Hello, First tank...looking good so far

[david31337]

Setup my first SW tank about 5 weeks ago, not know anything I just took the advice of other fish keepers. So I got a nice tank, 2 external filters and a skimmer. Just added a clown. There is nothing else live in the tank at all, wanted to see what the clown would do to the water. He's been in there 4 days, and all levels normal.

All the plants are fake and the rock is just plain lava rock. The plants will go as the coral starts to come. There is also no skimmer and the 2nd 304 fluval was not installed. This was about 2 weeks ago. There is one power head.
The smaller external filter is on a spray bar(Eheim 2236). There is carbon in the filter that is comming out for good in 6.5 days. The bigger 304 is just on the standard head. I was wonderin what to add next? Live sand, live rock, coral, another fish? crabs, snails? I think it would be kind for the clown to get him a friend, but that is gonna double the load on the filters. So any thoughts?

BTW im not keen on live rock unless it's made in a shop.
Thanks.

 

[Andrew]

[welcome]


looks good but I would take the plastic plants out.

 

[david31337]

Is that coz they look rubbish or are they bad for the tank? Just put them in there for the weee fish.

 

[Andrew]

They just don't look good in marine tanks but you dont have to remove them if you like them. Some correct me if im wrong but isn't lava rock bad for saltwater tanks?

 

[Shaummy]

re: lava rock...I've had some in my FOWLR tank for years, and never saw any huge issue with it.

Some have suggested that it can leach chemicals into the water, but I've not seen that, or if it does, the amounts are so small that my 90 gallon doesn't show any effect.

 

[david31337]

Update

Update

Well, I changed the way the 304 filter works, Im taking water from the surface now. The other canister is taking water form close to the sand.
Im gonna put in another 20g tank under the first tank. This will be kinda a sump with water being pumped up to the 40g tank. My question is, what do u think should go in the 20g? Coral? Fish? Rock?
U can see here where the other tank is goin.

I took about some plastic plants and added 6 mangroves and a green plant which has a name I'm not even gonna try and spell. The skimmer will arrive next week with a load of Live rock...that will hopefully make the lava rock live.

 

[AIMFish]

I like the look of that lava rock, and hopefully the liverock you ordered is cured, if not that clown is in for a rough ride. One of the plants you have looks like Caulerpa mexicana, it should grow well but you may have trouble with those mangroves. They are usually not fully submerged.

 

[david31337]

What a dumb *** I am, not wonder the dude wanted to get rid of them....I got them for free so I guess i'll have to take them out
Live rock is cured, and hopefull will make the lava rock live lava rock.

BTW if anyone is intrested in mangroves http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/feature.htm
Have a look here

 

[fakename]

If you like plants more than corals (so far the look of your tank suggests quite a fondness for plants...) check out some of the plant based tanks in the macroalgae forum. The are really different looking than your usual marine set up and pretty cool.
Just a thought!
Aaron

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

i have also been told that the lava rock will leach over time.

 

[david31337]

10g sump added

10g sump added

Small update, the sump is in place, there is not pump there yet. You can see the sump under the main tank, it has a light but no wired yet.

Again what should I put in there?
Thanks.

 

[szwab]

i would watch you levels carefully the sand, lava rock would not have bacteria to cycle the tank. wait until you get your live rock and skimmer on. before adding anything else. might even want to see if there is a local reffer that will give you a cup of their sand which will seed your tank.

 

[Petie]

I would move your power strip off the bottom of the stand. I'm super paranoid about water and electricity.