I'm so ashamed

Valkyrie · Apr 6, 2016

I've been so busy. I started back to full time just a few weeks after I inherited my 29g tank, got through the holidays and then things just kinda went wacko at work 10-12 hour shifts, leave in the morning come home late at night. Zapped on energy. I'm still working on getting my schedule synced between the demands between home and work. Regardless, it's no excuse for letting my water parameters get out of control and I lost my flameback angel. A few weeks ago my husband bought me an Echo and I'm setting Alexa to remind me to do my chores. Yea, I know, lame. But it's better than screwing up the little lives of my fish.

So, I'm in the midst of water changes and getting things back under control.

I have a protein skimmer and a...gosh, I'm so tired after my 12 hour shift I'm not thinking of the right words. It just keeps the water circulating. Anyway, I'm thinking that I want to add either a biological filtration system (sump?) or a canister type filter. Coinage is a concern, I'd like to keep it under $200, under $150 would be even better, but I'm not happy with just the protein skimmer. I come from freshwater and outdoor koi ponds and I'm used to filtering the bejeebus out of their environments. I'm here for suggestions. 29g tank. It currently has 2 clowns and a blue tuxedo anemone. There is live rock and live sand. I would like to add a cleaner shrimp eventually and MAYBE one other fish. I mostly like aggressive triggers, so I will have to find something that won't beat my clowns and Street urchin to death. I'm in no hurry to add anything until I get my routine in place. I'm more focused on trying to figure out what kind of additional filter I can add.

So what do you think?
Thanks in advance.

ngvu1 · Apr 6, 2016

Train/ask your beloved husband to do water change weekly! (most effective way on small tanks)

What kind of 29 gallon tank do you have? not 1 of those Bio Cube I don't think right? btw, what is Echo and Alexa?

Valkyrie · Apr 6, 2016

I'm pretty sure I can get him to do them every other Friday when he's off work, but he will need to work with me for a while doing them before he'll feel comfortable. That is certain in his future. LOL
Not a bio cube just a regular ol' 29gal. It's supposed to be my starter tank, at this rate it's going to be my only tank.

Amazon Echo

LetItReef · Apr 6, 2016

On our standard 29g I have Aquaclear filter and added a Chaeto on the filter area; no protein skimmer.
Shrimp are great addition. Trigger will require a bigger tank.
Look into Firefish, Cardinal, Yellow Basslet or Pygmy Wrasse.

Salt Creep · Apr 6, 2016

I would recommend just water changes. Adding a canister filter is going to require additional maintenance. If you don't clean them out at least once a week they become nitrate factories. My suggestion between what you mentioned is to add a sump. This will add additional water volume, which helps in many ways.

Valkyrie · Apr 6, 2016

Salt Creep said:
I would recommend just water changes. Adding a canister filter is going to require additional maintenance. If you don't clean them out at least once a week they become nitrate factories. My suggestion between what you mentioned is to add a sump. This will add additional water volume, which helps in many ways.

I'm looking into the various complete sumps available, I woke up this morning thinking, "heh, why not a sump?"

Valkyrie · Apr 6, 2016

LetItReef said:
On our standard 29g I have Aquaclear filter and added a Chaeto on the filter area; no protein skimmer.
Shrimp are great addition. Trigger will require a bigger tank.
Look into Firefish, Cardinal, Yellow Basslet or Pygmy Wrasse.

No worries, I have absolutely no intention of adding a Trigger, I was just saying that I like them a lot. I'm going to be taking my time to figure out just exactly what is going in there, if anything besides the shrimp.
I'm looking at sumps right now, but I'm keeping my options open. Thanks for the fish list, I'll keep them in mind.

PatW · Apr 6, 2016

I hope that you don't beat yourself up. There are quite a few things going on in a reef aquarium. It is easy to inevitable to make mistakes. Try to learn from them and move on.

It sounds like you don't have a sump. A filter sock cleaned twice per week does a good job. But you sort of need a sump for that.

For fish, look at nano fish listed on Live Aquaria. They give decent information on fish. Look for fish that are "easy" and "peaceful".

Valkyrie · Apr 6, 2016

PatW said:
I hope that you don't beat yourself up. There are quite a few things going on in a reef aquarium. It is easy to inevitable to make mistakes. Try to learn from them and move on.

It sounds like you don't have a sump. A filter sock cleaned twice per week does a good job. But you sort of need a sump for that.

For fish, look at nano fish listed on Live Aquaria. They give decent information on fish. Look for fish that are "easy" and "peaceful".

Thank you. I'll take a look. No, no sump. Yet. I'm leaning hard in that direction.

HardyG · Apr 6, 2016

I would stay away from the canister filter due to your work schedule. They take tedious cleaning or will literally just fill up with nitrates. Unless your prepared to clean it once a week or maybe even more i would go with the sump! just my 0.02

BoneXriffic · Apr 6, 2016

Intoo have a 29g. 12gal sump underneath....i probally have 90bucks in it after craigslist lol

HardyG · Apr 6, 2016

Thank God for craigslist lol

michellejy · Apr 7, 2016

One of the best things I have done for my 28 gallon cube is getting an ATO. It is really easy for parameters to change with quick evaporation in that volume of water. I know it isn't filtration, but it does help keep things in line.

Bunnee911 · Apr 7, 2016

michellejy said:
One of the best things I have done for my 28 gallon cube is getting an ATO. It is really easy for parameters to change with quick evaporation in that volume of water. I know it isn't filtration, but it does help keep things in line.

+1 for Ato

Valkyrie · Apr 7, 2016

michellejy said:
One of the best things I have done for my 28 gallon cube is getting an ATO. It is really easy for parameters to change with quick evaporation in that volume of water. I know it isn't filtration, but it does help keep things in line.

ATO?