New 180. Need constructive advice

[Iowafisher]

Ok so I just got a 180 gallon and man this thing is big.
Have it all up and running. Have sump set up. Temps good. Salinity great.
I am not rushing anything. I want to do this right.
I am wanting to have a small middle of the tank reef with lots of swimming room around it. I would like to have about 3 tangs 1 lion 1 zebra moray eel. Some type of small shark.(LFS) has a new egg. 1 miniatus grouper


What do y'all think. Compatible? Any of these scream at you they won't get along.

 

[Iowafisher]

Just put sand in

 

[worm5406]

Wait...

Did you cycle this tank or anything?

Need some info on it.

How old is it?
What is in the sump?
Is that bacteria in a bottle?

 

[Iowafisher]

Tank has Ben up and running for a week. Doing great thus far. Yes I am upswing bacteria in a bottle. LFS said it was a good product. I have used it in the past all the live rock is from my other tank.

 

[Iowafisher]

The sump is a 30 gallon. Sump passes through with filter roll in it. Going to get filter socks next time I go to town.

 

[Iowafisher]

Have this led light
http://www.ocreef.com/ocreef_x_seri...uarium_light_48_inch_fixture?category_id=5086

 

[dave.m]

That's not nearly enough rock to house a moray. You'll need to add a length of PVC for it. A 180 is way too small for any type of shark beyond its first year.

Dave.M

 

[Iowafisher]

Thanks for the advice. I have been thinking that too.
I I have two little fish in there now just to help tank get established. But waiting on any high $$$ fish fora whial

 

[Iowafisher]

I will get much more rock. Before the eel goes in

 

[worm5406]

The bigger issue is that the tank has not cycled. Bacteria in a bottle does not cycle a tank.

It needs to get a good layer of bacteria on the rock and substrate. This bacteria goes through a couple shifts as it matures and makes the level correct to handle fish waste (pee/poo) to be broken down and handled. Otherwise the tank will continue to build toxins.

The bacteria in a bottle adds a type of bacteria that still needs to colonize and multiply. The rock will off gas/leach/release toxins that also need to be taken care of.

A normal cycle is any where from 4 weeks (with live rock) to 4 months (with dry rock and dry substrate)

Yes it looks good but you will see a few cycles of what looks like nasty diatoms and other items that would have been better to happen WITHOUT fish in the tank.

It is not just add water/rock/fish and watch it.

Nature has evolved with polution and other items in the water. We can not throw it together in seconds, unless ALL the critera are met already.

Chlorine and tap water are killers due to the chemical composition.

SO.... how did you set it up again?

Lets help you by showing you the way to keep a tank for years instead of weeks.

 

[Iowafisher]

I can put fish back in my other tank. No problem. I have kept a 30 gallon nano for 3 years. With corals. I think that the fact that I live in a real small town they don't use as much chemicals in the water. It is all I have ever used and it alloways kept corals alive. I use prime too.

 

[Iowafisher]

I will start doing 10% water changes with ro water every week. There is just no way for me to get 200 gallons of r/o water to my house.

 

[Iowafisher]

Thanks for the help

 

[worm5406]

You can order a RO/DI filter and it will beat the cost of purchasing it at the store, espc over 200 gallons.

 

[Iowafisher]

Forgot to mention I also put In 60lbs of live sand. That should help

 

[Iowafisher]

I will do some searching.

 

[Mpfaff77]

Absolutely get a RO/DI. It will pay for itself very quickly. Buying water at 1$ a gallon at LFS and lugging it gets old very quick. IMO AND IME the 2 best purchases I ever made in 7 years in the hobby is my RO/DI and my Apex aquacontroler.

Filter guys
Bulk reef supply

Just to name a few well know RODI systems.

 

[Iowafisher]

Thanks for info I will look them up.

 

[Mpfaff77]

Not to mention if your pretty handy you can run lines to ice maker and sink and have fresh RO drinking water which saves a lot for my family as well on buying bottled water.

 

[Iowafisher]

Called local water supplier. They will rent me a ro system that also does a lot of other filtration for like 15$ a month. As I don't have the 1500$ it costs up front.