Need advice on starting new tank

[mary787]

:help: I need advice on starting my new 30g reef tank. As far as equipment, what is everything I should have? Is it true I have to 2 weeks to add the protein skimmer? Also, with the lighting, is it possible to start cycling the tank with just the regular hood with 2 incandescent 25watt light bulbs, at least for the first 2 to 3 weeks????? I am in no rush of having it up and running, but I want to do it right so then I don't regret it later on...........thanks in advance

 

[arkey.d]

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You don't need the protein skimmer until you add fish/corals/ until your done cycling. You want to start your cycle by adding a 1 1/2" cocktail shrimp without the tail to your tank and letting it rot.
You don't need lights at all while cycling your tank, so the normal florescents will be fine.

 

[mary787]

That info was very helpful......thanks
Another ? I had was if I should add the live rock the same day I start setting up the tank?

 

[arkey.d]

I waited 1-2 days before adding my LiveRock, just to let the sand settle and make sure all the salt was dissolved.

 

[mary787]

:thinking: Any other great advice and suggestions will be truly appreciated, I will be keeping record of the cycling of my tank and will be taking pictures of it also........thanks

 

[woodymdt]

Question:
In setting the Live Rock in the tank WHILE it's cycling, you're sacrificing some of the critters that are in the rock, yes?
Is that a normal avenue to take? And how long will it take for other critters to start growing in the rock after the cycling is over?

 

[arkey.d]

Yes there is some die off from the live rock, this is normal and to be expected. You can add more Cured LiveRock later on to get some of those critters back. I have had 2-3 star fish survive my cycle as well as 4 brisstle worms and more. Coraline will grow as tthe tank matures.
As far as more advice, make sure you have 2 powerheads in the aquarium for water circulation and I guess you'll have a HOB powerfilter for charcol. Take your time wait for the cycle to be done before adding any fish or inverts. Use RO/DI water or you'll probably have phosphate/silicate problems and enjoy your new SW tank.

 

[woodymdt]

Originally posted by arkey.d
As far as more advice, make sure you have 2 powerheads in the aquarium for water circulation and I guess you'll have a HOB powerfilter for charcol. Take your time wait for the cycle to be done before adding any fish or inverts. Use RO/DI water or you'll probably have phosphate/silicate problems and enjoy your new SW tank.
I've a 300gph powerhead and an Emporer 400 in a 40g setup. Is that still going to require a second powerhead, in your opinion?

 

[arkey.d]

For me I like having a powerhead on each side of the tank, blowing toward the center. The rule is that you want 10-20x turn over in your tank. I would add another if it was me.

 

[woodymdt]

What I've read, and correct me if this is a wrong assumption, is that a base of lace rock should be laid first, then the LR over that.
Is lace rock a non critter growing rock? And is there any benefit to using that instead of using ALL live rock?

 

[arkey.d]

I used all liverock in my 55gal setup. Baserock is rock that isn't alive that you place liverock on top, so the liverock seeds the baserock and it eventually becomes live. It's a cheaper method of adding liverock to the aquarium.

 

[woodymdt]

Thanks. One more and I'll quit for awhile so you folks don't get worn out with my ???
When you set the LR into the tank, is there anything used to attach the rock pieces to each other? OR do you just wedge and place and set rocks on rocks and try and make them as stable as possible?
I can envision being wakened one evening by 30lb of rock crashing through the glass of my tank...

 

[arkey.d]

You can use a plastic eggcrate to protect the bottom of the glass of your aquarium. I have heard people using water proof epoxy to essemble the LR and others who drill holes and but stakes in the LR. Me I just stacked them on each other and made sure they were stable.

 

[woodymdt]

You can use a plastic eggcrate to protect the bottom of the glass of your aquarium.
I was planning on setting the LR on the sand? Is that not a good idea?
Me I just stacked them on each other and made sure they were stable.
That was my thought as well. I'm hoping there will be enough ridges and levels that they will stack nicely and become stable as I work through the aquascape.

 

[arkey.d]

That's what I did was just place the LR on the sand. Some people recommed putting the live rock in first to eliminate dead spots in the sand....
I got Mixed LiveRock, so it was a mixture of different kids of LR and I got pieces as long as a foot or more, to make alot of caverns and arches....