[brandonmayberry]

Bought a 55 Gallon tank off a guy with a stand a few weeks ago, and thought i would share some updates of where im at so far.

I got my protein skimmer
in

And also ordered and received my refractometer.

Then i got my Overflow in

 

[brandonmayberry]

Then i ordered an aquaticlife t5 4 bulb light and got it installed over the tank. The tank is only half full because I was still waiting for my rocks to come in the mail. I had my sand bed in already, about 4 inches (80lbs)
.

 

[brandonmayberry]

Finally got the rocks in the mail and my return pump for my sump. Both came in the same day, so it made me extra excited that i would be able to fill the tank and get the sum
p started.

 

[brandonmayberry]

And where im at now, is waiting for my sand to settle down again after installing the rocks and topping off the tank. Once it settles im going to get a few pics of the rocks and maybe move them a little more to make sure they are in good spots. My salinity is in a decent spot right now, but im going to check it again here shortly since i just added quite a bit of water to top it off.

 

[badxgillen]

NICE!!! Looks like your going for some coral with those lights. Have yet to see that brand of overflow boxes in uses yet, you will have to chime in on a review when you have used it for some time.Where did you snag your rock from? looks like a big order,better get that skimmer rockin.

 

[brandonmayberry]

NICE!!! Looks like your going for some coral with those lights. Have yet to see that brand of overflow boxes in uses yet, you will have to chime in on a review when you have used it for some time.Where did you snag your rock from? looks like a big order,better get that skimmer rockin.

Yea, i would like to do some coral. So far the overflow is working good, its pretty quiet. The rock came from saltwaterfish.com about 50 lbs of live fiji rock. The skimmer already went through its break in period and seems to be working good.

This is my first saltwater tank ever, and ive been researching and reading up for the last few weeks. However i'm still really new, so if there's anything anyone sees that im doing wrong, or any suggestions, please let me know!

 

[badxgillen]

Actually for a first setup its looking really clean and almost like you have done it before. Did you keep fresh water previously? When you get some nitrates after some time since the rock needs to cure or establish I will give you some coral.You will have to pay shipping but you should be pleased with what I can throw your way. I always try and help out the new guys ,it can be rough in the beginning without assistance in getting ones feet wet in the salty side of things.

 

[brandonmayberry]

I did a little freshwater when i was younger. Me and my fiance are renting a place for school, and the landlord wont let us have a dog so i decided it was time to go all out on some fish instead. When i decided i wanted to do it, i have no idea about saltwater fish at all. I just thought you put them in some saltwater and called it a day. However i made sure to do some research and everything before i started to make sure i don't royally screw up, but that's yet to be seen. I just got the rock in yesterday, and the water actually is cleared up already this morning, Ill post a picture of it this evening after work so you can see how it looks. I would be ecstatic if you would be willing to send me some coral,and id be happy to pay shipping on it.
Right now im just playing the waiting game and testing game to see when the tank cycles and when its okay to get a fish. Ill probably start with a clean up crew, and then a clown fish or two and go from there. I don't want to overpopulate it by any means, just simple and visually pleasing.

 

[brandonmayberry]

Heres a few pictures of the tank with the rocks set up in it. Only have the blue lights on in the pictures. I moved some stuff around and added a new powerhead so its cloudy again for a bit, but ill try to get a picture or two with the white lights on later
.

 

[badxgillen]

Those are some nice sized pieces there. Do you have a local fish store whom you ca n snag some live rock and sand to seed the tank with more organisms? You would only need a small amount to inoculate the tank.Pardon my asking but the tropical fish keeping .com logo on the bottom of the pics is that because you wanted it there for promotional purposes or is it just there? Not thats its all that important just inquiring minds like mine want to know.

Once you tank has some nitrates be sure to bug me about some goodies.Get an idea of what you are wanting to do with the tank.I bet your way ahead of schedule there.I know I was on my first tank.

 

[brandonmayberry]

I do have a LFS, but dont much care for them. I have my old 48" light from the tank that i may trade for some rock from them, but dont know yet. The logo, is there because thats where the picture is hosted. No advertising or anything like that on purpose, i just loaded them in my aquarium log on this page and then put that link as the picture, and it automatically added the link. Just easier that way and looks cleaner than the way i was adding pictures before.
I just took parameters, it may be a bit premature to tell anything, but i wanted a baseline of where im starting at so i can compare for the next few weeks. Right now im at
76.8F temp.
8.2 PH,
.50ppm Ammonia
.50ppm Nitrite
20ppm Nitrate
300ppm Calcium
1.21 Salinity

 

[badxgillen]

If you add some more live rock,bump up the temp a little and increase the flow you can speed up the bacterial process slightly and have a shorter cycle, Is your skimmer pulling gunk out?

 

[brandonmayberry]

If you add some more live rock,bump up the temp a little and increase the flow you can speed up the bacterial process slightly and have a shorter cycle, Is your skimmer pulling gunk out?

I havent seen any gunk in the skimmer yet, but ima clean it in a few minutes actually. I may make a trip to the LFS tomorrow to buy some of their rock or trade for it hopefully since i dont need this old crappy light anymore. I wish i had a good LFS around here, but unfortunately i dont, and im not much for petco and online takes so long to get anything and cost a ton for shipping. It would be nice to shorten the cycle, but i know these things take time, and im already prepared to wait for the cycle to start and finish.
What would be a good temperature to have the tank at? i know alot of fish need 72-78ish so i was trying to keep it around that.

 

[badxgillen]

since your not doing fish yet 78-80 would be ideal.then you can bump it down. If you want I can ship you some live sand and maybe some rubble for a future trade in a coral,if your up for it?

 

[brandonmayberry]

since your not doing fish yet 78-80 would be ideal.then you can bump it down. If you want I can ship you some live sand and maybe some rubble for a future trade in a coral,if your up for it?

not sure i understand what you mean by a future trade in a coral.

 

[badxgillen]

Forgive me,I have not been on this forum for some time. On a couple other forums I frequent and were I live,it is a common practice to exchange corals as to reduce price,increase availability, and reduce collection of the corals them selves. Basically sometimes instead of cash one would take a small piece of one of there corals ,that the other person does not have, and exchange it for something else they want for there tank.

A "future" coral exchange would be later when you have things going your way and you actually have some thing you can take a frag from and feel comfortable doing so.

In this instance I would be willing to send you a jump start package with macro algae,rock,and sand if in the future you would put a tiny coral back into the box that the package came in and send it back to me with the coral frag.
If thats something you might be interested in then I am down,if you like to spend money that alright too. I am sure there is something at your Local Pet Store, or maybe they can order you something on there shipments.

 

[brandonmayberry]

Oh ok, Sorry, im new to the whole thing, so i dont know any of the terminology. That would be great if you were willing to do that for me.

 

[badxgillen]

I sent out your jump start package so you should get some inoculating goodness here by thursday at the latest. Just open the bags and add some of you water to them,wait about 15-20 minutes and repeat,then add em to your tank.I sent a small amount of various micro animals so some of them should get you going along with the bacteria.

 

[brandonmayberry]

I sent out your jump start package so you should get some inoculating goodness here by thursday at the latest. Just open the bags and add some of you water to them,wait about 15-20 minutes and repeat,then add em to your tank.I sent a small amount of various micro animals so some of them should get you going along with the bacteria.

Sounds awesome. Im really looking forward to it. Cant say thanks enough!

 

[arnoldrew]

I sent out your jump start package so you should get some inoculating goodness here by thursday at the latest. Just open the bags and add some of you water to them,wait about 15-20 minutes and repeat,then add em to your tank.I sent a small amount of various micro animals so some of them should get you going along with the bacteria.

What a swell guy.