Kenji's Aquapod 24

[Koby!]

Hey everyone,
Last July i set up a 20g long with no idea what i was doing. I have to say that you should definitely do things right the first time or else you're just gonna have to start over in the long run and its going to end up being a lot harder. You can see my old thread here 20g nano 3 weeks then AHHHH!!! It's really embarrassing to look at but i think it was a good learning experience. Anyways... I'm not going to lie, i neglected my duties to that tank and i really want to fix this. i've decided to order an Aquapod 24 in which i can hopefully keep a few corals, etcc.... under the 2x32W PC lighting. i plan on switching over most of the contents of the current 20g into this tank. I have about 22ish lbs of LR... not really sure... a black and white clown, a reg clown, a small little bunch of what llooks like "pink star polyps"???, a peppermint shrimp, and a few hermit crabs... i'm not really sure how to do a switch over soo i'm looking for some help there. My current sand has a lot of cyano algae? on itt... so should i get all new sand?? Can i use all the water from this system or should i get new water?? Am i going to get a cycle when i switch everything over??

[CarmieJo]

You will probably have a small cycle when you switch things over. And, if you switch over the stuff with cyano I think that you will likely have it in your new tank too. If I was you I would consider setting up the new tank and cycling it while the livestock is still in the old tank.

[Koby!]

That's kinda what i thought i would do except would i be able to transfer the rock over to the new tank while the other stuff is still in the old tank?

[CarmieJo]

No because the rick is the filtration for your tank. So, what I would do is to get the cyano under control and then move things. Then you will have to monitor your parameters closely and do water changes if you see the ammonia or nitrite moving from zero.

[Koby!]

Update

I have done a lot of research to see what other people with similar setups have had problems with and the modifications they have done. There are a number of mods that i plan to do. I am going to replace the stock pump because people have said that the stock pump seems to break down over time. I took the sponge filters out of the back and am planning on making an eggcrate shelf and using polyester pillow stuffing as a filter and also as a possible place to run carbon or purigen if needed. i may or may not put some LR rubble underneath this section. I am going to add a Koriala for a little more flow in the display. With my last setup i never tested my water, which was not a good idea as everything can go downhill quickly if you don't catch problems early. So this time i ordered a test kit and plan on doing the whole testing thing this time around. I think i kind of half-a$$ed it last time around and skimped where i shouldn't have so i want to do things right this time around.
I ordered almost everything that i think i am going to need. Most of it is here but just waiting on a few things.

-Current USA Aquapod 24 w/ 2x32 CP lighting
-20 lbs CaribSea live sand
-bag of polyester pillow stuffing
-Powerstrip w/ digital timers for lights
-API Saltwater Master Test Kit
-MJ1200
-Koralia Nano Powerhead

I talked the owner of my LFS since i have never switched over a tank and im pretty sure i know how i'm gonna do it. This is my step by step plan of how i am going to do it... if you have any suggestions please feel free
1. put live sand into bottom of tank. (pour water onto bag on top of sand to keep from sand storm)
2. siphon off about 10-15 gallons from display and put into aquapod.
3. switch over rocks and fish.
4. fill rest of tank w/ premixed saltwater
5. turn it all on!

Sound good?

[Phurst]

Sounds like a plan! Good luck this time around. It sounds like you're going about it the right way this time.

You may want to put a plate or something similar on top of the bag to break up the force of the water and hold the bag in place.

[V]

koby, welcome back from the brink of disaster!

mistakes can be made brother, its only natural, especially with this branch of the hobby. Good thing is your wiser & more determined because of it, & thats ultimately what matters.

It does sound like you have a plan in motion. Just a few things from me or maybe just the distant voice of reason that may or may not help ok.

Upspecing your tank, to which i have know idea what it looks like may be a good thing or a bad thing, good being it can save headaches latter as others have suggested, or bad being all that extra money expenditure wont make up for the learning curve & pure routine. Reliance & stability comes from within, not your new equipment if you know what i mean. & its not just Zen talk ether..lol

Yes id prob agree - that upspec pump will be stronger & last longer & might save you moving something down the track to fit it .......... ummm wait here a sec...............* Veriann turns Koby into a thought process*

let me take you on a journey into my mind.......not that room bud, its X-rated in there.......In here you have the opinion room
*Pushes you in & locks the door behind you* lol

What my wisdom suggests that would cover all bases & is far better to spread your greenback dosh would be on a quality test kit, refractometer, auto top off unit & constant supply of quality water. Having this few pieces of equipment will make it possible to keep any animal alive in the bath tub if you catch my drift, because the rest comes from your understanding & applied knowledge.

although your the first person ive heard of using pillow stuffing..lol

Good luck bud, we're here to bounce things off anyways

[Koby!]

haha thanks. i know that there is more to having good equipment. my current tank isn't exactly a complete mess or failure yet, but i can only see things getting worse. my upgrade to this tank is because i was just using HOB filters on the old tank and regular fluorescent lighting. this "all-in-one" tank and better equipment is purely to allow me to have an all around cleaner looking setup and a little better lighting to possibly try some easier corals. i know that i need to be dedicated to the routine maintenance of this tank in order to be successful. if that was what you were getting at veriann. o and i do have a refractometer and use RODI water. i bought the API test kit knowing that it wasn't the best but i am hoping that it will at least show me a general area in which my water quality is and i am planning on setting up an auto top off unit in the near future. THANK you for your words of wisdom.
ps as for the pillow stuffing.... i read in many of the threads on nano-reef.com that people with this tank have found it the most efficient filter for the space given. the giant sponges seem like they would be very difficult to clean and if left uncleaned would just become giant nitrate factories and the pillow stuffing is extremely cheap and can be discarded after its use.

[Koby!]

Here's what i have up to date
black and white ocellaris
regular "nemo" ocellaris
skunk cleaner shrimp
cherub pygmy angel
royal gramma basslet
green BTA
pulsing xenia
small toadstool
blue/green small hammer coral
bright green closed brain coral

all is doing excellent

here are some poor quality pics

[CarmieJo]

I love the aquascape! It reminds me of a bay with the arms on each side.