55 gallon in its new home

[sueandherzoo]

Hi All.
For those who have been patiently following and supporting/instructing me through the acquisition of a 55 gallon tank this past week, here's a thread to follow it's set up and progress. This is only the beginning - now that I have it here, set up, and functional, I'm going to have a hundred questions about modifications and maintenance so please bear with me. Having this tank here would not have been possible without all of you - I wouldn't have even attempted this yet, being such a newbie, if I didn't know you guys were all here walking me through each step. Thanks again, and wish me (and the livestock!) luck!
Sue

 

[sueandherzoo]

The revised aquascaping. Full tank shot, left half, right half. (The right half looks like a scene from the Titanic - guess I was holding the camera crooked.

 

[sueandherzoo]

What are these? The first one (red, bubbly plant) is some kind of microalgae, right? But what about this "corncob" looking thing stuck to a live rock?

 

[frogdog]

nice scaping

 

[sueandherzoo]

Thanks FrogDog.... I have a love/hate relationship with aquascaping. I love trying to get the perfect look I'm going for but as we all know too well, the rocks don't always cooperate so it gets so frustrating and my Obsessive-Compulsive disease kicks in and I really get miserable. I have learned to just walk away, but I always go back.

Sue

 

[sueandherzoo]

The tank came with a one-month old Nova Extreme T-5 light fixture (4 bulb).
Could someone give me the proper terminology for the white lights and the blue ones? I'm guessing the which is fluorescent and the blue are actnics? More importantly, the white and blue are on separate switches so I imagine that means I should have whites on at some times and the blue at others? Or do I want to keep both going all day? What livestock needs the blue, what livestock needs the white, or is the white only for me? If that's the case, why not use only the blue? And he also installed moonlamps in there but I can figure out what to do with those.

Sue

 

[oceanlover]

Sue,
I'm glad you are enjoying your new 55 gallon aquarium.
Why is your water level so low?

 

[1990jpyj]

everything is looking really nice. my guess on y her water level is so low because she was puting in the lr and didnt want to over flow the tank

 

[sueandherzoo]

Water is low because I wasn't sure if I was done aquascaping or not. Having both arms in there displaces a lot of water so I didn't want to start a flood. Right now I'm heating and bubbling some newly mixed water to add to the tank - I'm declaring myself "done" with the rockwork.
Sue

 

[sueandherzoo]

Now that the tank is functional I want to concentrate on getting it as healthy as I can. I have quite a bit of equipment in the house right now due to the fact that I started purchasing stuff online when I decided to set up a 46 gallon sehorse tank (still only in it's first week of cycling) and the fact that the seller of the 55 threw in a whole bunch of stuff he had acquired and didn't want any more. So, some will go on the 46 horse tank and some will go on the 55 but I need help determining which goes where.
Right now the 55 gallon has a Fluval 305 running and nothing else. I have a Seaclone skimmer that the seller threw in, a couple of powerheads, a HOB filter (at least that's what I think it is - black box with overflow spots) and then I have something I bought to set up on the horse tank - a HOB fuge with built-in-skimmer, still in the box.
I would love some help deciding which things I should designate to the 55 tank and which things I should set up on the 46 bowfront horse tank. Right now the horse tank has a bunch of live rock and a Fluval 405 (smaller of the two tanks but bigger filter - go figure!). I have no experience with any of this equipment so it's going to be trial and error, unless you can steer me in the right direction? Stock list on the 55 is live rock, live sand, couple of corals, two false percs, a firefish goby, and a green mandarin. (and a ton of turbo snails).
Sorry - it's a hefty request for info but if someone would venture to point me in the right direction I'd really appreciate it. Thank you!
Sue

 

[noah's nemo]

Originally Posted by SueAndHerZoo
http:///forum/post/2811138
Water is low because I wasn't sure if I was done aquascaping or not. Having both arms in there displaces a lot of water so I didn't want to start a flood. Right now I'm heating and bubbling some newly mixed water to add to the tank - I'm declaring myself "done" with the rockwork. Sue
Looks really good

....but trust me your not done,within a couple weeks ,maybe less,you'll be sitting there staring at it,and then you'll think that'll look good.You try it and bam,your reaquscaping.I've been done aquascaping for the 8th or 9th time now..

Looks good though!

 

[sueandherzoo]

I know you're right, Nemo, but the one thing that may keep my hands out of that tank for a while is the fact that I still have the 46 seahorse tank to set up - I haven't even BEGUN to aquascape that one yet. I took about half of the live rock from the 55 gallon tank (he had about 120 pounds in it) and just placed it in the horsetank, number one to keep the rock alive and number two thinking any die off from the transit would help cycle the horse tank. I think the 55's rockwork may be safe, at least until I have started and completed the 46. Then, all's fair and game on!
Sue

 

[novahobbies]

I think the aquascaping looks great! Fill 'er up!

And nemo's right about the aquascaping, just you wait (henry higgins)!

 

[oneradtek]

Originally Posted by SueAndHerZoo
http:///forum/post/2811078
What are these? The first one (red, bubbly plant) is some kind of microalgae, right? But what about this "corncob" looking thing stuck to a live rock?
actually the first red plant is red valonia, a type of macro algae. Its nice to have because it feeds on nitrates, but in my tank has become a pest issue. whatever you do, dont ever pop any of those bubbles. i made that mistake over a year ago and im living to regret it today haha. dont know about the second

 

[robertmathern]

Tank looks great sue. Good luck on the horse tank. Cant wait to see that in action as well

 

[sueandherzoo]

Originally Posted by oneradtek
http:///forum/post/2811721
actually the first red plant is red valonia, a type of macro algae. Its nice to have because it feeds on nitrates, but in my tank has become a pest issue. whatever you do, dont ever pop any of those bubbles. i made that mistake over a year ago and im living to regret it today haha. dont know about the second
Don't keep me in suspense - what happens if you pop one of the red things on the Valonia? Is that when it becomes a pest?
And regarding microalgae versus macroalgae - what makes one a macro and one a micro?
Sue

 

[novahobbies]

Originally Posted by SueAndHerZoo
http:///forum/post/2812364
Don't keep me in suspense - what happens if you pop one of the red things on the Valonia? Is that when it becomes a pest?
And regarding microalgae versus macroalgae - what makes one a macro and one a micro?
Sue
If you pop one, the whole universe will spontaneously collapse, only to be replaced by an almost identical one.
There is evidence that this may have already happened.

And re: micro vs. macroalgae, macroalgae is what we usually mean when we're talking about aquarium algae....chaeto, caulerpa, valonia....all macros. microalgae is very small, too small to be seen with the nak.ed eye......i.e., phytoplankton. We usually just typo this all to hell, goodness knows I have in the past!

 

[sueandherzoo]

Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/2812424
If you pop one, the whole universe will spontaneously collapse, only to be replaced by an almost identical one.
There is evidence that this may have already happened.

And re: micro vs. macroalgae, macroalgae is what we usually mean when we're talking about aquarium algae....chaeto, caulerpa, valonia....all macros. microalgae is very small, too small to be seen with the nak.ed eye......i.e., phytoplankton. We usually just typo this all to hell, goodness knows I have in the past!
Thanks for clearing that up. Those definitions make sense and I would think that's how it should be but in my reading I've seen people refer to the "plants" as micro so I got confused. (again)
Sue

 

[oneradtek]

yes if you pop a bubble the spores will spread and grow new colonies around your tank. That is my problem currently and its not very fun.

 

[maryg]

Sue,
I was away this weekend and wasn't able to go online. I see you got a 55! Awsome! I love my 55. It is the perfect size if you ask me. Congrats. The aquascaping turned out nice. But I am sure you are not done yet!!