Bought a Used Aquarium Need some input

[gmoney27]

I bought a used aquarium for $500 from a friend. This is what hes including please let me know how good the setup is, right now all I can think of replacing so I can make it reef is lighting. Anyways heres the list of equipment
55 Gallon saltwater aquarium
Complete with:
Wooden stand with storage beneath
2 light canopies
approx 50 lbs live rock
2 heaters
2 Fluvall 303 filters
2 Power heads
protein skimmer
biowheel
Assorted other paraphenilia
1 black and white striped damsel
2 emerald crabs
many hermit crabs
1 large coral banded shrimp
Im keeping the tank the way it is and transporting water, live rock , fish etc in 20 - 40 gallon garbage pails. And throwin them in the back of a pickup truck. Its only a 10min drive.
Can you guys give me some suggestions or input

 

[wax32]

Sounds like a good start. Is the substrate sand or crushed coral? If it is crushed coral, look at this as an opportunity to get that stuff out of there and replace it with sand.

 

[ophiura]

What kind of lighting is it?

 

[gmoney27]

Originally Posted by wax32
Sounds like a good start. Is the substrate sand or crushed coral? If it is crushed coral, look at this as an opportunity to get that stuff out of there and replace it with sand.
I think it might be cc but isnt that good? I thought it helps raise the calcium levels up?

 

[ophiura]

In general, you will probably have to add calcium if it is ever a reef...otherwise water changes, live rock and sand (all generally carbonate) will help. Crushed coral is often not ideal because it has large spaces and can "trap" debris in them, sometimes resulting in water quality problems.

 

[gmoney27]

how much sand would you recomend me getting for my setup? im really new so sorry for any dumb questions. Also can a mix a small amount of the coral with the sand?

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by gmoney27
how much sand would you recomend me getting for my setup? im really new so sorry for any dumb questions.
I have 40 lbs. of live sand in my 55.

 

[scotts]

Do a search on the site (search button is at the top right of this screen) for switching CC to LS or you might want to use Crushed Coral and Live sand. There are many posts and some complete step by step walk throughs on how to do the switch. Basically you want to take out the CC, which you are going to do anyway, and put in the sand. Then you may want to put some of the CC in something like pantyhose and hang that in your tank. This is to let some of the good bacteria that is in the CC get into your tank. You do not want to mix the CC with your LS.
Confused yet?
Scott