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Thread: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

  1. #11

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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    kcress:

    Good point. Power failures happen.

    John

  2. #12
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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    That's correct. I'd not want anyone to try no-rock and no-sand and no-bio-balls. That would put all ammonia loading on the scrubber, and I have not seen a scrubber yet that I'd trust (would need battery backup, multiple everything, etc).

    Even a 10g hospital tank... the algae won't grow if you are not feeding it. So it does no good.

  3. #13

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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    Thank you both.

    The hospital tank will get 15 lb of rock to keep things stable when I build it.

    I'll post developments in a new thread.

    John T

  4. #14

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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    Its all about tank Volume too. A nano or smaller 30-50 tank has VERY little room for error while a 100Ga with 30 GA has MUCH more room for error... way more forgiving... and tolerance for pollutants and toxins. Water changes can really help with this too early on Skimmer or not.

    i.e.. Everything happens faster in smaller tanks with less overall water volume, when things go bad they go bad FAST.

    Also a smaller tank with a LOT of LR and maybe a sump/fuge with more water volume added and other bacteria starters in sump like miracle mudd etc.. having it going maybe some macros etc... could also be a candidate for fast removal of skimmer leaving sump in place and fuge until ATS gets going. Then clear out the other crap like DSB and other Macro's.

    I noticed my ATS grow MUCH quicker once I removed the skimmer.. (skimmer was taking nutrients out of volume) People that run skimmers WHILE trying to grow ATS I think might be fighting the process a bit...Just my 2cts..

  5. #15

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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    Thank you all for the advice.

    Tomorrow I'll make one final trip to Home Depot to get the last goodies for my first scrubber.

    I've put it off as long as I can, we don't have cacti in Ontario, so I guess I better stop by the garden center and grab hold of one to see what 'cactus rough' means.

    I'm telling you, I'm not looking forward to this!

    John

  6. #16

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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    Those plants are just nasty. Why do you even have them? You should take an enormous spray-bar off an ATS, mount it on the bumper of a Hum V, hook-up a party barrel of RoundUp and just kill them!

    My left hand is practically paralyzed. . . Wait, we have socialized medicine. I don't care that my hands ruined. I just get a new one. There we go, all better.

    John.

  7. #17

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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    In my understanding you don't want any live rock in your hospital tank. As soon as you have to dose any treatment it will be contaminated and thrown away. If you have that money to burn then go ahead but seems very wasteful. Normal practice (that I have seen) is to keep the quarantine tank dry until required with a filter pad sitting in the main tank sump so that it is colonised with bacteria. When needed, the quarantine is set up and the filter pad put into an internal filter (yep - feels a bit freshwater tropical :shock: ). Using main tank water at least in part completes the set up of a reasonable biological colony to keep levels in check and is supported by frequent water changes. That way, if dosing is required, it's just wash the tanks and internal filter etc. Pipe can/should be added for some hide-aways for any fish.

    After each treatment period, the tank is sterilised and broken down for storage dry to make sure no nasties survive for your next use... would be really bad to treat a problem and then later infect a healthy subject coming in through quarantine!

    Doesn't seem like a suitable application for an ATS that needs to be running permanently to me.

    Just my 2 pence, cents or any other minor currency unit.

  8. #18
    kcress's Avatar
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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    Nice plan Chris. I agree!

  9. #19

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    Re: How should I bootstrap a new ATS tank?

    Thanks kcress. Wish I could take credit for the original thinking but there are few original ideas left in this world. I will, however, take credit for describing something (hopefully) in an understandable manner when I have read it many times before on other threads (not all!) written in such a way that seems to be overcomplicating the process and confusing people. :shock:
    For a fuller version, a web search will reveal details of how much tank water vs freshly mixed salt, quarantine periods, hyposalinity treatments, sterilisation techniques (the tank not the fish :lol: ) and many other cunning methods that I have never had to do and hope I never will (ref treatment!).

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