55 gallon

[Deadeye]

hmm, I don't think I have enough room at either of those locations for a 125. I have a 55 on the wall that divides the living room and a bedroom. So, I guess i ran that the wrong way across the beams..........................? hmmm

I guess a 55 isn't to bad though.. Maybe I will just do another 55, but I was hoping to get the puffer and blue tang a bigger home. I am worried from what I read a 55 may be to small for them eventually.

Thanks for the help by the way. I will check the water tommorow again. The 30 gallon was up and running for well over a month. I thought it cycled, and everything that needed to be 0 was 0 on the tests. I need to get a RODI system, I buy RODI for top off water and water changes, but not when I first did the initial tank fill up. But the sand turned brown on top which I believe is an indication that it is cycling? So, I guess I messed up on that.

Oh, I'd say this apartment building was built about 9-10 months ago, so it's new also.

 

[aquaconnect]

I don't think you'd have any problems w/a 125, really. The bigger the better.

 

[Deadeye]

So, would you say my tank is cycling again? Since I got some of the sand that turned brown?

 

[Shaar]

when i first cycled my tank, i got brown slime growing everywhere, then it turned neon greenish yellow, then disappeared. i never did any param tests on my tank and still haven't to this day. but i let it cycle for a good month to a month and a half with just live rock and sand

 

[Deadeye]

I'm going to be losing sleep over wether or not to get the 125.

If I did it, it would be the FOWLR, and would just like 40-50lbs of LR be ok? If I did a sump or 2 canister filters maybe. I don't want to have to buy 125lbs of live rock, to expensive.

 

[Deadeye]

OK, Tested this morning. Ammonia is at 0 now and nitrite is at .25. I could not make out the color on Ph but I think it's ok. I didn't bother testing Nitrates.

So, should I let it go and see if the nitrites goto 0 or do another water change? Say 20% or 10% with some RODI water?

By the way, the puffer is back in action and is extremely active again just like before, so hopefully he made a good recovery. He want's food, but I wasn't going to feed the fish today.

 

[aquaconnect]

Here's the deal with this hobby, and I'm just being honest and this is from my experience. If you plan to do something, do it all out, or don't do it at all, otherwise it'll be a waste.

If I were you, go with a 75gal for now, put 80-100pounds of rock in it, cycle it for a month or so and use that for the fish. Then in a few years, up grade it to a 125 then. A 75gal or 80gal is big enough for now, and will be for a couple of years. That way you can spend some extra money on equipment for the tank like a good skimmer, and so on.

 

[Deadeye]

I was thinking of just leaving the 55 FOWLR alone, and getting another 55 for a reef tank, I would get a canopy and do 2x175watt HQI retro kit. That way I would be able to buy everything I need for a set-up fairly quickly, where a bigger tank would take a long time for me to buy stuff for.

Unless I get a lot of crap for having a puffer and a tang in a 55, but I think they will be ok. If I just have the tang, puffer, gramma, and clown in there.


Here are my plans for the 55 reef.
55 tank/stand from Fewells
2x175 watt retro kits from Fewells
lifereef siphon overflow
500GPH return pump
1x820GPH SEIO
60-70lbs of live rock
sump w/ hopefully a refugium if I can find one at a good price
300 watt Rena heater
40lbs of sand
I have no idea on a protien skimmer, definitly want an in sump one, definitly don't want to spend $300 on one though if possible

Am I missing anything?

 

[Deadeye]

adding 2 T5 retro's to that list. just for a little extra blue lighting.

 

[Deadeye]

I changed the carbon in the carbon bag that I put in the sump this morning. I tested the water 3 times today and Fewell tested it once. The final test I just did a minute ago the nitrites and ammonia both are 0 now.

The puffer was acting normal again, but then I saw he had puffed up for maybe a second, which I hear isn't good. then about 5 minutes after that he went behind the live rock and isn't moving around. So, the water is fine now but the puffer went back to acting weird.

The other fish so far haven't shown any signs of problems, which I kinda think is odd?