New 55gal

[HoCkEyGmC]

i finally picked up the 55 gallon from my uncle! it isnt i as good of shape that i'd hoped at all but it shouldnt be too bad of a fix. i gotta clean all of the glass, ditch the stone substrate (formerly fw then sw then fw). there is rock in the tank that was once covered in coraline but they are fake so ill be ditching them fore some base rock and a little live. the light is only a 36 watt so ill be pitching that aswell. can i still use that ballast for the light or do i need to ditch that too? oh 4got 2 mention im planning on a softy reef. for filtration ill be pitching the ug filter and keeping the hob and i will prbly add a cannister filter. my uncle is also tellin me to do this jaubert pleum thing which only involves the hob but i want to be safe. i still have about 12 more pages to read up on the filtration thingy so idk. i will also be needing to paint on a black background. still dont know what i want to stock the tank with at all yet. ill get some pics whenever i can get my camera.
Thanks!

 

[Tomd]

If it was once FW please check that it was never treated with copper. If it was, you will not be able to keep any inverts which would be a BIG bummer.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

it wasnt. already checked to be safe. =]

 

[mike47517]

thought u were getting a 30g?

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

i alrady have a 30g thats the crappy one that im fixing up. this one is at my dads house and its for a sw reef.

 

[mike47517]

oh. Sorry i cant help unless you want to lose a buch of SW fishbc i know nothin about SW.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

lol yeah, i kno what im doin 4 this 1 so i think im good lol.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

so ive been thinking and i want to start wonderin about what to filter the tank with, im goin to be usin this annoyin deep sand bed (but way more) thing. the plans call for a simple 60gallon or so hob but i like to be safe. so i was thinkin of goin with the fluval 305. would this be a good choice? heard they were nitrate factorys? should i keep the stock filtration or replace it? if so with what?

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

nudge
sorry just kinda gotta know cuz i need to come up with my x-mas list.

and ive also heard to just skip the fluval and go with a hob skimmer. thoughts? suggestions? links?

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/hangar/6279/ArticleHandy.htmltheres a link to the filtration system that my uncles buddies have used with amazing results apparently. it only calls for a hob though. i think i might add a hob skimmer with the hob filter. thoughts, suggestions, links(skimmers)?

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

i think ive decided for this to be an invert based tank, sure fish are nice but i almost am thinking of them as a bonus to the corals and inverts. i want a variety of shrimp, maybe 2 urchins, a bunch of scarlet hermits, bunch of snails, a lobster, a brittle and/or serpent star, and more. new look at things. still want some nice fish too tho. flame angle, maybe 2 clowns, 3 chromises, midas blenny, flame hawk, an undecided sifting goby, and maybe a few others.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/hangar/6279/ArticleHandy.htmltheres a link to the filtration system that my uncles buddies have used with amazing results apparently. it only calls for a hob though. i think i might add a hob skimmer with the hob filter. thoughts, suggestions, links(skimmers)?

any feedback on the filtration?
EDIT: sorry, realized the link didnt work, try this 1: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/hangar/6279/ArticleHandy.html

 

[ccCapt]

Besides the fact that article is quite old, there is nothing new or special about it. It's only a deep sand bed with a plenum. I have never used or set 1 up and I've read mixed results with that setup.
I sort of had a little laugh with these statements from the article.

You will need good lighting for about 12 hours a day to grow most common aquarium corals...
One of my favorites is Two Triton and two Blue Moon Reef 40 watt flourescent lights used with a real mirrored reflector...
This lighting is adequate for all corals kept in a HANDY Reef since it is not so deep.

4x40w=160w of normal output fluorescent enough for all corals? Not by a long shot.

Don't over do it on the phosphate remover or the growth of everything slows down - especially leather mushroom corals which may even die from over use of phosphate removers. It's best not to use the phosphate remover more than 1-2 days at a stretch. It can be removed then reused again right after rinsing it very well again, but only if it hasn't turned beige/tan indicating exhaustion.

I use GFO (phosphate remover) 24/7. I don't think things are growing slower in my tank. I have no idea what phosphate remover can be recharged at all, let alone just by rinsing it off.

Aragonite slowly dissolves to naturally keep the water's alkalinity, pH, calcium content and some trace elements at proper levels on its own - this saves a lot of time and money!
I normally don't need to add calcium supplements when using CaribSea aragonite sand. Although the aragonite sand adds some trace elements I start adding trace elements at quarter doses not long after the tank is cycled and the lights are tuned on.

I can't believe this is even in that article. Aragonite DOES NOT dissolve unless the pH is around 7.4 or lower. If your tanks pH is 7.4 you have major problems and I wouldn't expect to see much alive in it.

VisiJet protein skimmers are another favorite. The new SeaClone also from Aquarium Systems is a nice higher powered HOB model.

UUGGGHHHHHHHH

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

i know i know, its old. my uncle still insists that its the best thing around though. even if its outdated im still tryn it. ill be sure to tell every1 my results after the "experiment".

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

project has been delayed until after the holidays =[ the tanks final position interferes with the "only spot for the tree". so we still might do a little with it but it'll be just some more cleaning and re sealing, none of the actual fun stuff =[.