What have i done?

[manycolors]

I have had a tank for about 5 months maybe? i used to use strait well water, because i was short on money and i was just barely getting by, but now that schools out i can work full time, anyway, i just bought an RO/DI system and a nova extreme 4X24. i have 2 clowns and a shrimp and i want to get some anemone, not sure what kind, and also get more corals in the future,,,, just wondering if i do a 50% water change and use this light will they be ok? my biggest concern is the water quality.....any ideas?
also i have some metal containers with some rust in them, if i were to throw a plastic bag in there and use it to hold water for a couple hours, would i have anything to worry about?

 

[salt210]

Id do whatever I could to avoid contamination

 

[manycolors]

do i have to worry about anything from the bags effecting the water?

 

[srgvigil]

Originally Posted by ManyColors
http:///forum/post/2639983
I have had a tank for about 5 months maybe? i used to use strait well water, because i was short on money and i was just barely getting by, but now that schools out i can work full time, anyway, i just bought an RO/DI system and a nova extreme 4X24. i have 2 clowns and a shrimp and i want to get some anemone, not sure what kind, and also get more corals in the future,,,, just wondering if i do a 50% water change and use this light will they be ok? my biggest concern is the water quality.....any ideas?
also i have some metal containers with some rust in them, if i were to throw a plastic bag in there and use it to hold water for a couple hours, would i have anything to worry about?
I'll help out as much as I can
1)I guess you could but I think it would be safer to just go down to your local hardware store or ***** and buy a bucket or even a trashcan and designate it specificaly for only your tank (of course my dad wasnt paying the attention and used my bucket to hold soap while washing his car, im making him buy me a new one

)
2) not really sure on the water
3) hold off on the anemone until your tank is more mature (your almost there though)

 

[nordy]

Home Depot sells 5 gal buckets (not the orange ones) pretty cheap and they are ideal for mixing/measuring water as they have volume gradations marked on the side. 50% water change is a pretty large amount to do at one time, and should only be done if A) the water is mixed at least 48 hours ahead of time and B) Salinity AND temps are precisely matched to your tank parameters. Small heaters, inexpensive powerheads, and a decent temp gauge are vital when mixing up water.
What size is your tank? Volume and measurements can help determine if your lighting is adequate for what you want to do. Anenomes and corals can be very demanding of high water quality, including proper flow. I would suggest doing 20% water changes every week, as detailed above, for a month to get the good stuff into your tank and then 10% weekly thereafter.
On your lighting, are you sure about those wattage levels? I have a Nova Extreme on my 55 and it has 6 54W lamps. Corals and anenomes need lots of good light, good water, and good flow.
A good test kit is important when trying to upgrade your water quality. You have made the most important decision in getting a RO/DI unit and should follow up with regular feedback from testing your water. Once you get more experience and your tank becomes established, water testing can be done less frequently.
As many people say, patience is indeed a virtue so be sure everything is in order before adding anenomes/corals. Expensive mistakes can indeed be learning experiences, but they are so, so....expensive!

 

[manycolors]

Thank you guys so much for the help, i have re-calculated how long i've had the tank, just over 6 months now. the dementions of the tank are kinda wierd, its a 50 gal. but it's like 29WX18LX22H i know those arent exact numbers but it will give you a rough idea, i bought the nova extreme 24in model with 4 lights, each 24 watts (i know watts is close to irrelevent) 2 10K day and 2 460nm actinic. i know my tank is a little on the deep side so i'm planning on putting all my corals near the top, what is the best way to go about good, flexible water movement that will work well with whatever coral i decide to go with? for now i have a temporary pond POS to make do for a while with just my fish. but i could really use the help in making smart decisions and not half a--ing it like i have been. i have learned it really IS a painful exspensive lesson to learn..... thanks for all your help guys, it's really great

 

[nordy]

On flow for your tank, I suggest the Hydor Koralia units-good flow, but somewhat diffused and easy to move around for best position. Maybe a couple of #2's or a 2 and a 3. I think your light may not be adequate for corals and anenomes, even though your tank isn't as long as my 55gal (48") 116 watts doesn't sound like enough. Watts is not the only measure to take into consideration when choosing lights, but it is probably the single most important one, along with tank depth and shape in determining if you do indeed have enough light.
While placing corals near the top of the tank will maximize the light they will receive, you will need a lot of LR to get there and it still may not be enough. of course, some corals are less needy for light than others.