Salty Noobs 37g Bow Front Build..!

[Big Tex]

Alright guys this tank started life out as a yardsale gold mine for $5 and then got the wood stand on clearance at petco for $20, I then used it as a freshwater texas cichlid tank and grew tired of it and decided to kick it up notch and give sw a shot so here's what I've got so far. Pics and details to come!

 

[Big Tex]

So after months of research and lots of searching and asking tons of stupid questions lol

So I decided to drop the hammer and get everything done this weekend, I got 5 buckets of saltwater premix from my lrs and 26lbs of live rock as well, and after a long arduous ride home I got it all here and started dumping the Caribbean reef sand in and adding the water. I got really worried at first, I was not expecting this much cloud.

 

[G1203]

Looks good so far!!! I have a 36 gal bow front

 

[Big Tex]

I was really releaved too see this after 45min of just my hob with polyfil floss

 

[Big Tex]

Sorry guys I'm doing this on my mobile so I had an attachment hiccup lol

 

[G1203]

Wow mine took a while to clear up. Be shure to change the floss. Because it'll have a lot of sand in it.
What do you plan on stocking I with

 

[Mebbid]

Are you planning on adding more live rock to the tank? It looks a little sparse.

 

[Big Tex]

Ok guys I'm way more comfortable now that it's this clear after another 45min looking good!

I have a stock list in mind ill list it soon. Ib think I got all I need in my list.

And yes ill be adding more rock after I get my skimmer but for $6 per pound it will probably be next check around lol

 

[carey]

You can easily add dry rock now for about $2 a lb. You wont have a cycle if its rinsed well and just added. Thats how I got to nearly 500lbs of live rock. lol

 

[Big Tex]

You can easily add dry rock now for about $2 a lb. You wont have a cycle if its rinsed well and just added. Thats how I got to nearly 500lbs of live rock. lol

Lol good idea! Will it look the same?

 

[Mebbid]

Lol good idea! Will it look the same?

Yes and no. Depending on the type of rock you buy it will look different. Also, the rock that has been in water for a while has most likely developed a coat of algae or other organisms changing its color. It will all eventually turn a similar color though.

 

[carey]

At first it won't but after a few weeks it will become live and after a few months you wont be able to tell the difference.

 

[Big Tex]

Hmmm I don't know who to believe ha

 

[dragonfisher33]

ever since i.started my first saltwater tank i feel like the whole concept of "live" is more or less a scam. its just a premium and a title added to any rock once it established a.nice colony of beneficial bacteria. if thats the case, i can call the driftwood in my FW tanks live driftwood and my eco complete and flourite substrate live substrate and my cave slates live slates

 

[Big Tex]

ever since i.started my first saltwater tank i feel like the whole concept of "live" is more or less a scam. its just a premium and a title added to any rock once it established a.nice colony of beneficial bacteria. if thats the case, i can call the driftwood in my FW tanks live driftwood and my eco complete and flourite substrate live substrate and my cave slates live slates

I seen things like that a lot more that I've done a lot if research, more loose term names like the start up bacteria, is all just dead bacteria

 

[dragonfisher33]

I seen things like that a lot more that I've done a lot if research, more loose term names like the start up bacteria, is all just dead bacteria

which brings to my point. why bother buy "live" anything at a premium rate when if you have the patience everything will eventually be "live"

 

[Mebbid]

Well in my case I bought cured live rock. It was expensive but I was impatient 3 days later I added my first fish. In the 5 months my tank has been running there's never been an ammonia reading on it.

Live rock does have a ton of neat hitch hikers on it that I'm happy to have in my tank. It's always neat finding new stuff popping up in your tank.

It's really a time vs money situation. Live rock is faster.

 

[dragonfisher33]

well, i'm not sure about the lfs that you guys buy live rock from. my lfs has the rocks in two really large containers. i doubt they will have some hitch hikers on these rocks. furthermore, chances are there's probably some bristle worms or aptasia or things of that nature. i would love me some beneficial or cool looking hitch hikers, but just not something that is considered as pet.

 

[Big Tex]

I was super impatient so I splurged on live rock, they also had 2 HUGE containers like livestock water troughs full of live rock with plenty of water circulation. Great selection too.

 

[Big Tex]

Here's an update guys, the tanks looking good and I'm really comfortable that the hob is doing a really good job with the tank setup. I got my water tested just now and my lrs says it's fish ready so I'm bringing home my first additions, a pair of caramel clownfish!