the 1 kg of stones I bought earlier. And I'm wondering if it's worth it? Will they ruin the picture, and is it even relevant?

Chad9037

Initially, they will naturally turn brown, then green, and eventually become covered with coralline algae. They will become J.K. (live rocks). However, this process entirely depends on how biologically suitable your aquarium is for the effectiveness of this process.

Ryan

If the stones are wet, I would risk putting them straight into the aquarium, but if they are dry, it means they were either brought a long time ago or have been lying on the shore under the scorching sun. It's risky to put such stones in a neglected aquarium without boiling and soaking them in osmosis, but while the aquarium is empty - go ahead, let it mature. If the aquarium is empty, the light can be dim for now. However, later on, there should be about 2-3 times more blue than white.

Holly

Have these stones been in a freshwater aquarium? Because someone once said that S.R.K. (dry reef rocks) that have been in a freshwater system can lead to brown slime in the aquarium...

Amy5468

most likely it's algae and not mushrooms...

Christopher7213

After browsing through forums, I realized that this is an isopod, but I can't understand whether it is a parasite or a scavenger. In my opinion, it looks very similar to Cirolana harfordi, which I understand are scavengers.

Jacob7201

Good evening, gentlemen! Today we made a small rearrangement of the stones in the aquarium, and by chance, we decided to move one small stone as well. When we turned it over, we noticed these little creatures underneath. Can anyone tell me what they are?

Jessica9188

something..... I think with such a size, it's unlikely anyone can say for sure what kind of creature it is. Wait and observe. It might be a weed, or it could be something interesting.... A lottery.

Keith7534

These are foraminifera. Harmless unicellular benthic organisms. They are usually found in healthy marine systems, in shaded areas.

Joshua

Good evening everyone. Today we rearranged the stones, and it seems we finally arranged them well for the jar.

David4089

Very nice, the stones are laid out beautifully!

Ryan7682

Guys, I have a question. After reading a bit, I decided to install an external filter in the aquarium. After thinking for a long time, I ordered the Resun MICRA CY-20 external canister filter from an online store as a trial. The price is ridiculous, so we decided to give it a try. Question! What should I keep or remove from the filter media? I plan to immediately replace the sponge in it with a synthetic one. I understand that it comes with carbon and ceramic "tubes" as media. Gurus, what do you recommend keeping? What should I throw away from the compartments? Should I maybe add some live rock? I’m waiting for your answers!

Sheila

For the rings, a larger external filter is needed... If we're talking about an external filter in the sea. But since you've already bought it, you can keep the rings, and instead of a sponge, you can use quality charcoal or, if necessary, anti-phosphate or other sorbents. What was the goal - to remove one current pump?

Guy

Thank you so much! I want to leave one pump temporarily, and over time, I want to order a more powerful one to circulate the water!

Anne

In terms of WATER CIRCULATION, your aquarium is probably the most favorable in shape on this forum. Just remember - many pumps lead to an increase in temperature.

Cheryl9296

I ask to close the topic :/ Due to the move to a 40x40x30 cube! Accordingly, the move is to an even smaller volume (40 liters) P.S. I will start creating a new topic for the new jar now.