New to Hobby, 6 days in, pics included (1 Viewer)

[flexrac]

day1: placed 2 pieces of live rock in tank with base rock, plus powerhead and heater. 2oowatts set to 78 degrees

day 3: added protein skimmer and filter to help clarify water.
skimmer is coralife 65

day5: water cleared up, skimmer creating micro bubbles on output, waiting for break-in period to end before making a fuss. also added one raw shrimp to help with cycle.

 

[cichlidtx]

Looks like a good start. It's clearing up nice.

 

[jdeveaux]

Looking Good.

 

[MarkieB]

Looks like you are right on track, doing great!

 

[angel4]

Are the rocks on the left holey rocks? They won't be much help.

 

[flexrac]

Are the rocks on the left holey rocks? They won't be much help.

yes they are, just using them for now, no plans to rush this, going to add more live rock as i go along.

 

[flexrac]

now i have to make custom hoods for my tank, the skimmer sticks out too far preventing my hood from sitting flush. thinking of doing a plxy hood. also plan on building a fake overflow system just to hide all the stuff hanging in the tank. thinking of closing off the right side of the tank, relocating the skimmer and heater to hide along with the power head.
will need black plexy to do this.

my plan is to cut out a hole for the power head output, and to drill out some holes to allow water in from diff levels in the tank.

 

[flexrac]

tested water today:
nirite - 1.0
p.h-8.4
amonia-0
nitrate-5.0

 

[flexrac]

Updates

hIJACKER, MUST DIE!

 

[mike13oy]

looking good.. where are all the Holey rocks??? You know that you can use them for your baserock rite? i have alot of them in my 300g. i put them at the base and cover them with liverocks..In a year or 2, you will not know any different from the liverocks.. will save you alot of money on liverocks.

 

[Jurgy]

Looking good man, I like how you created the caves with the rock.

 

[flexrac]

Thanks! got some really cool stuff from you, found a mushroom today, some snails crawling around the tank, I think i have a tiny satrfish as well, he has three legs. bought a peppermint to get rid of the aptasia, he got some so far. I had to pull a rock out today to remove bubble algae from it.
having fun with this one. went to aquariam world to have my water tested and only thing i have to do is buffer my ph, everything else is good.

not bad for a week and a half setup.
oh, after a closer look, i see some tiny little things crawling on the rocks, and some worms.

next project is building a custom stand and hood. by the way i picked up new lighting as well, t5 setup from hagen; the glo line, 48 inch 2 bulb setup with a timer, no on,off switch.

 

[flexrac]

Fish i intend on keeping
Nemo: false percula, thinking 2-4
dorie: tang
maybe a yellow tang
a mandarin dragonet
some skunk shrimps
snails
hemit crab, or sansifting starfish, not sure which or if any.

corals:
so far deff, getting anemone
maybe some polyps
not sure what else.

Am i over doing it?

 

[Guest]

Buy a test kit and test the water yourself.
Tank looks like a 55-75g so having "Dori" is probably not gonna sit will with the Tang Nazis here. Same goes for the mandarin.

 

[flexrac]

Buy a test kit and test the water yourself.
Tank looks like a 55-75g so having "Dori" is probably not gonna sit will with the Tang Nazis here. Same goes for the mandarin.

I have a test kit, just wanted a second opinion.
the taank is 55 gal, and according to the reps at aquarium world, i can have a blue tang (dori) in my tank for up to 5 years before i have to worry about size, was i told wrong?

 

[wmatt140]

A few things

I assume you want an anemone for the clownfish to host. In the wild different species of clownfish have certain types of anemone they host with. In captivity they may or may not host with other types. Anemone's are hard to keep and it looks like you have regular lighting which probably won't be enough as they primarily rely on light. Search the net about anemone's. There is a lot of information out there.

Mandarin fish often only eat pods and will slowly starve unless you have a large reef with a sufficient pod population.


The more I learn the more things that I can't have get added to the list.

Good luck and keep researching.....

 

[goby1kanobi]

The best advise is research, ask, ask and then ask again.
Great site for anemones:http://www.karensroseanemones.com
http://www.melevsreef.com

 

[flexrac]

Re: A few things

I assume you want an anemone for the clownfish to host. In the wild different species of clownfish have certain types of anemone they host with. In captivity they may or may not host with other types. Anemone's are hard to keep and it looks like you have regular lighting which probably won't be enough as they primarily rely on light. Search the net about anemone's. There is a lot of information out there.

Mandarin fish often only eat pods and will slowly starve unless you have a large reef with a sufficient pod population.


The more I learn the more things that I can't have get added to the list.

Good luck and keep researching.....

upgraded lighting to t5 lights.

 

[flexrac]

updates:
both a new stand from aquarium world, it's just the frame, still have to add doors and skin it, plus make canopy.
I saw another member on here bought a similar setup from a lfs, wonder if it was from them as well.

also purchased a used sump today, rated up to 75gals.
won't set it up till i finish the stand and canopy.
out of cash for now.
oh, inccase anyone wonders why i went backwards, n wife do not like to see the skimmer,heater, and filter in the tank, she wants a clear tank, had to bang it in her head that the power head has to stay.
THE STAND:

 

[lilyicu]

What happened with your skimmer problem? I got mine up and running last night and it is blowing micro-bubbles everywhere. Did yours clear up? I am still cycling my tank so no fish yet.