Getting Started

[pfitz44]

Why slowly raise it up?? why not just do it all at once?? Is it bad to have the level too high? if it is too high, what can happen???
Also, the lr that we were talking about erlier... doenst that need to be cured b4 i put it in my tank??? Is there a calcium suppliment that you would suggest??
~Fitzy

 

[jdragunas]

you can't ever raise anything in a saltwater tank drastically. It'll shock the crap out of the fish, and they'll die.
You should definately cure the LR before puting it in a tank with living things, but if your fish and shrimp don't survive, or you decide to take them back, you can add the uncured LR to your tank to help the cycle along. It may take longer, though. You can cure it in a rubbermaid bin or something like that.
I'm not sure about a calcium supplement, as i've never needed one. What type of salt do you use? Instant ocean and red sea have low levels of calcium, which may be the culprit. I use oceanic, and have never had any problem with my calcium, alkalinity, or ph. You may want to try switching salts. Otherwise, you should be able to find something at your LFS. I'm sure kent makes a calcium supplement, and i trust kent.

 

[pfitz44]

That may be it... im using instant ocean..... cool cool... going to head to the lfs after work.... my roomate is starting up a fresh water tank and he wants to look at some fish... so i said id go with him... and i can get that suppliment then!
Ok.. now here is a generic question about lr... what is the difference in lr?? lik fugi, etc. i'm assuming (And i know what they say about assuming... somthing about making an a**) That all it is is were the rock was taken from. Is this correct??
Also, fierner's book was outstanding!! def a good help.... But it brought up a question for me... are porteen skimmers a must even for a fish only tank?? If so, its no big deal.. $$ not a huge problem... (gotta love being an engineer.... not the train type...) If it is a good idea, can you suggest a good one??
Thanks agin guys!
~Fitzy

 

[jdragunas]

the differences between the types of LR is just the way it looks, that's it. You choose the LR based on aesthetic value. To get a good LR, however, you want to find the most porous pieces you can (they'll be lightweight compared to others). This will weigh less, and be cheaper, but also gives more surface area for the bacteria to grow on. I'm not sure how they named it, but i'd assume that fiji LR is from fiji... tonga LR, is there a place called tonga??? don't think so...
as for the protein skimmer, in a fish only tank, it's not a must, but it does help a lot. I have a FOWLR tank, and i don't want to know what my tank would look like without my protein skimmer. Once you see the crap it pulls out of your tank, you'll never want to get rid of it. If you plan on doing a reef tank, i'd say it's a must!
The best brand, from what i've heard, is aqua-c. the remora model is the one mostly recommended, even fenner himself recommends it!

 

[oceanists]

Originally Posted by PFitz44
So i am definitly going to get some live rock to put into it. Is there a good base to use?? or just put the rock on the CC and build up from there? Also, can i add it in durring the cycling of the tank, or should i wait till the cycle completes?
I was also thinging of adding some Anemones to the tank as well. I do not know much about them at all. Will they "fasten" themselves to the LR? Or do they need something else? I am assuming (And i know what people say about assuming) that i should wait till the cycle is complete before adding these in.
Wax, you said that i should get rid of the CC and go with sand. If i were to do this, i would have to basicly drain the tank, remove theCC and add the sand, add the water back in, right?? or can i vacumn the CC out and remove the fish and dead coral and pour the sand into the tank as it is now? Also, is there a benifit using sand rather than CC?? I spent like 4 hrs washing all of the CC, and would be kinda pissed at myself if i had to get rid of it. Again, if i have to, i have no problem doing so, just would like to know more information.
Thanks again guys
~Fitzy

Fitzy if your going to change out your cc do it now while you dont have fish in your tank .......... you will thank yourself later , CC is horrible i just made the switch all my inverts play in the sand now ...... you are gonna have some bad algea and nitrate problems with cc ........ they shoud just take CC right noff the market

 

[pfitz44]

Alrighty.... the Remora looks kinda cool... ill probabilly put htat one on... but i shouldnt put it on until the tank completes its cycle, right???
FOWLR- Fish only with Live Rock??? just wnat to make sure cuz thats what im gonna have
Lastly.... My fish list.... ive been doing some reasearch into whta fish to get... wnat to run the list by someone...
1. V. Lionfish
2. Humu Humu
3. Clown Trigger
4. Porc. Puffer
5. Yellow Boxfish
Comments??

 

[jdragunas]

the v. lion will get about 15", so he's probably too big for a 55 gallon. The porc puffer will get about 18", so he needs a bigger tank too, as well as the boxfish. There are dwarf lions that will be good in a 55, and some smaller puffers as well.
saddle puffers only get 5". Fu Manchu lions only get 4", and dwarf zebras only get 7", so they would be good in a 55.
the humu humu requres a 70 gallon tank, and gets about 10", and the clown trigger gets 1'8" and requires a 125 gallon tank. Actually, there are no triggers that are good for your tank size.

 

[oceanists]

also the puffer will eat your corals if you plan on doing them

 

[jdragunas]

all of them are not invert-friendly, either.

 

[pfitz44]

So basicly, go back to the drawing board... lol Not planning on getting any corals... not now at least.. myabe when i get my own house i can start up many tanks, but space will only allow for this one... and prob can only u/g to an 80 (got an 80gal stand)...
Would it be bad to get them all as juv, and when they get bigger (Hopefully), i can move them to a different tank??

 

[jdragunas]

large fish like those tend to grow pretty quickly, so i strongly suggest not to.

 

[pfitz44]

Ok ok... im sure that your getting sick of me... but heres the latest test (Includes alk)
Alk 11 dH
Ca2+ 240
pH 8.2
amm-0.5 <~EDIT
tites and trates 0
Attached are more pictures!! I know you could care less.... but i just like taking them!

The tank

Live Rock I got
More pics.. but lot bigger... last 2 are the same as above... just blown up!
http://www.geocities.com/pfitz44/img_0455.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/pfitz44/img_0456.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/pfitz44/img_0457.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/pfitz44/img_0458.jpg
I added in some liqued concentrate calcuim from Kents.... Ill let you know how i make out!!
~Fitzy

 

[pfitz44]

So If i understand my results... Alk is ok, Ca2+ is way too low... and Amm is too high
Is there a bad thing if i keep the Ca2+ too high??

 

[jdragunas]

... your ammonia is 0... how is that too high? Can't get any lower than that...
and yes, your ca2+ is much too low. I'm not sure what will happen if it's too high, but i know you're not supposed to have it too high...

 

[pfitz44]

OPPS! I fatfingered they keyboard.. its still at .5
How long does it take to get tites and trates??? the tanks been running for about 3 weeks now....

 

[steelgluer]

Go flebay and look under vho retro I just got a 440 watt set for 129.00 without bulbs of course. That will give you 8 watts per gallon. Make a canopy nd your pretty much set.
This is the one I made for 70.00

 

[jdragunas]

very nice.
You should see nitrites by now... what kind of test kit do you have???

 

[pfitz44]

Originally Posted by SteelGluer
Go flebay and look under vho retro I just got a 440 watt set for 129.00 without bulbs of course.

??? I dont under stand this.....
Im using an aquarium pharmisuticles... i think its called... its go thte fish in a dr's jacket...
~Fitzy

 

[jdragunas]

that four-letter auction site. You can build your own lighting... but i'm not sure why steel posted it here... did you ask about lighting?

 

[pfitz44]

I guess i might of... i got the site... but didnt get the vho part... im not tooo worried about the lighting.. im an electrical engineer, so building my own lights isnt a problem... just gotta get the right parts!!
Is that a good test kit?? what does VHO mean??