Converting another tank

[Raleighfishnerd]

So today I cleaned the plants fish and water out of my 36g bowfront freshwater tank and it will b getting turned into saltwater fowlr for my two green spotted puffers. They are only about an inch or so long. This is not going to be their home forever but i want to get them out of my freshwater tank so they are happier with more room. This is really the reason I started my first saltwater tank but I couldn't help myself had to have corals in there, but this time I am sticking to the plan.

Is there anything special I should clean the tank out with besides vinegar and water?

 

[obscurereef]

Vinegar and water is just fine. What do you want to get when the puffers are out?

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Well this tank will just b for the puffs for the next year or so

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Where is the best place to get dry rock from online?

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Just painted the back of the tank and cut the plastic egg crate for the bottom. The stand is super short so I took the short legs off and I am building a cabinet to go underneath to house my sump I am also setting up. Just need to get or build an overflow, buy a protein skimmer, silicone the baffles in the sump and get rock for the display. Then to get the cycle going. My girlfriend can't wait to get the puffs in their new home

 

[obscurereef]

Where is the best place to get dry rock from online?

I got BRS pukani dry rock and am very pleased. Kind of expensive for dry rock. There's BRS reef saver rock or marcorocks.

BRS Reef Saver Dry Aquarium Live Rock - Bulk Reef Supply

MarcoRocks Aquarium Products

 

[obscurereef]

Just painted the back of the tank and cut the plastic egg crate for the bottom. The stand is super short so I took the short legs off and I am building a cabinet to go underneath to house my sump I am also setting up. Just need to get or build an overflow, buy a protein skimmer, silicone the baffles in the sump and get rock for the display. Then to get the cycle going. My girlfriend can't wait to get the puffs in their new home

Lots of work you've done and a way to go. What skimmer are you getting? Bet those puffers are eager too.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Not sure what skimmer to get cant do a hob not enough room so in sump it will be. got any suggestions?

 

[obscurereef]

Depends on how much you want to spend. Lots of great brands like reef octopus and the hydor slim which I heard good things about. If it's just those 2 green spotted puffers I don't think you'll need a skimmer right away.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

I like my reef octopus bh-1000 hob I have on my 40g reef just not sure if I could do the same on this sump as the other because of the small amount of room I have. Def need a skimmer these little guys are messy eaters

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Got most of my rock in the tank yesterday and all of the sand and water. Can't wait till it clears up so I can see if I like how the rockwork looks. Post some pics then

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Still working on the sump and need to get more rock but here's a picture of what I have so far

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Tank is cycled!! That was fast. Just picked up some dry rock to finish off the scape post some pics after

 

[Gregcoyote]

Tank is cycled!! That was fast. Just picked up some dry rock to finish off the scape post some pics after

How fast was it? Weren't you adding new rock last week?

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Yeah like a week and a two days. Just added some more ammonia to be sure. Check again in the morning and see. Just seems way too fast.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Yeah like a week and a two days. Just added some more ammonia to be sure. Check again in the morning and see. Just seems way too fast.

It is. I would wait a bit longer.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

So I dosed ammonia back up to 4ppm last night and it is completely gone this morning didn't have time to check the others before work but will check this afternoon

 

[Gregcoyote]

So I dosed ammonia back up to 4ppm last night and it is completely gone this morning didn't have time to check the others before work but will check this afternoon

If your processing ammonia you are right, cycling has begun. I would let it settle out for a while before starting to stock it.

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

Yeah just got home and checked everything again ammo-0 trite-0 trate-40ish. The live rock I put in was well established and super porous and I did put a small chunk of filter media from my 40








And I just tossed some caulerpa prolifera I trimmed from my sump to see if that will eat up some of my nitrates(just an experiment)

 

[Raleighfishnerd]

So I have fully acclimated one of my gsp in the tank and he seems a little bored but happy. Did a very slow drip took about 5 hours to bring the salt content up to the same as the tank. Now on to his friend. Anyone know of any coral they will not mess with?