tank finally cycled

rdanford

rdanford

Member
Well, finally my 55 gallon tank is cycled. Here is what it is made up of: Wet/dry system, basic store bought gravel (20 lbs), 3 large peices of display coral, and 4 damsels. Since reading up, I want to now have live sand (don't know how much, and I want to get out the old gravel if possible), live rock built around the existing display coral. Will this cause my tank to recycle? What type of lighting do I need for the live rock and sand? Do I need some cleaner livestock? If so, what? What protein skimmer do you think I should use? I want to have False Perca Clowns, how many and what anomones should I use, that are easy and what type of lighting for them? Blemmies and gobies, how many, which ones and what do they need? Will a yellow tang do well in all of this, and what other fish will thrive? Would it be best to remove my damsels because of their aggression? Thanks for any and all help. Royce
 
bdhough

bdhough

Active Member
1 - Live rock - I would get 10lbs at a time every 2 weeks. Get live rock with as much color as you can and preferably cured first. Look for purple stuff all over. A good test is just smell it. If it reaks i wouldn't get the piece. You can get about 1.5 lbs per gallon in there. 2 weeks lets the rock settle and your levels will settle down. Adding live rock spikes the nitrates or can spike them.
2 - Lighting - You don't need lighting unless you're getting corals/anemones in which case you need about 4 watts per gallon. So start saving about 3 or 4 hundred dollars :) ... You need more than 200 watts for your 55.
3 - Fish/Inverts - Along with the live rock i would add some invertabrets. Shrimp/Snails/Crabs.... I think the rule is 1 per gallon.... Case in point i have 8 hermits, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 astreas, and 1 turbo snail. I have about 11 lbs of live rock and a 12 gallon tank. I always smile when the snails clean my thermometer of algae..... I would add half this per 10 lbs....Then get more as you go.
As far as anything else goes i don't know cause i only have a 12 gallon. So maybe someone will get up with you on the other stuff. Just remember to go slow or youll overload things.
 
bdhough

bdhough

Active Member
Sure..... I would refine your questions though to specifics.... Like protien skimmer question, then lighting question ect.... You'll get more looks and answers. Did you get any inverts? They will help cure/clean your rock a little quicker. Especially the hermit crabs. One note on the hermits, try and find some replacement shells for them. Just ask around at pet stores you should find some there. My crabs are trading shells all the time. It's amusing. One of them doubled in size in 2 weeks, he's twice bigger than any of the others easily.
 
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