Cableguy's 75g (First salt water tank) *Journal*

cableguy

cableguy

Member
Hello all, I'm new here and a couple people suggested I make a journal of my build.
I am going to have a bunch of pics a info to go along with this post so feel free to give me advice / help.
My empty tank after 3 days: (With a small piece of shrimp in it.)
Amm: .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
I just got my live rock from the air port and I'm taking a bunch of pics right now and will post those later today.
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
OK so here is my tank:

It consists of:
2 Korilla #4's
An Odyssea CFS 4 Canister filter
2x250w heaters
And in the mail for when the tank is established a Seaclone 100 Protein Skimmer.
I am also going to order a Nova Extreme Pro light when I get some extra cash.
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
I know a lot of people are sceptical about buying rock online so I am going to do a little write up.

So after some research on prices on different sites / LPS I ended up going with an on-line retailer. PM me if you want more info about where I got it from.
I got 60lbs of premium Coraline and 40lbs of normal Coraline. I placed my order at about 11pm on Wednesday and a guy named Dale called me on Thursday at around 9:00am to talk to me about my order - Talk about service. I was shocked. So he said it would be best to fly it by plane to a local airport because he could have it to me in one day for about the same price as UPS could in 3-5 days. Well it just so happens I work 15 mins from DTW. So sure enough I get an email with the air bill and the info stating that my rock will be ready to pick up on Friday anytime after 9:00am. For those of you who dont want to do the hard work, I had my rock in my hand in 36 hours.
I also noticed that my total weight was ~110lbs so I didn't get skimped on the box / packing weight like some places might do.
So the customer service was top notch, some of the best I have ever dealt with from an online retailer. Now onto the quality of the rock. You guys be the judge since I am new to this.
The three boxes at the air port, time to take these babies home!

Got them home, nice packaging. Only one has a damp bottom.

Opening box #1 and going through it.


 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
All three boxes.

Let me know what you guys think.
I am in the process of partially washing them and then stacking them in the tank. Only bad thing is moving around all of the CC made it really cloudy so I can't see what this rock looks like right now.

I am just going to let the tank cycle with the rock partial washed. (I will not be pre-curing them.)
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
Just toss them in? Ok! Thats easy enough.
I just finished the first box. I was just pretty much dunking them in a bucket of RO water I got from Meijer because it looks like through the trip they kinda moved and created some "dust" from bumping into each other.
 
aquaman

aquaman

Member
The Ro will kill the good stuff on the rock such as copepods and other benificial stuff, just put it in the tank.
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
Thanks for the info.. doing it now.
AND HOLY CRAP!!!! I already have something moving in my tank?!?#!#@?
IT looks like a slug. About 1 inch long, round, has a mouth on one end, gray with darker gray stripes. It cam rolling out with the current in the tank and on its back and not moving. I though it was dead and I started to watch it and it is moving REALLY slow...
This is so friggin cool!! I just wonder what it is (if I should keep it) and if it will live. So Psyched!
 
ibanez

ibanez

Member
Nice rock, looks good, you might want to edit the post and delete where you said who you got it from because saltwaterfish.com will not like having a link to a competitor on their site. I really like the rock though. Anxious to watch your build.
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
Couldnt get a pic of it just yet, but more updates on the tank itself: Check out some of this stuff! Im pretty excited to see stuff alive!

Left side of tank:

Right side:

Critters I found:
I have like 5 moving clams.

Here is one of two little feather dusters I found (Hard to see cuz of crappy pic, but its right in the middle.)

This look like a rock anemone..?

No idea what these are, but they sure are cool!

That have little tongues / nets and I have about 20 of them I can see and they are all fishing for food.
 
aquaman

aquaman

Member
Those things on the last pic are barnacles, those and the clams will not make is, as they are filter feeders. You could get some plankton at a LFS are try to feed them, but it is a long shot. Plenty of other things will live. Nice LR BTW. Now just take your time a couple of weeks before you add anything. You could add some snails and hermit crabs, but give that a week just to be safe.
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
I will get some plankton tomorrow.
How do I feed them, just drop it in, and they will "filter" it out?? haha
Yeah, Im thinking next weekend I'll get some hermits.
Aquaman, thanks for all of the help!!!!
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
Nice rock, since you have so much live stuff already, dont let the ammonia get high in your tank. You dont want a hard cycle. It will kill off a lot of good stuff. That means you will have to do more water changes.
I would also get a closer picture of that anemone. It may be a pest.
Is this fla rock?? watch for mantis shrimp and pest crabs too.
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3248475
Nice rock, since you have so much live stuff already, dont let the ammonia get high in your tank. You dont want a hard cycle. It will kill off a lot of good stuff. That means you will have to do more water changes.
I would also get a closer picture of that anemone. It may be a pest.
Is this fla rock?? watch for mantis shrimp and pest crabs too.
Thanks for the good advice!! I didnt even think about that. So water changes are the best way to combat ammonia in the beginning? I am running a full set of test right now. I will post up the info.
Yuck! Mantis shrimp... things give me nightmares and ive only seen pictures.
Pest crab = sharp pointly claws
Good crab = dull short claws
right?
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
PH: 8.3
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: Between 0 and .25
Nitrate: Between 5-10
SG: 1.023
In regard to ammonia, when should I think about doing a 20% water change?
 
cableguy

cableguy

Member
I think im going to do a small water change today.
PH: 8.0
Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrite: Between 0 and .25
Nitrate: Solid 10
Running to the LFS to see if they have some Marine Snow and Joe's Juice.
 
hunt

hunt

Active Member
for the slug thing, search stomatella snail and see if that is what you have, if so, lucky you
 
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