decided to take the plunge again

[monkeyman164]

well then i have done this once before unfortunantly failed the first time almost miserably with alot of alge problems.

Now that i have the first time behind me about two years ago decided to go for one more try.

Heres what ive done so far:

finished seting up my 55 gal skimmer, 2 power heads heater.
cycled my water for two days this time purchased ro saltwater from lfs
well added crushed aragonite for sand bed partialy not finished yet.
and added 15 pnd of lr to tank have lights running about 12 hrs. a day.

So whats next how long should i wait to add more to the tank.
Also no one has given m e a straight answer on how much ls should i add to the tank.
can I buy any type of inverts for the cleaning of lr or should i buy a fish what kind to start?
what will be most benifishal (ignor the pun) to me in the long run

thanks monkey>>>

 

[chizzle]

I would add as much LR as financially possible when you are first cycling the tank. People normally aim for 1-2 lbs per gallon. If you add it now while the tank is cycling, then you don't have to worry about cycling it in another container, or starting another cycle inside your established tank.

As far as sand, live or not, it is mostly on personal preference for how deep you want it. It may also depend on what you are planning on keeping in the tank also.

I'm not sure you already have this, but you definately need a testing kit. Go ahead & through in a cocktail shrimp from the grocery store to help with your cycle. You'll need to let you tank cycle completely before you can even think about adding anything living. Test everyday to every other day & you should be able to see the spike in ammonia, nitrites, and then finally nitrates will show on the test kit. Once everything is back at zero, you can begin adding livestock. BUT SLOWLY!

How long is this all going to take? Probably about 4-6 weeks. Some people experience a shorter cycle, but don't get your hopes up. The cycle is the first test of patience, don't rush it, or you will regret it later

Some of the mods, I'm sure, will be behind to post some beneficial articles for you, but hope this gives you a head start. Good luck!

 

[melosu58]

You`ll need about 60 - 75 lbs of LR. Why not get it all and cycle your tank with it. For filtration I would just go with LR and a skimmer and a fuge if you can. Read this on cycling your tank

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15

Then as your tank is cycling read these articles on algea so when it comes you`ll know what to do.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=14

http://www.fantasyreef.com/showthread.php?t=478


And welcome back

 

[reefer88]

Found this link online, might want to check it out:

http://www.fishstart.com/discussion...1AA0tmYs&ds=discussion&q=saltwater tank setup