My New Tank

[kender]

Well here are some pictures off my tank. Its been up a month and I got my first two fish. Now to get some live rock!

 

[mazzymadde]

its would have been better to have placed live rock in the tank to start with. But what fish ug ot in ther ...?

 

[kender]

Yeah I know, but I couldn't afford it at the time. I just have to damsels in the tank at the moment. I'll be certain to make sure that the lr I get is completely cured before it will go into the tank. Its my next investment before I get any other fish. Figured about 30 pounds ought to do it.

 

[lionfish1]

Before you put the live rock in make sure you are very sure you love your damsels. They are a pain to get out later if you decide you don't like them.

 

[mazzymadde]

I personaly had a damsel it got very aggresvie so i had to take it out, and to do that i had to take all my live rock out. BIG PAIN!!! :'(

 

[rresper]

What size tank is that?

 

[kender]

It's a 55g. By the end of next week or so it will have all of the following:
40# of crushed coral (already have)
2 Emperor 400 filters (already have 1)
1 seaclone 100 protein skimmer
New 48" hood with 2 40w t12 bulbs(used) one actinic and one 10k
2 damsels (already have)
ummmm, i think thats it at the moment. if I can ever figure out the who sump/fuge thing I might do that as well. still kinda green as they say.

 

[chris57]

i use home made live rock (agrocrete) its alot cheaper then live rock but alot harder to cure and takes longer and i put 5lbs of real live rock and some biollogical additives, with nitrifying bacteria and in 2 months my agrocrete was covered in coralline algae and benifical bacteria, agrocrete its good on your wallet and it gives you a hobby for a few weeks. :jumping:

 

[kender]

Yeah, i read an article at GARF about agrocrete. Thats exactly what I was planning on doing. I already have nitrifying bacteria. Just have to figure out out to filter and get it to cycle.

 

[dfreeman64]

Might want to reconsider the crushed coral. I never tried but most on here say it is a pain and would have gone all sand if they could start over. Good luck and welcome, nice lookin set-up.
Dewayne

 

[kender]

Already have it in the tank though which means no easy way of changing it out I would think. What problems have people had?

 

[80sbaby]

I have an Eheim 2217 for sale if any one is interested. Its great for that 55g-you wouldn't even need those emperors. Im willing to trade for that 100 seaclone that you have. Let me know if your interested?

 

[kender]

Never heard of that filter. Tell me more. My tank isnt drilled or anything. Would that be an issue with that filter. I dont even have the skimmer yet. I am paying for it tonight and should have it in a few days. From all I read I should really have one so dont know if I want to part with it... Hmmm

 

[chris57]

for you fake live rock crushed oysters is best it is sold in feed stores as chicken feed supliment i used it it makes it so more capularries and holes are in it which is perfect for setting up bacteria colonies but is not good for making arches or handling much wieght on top i used a combination of agrocrete and oyster shell crushed with con crete in it for i dea mixure it is 5 parts crushed oyster shell 1 part portland concrete or any other concrete just don't buy premixed ones.

 

[80sbaby]

Here is everything you need to know about the eheim.
The Eheim 2217 Canister Filter has a compact pump coupled with a large volume canister for filter media. The filter is for aquariums up to 159 gallons with a maximum pump performance of 264 gph and delivery head of 7 foot and 6 inches. It is extremely quiet, durable and long lasting. It provides high pump output and effective use of filter media for fresh or saltwater aquariums.
The "Full Space" design of Eheim's canister allows it to large amounts of filter media while making it more versatile. The filter comes complete with a safety hose-connection system to stop separation, all the filter medias needed to set up the filter, intake and outtake tubes, and double isolating valves. The Eheim 2217 is UL and CSA listed.
EHFIMECH should be used at the bottom suction area. It provides mechanical filtration. Next is a Coarse Filter Pad. The next layer of EHFISUBSTRAT will act as the main biological filter medium. The substrate's high porousity is ideal for bacteria colonization and ensures unbeatable long term decomposition of Ammonia and Nitrites. Next is a Fine Filter Pad and a carbon pad. Chemi-pure can be used as a replacement for the Carbon Pad for chemical filtration (10oz per 50 gallons) for freshwater aquariums. Depending upon the desired water quality, the layers of filter media can be increased. Specific water treatment can also be achieved with an individual filter media arrangement.
Size:
Filter: 8" diameter x 16" high
Tubing: 495 (5/8") tubing for intake.
494 (1/2") tubing for outtake.

 

[80sbaby]

Here is a pic.

 

[reeffer]

Originally Posted by chris57
i use home made live rock (agrocrete) its alot cheaper then live rock but alot harder to cure and takes longer and i put 5lbs of real live rock and some biollogical additives, with nitrifying bacteria and in 2 months my agrocrete was covered in coralline algae and benifical bacteria, agrocrete its good on your wallet and it gives you a hobby for a few weeks. :jumping:

this is what i need to do for my big tank. It is pretty easy to make isnt it...most difficult part is having patients to wait.
I am about to order a new acrylic tank 72x36x36 and i am NOT buying six hundred pounds of live rock!!

 

[reeffer]

600 is an exageration but it might as well be

 

[chris57]

this is what i need to do for my big tank. It is pretty easy to make isnt it QUOTE]
yeah if your good with your hands, you'll need to have a box ful of wet sand to mold it in to the shapes you want, the best mixture for a reef tank is 1 part concrete(portland 1 or 2) and 5 parts crushed oyster shell, this mixture will make it so you can run water right through it and is ideal for benifical bacteria when mixing the oyster shell and concrete together use thick gloves and there is no exact amount of water to put in it it has to be between a cottage cheese and a slushy mixture to mold the best, wetter mix allows more capularies but is harder to mold, if you making arces or any rock that will support alot of weight use a mixture of 1 part concrete to 3 parts crushed oyster shell, let it dry for 24 hours till you you put it in FRESH WATER that is well aerated and circulating well when the ph 7.5-7.0 it should be able to go into saltwater but not with live animals watch the ph for several days in salt water that isn't moving or well aerated if it keeps a ph of 8.0-8.4 you should be able to put in with living animals for increased coralline algae put plastic sawdust or plastic scraps on the cement mixture while its still wet before you mold it in the sand.

 

[80sbaby]

How much for the seaclone? Whats the max gallons on that thing?