Finally started

[chbix]

Well I finally got my aquarium set up. 55g acrylic dt with a 20l sump.

I got everything plumbed. I used an old hob refug that came with the tank as the overflow box...little noisy but works. Got my skimmer , heater and return in the sump.

50lbs of base rock is in. Water and salt is mixed. And flowing through the tank at 1.026 salinity.

Got a ac3 set up to monitor. Probes are in the sump but need to get holders. I need to finalize wiring and set everything up. Lights aren't on yet cause I just have 3 temporary power heads in the tank for flow.

I ordered live sand, 2 magnetic power heads, and another heater as the single is barely getting to 75 degrees in this high 40s low in the 20s season eve though the house is at 72. Plus I figure two is better than one.

So a few questions:

1). Should I wait for my live sand to be here and in the tank before I start cycling? (Planning on using the raw shrimp. Right now everything reads zeros. (Amm, nit and nat.)

2) is there any reason to run lights during cycling?

3) I plan to run cheato in the sump but is this something I should wait until the tank is cycling or finished cycle or put In now?

I am tempted to get a few lbs of lr too add as well but am thinking the ls would be enough to seed. Input?

 

[obscurereef]

1. Don't know if it would matter since there's nothing living in there now. The bacteria colonize the sand and rock.

2. No, it can cause an algae bloom too, but you'll most likely get that later anyway.

3. I waited until the tank was finished cycling, but I don't know that it really matters if it's cycled since macroalgae can come attached on LR anyway and survive.

Even if the sand is enough to seed the tank, getting LR means you're getting different worms, pods, etc. that you might not otherwise get in the sand.

 

[chbix]

Thanks. I will grab some lr next week.


Here's what I got so far

 

[jjamontan]

You can add the sand when you want to. Keep your lights off and don't get impatient let it do It's thing. Enjoy!

 

[Beengirl]

Looks good and I like te color blue you did for the background. when you get the rest of your rock, try to make some good sized crevices and caves for fish to hide in. Look good so far!!

 

[chbix]

I bought the tank off Craigslist and it came with the blue! So less work cause I planned to do something like that anyway.

I am not happy with the rock work but have to get some glue/epoxy to make them stay. Any recommendations on what to use?

 

[Jeremy S.]

Hey just a tip to reduce noise on the overflow! Put a 90* elbow onto the pipe that runs to your sump and it will help with the noise by smoothing out the water flow.

 

[chbix]

Jeremy:


It is loud and sometimes I hear this rush of water. Do you mean put a 90 under the overflow box in my plumbing or inside the box itself? I think the box I'm using (it's a huge box that is actually a hob fuge) is to wide and It causes the water level where the bulk head is to be low so there is always noise at the bulkhead...I don't want to just put more water in the box because I have tested power outs and afraid that extra water in the box could cause an overflow in the sump.

FYI I'm using flex tube not hard PVC so I'm not sure how I could put a 90 on there...

 

[Jeremy S.]

I meant a 90* on the top of the bulkhead. I wasn't sure how to explain it lol. Instead of sucking the water straight down from all sides and making the slurping sound it allows the water to smoothly flow down in the bulkhead and into the piping.

 

[chbix]

Ok cool ill try that.

Gotta figure out my clean up crew now......

 

[chbix]

How long after I add shrimp should I see an ammonia spike?