New Tank

[rappa]

Hi i am new to this hobby and boy is it already addicting. I originally planned on doing a salt water fish only tank, but that soon changed. I switch to FOWLR. Wasn't even finished cycling when I changed my mind again. Now I want to do a reef tank. This tank is a 50 gallon Oceanic. Just added 35 more lbs of LR so I am letting it cycle again. Here are a few pics. Man this tank looks small in pics. I swear it looks bigger in real life. What do you think of the LR design/placement? Thanks for comments... I like this forum
PS. Sorry for posting this twice, but this is probably the right forum for this. Thanks

 

[gregm779]

I like the tank and stand. As far as the aquascaping, first you want to make sure not to touch the sides or front of the tank with the rock otherwise it wil be a pain to clean it with a magnet or whatever. You may want to knock it down a little lower until you put some more rock in. I'm glad you decided to go with a reef tank escpecially before you bought non reef-safe fish.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Agreed with Greg...but that is only our opnion. Some people I know only have the front glass clean, and the sides and back are covered with coraline etc. My back 3 sides (have a hex tank) are covered with crap, and the rocks are really close there. My front 3 i try and keep clean.
You may also need to add more LR, but you can wait on that as far as if youre like me, I only buy coral attached to a peice of rock, so I add it in, and I use the marinelife putty/epoxy to attach this new peice in. So in that case, then what you have is fine, and it wil be added over time anyway.
In any event, your tank looks great so far! If you have decided to go reef now, whatever you were budgeting before for your FO.....well plan on at least doubling that now lol
HTH :scared:

 

[simsimbalabim]

That's a really sharp looking tank. I like what you've done with the aquascaping. The most important thing is not to rush in and try and fill it up---take your time, and know what you're getting before putting it in the tank. Also, what kind of lighting and filtration are you using? Your tank looks well lit, but that almost looks like a strip light on top.

 

[druluv]

GoodLuck to the addiction

 

[ctgretzky9]

Whoa...sims is right...good catch!!!
That light on top looks like it is probably plain florescent fish only lighting.
Can you post the wattage and type of light?
It does look way insufficient to have a reef tank.

 

[rappa]

Yeah thanks for the comments. I really didn't know what I was getting into when I started. But I am loving it so far. The thing that got me interested in a reef tank was buying LR. I bought just 22 lbs and said, "eh, that''ll be enough". But then I started to see all kinds of stuff growing off of it and appearing out of no where. I enjoy that part more than the fish I think. Anyways after the tank was cycled, I decided to go reef instead of buying fish first. So i just added 34 more lbs of LR and did the aquascaping. I now have a total of 56 lbs of LR. You guys think that is still not enough? I sure hope it is. The stuff ain't cheap that's for sure. I was planning on getting the lights in a few weeks after the tank is stable from the new LR. I was looking at getting a 30" Orbit 2x65 watt SunPaq with Lunar Light and Fan. Will that be enough light?
"SunPaq Dual Daylight (10,000K & 6,700K), Dual Actinic (460nm & 420nm) and Lunar Light™ together in one sleek, fan-cooled fixture."
What do you think? 160 bucks on ----. Please give me your oppinions on this as I really don't know lighting. I don't think I need metal halide (sp?) do I? Thanks in advance for your input...

 

[fishieness]

lighting would depend on what you want to keep. The lighting you want would only give you a little more than 2 watts per gallon of PCs. You will only be able to keep low lighting corols. Probably most types of mushrooms, but they would do better with more. I would go with more lighting. Also more live rock. Around 2lbs per gallon is suitable for a reef tank. But remember most corols you buy will have live rock on them... So you dont need to go quite overboard yet. Start out with what you have, or maybe another 25 pounds, and slowly add.
as far as needing metal halid, this would depend on what you want. Pretty much all types of clams: yes
SPS: Yes.
Some LPS: Yes
many anenomes: yes
will corols, no matter what they are do better with metal halid: yes
(except low lighting corols... you would want to shade those)

 

[teen]

i like ur rock work, looks pretty cool. it would be awesome if u had polyps growin all over it. u may also want to get like two powerheads.

 

[75bownut]

You better get used to never being satisfied in this hobbie, and never having enough money to do everything you want , and always wanting a bigger tank and etc........ You get the point. Welcome to the Saltwater world! :hilarious

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by Rappa
Yeah thanks for the comments. I really didn't know what I was getting into when I started. But I am loving it so far. The thing that got me interested in a reef tank was buying LR. I bought just 22 lbs and said, "eh, that''ll be enough". But then I started to see all kinds of stuff growing off of it and appearing out of no where. I enjoy that part more than the fish I think. Anyways after the tank was cycled, I decided to go reef instead of buying fish first. So i just added 34 more lbs of LR and did the aquascaping. I now have a total of 56 lbs of LR. You guys think that is still not enough? I sure hope it is. The stuff ain't cheap that's for sure. I was planning on getting the lights in a few weeks after the tank is stable from the new LR. I was looking at getting a 30" Orbit 2x65 watt SunPaq with Lunar Light and Fan. Will that be enough light?
"SunPaq Dual Daylight (10,000K & 6,700K), Dual Actinic (460nm & 420nm) and Lunar Light™ together in one sleek, fan-cooled fixture."
What do you think? 160 bucks on ----. Please give me your oppinions on this as I really don't know lighting. I don't think I need metal halide (sp?) do I? Thanks in advance for your input...

You will not be able to keep many things with that lighting fixture you are looking into. Metal halide is the best lighting for a reef tank, but there are awesome tanks with PC's.
My personal experience is I had pc's, and tank was good, but went to MH, and tank is much better now, much more growth. I needed MH though, because i have a deep hex tank ( ithink it is 36" deep?) and needed the light to penetrate, so I am a bit biased.
You have enough LR now to start. You can always add on more, just make sure it is cured so you dont start a new cycle.
AGain though, if you're like me, you'll buy coral already on rocks and mount them in your tank as you go. I'll get some new pics over the weekend and post them next week.
I know what you mean about the micro-life on rocks....lol...many times, I'll look at the crushed coral up against the glass and look at the life there-the bristle worms and pods, and little starfish in there...and on the rocks, all of the little star polyps that are growing, and the different colors of algae and coraline etc...its fun!

 

[kaotik]

You better get used to never being satisfied in this hobbie, and never having enough money to do everything you want , and always wanting a bigger tank and etc........
i thought i was the only one who felt like this!!!!