who to listen to

noob101

noob101

Member
Well First Thing Is When I Came Home From Work On Friday My Wife Had A 55gal Tank Setup In My Livingroom.....well Now I Got A Saltwater Tank Cause She Don't Have Time For It Now. The Lfs Makes No Sense To Me. Everything He Told Her I I Have Read Online At 4 Different Web Sites Is Completely Diferent.
As Of Now I Am Cycling A Tank? With 25lbs Live Sand Using A Whisper 60 Hang On Filter And From What I Have Read This Aint Gonna Work.
I Got A Skimmer I Purchased Last Night On It's Way With 2 Powerheads But Have No Clue What Else I Need To Do For This Tank..
For She Went Back To The Lfs Saturday With A Water Sample.....and They Sent Her Home With One Peice Of Base Rock And 4 Damsels....frowned Upon By Hobbyist From What I Have Read So Not Good There.
I Would Appreciate Any Helpful Advice I Can Get.
Thanks A Noob In Florida
 
yimmy

yimmy

Active Member
I let my tank cycle naturally. I'm not sure how much you know so I'm going to go through it a lot. THe skimmer was a great thing to do and I don't believe the whisper is going to hold it. 25lbs of rock isn't that much I would aim for at least 50. THere is live rock or also known as cured and the dead stuff or uncured. I did all LIve rock and a bit of uncured is how I cycled my tank. Some people aslo throw in an unseasoned dead cocktail shrimp to cycle the tank. What are your intentions of the tank, a fish only tank or a reef tank, after you let us know that then we or I can help more
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
I have always found the best advice to be on here.
For a 55 gallon tank you are going to need at least 55 lbs or LR.
I'm not sure how much LS you will need.
Most people don't recommend cycling a tank with a fish, it's not necessary. You can use a piece of raw shrimp instead and the shrimp won't suffer.
 
noob101

noob101

Member
As Of Now I Would Like To Do A Reef Tank I Got 6lbs Of Base Rock Planing On Buying About 40lbs Live Fiji From Lfs And Another Two Bags Of Ls. But Have To Wait Till I Get Paid On Friday For That
 
cain420

cain420

Active Member
actually he didnt mention any live rock, just BASE rock.. is there any in there? u will want at least 55lbs of it for your biological filtration to be good. i would double the live sand and look into a sump/fuge to ensure that your system will do great. no need to take risky chances in this hobby if u ask me, lol.
listen to the people here over the people in the lfs.. the people here have "been there - done that" and you will learn from their experience. Try to take the damsels back, if u wish, or u can cycle with them - highly frowned upon in this forum, but alot of people do it. make sure that you get your own salifert test kits.. they are pricey, but the best out so far.... WELCOME TO THE BOARD!
 
noob101

noob101

Member
Thanks I Was Planing On Buying A Kit And A Hydrometer Today.
I Like Reef Tanks Just Right Now I Am Not Sure I Got The Funds To Do What I Know Should Be Done From What I Have Read.
Can I Add The Summp And Ref Later Or Should I Get It As Soon As I Can?
To Be Honest I Have No Clue About Fish And Saltwater Tanks Except From What I Have Read Here And On The Website's. I Am A Reptile Person Myself But I Would Really Like To Get This Tank Up And Runnin. From The Pictures I Have Seen These Tanks Make A Nice Addition To Anyones Home.
 
cain420

cain420

Active Member
just be glad the hardest part is behind u... convincing the wife to get a tank.. lol
yea u can cycle the tank without a sump/fuge.. and if u want to go reef.. get some halides for that bad boy
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
You need to get a refractometer, hydros aren't accurate. You also can't do a reef with the light that comes with yur tank, you will definitely have to upgrade that.
 
noob101

noob101

Member
Actually The Hard Part Was Her Convicin Me To Go Along With It When I Got Home. Cause I Knew I Would Be The One Takin Care Of The Tank.
 
noob101

noob101

Member
Hey Cain Can U Tell Me The Basic Of A Sump What All I Would Need To Make One.
I Work In A Plumbing Supply Warehouse And Could Probably Make One Cheaper Than Buy One If I New What All I Would Need To Make One In A 2og Tank......would Like To Add A Refugium As Well
 
turningtim

turningtim

Active Member
Originally Posted by noob101
Well First Thing Is When I Came Home From Work On Friday My Wife Had A 55gal Tank Setup In My Livingroom.....well Now I Got A Saltwater Tank Cause She Don't Have Time For It Now. The Lfs Makes No Sense To Me. Everything He Told Her I I Have Read Online At 4 Different Web Sites Is Completely Diferent.
As Of Now I Am Cycling A Tank? With 25lbs Live Sand Using A Whisper 60 Hang On Filter And From What I Have Read This Aint Gonna Work.
I Got A Skimmer I Purchased Last Night On It's Way With 2 Powerheads But Have No Clue What Else I Need To Do For This Tank..
For She Went Back To The Lfs Saturday With A Water Sample.....and They Sent Her Home With One Peice Of Base Rock And 4 Damsels....frowned Upon By Hobbyist From What I Have Read So Not Good There.
I Would Appreciate Any Helpful Advice I Can Get.
Thanks A Noob In Florida

Welcome to the boards and the MOST addictive hobby there is!
I've found that LFS's have their ways and don't vary from them to much. Here things change as new and better methods are found. The LFS also has a lot to gain (your money) by the advise they give. Here we have no other motive then to help.
The whisper isn't gonna work for your main filter. As said already you need live rock. If you go reef then 1lb per gallon should work. Reef equals lights, do a search (CORALS) and see what you want to keep and what lighting is required. I agree double the LS, that should be good.If you want to do this, I would look into a sump/fuge. Search it, tons of info. Now is the time to do it right! Learn from the mistakes already made by others here (including ME)!
Take the fish back and cycle with the uncured LR (cheaper) or a cocktail shrimp. Even if the damsels make through the cycle you'll probably not want them after you've cycled. There are a pain to catch in a full tank.
HTH
Tim
 
cain420

cain420

Active Member
here are some pics of my sump.. i am piping in a separate fuge this week/weekend when the parts come. Im doin em in separate tanks to keep the lights for the fuge on at night, without disturbing the tank at all..
the first pic is the sump - a 20 gallon tank with a acrylic wet/dry
2nd pic is the overflow box, since the tank is not drilled and does not have a built in overflow..
but the thing is, with reef, u will want just the sump/fuge and no wet/dry...so u could make that all in the same tank...
do a quick google search on building a refugium for salt water aquariums and you will get a perfect description of what u need to get to make it..

 
noob101

noob101

Member
Thanks For The Pics Great Help. Now I Just Hope I Can Find A Decent Enough Pump For It At Work Thanks A Bunch Everyone
 
cain420

cain420

Active Member
oh yea.. and if u are wondering what that thing is that is zip-tied to the skimmer, its a home sump low level cut off switch.. $24 at lhs. They do make some for salt water tanks, but i imagine this one is much easier to keep clean. When it gets to a 45 degree angle, it shuts the pump off, so if my intake is ever clogged for whatever reason, or say the overflow tube decides it doesnt want to siphon anymore, it wont overflow my tank, spilling onto the floor.. a good safety precaution.
 
creative

creative

Member
Usually reef safe pumps don't have any metal coming in contact with the salt water. I like Sequence for externals, and mag drives for submersibles.
 
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