72g Bow front set up.

[super-duty]

I am new and would like to say first off nice place.

I had it running for years with SW it was ok just never great. But because of some huricane dammage to my home a couple of years ago I had to take it down.

Hear are a couple of pics of it I just reninished the stand it is white pine and was ugly so I stained it with some mahagony stain and put full gloss urathane over it.

I also drilled the tank with 5 ports.

 

[super-duty]

This is my rock and coral I have right now. Should I cure it being it is going to be all new?

Also I will take any advice given I have been reading on the net and seem more confused now. LOL

I will have more question for sure so thanks in advace.

 

[super-duty]

Also I have a friend that is a wholesaler for salt water fish. He also sells salt water by the gallon. He sells about 2500 gallons a week. Will this help in my cycle time?

 

[Zer0]

Well for starters, are you going to be making this tank Fish only? Or are you going to set it up with live rock and corals?

As for the saltwater that your friend sells, unless it is cycled water.. meaning it has a bacteria colony of its own, then no, it will not cycle your tank any faster. It just means that now you have saltwater to start with. But before you even get the saltwater, do you have all of the correct equipment and so forth? As for the rock you have above, thats all dead. The rock can be seeded if your putting live rock in the tank, but it will take some time. As for the dead corals you have there, those will never be seeded.. they're dead lol.

The first couple things you want to take into consideration is if you have the equipment you need to support life in the saltwater tank. Also, you need to know if your going to be making it fish only or fish only with live rock, or if you'll be going with the whole reef setup. So think of these things and make sure you have AND know exactly what you want/need. Then come back here and we'll help you out some more. Good luck!

 

[fishmonkey]

you beat me to it man!

 

[Zer0]

I saw super-duty's thread was untouched since yesterday and i felt he needed some answers to his questions. Btw super-duty, one thing i forgot to say in my last post. I really love your setup. There was always something about bow-fronts that i loved. Whenever i upgrade my SW next its definitely going to be a bowfront. Maybe a 72 like yours or a 96. Dont know yet. Anyway, nice setup and nice stand too.

 

[fishmonkey]

nice tank man!

 

[super-duty]

Some how I lost a paragraph that had more insight in it. This isnt my first aquarium. I just had to take it down to remodel my home. All my SW tanks IMO have just been ok so I would like to make this better than the rest I have had.

Yes I want to have fish, live rocks and corals. I was pretty sure the rock was dead lol. I was wanting to know the best way to seed it and get some life back on it.

I have a 30g sump with a bubble trap and skimmer in it. I drilled 3 ports for this 1 intake and 2 returns. The other 2 ports are for a refugium that I still have to build.

The lighting I am still up in the air on my decesion I am sure when this tank was set up last it lacked the wattage it needed.

link yes the water is cycled.

Thank for the compliments I hope I can make the inside look as good as the outside now.

So if anyone can help me out with the seeding the rock would be great!

 

[melosu58]

This is my rock and coral I have right now. Should I cure it being it is going to be all new?

Put it in the tank and cycle the tank and cure the LR at the same time. You`ll need an ammonia source to do both. Read our article on fishless cycle in our articles section.

 

[Zer0]

Well yeah, if the water IS cycled, then obviously you wouldnt need to cycle it right? Also, to seed the dead rock you have now, all you've got to do is place it in your tank with the live rock you got. In a year or so it will become live. Also, you can do what melosu said and do a fishless cycle, or you can get uncured live rock and it will cycle the tank for you. The die-off thats caused by the live rock will be your ammonia source. Idk, i find it much nicer to look at rocks then a piece of shrimp. Idk, choice is yours i guess.

Just a question from me to you for my own knowledge, are those pieces of coral you have there pieces that were in your tank already? Or are they just old pieces that you collected from the ocean or bought them at a store or something.

 

[super-duty]

Most people ask about the corals... I know this is going to seem harsh.. I am 42 now when I was no more tha 5 or 6 my father owned scallop boat's out of port canaveral florida is where I still live. And if you know how they work you will know how I got the corals. To the best of my knowledge that is where they came from. My mother had them sitting in her green house untill I came and took a few lol.

 

[Zer0]

haha nice, yeah i was just asking because my parents have collected alot of corals and they look exactly like that. Just wondering tho :/

 

[mdaniel2882]

Is there such a thing as "cycled water" IDK. water alone will not support much bacteria growth. You are still going to need to cycle the tank with a shrimp or straight NH4. some bacteria will come from the water in an established tank but probably not from the water from the LFS if he sells 2500 gal/week you can bet it probably has never seen a tank with fish in it. You don't really want the water out of the tanks at you LFS anyway they run low salinity (around 1.020) to reduce cost. The stuff he sells is probably 1.022-1.023. You WILL still have a cycle. If you want coraline algae you must seed the tank with something that already has is on it.

Rather than buying all the premixed salt water for your tank, you might want to consider a KS/DI or a RO/DI system and do it yourself. you are going to pend about a $1.00/gal for the salt water. with a 72 gal tank that is half the cost of the RO/DI anyway.

 

[Tank2379]

Sweet Set up...

 

[fishmonkey]

you might want to consider a KS/DI or a RO/DI system and do it yourself.

what is a KS/DI sysstem? is it like RO/DI?

 

[Sharkbait430]

Nice setup up dude, I love bow fronts just like Links said. There is something about them and I think that I am going to go with one when I get a bigger tank. Keep posting pictures of your progress though!

 

[super-duty]

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

Is there such a thing as "cycled water" IDK. water alone will not support much bacteria growth. You are still going to need to cycle the tank with a shrimp or straight NH4. some bacteria will come from the water in an established tank but probably not from the water from the LFS if he sells 2500 gal/week you can bet it probably has never seen a tank with fish in it. You don't really want the water out of the tanks at you LFS anyway they run low salinity (around 1.020) to reduce cost. The stuff he sells is probably 1.022-1.023. You WILL still have a cycle. If you want coraline algae you must seed the tank with something that already has is on it.

Rather than buying all the premixed salt water for your tank, you might want to consider a KS/DI or a RO/DI system and do it yourself. you are going to pend about a $1.00/gal for the salt water. with a 72 gal tank that is half the cost of the RO/DI anyway.

I was thinking about the same thing "being cycled". He sells it for $1.00 a gallon or $.50 for RO. After reading the shrimp cycle I was planing on doing that. That way I know for sure it has been cycled for sure.

I did not know that you could a RO/DI that cheap I will start looking in to it. Thanks for the info.

 

[fishmonkey]

I can get the RO for $.25 if you get it at a drinking water machine. you know, the ones where you bring the gallon jugs and then you can fill it up there! and where i live, its twenty-five cents.