My first salt aquarium! Pics and progress!

[aaa1234]

Hey everyone. So i started a thread a while ago about my first week of having my tank up. Then i left my camera at work. So im just going to restart my thread from before. Heres the pictures i had last week of my tank just starting. ---

See how clean the tank looked? After the first few days of circulation i had my water tested and the guy at Uncle Bill's told me that in order to increase my nitrate lvls i would need to throw a few fish into there. I guess telling him that my tank is not even a week old would have helped. The chromies died before the new week. But some good news is that my tank is cycling like it should. Diatoms and sh/t are popping up everywhere. And my baby ricordias (what i think are rics) are still alive and open and close every now and then!

 

[aaa1234]

cont....

cont....

Here are some recent pics of my new sump (reversed because of skimmer size) and the tank as of yesterday. Diatoms and all!









/\ --- Thats the white rics... i think. Not a good pic because of camera but the white area is all tentacle like arms that get to almost 1/4 to 1/2 inch when they are open all the way.




Feedback/ advice/ and criticisms are all excepted and appreciated! Thanks

 

[aaa1234]

If you look closely you will see that my sump is not level. I did this because i reversed the expected flow of water. So i have to give it that little bit of angle for it to adequately flow into my return area. Anyone have any suggestions for stuff to put in my refuge? Also im going to eventually get hard plumping in as i dont want to take any chances on anything leaking. Ill note the progress as soon as i begin it. Thanks

 

[SaltyDr]

If it were me I'd get a little more rock in there. Get some macro algae like chaetomorpha in the fuge to help with nutrient export.

 

[aaa1234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10216594#post10216594 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SaltyDr
If it were me I'd get a little more rock in there. Get some macro algae like chaetomorpha in the fuge to help with nutrient export.

More rock in the display or sump?
Because i plan on getting about 10 more lbs of rock for the display. That will be next week probably though

 

[Chago09]

well what are you planning for this tank??? will it be fish only of a reef???

If its fish only then you could use less rock but you will need some more biological filter then what you have. If your wanting to have corals and make your tank a reef. Add the water volume in your tank and sump and then get 1-1.5 lbs per gallon. Some guys will even go 2lbs.

 

[danch]

Re: My first salt aquarium! Pics and progress!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10216554#post10216554 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cabbage0709
After the first few days of circulation i had my water tested and the guy at Uncle Bill's told me that in order to increase my nitrate lvls i would need to throw a few fish into there.

Looks like you need to take advice from that guy with a big grain of salt. There's lots of ways of getting ammonia into the water for the cycle that don't involve fish suffering and dieing. That guy's 10 or 20 years behind the times.

Understand, I'm not trying to be harsh on you, just point out that some 'experts' aren't so expert.

 

[costeroma]

Re: Re: My first salt aquarium! Pics and progress!

Re: Re: My first salt aquarium! Pics and progress!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10216908#post10216908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danch
Looks like you need to take advice from that guy with a big grain of salt. There's lots of ways of getting ammonia into the water for the cycle that don't involve fish suffering and dieing. That guy's 10 or 20 years behind the times.

Understand, I'm not trying to be harsh on you, just point out that some 'experts' aren't so expert.

Haha yeah. Its hard sometimes though knowing who knows their stuff. I have no clue about most of the stuff so if i get false knowledge from them, it makes me mess up and look retarded

But thanks for the input...i dont believe in bad comment btw so blast away lol

 

[Rue]

I'm sorry your fish died...that shouldn't have to happen, bad advice indeed...

I'm also starting my first SW tank...so I'm reading everyone else experiences with interest...

 

[J. Montgomery]

IME, coral skeletons tend to grow algae like crazy.

Is that an air bubbler?

I would recommend against putting any fish or corals in there until the algae and diatoms back off. Before you add fish or corals, you should have a few clean-up crew members in there first.

 

[pdhenderson]

you can add a piece of raw shrimp to help the cycle start.
I have noticed that when having coral skeletons in during the cycle, they will get algae, as stated above, and they will continue to become covered in unwanted algae blooms.

 

[oh monti !!!!!]

unwanted alage?

unwanted alage?

so should he take out the old corals and wash them off like bioballs for a while, or let them be?

 

[steri]

I have a few old coral peices in my tank. The only algae it has on it is Coraline which I'm fine with. Just leave it. That's my opinion.

 

[pdhenderson]

Re: unwanted alage?

Re: unwanted alage?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10219437#post10219437 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by oh monti !!!!!
so should he take out the old corals and wash them off like bioballs for a while, or let them be?

No, he can let them stay. But if they do get green algae( Not a coralline species) they should be removed.
Having these pieces was once the way to do it, and having the algae was considered good. but those days have passed.
As stated they can harvest coralline algae. One good way to ensure is to seperate them and seed them.
personally i like the look , reminds me of the tank in the movie "the naked gun"

 

[aaa1234]

Well everyone, lastnight i went to lowes and for 25$ i got everything i needed for some hard plumbing up in my system. After putting it together and setting it up i have no realized that i could have made my plumbing a lot less than what it is and would have had better and faster water flow, and it would have been more controlled. But that can be made another day. For now ill stick with my more-than-needed system. Comments / bashes are welcome. Enjoy Any questions, feel free to ask. Heres the pics.

 

[rsw686]

I think I read your previous thread where it was commented on about the stand not being the right size for the tank. Seriously build or buy a stand that fits the tank. You have alot of stress on that tank from it hanging over the edge. The silicone is having to hold the weight of the side panes of glass. No its not going to fail today or tomorrow, but if you leave it like that chances are withing a year a seam will go and water will flood through your room. Not to mention the loss of life of whatever inhabitants are in your tank.

Why do you have the CPR BakPak skimmer in the water? Its a HOB skimmer and I wonder if it would work better outside the water.

On the plumbing did you use PVC primer or just the PVC cement. It just doesn't look like there is primer on there. Primer preps the pipe so the cement can make a solid joint.

I would've put the ball valve on the drain to the skimmer section, water will take the shortest path so your probably not getting much flow to the other end. If you could close off the skimmer section more you could easily very the flow to the other side.

 

[oh monti !!!!!]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10224403#post10224403 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rsw686
I think I read your previous thread where it was commented on about the stand not being the right size for the tank. Seriously build or buy a stand that fits the tank. You have alot of stress on that tank from it hanging over the edge. The silicone is having to hold the weight of the side panes of glass. No its not going to fail today or tomorrow, but if you leave it like that chances are withing a year a seam will go and water will flood through your room. Not to mention the loss of life of whatever inhabitants are in your tank.

Why do you have the CPR BakPak skimmer in the water? Its a HOB skimmer and I wonder if it would work better outside the water.

On the plumbing did you use PVC primer or just the PVC cement. It just doesn't look like there is primer on there. Primer preps the pipe so the cement can make a solid joint.

I would've put the ball valve on the drain to the skimmer section, water will take the shortest path so your probably not getting much flow to the other end. If you could close off the skimmer section more you could easily very the flow to the other side.

(Im using my friends name - Cabbage0709) I dont think the skimmer is a bakbak. No where on the unit itself does it say bakpak. But as for the plumbing...i will probably redo all of it within the next week or two...i dont want to spend the money on it right at this moment. But the tank is fully supported on all of the trim edges except for the 1.5'' that is hanging off the sides. As for the length of the tank on the bottom...none of it is hanging off. But yes, i will be building a stand in the next couple of weeks along with the new plumbing. I am actually moving in the next month and a half back to my house in bloomington for school. When i do so i will be modifying almost all of thmy setup because i will have a better stand and more room for everything else. So for now, i have to deal with what i have. But come next semester ill be rollin with a nice looking setup. I cant wait

Thanks RSW for the feedback!