floridacowgirl
New Member
Hi all!
I must preface this post by acknowledging that yes, I am jumping off the deep end with my first SW tank set up. (Not my first tank...but I know SW is a WHOLE different world from FW!) I have done MONTHS of research, have asked questions of my LFS folks, and have read a TON of posts and blogs on various forums (this one has been the most informative so far!) I do have a couple of questions and hope that I can get some answers here without being blasted for biting off a mouthful! (I just say that because I've noticed it has happened to a couple of people, and it really made me hesitate to seek out help.)
My tank (a 7.5 gallon Deep Blue rimless) is up and cycling away awaiting the arrival of two pair of dwarf seahorses (captive raised, eating frozen mysis). Per my LFS seahorse expert, I have placed live sand and "not-so-live-aka-dead" coral in the tank (for hitching), along with a couple of goofy aquarium statues given to me as a Christmas gift (they will make good hitching posts as well). My LFS buddy (Al) suggested NO live rock or plants, in order to avoid the evil hybroid.
Now, Al has advised that I leave said tank as-is for an approximate 4-6 week initial cycle. My first question is, what about introducing bacteria? Don't I need to put something in the tank that can decay, thus allowing the nitrates and ammonia to do their thing?
Secondly, I haven't done a rimless/open tank before. I chose it because it's the perfect size and dimensions for the space I have available, and, let's be honest, I thought the one set up at my LFS (almost exact to what I have, and with dwarf seahorses) was "pretty". Even empty it makes me happy to look at it! The one thing that is concerning me is the rapid evaporation I'm experiencing (well, the tank, not me...LOL!). I knew there would be some evap, but was unprepared for the amount. My super handy/crafty husband can design a plexiglass cover to sit over the top (with space for filter and my nifty LED clip-on light), but I want to make sure that isn't going to mess with cycling/heat levels. If I go with this idea, should I consider adding a heat source? OR, is it better to just deal with evap and top off the water every few days with fresh water from my LFS (at $.50 per gallon)?
I know I've asked a lot of questions here, and if anyone has read through this post I appreciate your tenacity! Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your reply!
I must preface this post by acknowledging that yes, I am jumping off the deep end with my first SW tank set up. (Not my first tank...but I know SW is a WHOLE different world from FW!) I have done MONTHS of research, have asked questions of my LFS folks, and have read a TON of posts and blogs on various forums (this one has been the most informative so far!) I do have a couple of questions and hope that I can get some answers here without being blasted for biting off a mouthful! (I just say that because I've noticed it has happened to a couple of people, and it really made me hesitate to seek out help.)
My tank (a 7.5 gallon Deep Blue rimless) is up and cycling away awaiting the arrival of two pair of dwarf seahorses (captive raised, eating frozen mysis). Per my LFS seahorse expert, I have placed live sand and "not-so-live-aka-dead" coral in the tank (for hitching), along with a couple of goofy aquarium statues given to me as a Christmas gift (they will make good hitching posts as well). My LFS buddy (Al) suggested NO live rock or plants, in order to avoid the evil hybroid.
Now, Al has advised that I leave said tank as-is for an approximate 4-6 week initial cycle. My first question is, what about introducing bacteria? Don't I need to put something in the tank that can decay, thus allowing the nitrates and ammonia to do their thing?
Secondly, I haven't done a rimless/open tank before. I chose it because it's the perfect size and dimensions for the space I have available, and, let's be honest, I thought the one set up at my LFS (almost exact to what I have, and with dwarf seahorses) was "pretty". Even empty it makes me happy to look at it! The one thing that is concerning me is the rapid evaporation I'm experiencing (well, the tank, not me...LOL!). I knew there would be some evap, but was unprepared for the amount. My super handy/crafty husband can design a plexiglass cover to sit over the top (with space for filter and my nifty LED clip-on light), but I want to make sure that isn't going to mess with cycling/heat levels. If I go with this idea, should I consider adding a heat source? OR, is it better to just deal with evap and top off the water every few days with fresh water from my LFS (at $.50 per gallon)?
I know I've asked a lot of questions here, and if anyone has read through this post I appreciate your tenacity! Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your reply!
