Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[Buffy]

@Carey - I put a thread out to id a hitchhiker, can you go look and see if you know what it is please? I have that in a seperate bucket til I find out, but it's one of the heavyier rocks that'd I'd like to place toward bottom.

 

[rain87]

You can use that light fixture on the 55g you bought if you are going to make it a freshwater tank. I had problems figuring out how to secure it to my 55 it works well with the screws on the outside had it the other way around till I figured that out.

 

[rain87]

Off topic - Any recommendations of where to look for a BASIC lizard tank for a little boy, am gonna use one of the 10 gallon tanks I got.

It depends on what reptile you get. I would suggest picking the reptile then finding out what it needs. A leopard gecko is what I would recomend.

Off topic - Tomorrow, I'm taking my other granddaughter shopping (6 years old) to finish her tank. Freshwater. Any good links to look at for her. Want basic also, good hearty fish so mama doesn't have alot to do, needs low maintenance.

You could start another thread in the freshwater section for help or suggestions as to what to do. Even with a tank that size their are a lot of options. Really low maintenance would be to just make it a betta tank. You could do a small school of a small schooling fish like neon tetras or something. like I said though starting another thread for suggestions would give you more ideas than you would know what to do with.

PS I am now following. I have done a few different freshwater tanks over the years and when I am established somewhere (currently in college) I want to do a nice saltwater reef/fish tank. Figure I should start learning now so thanks for sharing your frustrations and successes!

 

[Buffy]

It depends on what reptile you get. I would suggest picking the reptile then finding out what it needs. A leopard gecko is what I would recomend.



You could start another thread in the freshwater section for help or suggestions as to what to do. Even with a tank that size their are a lot of options. Really low maintenance would be to just make it a betta tank. You could do a small school of a small schooling fish like neon tetras or something. like I said though starting another thread for suggestions would give you more ideas than you would know what to do with.

I'm returning the lights tomorrow too. I'll look for something else when I really need them. Thanks

PS I am now following. I have done a few different freshwater tanks over the years and when I am established somewhere (currently in college) I want to do a nice saltwater reef/fish tank. Figure I should start learning now so thanks for sharing your frustrations and successes!

Thanks for the input. Enjoy following, after I do my blurting from my frustrations I calm down and keep plugging away LOL.

The mom of the "lizard" tank is gonna do the main research, I was just going to read over a little since I'm buying. He's only two so I told her very basic. Same with the freshwater, I didn't want to do research on it and I don't want her fish to die, but I'm not going to be there to do maintenance on any of them.

I got enough on my plate LOL.

 

[Buffy]

Jeez, why don't my edits take?

Anyway I'm returning the light and bulbs I bought tomorrow (well later today). Tank is settling again, gonna catch some zzz while it settles.

And set my alarm cause I'm trying to make RO too and I don't wanna flood, though at the rate it's going I won't flood probably til next week.

 

[jsmith]

Thanks for the input. Enjoy following, after I do my blurting from my frustrations I calm down and keep plugging away LOL.

The mom of the "lizard" tank is gonna do the main research, I was just going to read over a little since I'm buying. He's only two so I told her very basic. Same with the freshwater, I didn't want to do research on it and I don't want her fish to die, but I'm not going to be there to do maintenance on any of them.

I got enough on my plate LOL.

To be honest I've done alot of differnt reptiles in my time in fact still have two designer leopard geckos.. now being a parent if three children varying in age from 2 to 13 my two year old has held the geckos a few times being they are really tame however... he does really really good as well as well as my 4 year old with. Guiene pigs.. they are really really cuddly and don't care to run a muck like the gerbils and hamsters and ferret we have had in the past... just thought id add my two cents.

 

[Buffy]

RO/DI Update

Am going to be receiving a replacement DI section. I have what sounds like air leaking in/out of the flow control valve and contacted company and they say that "The 450 flow valve made a noise when you remove the tube for the output. This is normal, so don't worry. When both sides are properly connected, there won't be a noise as loud"......I never removed the output tube. I have pushed the tubes in to ensure connection. When I place my hand around the valve, the noise quiets down. Suggestions?

 

[Buffy]

Off to petco to return the lights.

 

[Buffy]

No pics yet, been busy sorry

Been busy, haven't been able to do much. Majority of rock is in the tank but need to move some around as I had to just "toss" it in and so some of it is sitting in the front and not aquascaped. I hope to get to it tonite.

I returned the lights I had bought. Just going to use what came with it for now.

The critter is still in the bucket of RO water and is still partially poking out. My flashlight is going dead but I got a closer look and think I saw a "head". I have decided it is not poking out far enough yet. I don't have anything other than flake food to entice it further out.

Still waiting on DI section for my RO, leaking way too much but if I can get the rock done I may be able to make enough to fill the rest of the tank. I still need to fill about a third of the tank to top it off.

Then, I hope I can start cycling.

Keep your fingers crossed!!!!!!!!

Plan: Pay Bills NOW lol
Finish arranging rock enough to start cycling.
Start Cycling

I have ammonia to start the cycle. I read somewhere how much to use, but don't remember where. Can anyone let me know where I can find that info again or just throw me the amount I need to use?

Thanks all.

 

[rain87]

Well i'm not sure for saltwater but I know for freshwater it os 3ppm.

 

[Buffy]

Thanks

 

[Buffy]

Start of livestock wishlist.

Ok, since my tank is gonna be taking awhile. I figured I'd let everyone get an idea of the Fish I like. (Whether I can have it or not is a different story lol)

Yellow Tang or Purple Tang
Royal Gramma
Mandarinfish
The big blue clam
Coral Beauty
Banggai Cardinalfish
Maroon Clownfish
Blue Chromis
Purple Firefish
Flame Angel - There's a few Angels I like. This one I can remember the name.
Bluehead Fairy Wrasse or Sixline Wrasse (I like the Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse and Leopard Wrasse too)

Corals and Inverts wish list later.

Give it a once (or twice) over and let me know what you all think.
Thanks

 

[carey]

You picked alot of nice fish! lol Some you'll have to wait on of course like the mandarin. How many cardinals, clownfish and chromis?

 

[Buffy]

You picked alot of nice fish! lol Some you'll have to wait on of course like the mandarin. How many cardinals, clownfish and chromis?

No clue. I just listed the ones I liked. I know I'm limited but to what I don't know yet.

 

[Buffy]

Ok, I'm trying to get my rock set and of course I'm moving sand around. I'm trying to get the level up far enough to allow the filter to run. It's extremely noisy when it runs (I can't emphasize "extremely noisy" enough). I can't keep the water up high enough to keep it running so I fill it and let it run til it almost stops pushing water out so I don't run it dry. But even when it is full it is LOUD. For that price I would have thought it would be alot more quiet, almost sounds as if something is rubbing and it vibrates ALOT.

I did try the 1 gallon freezer bag rig as suggested earlier however, my filter is the 400 and is too big. I need to help this cloudiness along so I can keep working.

Anyone got any idea's to help?

 

[Buffy]

Stay tuned

Well, after it took sooo long to make the water and fill the tank to within 4 inches from the top, I ended up having to drain.

Looks like I'm taking some sand out too. Well at least I'm getting plenty of experience with filling and draining LOL

Stay tuned, I'm gonna get to cycle, I swear I am. I think I can I think I can, I know I can I know I can

 

[rain87]

Keep pressing on it will all be with it once you have everything set up!

 

[scottayy]

The first SW tank is a pain! Enjoyable and painful at the same time. I am still setting mine up 4 months later

 

[Buffy]

So, I've come to the conclusion that I got way too much sand and not enough rock. I know I've taken out about 40 pounds of sand by now and probably gonna be taking out more.

Wow getting the rock "pieced" together AND sturdy is hard. I may be ordering another 100 pounds of rock and what I don't use I can use in another tank. Gotta check the checkbook first. Dang it, price went up on the rock.grr

 

[Buffy]

Wow, it's 2:40 a.m. and I've been working on this tank since about 7:00p.m. I have most of the rock in, keep have to repositioning and moving pieces from left to right to center. I've moved alot of the sand from under the rock so the majority of each piece of the bottom "row" sits directly on glass.

I am down to the smaller pieces now and trying to wedge them in, hard to make overhangs with them. It's more sloped than I wanted. Definitely need more medium sized rock, as I am only up to mid-level on tank and only have small left. I'll finish up with the small in the morning and fill the tank up again. I will definitely be re-arranging when I get some medium ordered.

How come no one warned me I was gonna scrape up my hands with the rock, hmmm?