Just starting

[55reef]

I have just set up my 55gal. tank (1 week so far). Here is what I have so far.
70 lbs. LR
40 lbs. Arogonite sand
30 lbs. Arogonite live sand
Heater
2 Maxijet 900 powerheads
1 hang on filter 230gph
1 CPR BakPak2 (on its way)
My idea is to have as many symbiotic relationships as possible in my reef tank. Clowns/Anenomes , Gobies/ Shrimp. any other ideas and or help on cycling would be appreciated. I do have a couple of worm looking things that come out of the LR at night. Not sure what they are. I bought the LR on 2 unmentionable sites.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by 55reef
...
My idea is to have as many symbiotic relationships as possible in my reef tank. Clowns/Anenomes , Gobies/ Shrimp. any other ideas and or help on cycling would be appreciated.
...
.
Just don't forget the most common and important symbiotic relationship. Plants and livestock. I would establish a thriving plant growth and then do the rest.

 

[55reef]

I forgot to mention that part. I do want any advice on hard and soft corals. I am planning on getting a Custom Sealife Power Compact with 4 65W and 4 moonlights. I just have not gotten it because everything I have read says to not put any lights on when cycling. Is this correct?

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by 55reef
I forgot to mention that part. I do want any advice on hard and soft corals. I am planning on getting a Custom Sealife Power Compact with 4 65W and 4 moonlights. I just have not gotten it because everything I have read says to not put any lights on when cycling. Is this correct?
I don't agree but am sure you heard that. I would leave the lights on to get the plants growing.

 

[55reef]

Everything I have heard says that there will be
a huge growth of algae if Lights are turned on
with nothing to clean it all out.

 

[fender]

If you really plan on having anemones for clown hosting purposes, I would do alot of researching on their needs before getting too carried away. For instance most anemones need very intense lighting, something that arguably PC can't provide. Look into some metal halide setups.
Have you started testing your water yet? Do you have ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test kit(s)?
Uncured live rock should put you on your way toward the cycle without much else needed.

 

[55reef]

I have been reading books and also looking at different sites on the web
about clowns and the different types, and which anenomes go with
different clowns. My total wattage will be 260W and everything I have read about says hard corals need the most intense lighting at 5W per gallon. The LR I bought has some corals already on it and I am wondering if I need to put lights on it now or wait until it cycles and I can put a cleaner crew in ?

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by 55reef
Everything I have heard says that there will be
a huge growth of algae if Lights are turned on
with nothing to clean it all out.
With plants there is no growth of algae. With no lights there is no algae and the result is high phosphates, nitrates, carbon dioxide. Then when you turn on the lights you get the algae bloom. If you add fish before the algae bloom they are stressed and probably die.
Beter to get the plants growing right from the start.

 

[fender]

The 5 watts per gallon thing is a bad standard, although many books and people use it. Doesn't make sense, too many variables to consider including tank shape, especially depth and length as well as how well the light penetrates. I'm not saying you can't keep hard corals or anemones under PC - which is not the most intense of lighting, but it would be much easier under MH - the most intense.
I would turn the lights on now. What type of corals are in your tank? Mushrooms? Zoos(Zooanthids)? Most corals are going to have a tough time making it through a cycle. But I had some zoos ride it out.

 

[55reef]

Not sure what type. They are on the ends of the LR that I got and it looks like the decorative stuff you can buy in novelty shops?
There is some green grass like growth on some and some redish brown
small leaf like looking stuff on some others. I got the LR from 2 different places on the web. 45 lbs from on and 25 lbs from the other. The 25 lbs. was just as much $ as the 45 was.

 

[beaslbob]

Fender: I understand you concern about the 5 watts per gallon. to me it just seems what is really important is the actual light output. NO 4" 40 watt tubes vary from 900 lumens to 3300 lumens yet no one actually mentions the light output. If watts were all that mattered we could use $20 300 watt heaters to light our tanks.

the tank shape is less of a concern. For a given volumn, the taller the tank, the less area there is for the lights. Therefore, there is a higher concentration of light which means more light penatration into the taller tank. And with a shorter tank the light is spread out over a larger area. but then all that assumes that whatever light you have is across the entire top of the tank. that would seem to be true of tubes but less true of bulbs which are more of a point source.