Starting all over...

[plaidnstripes]

My go-to-fish guy shop owner recently went over to the dark side and closed down his own business and started working for Petsmart.
He was helping me convert a normally fresh water tank into a salt water tank.
There are not that many stores around here that are impressive (most do freshwater only or their facility smell horribly). So, I was learning by trial and error and well the 2 million plus bristle worms and over powering algae won. I had a tang, a puffer, two urchins, clown and pygmy angelfish in a 55 gallon tank. I still have two clowns left the rest I gave to someone who was setting up their tank after letting it cycle for months.
So, I cleaned out the tank very well, savaged the live rock.
It has been a couple of months so I would like to try again. Especially since I found this forum I think I can regain that support again.
For the last three months the tank has been running with:
15 lbs of Live rock - I need to get more from I learned so far
Live Sand-If it is still live. I thought about getting perhaps another bag
Lace Rock (i forget how heavy it is)
Waterfall filter (that came with the fresh water set up)
Cascade 600 Internal Filter with Spray Bar
Protien Skimmer (I can not remember the brand but it cost me about $150 dollars)
PH Buffer 8.2
On the Shopping List now:
new testing kit-I am sure the chemicals expire. someone told me they do go bad.
some sort of wave machine
Copepods
Some nice looking plant-Maybe Barber Brush
my wish list is:
False Perc.
Sebae Anem.
mandarin goby
The problem to overcome:
New lighting. Right now the hoods are just the normally hoods that game with it with two of 'high quality' CF lights. For me to have a nice happy Sebae I need more lighting. I do not feel comfortable hanging lights over the tank. No matter how secure it seems, Murphy's law. So any suggesting how to fit some proper lighting to fit the tanks top.
Any suggestions at all are welcome to have happy fishes.

 

[patrick8929]

welcome to the forums!

before you do anything i would get more live rock probably 30+ pounds.
some sort of wave machine would be a koralia power head. i would get 2 or 3 koralia 2's.
if you want a sebae anemone you are going to want a pretty good light, i would go with T5HO lights. they will be great for the anemone and if you ever want to add some more coral you will be able to get pretty much anything depending on the fixture you get.
so do you still have 2 clown fish left? if so why do you want another false perc? and if your going to get an anemone i would stick with a pair of clowns that will host with the anemone.
the mandarin goby will need a pretty astablished tank with lots of copepods, i know you said your buying some but i wouldnt put one in right away. and they also need lots of live rock because the copepods have to be well populated in these rocks.
hope that helps!

 

[katsafados]

If you kept the LR I'd treat it some how to get rid of bristle worms that might be inside it! Or else you'll have a bunch again in your new tank.

 

[plaidnstripes]

Originally Posted by patrick8929
http:///forum/post/3083527
welcome to the forums!

before you do anything i would get more live rock probably 30+ pounds.
some sort of wave machine would be a koralia power head. i would get 2 or 3 koralia 2's.
if you want a sebae anemone you are going to want a pretty good light, i would go with T5HO lights. they will be great for the anemone and if you ever want to add some more coral you will be able to get pretty much anything depending on the fixture you get.
so do you still have 2 clown fish left? if so why do you want another false perc? and if your going to get an anemone i would stick with a pair of clowns that will host with the anemone.
the mandarin goby will need a pretty astablished tank with lots of copepods, i know you said your buying some but i wouldnt put one in right away. and they also need lots of live rock because the copepods have to be well populated in these rocks.
hope that helps!

It does! As far as the false perc I do like the black and white false perc. Would they fight the little others?
I found some retrofits T5 instead of the big track lighting that goes across the tank. Is that less light or is that still well enough?
The reason I do not want an open top aquarium with a track lighting is because I have a very active little sister. So I think it is very important that I keep the tank as accident proof as possible.
If I was handy I guess I could get a pexiglass and to fit the tank and drill holes to allow the tank to breath some

 

[patrick8929]

i wouldnt add more clown fish if you already have 2, if you really want a new one get rid of the 2 you have and get another single or pair of clowns. you wouldnt want to use up alot of your bio load on one type of fish, with a 55 gallon you have a good amount of options. it depends on how many watts the T5's are and make sure they are T5HO lights not just T5. do you want corals? other than the anemone? i think plexiglass even with holes would still be pretty hot. you could always just get a canopy and that way you could hang your lights and have the top of your tank not open to the elements (little sister).

 

[plaidnstripes]

Originally Posted by patrick8929
http:///forum/post/3083826
i wouldnt add more clown fish if you already have 2, if you really want a new one get rid of the 2 you have and get another single or pair of clowns. you wouldnt want to use up alot of your bio load on one type of fish, with a 55 gallon you have a good amount of options. it depends on how many watts the T5's are and make sure they are T5HO lights not just T5. do you want corals? other than the anemone? i think plexiglass even with holes would still be pretty hot. you could always just get a canopy and that way you could hang your lights and have the top of your tank not open to the elements (little sister).

I would like to try coral eventually. Unless it is better to put coral in first and then fish.

 

[patrick8929]

Originally Posted by plaidNstripes
http:///forum/post/3083860
I would like to try coral eventually. Unless it is better to put coral in first and then fish.
it doesnt really matter the key is to not put in alot at one time, so one coral and then wait and then one fish and then wait, either way dont add a whole lot of stuff

 

[plaidnstripes]

Fantastic-I think I will try a piece of coral once I get the lights. Been looking at all sorts of online stores. I will go to my LFS -not sure if I will have any luck but I am on the hunt for the lights

 

[patrick8929]

Originally Posted by plaidNstripes
http:///forum/post/3084087
Fantastic-I think I will try a piece of coral once I get the lights. Been looking at all sorts of online stores. I will go to my LFS -not sure if I will have any luck but I am on the hunt for the lights
so what lights do you have now?

 

[plaidnstripes]

I have two individual single CF fixtures. The bulbs I can not remember the brand but one has a orangy tint and one has a very blue tint.

 

[patrick8929]

okay well before you get any corals or anything i would up grade your lights, that will be a really big difference. and make sure you get lots more rock along with plenty of flow and then you should be good to go!

 

[plaidnstripes]

good to go! Perfect. I see people do refugiums and sumps....so I am glad
I am sooooooooo excited. Pfft, I am easily amused that there is water in the tank and it is so clean and peaceful.
i am going to Disney next week for vacation. I before I go I will invest in some copes and live rock and let them marinate while I am gone.