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New dedicated (and mostly nem proof) BTA tank...

NanoCrazed

NanoCrazed

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After coming off a 5 week travel marathon, I decided to mark a brief break with a new tank build.

After collecting various BTAs and battling sick BTAs for one reason or another, I decided it was time to build something that's a bit more worry free.

I had taken advantage of Petco's $1/gallon sale and bought two 20s awhile back. One of them I converted into a sump and drilled the other for two drains and a return.

I placed the drains (one emergency and one primary behind a weir) on the end and the return. I setup the drains with the usual durso and semi bean animal mod with the siphon hose on top of the primary drain channel.

And as usual, I am running vinyl tubing for all the connections. The only thing is since I am using 1" tubing, I have to build my own valves using a ball valve and two barb nozzles on both ends. Cheaper and more flexible than the standard ones off the rack.

For the return, I used a RFG that is slipped over 1" PVC. For safety, I put in an egg crate divider with notches cut for the rim of the tank. Shy of a tiny nem infiltrating through, it should be pretty nem proof

Naturally, I also build a stand that's custom fit for the space in mind. :)

For lighting, I transferred over my Aqamai LRM from my old nem tank as I found this to work really well for fostering coloration in the nems.

Only thing that's a slight concern is that I only transferred the live rock and some seasoned marinepure balls mixed with 50% new balls. So the biofiltration may be challenged in the early phases of the tank. Decided to leave the sand behind...

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one of my green bta managed to squeeze through the egg crate.. and killed itself in my MP40.. i'd change that out.

also feeding nem tanks are always dirty and cleaning the floor will be challenging.. i gave up and put the sand in since i can't deal with the detritus feeding off GHA.
 
ashburn2k said:
one of my green bta managed to squeeze through the egg crate.. and killed itself in my MP40.. i'd change that out.
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No way... how big was it?

The only flow I have if the RFG... but now thinking I would create a send egg crate compartment. Would but me time before it slips through... hmmm?

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Nem list in the tank:

2x black widow
Marz Martian rbta
Phoenix rbta
2x ultra rbta
White banded gbta
White tipped bta

Have a orange tipped gbta coming too...

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NanoCrazed said:
That being said... I dunno if aluminum is detrimental to marine life though... hmm.

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Randy on r2r has a whole article about it. But what I picked up is, it is unknown at what level aluminum is toxic to marine life. But the blocks release the most, due to the fact that the blocks are made much bigger and cut down to size leaving a lot of dust behind. Where as the spheres are formed in that shape and release less aluminum. I personally don’t want to introduce an element into my tank with out knowing the effects that could be caused. But lots and lots of people use the spheres / blocks and notice no effect. So it’s ultimately up to you. But I’d give his thread a read.


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NanoCrazed said:
No way... how big was it?

The only flow I have if the RFG... but now thinking I would create a send egg crate compartment. Would but me time before it slips through... hmmm?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Eggcrate will not hold back a BTA. Even a 6" nem can get through eggcrate with ease if it wants. I would nix the RFG. BTAs really don't need random flow anyway. Also watch out for that overflow box, can get sucked down weir. I got rid of my RFG and replaced with standard flanges. I also put an acrylic cage covering my OF box held in place by magnets.

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jorahx4 said:
Randy on r2r has a whole article about it. But what I picked up is, it is unknown at what level aluminum is toxic to marine life. But the blocks release the most, due to the fact that the blocks are made much bigger and cut down to size leaving a lot of dust behind. Where as the spheres are formed in that shape and release less aluminum. I personally don’t want to introduce an element into my tank with out knowing the effects that could be caused. But lots and lots of people use the spheres / blocks and notice no effect. So it’s ultimately up to you. But I’d give his thread a read.


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Click to expand...
He definitely saw a negative response at a certain level with leather corals. I use the spheres and haven’t noticed any issues from them.
 
ashburn2k said:
one of my green bta managed to squeeze through the egg crate.. and killed itself in my MP40.. i'd change that out.

also feeding nem tanks are always dirty and cleaning the floor will be challenging.. i gave up and put the sand in since i can't deal with the detritus feeding off GHA.
Click to expand...

+1 eggcrate wont stop a nem!
 
Hmm, my buddy runs his ~20 gallon frag tank with the big marinepure block and he keeps leathers in it. Tank is skimmerless and doesn't run any carbon. Just a simple tank, with a HOB to break the surface and a Tunze for flow.
 
Ibn said:
Hmm, my buddy runs his ~20 gallon frag tank with the big marinepure block and he keeps leathers in it. Tank is skimmerless and doesn't run any carbon. Just a simple tank, with a HOB to break the surface and a Tunze for flow.
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Randy on reef2reef physically added a controlled amount of that aluminum compound when the leathers had a reaction. The marinepure material probably releases less aluminum than randy added, and I would guess the marine pure releases larger particles, which might not be as harmful
 
Yeah, I think this debate is still far from over. I had a 4” block in my fuge but it’s hard to say if there were negative consequences from using it. My flow in the fuge was quite low and I put it in the corner we’re it got even less. From my observations it worked as intended.
 
RandyC said:
Eggcrate will not hold back a BTA. Even a 6" nem can get through eggcrate with ease if it wants. I would nix the RFG. BTAs really don't need random flow anyway. Also watch out for that overflow box, can get sucked down weir. I got rid of my RFG and replaced with standard flanges. I also put an acrylic cage covering my OF box held in place by magnets.

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thanks for the suggestions!
 
Flagg37 said:
Yeah, I think this debate is still far from over. I had a 4” block in my fuge but it’s hard to say if there were negative consequences from using it. My flow in the fuge was quite low and I put it in the corner we’re it got even less. From my observations it worked as intended.
Click to expand...
I was actually going to add even more marine pure balls into my sump... I started using them in all my sumps in place of LR and seems to work well. But now wondering is 2+ gallons of marine pure balls would yield undesired results...

hmmm... time to look up Randy's post
 
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