New in SW. 55 Gal Setup ... help is needed

chingchong

chingchong

Member
Hi,
I have been keeping African Cichlids for 2 years now ... and had always been fond of SW fish.
I have 120 Gal All Glass pre-drilled w/29 gal diy sump, and a 55 Gal.
I just converted my 55 gal to SW (emptied, and cleaned up) and I am thinking about moving the 120 Gal too. But everything must be done slowly ... not sure about it yet.
So this is what I'd like to have:
I just want to keep some clownfish (2 to 4). It'll be a fish only marine tank.
This is what equipment I have and will have:
- 55 Gal tank (4' long x1' wide x2' high)
- 40lbs aragamax reef sand + 10 lbs caribsea sugar sized sand.
- skilter 250
- Customsea life double helix UV sterilizer (9V)
- Fluval 304
- 2 powerhead via 480 (200gph)
- GE HIGH OUTPUT COMPACT Strip-Light (110w)
- Ebo Jager Heater 13" 150W
- Rainbow Customflo Water System/Complete Kit
- AquaClear 200 with surface skimmer
- Carib Sea Araga Alive Super Reef -1 Gallon
- HDL Right Now SALTWATER 3-PACK
- HDL Tri-Base Pelletized Carbon
This is what I have done so far:
- Filled the tank with RO water, added Instant Ocean salt and brought SG to 1.022 S=30.
The weird thing about it is that I had to put 55 Gal of IO Salt in it to bring the salinity to that level ... I was expecting to use less. Measurement have been taken 48hrs after setup at 80 degrees.
I am waiting for the following
- HDL Right Now SALTWATER 3-PACK
- HDL Tri-Base Pelletized Carbon
Apparently it's for a 24 hrs cycle process as opposed to 4-5 weeks
- Rainbow Customflo water
Then once I make sure the readings are okay, I'll add my clownfish.
Now here are questions for the experts.
I made a DSB (hopefully). It's about 4in thick. I'd like to have a minimum maintenance for nitrate ... I have been reading to use LR. But it gets really expensive and money is not what I have right now. From the Cichlid tank I have about 70 lbs of lace rock.
1- Can I use the lace rock if I put the live sand with them?
2- Should I instead use them in conjunction with LR from my LFS? like having half lace and half LFS LR ?
3- Skilter 250 aren't very popular apparently (got it for free). will it suffice for just fish only tank?
4- should i use the UV from the start? the tank is in my bedroom, which is quite illuminated in the morning (7am to 9am) but no direct sunlight hits it.
5- is the fluval 304 okay ? I like to put bio balls as opposed to the sponge but i read it's a nitrate factory ...
That's it for now... I'll post a picture once I get it with my digital.
Thanks in advance for helping me out. This could be a good thread for new people like me in the SW tank work.
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
Alright.
So far...
I got my AquaClear 200 with the surface skimmer.
I received my Rainbow Customflo that I hooked up to my Fluval 304.
I did the modification of the Skilter 250 and put an wood airstone. This is working great. It's quiet and make much more bubbles.
I am supposed to get some Araga Live sand ... any idea how i should put this in without creating to much of a mess.
I am thinking to make a sump/fuge for the 55 Gal but the LFS guys told me I'll be fine with just the skilter and the fluval.
Opinions?
I put a damsel and a clownfish to start. They looked fine this morning when I left for work.
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
the tank is full with water already. (duh!!)
I have some Carib Sea Araga Alive Super Reef -1 Gallon coming in soon.
How do I set this up in the tank without messing things too much.
 
bot587

bot587

Member
first of al IO salt does level off at 1.023, very dependable product.
If you got the money get the LR its the best biofiltration there is.
Also, consider a high power light, didnt look at your lighting yet. This will give you good growth of coraline algae.
Fish only is easier, however you will soon learn it gets dull. So, unless your totally against it consider maybe some mushrooms...feather dusters.... or if you wanna put out soft and hard corals (pending on the lighting).
The 304 is perfectly fine for the 55g (just to make sure 304 is up to 90g correct?).
Get all the props such as a good skimmer (at least a prism made by red sea, if not better).
In conclusion, if you are short on cash buy at least 20-30 lbs of live rock to cycle the water, and make the rest abse rock. (live rock will turn base rock into live rock over time).
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
I put some LR and some Lace rock + the AragaLive sand (12lbs).
I am worried about lighting. Are the NO bulb (40W) enough for FOWLR SW tank?
I have a 10000K + Arctinic 403.
Let me know.
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
Well I don't intend to have coral really .... what I'd like to achieve is to have a stable SW tank... I just want to host clownfish ... would an anemone survive with such lights?
I also have a PC 110W from All Glass ... 9325K. If I happen to use it, what improvement will I get... and should I change the bulbs to 50/50 PC bulbs?
Thanks for the help.
 
barry cuda

barry cuda

Member
The other thing to consider about anemones is that even in the care of experienced aquarists, most specimens survive less than a year. Considering that this is an animal that can live hundreds of years on the wild, it's a shame.
If you do upgrade your lighting later on and want to get an anemone for the clown to host in, consider getting an aquacultured bubble tip anemone (Entacmea quadricolor). They're much hardier than most, and getting an aquacultured specimen (becoming readily available these days) means you aren't snatching one off a reef somewhere. Even then there's no guarantee that the clown will host it, but your chances are reasonably good from what I've read.
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
okay more LR are coming... just use 20lbs to seed the rest.
1- How long is it going to take before I get the coralline algae on them?
I am running 110W PC 50/50 Bulbs
2-About water flow... (powerheads). I have 2 via aqua 480 (200GPH) and the powersweep 228 (270GPH). available and not in the tank
I just run the fluval 304, an aquaclear with surface skimmer, and a Skilter 250
Should I add the powerhead and which one.
3- i m getting ready to rid of my 125g African Cichlid tank... too much space ... too much maintenance.
I'll build a sump/fuge for the 55 gal... later on.
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
added some LR.
added JEBO 200W heater in front of the vertical spray bar
replace 50/50 bulb with 20000K (dual strip fluorescent light 40W - Coralife Artinic 03 + Coralife 20000K)
is there possible to add some animals in it? (crabs .... snails ... shrimps).
Thanks.
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
bought a CPR BakPak 2 skimmer online.
cannot wait to get it... I have about 1.5/2 weeks on cycling left.
ammonia is at medium level, nitrates are up the roof.
have a total of 40 lbs of LR + 30 lbs of lace rock which I hope will be covered with algae fast.
also, getting 2x 10000K/Artinic 03 55W PC bulbs tomorrow.
any advice on what i should do next?
can i have a "cleaning crew" and what should I get if so?
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
help!
hey ... it's been almost 2 weeks now. I have the ammonia level going down, the nitrites are up the roof.
I noticed some "white" little living thingies ... I have no clue what they are ...
any1?
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
hey guys...
I have a high temp issue in the tank 86 and maybe above in the tank.
any1 knows how i could bring my light higher? it's a GE 110W PC strip light.
bought today some hermits/snails and a coral banded shrimp.
they have already started cleaning the rocks. they are hanging out on the rocks covered with brown algae.
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member

Originally posted by chingchong
yea i just dump one in ... it says 82... but i'd like to bring the temp lower to 77/78.
Just curious why you want to bring the temp down to 77/78. I noticed I get considerable better growth at 80-82 and it will not harm the animals. Its more important to keep it a constant temp.
 
chingchong

chingchong

Member
i just think that it is too hot. but isn't there a relationship between the temperature and the amount of oxygen in the water?
right now, there are only the hermits, the astrea snails and a coral banded shrimp.
 
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