Looking for a Hydrometer and a canister filter.
 

Hey guys! Just setting up my first reef tank and have borrowed a friends salinity test but had to give it back, foes anyone have one they are wiling to part with or can sell for cheap that would be great. I also need a canister filter and might wait until next week. BUT if anyone has one they are no longer using OR will sell gfor a good price, let me know!

I'd keep away from canisters on a reef, they tend to not get maintained enough and will generate nitrates. They're more suited to a FW tank, or even fish only, but not a reef. Some would argue, but most would agree.

I know and I have heard multiple opinions on this but I will not be drilling my tank to run a sump. and don't want a HOB filter as I will be getting a HOB skimmer.

Assuming you're using live rock and a skimmer, you don't need an additional filter. You don't need a sump, just the skimmer and rock.

+1 lots of great tanks out there ran with not much for mechanical filtration.

Cool! Well I have the rock and a small fluval internal filter, 2 powerheads and a MH light fixture in there now, how mong can I push that before I add the Skimmer?

I'd get rid of the internal filter, swap it for a powerhead, and some people don't use skimmers at all, I'd just suggest more frequent water changes.

Okay, thanks Brad!

still makes me nervous only running powerheads in the tank :\ But I will trust the experts :)

Another off topic question, some of the live rock that I got was pieces of Lava Rock, this seemed pretty unconventional to me, will this cause any issues? It looks cool because of the tunnels, and there are little creatures popping out of it just as the other rock has.

anything you add to your tank including the rock eventually becomes live as bacteria colonizes on it. the more porous the rock the better the rock does with bacteria numbers, age is also a factor.

live rock takes time to become live.

powerheads provide flow and oxygen to your tank nothing much to do with filtration except for pushing more water.




a easy reeftank basically has ample flow, bright lighting, good quality liverock.

a skimmer and water changes are an easy way to keep the basic reef clean and water clean:)

Lava rock isn't the right rock. It can contain things you don't want in the tank. I wouldn't use it. You should be using anywhere from half a pound to 1 pound of real live rock per gallon.

Sounds like you might want to start a thread about your build and see what's going to work and what isn't.

That sounds good. Will do tonight when I get home!

On another note although hydrometers are cheaper they tend to become much less accurate with age, dropping $75.00 on my refractometer was one of the best purchases I have ever made on my tank.

I got my refractometer off eBay for $35.

I have a standard hydrometer you can have for free to get you by for now.

M ike, that would be great! I just looked on Ebay and found one I would like to order, where in the city are you? text me if your like 587-985-7866 tasha.

Yes get a refractometer from ebay. Kinda like the one's in the store but without any brand. Plus the only different that I would guess between the cheaper ones and the brand ones is that you might need to calibrate the meter more often. Other than that, its just a piece of prism through a tube so shouldn't have much of a difference :P

Stay away from hydrometer! They are probably the worst piece of equipment made for saltwater :|

I never had luck with my hydrometers
I got rid of them 2 weeks after starting my tank and replaced them with this.
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=vt-refract

While you're at JL you may want to take note that they're test kits and Seachem products (prime,stability ) are the cheapest. Even with shipping
which you don't have to worry about most of the time because it's free with a 100.00 in product.

Just for giggles compare two hydrometer readings from 2 different units with the same water.
you'll see why they're not popular.