Set up 30gal yesterday

[chimmike]

Set up 30gal yesterday, need help!

Well, Put together the 30gal yesterday with aragonite and about 27# LR. Mixed all the salt up and everything. Checked the salinity, it's at just about 1.0185 now........Filter's running in the tank.

How do I add more salt and make sure it's dissolved?

 

[chimmike]

oh, and the filter is a submersible.

 

[cmor1701d]

Hi and WELCOME

You might want to start by reading Getting started thread and then check out the articles section.

How did you test the salinity, using a hydrometer or a refractometer?
You can just add salt mix till you get to the desired SG. It will dissolve, thogh I prefer to mix it with RODI ater to a higher concentration (1.030) and add that.. How did you mix the orignal batch?

What kind of filter is running in the tank (make and model)?

Is this going to be a FOWLR or a reef tank?

If you are looking to run natural filtration then you need a bit more rock (base or LR). The recommended amount is 1½-2 pounds per gallon of capacity.

Do you have any powerheads running in the tank?

 

[chimmike]

1) Used a hydrometer
2) Original batch was RO mixed in a large rubbermaid container then slowly poured into tank
3) Filter is a Current subcurrent surface skimming filter.
4) Reef tank
5) No powerheads, the filter has a 'discharge' end with nozzles I can aim, it's creating some decent mid-level flow thru the tank.

So just add water to the top ? I did about 1/2 cup per gallon to start, Red Sea Salt, per my LFS's instructions. I'm figuring probably another 1/2 cup at least.....

 

[chimmike]

Also, running a 2x 65w Coralife lamp, it's got a daylight/actinic in there will be getting a dual daylight and dual actinic before any corals or fish are added.

 

[chimmike]

Here are some pics I snapped this morning. Water is finally clearing up a bit from the aragonite.

Sorry for the reflections and stuff, I obviously wasn't trying to make 'em professional looking just yet

 

[chimmike]

added some more ro/salt mix and the salinity went up just a little bit. I'm going to keep an eye on it for a day or two and see if something levels off....its at 1.019ish now.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

If you've got the 30g completely full, then you could siphon off 5 gallons and put back in 5 gallons of water that's mixed to 1.050. That will get you up to around 1.024 which is a lot closer to where you want to be for a reef.

Nice looking start, and welcome aboard!

 

[chimmike]

thanks That's the kind of info I was looking for.

It's completely full, but it's got about 21gal in it.

 

[cmor1701d]

Nice start to the tank. Is the rock secure? Is it sitting on the glass or on the sand? If it's on the sand do not get any sand sifting fish as they can/will undermine the rock.

You want to get about 10x -20x or more tank volume in flow through the tank. For a 30 gallon you you want 300-600 gph of flow in the tank. Your filter is rated at 160gph. Consider adding a power head or two on the opposite side of the tank.

Have you thought about a stocking list yet?

 

[chimmike]

The rock is secure against the back glass. I don't want any fish camping out behind the rock out of sight all the time

My goal is to have an anemon with two clowns, one orange, one black....I don't know the names...and a mandarin like this: http://www.underwater-recovery.net/images/Palau-FnF/PALAU-Mandarin-Fish.jpg

I haven't really thought of anything else. Of course a cleanup crew, a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp, some hermits and snails.

oh, and got the water to about 1.024.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

thanks That's the kind of info I was looking for.

It's completely full, but it's got about 21gal in it.

I'm going to guess you have more than 21 gallons by the looks of it... doesn't seem like you have 1/3 the tank volume taken up by rocks and sand. But if you do have less than 30 gallons, then that number I gave you will give you saltier (higher SG) water than I mentioned. But overshooting is easier to correct anyway... just siphon off and add RO/DI water!

{Edit: Just read your last post. Glad to hear you got the SG up to where you needed it, so just ignore my just typed rambling! But looking at your stock list, I'd really do some research on that Mandarin. They need a big tank to keep them supplied with their preferred food, and from what I've read most of them die a slow death from starvation in our tanks. One of those fish that is probably better left in the ocean. Also research anemones and clowns... don't think two different clown species will host the same anemone. I think they'll probably fight each other in a 30g tank. You'd probably be better off with a mated pair (not just two, but a pair that have previously "lived together") and an appropriate anemone. Clowns don't need an anemone to survive in captivity, but it is a neat thing to watch.}

 

[chimmike]

yeah I read about the mandarin some more, and I think we'll skip him.

There's an algea eater type fish at the LFS that is just a blast to watch. Not too colorful but a voracious algea eater. Pretty neat. I'll be there today to ask 'em about it. *edit* did some more research, looks like I'm talking about a blenny.

the clowns we'd like to get all live in the same tank at the LFS, if they do end up fighting I think we'd take one back and replace it. As for what else, I just don't know.....gonna research that more

the clowns I'm thinking of are the ocillaris (sp?)

 

[cmor1701d]

If it's a sailfin blenny it will starve when the algae is gone. They need a lot of it and Nori alone won't do it. You should also skip the anemone. They need a much larger tank with a lot more light and even then usually die within a year. Clownfish do not require an anemone.
(Amphiprion ocellaris) or false Percula clownfish is the fish from Finding Nemo.

The cleaner shrimp is one the coolest critters in a tank. It will crawl around your hand and arm when workingn in the tank looking for tidbits.

 

[chimmike]

Everything looked pretty decent on the water test according to the LFS, but just to be safe, I picked up a green chromis to start.

I'm getting a decent nitrate tester today to keep an eye on that, the ammonia levels were good as were the nitrites.

I'll be piecing together a refugium in the next couple of weeks too.

We drip acclimated the Chromis last night, and put him in the tank. He instantly went and hid.

This morning he'd moved to another spot but was working his way out more and more, so by the time I get home today I think he'll be better acclimated and hanging out.