First SW Tank...Pics...Questions

[maporsche]

I bought my first SW tank from the LFS on 8/8/05. Details: 120gal tank, 2 Cascade 1500 Canister filters, Aqua Chargers (1750 Pieces) Bio-Media, crushed coral substrate, and non-live rock. This is my first tank in 15 years and first SW tank EVER so I'm very new to the hobby.

I am cycling right now with damsels (I didn't find this site until AFTER I bought the fish at the LFS suggestion). They've been in the tank for about 8 days. I've been feeding once per day. I started off with 10 fish, I'm now down to 5 fish.

I took my first water test today and I have some questions about the results. There are pictures below and I could use some help reading the results. I hope the pictures turned out well enough to see. From what I could tell, my ammonia is at a 1.2, NO2 is at a 1.6, and NO3 is at a 110. Please double check these results for me and make sure they are correct.

Also, is my tank progressing along nicely?

I've been reading about a QT tank and I had some questions about that. I understand that the general consensious is that you should QT new fish. Does that mean that I would need to setup ANOTHER SW tank to do so, or would I take existing water from my main tank? How exactly would I go about doing this? I did a search but didn't find what I was looking for.

I've included some pictures of my tank setup. I plan on having a fish only tank. I would like to get a snowflake eel or zebra eel. My LFS aslo has a very cool looking fish called a remora that I would love to have in my tank as well. Does anyone have any experience with those?

I also plan on building a DIY canopy. I've very interested to check out the DIY section of this board. What a great resource.

Anyway, pictures of my tank are attached below. I've very excited to get started in this hobby and participating on this board.

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[Hara]

unfortunately for the fish, your cycle is coming along as expected. You can't take the fish back and finish the cycle with frozen shrimp?

 

[austinsdad]

You can't take the fish back and finish the cycle with frozen shrimp?

There must be an echo in this room? I do agree.

Also, I got a feeling that a fish only tank will have some messy eaters in it. Sure you wanna keep the crushed coral? May be a nitrate factory.

 

[LittlePuff]

For a QT tank, I'd transfer some of the water that the fish is already used to.

Never heard of a remora ell. Remora skimmers-yes.

Very nice tank


Kim

 

[maporsche]

unfortunately for the fish, your cycle is coming along as expected. You can't take the fish back and finish the cycle with frozen shrimp?

I just called the fish store and they said that the extremly toxic part of the cycle was almost over and that the remaining fish should be fine. They said that I could bring the fish back but there probably wasn't a need to now.

Do you guys believe this to be the case?

 

[maporsche]

Also, I got a feeling that a fish only tank will have some messy eaters in it. Sure you wanna keep the crushed coral? May be a nitrate factory.

I'm guessing you mean that the crushed coral will hide bits of food right? Would I be able to keep any sort of cleaning crew to take care of this rather than go with sand?

Also, why does the LFS tout crushed coral as the best substrate when everyone here seems to disagree? I'm beginning to wonder about the LFS.

 

[maporsche]

For a QT tank, I'd transfer some of the water that the fish is already used to.

Never heard of a remora ell. Remora skimmers-yes.

Very nice tank


Kim

So, what size tank would you recommend? And you're saying that when I buy from the LFS I should ask them for some of their water? How many gallons?

 

[Phyl]

Also, why does the LFS tout crushed coral as the best substrate when everyone here seems to disagree? I'm beginning to wonder about the LFS.

Now you're having an epiphany... They stand to gain. We don't. There in lies the difference in the advice we give. If things go wrong/awry they can sell you chemicals. All we can do is give more advice.

What size tank for QT is pretty much geared towards what kind, how many and what size fish you'll be keeping in there. If you're going to have large, tang/trigger/lionfish type fish in your tank you'll want something along the lines of a 30g. If you're going to have clowns, chromis (note I didn't mention or recommend damsels), gobies, etc. a 10-20g would be fine.

Also the cleaning crew you can have also depends on what kind of fish you'll keep. Some fish will eat inverts. If you keep those fish you'll need to make sure that you're vacuuming out the detritus before it turns to fouling the water.

If you plan on keeping the damsels (you won't want these long term anyway so you may as well take them back. Nobody in their right mind wants damsels in their community tank) then drop the feedings back to once every 3 days to minimize the amount of ammo being produced by the fish and leftover foods.

Post your planned longterm stocking list and we'll be able to better answer your questions.

 

[Konrade]

A remora is a type of shark that can get 18" long, or so I have read, and needs a bigger tank.

 

[LittlePuff]

If you are putting them in a QT right after you get them, then just acclimate them to that water as you would if you were putting them directly into your regular tank.


Kim

 

[malkore]

also, many LFS's are run by 'old timers' that are really set in their ways. Their first tank used crushed coral and a UGF I bet, and since they had reasonable success with it, why change tactics?
Because change can be good, that's why. also, sand doesn't work in a UGF...thankfully they didn't convince you to get one.

the problem with CC is that its so rough and jaggedy, that its harmful to a lot of sand sifters.

 

[johnd4g]

Great looking tank!
You found the best source of information on the SW hobby right here at AA. The folks here have saved me many times. Listen to them and you'll enjoy the hobby that much more. Before you buy anything else, ask about it on here first.
Good luck!