new "old guy" 55 gal sw startup....

[jerrydraper]

Hey all been reading alot on here and thought I'd ask for some advice...I have a 55 gal tank with 25 lbs of lr and 25 lbs base rock I have a Emporer 400 hob and a penguin 260 that came with the tank 40 lbs oolite <sp> live sand.
been setup two wks the lfs said the 400 would be fine by itself so I had room for a hob skimmer. Do I need more water flow ie powerhead...and what type of hob skimmer since my tank isnt drilled..

Salinity 1.025
Amonia .50
Nitrite .25
Nittate 0
I know the tank isnt fully cycled but thought Id throw tbe parameters out there...
Im a little annoyed at the lfs she got me to cycle it with damsels....hope she'll take them back when i want "real" fish....didnt know about fishless cycling til i read it on here .

 

[suew]

Hi Jerry,

Please dont get rid of your damsels they are great little fish,they get on with most other fish,my favourite is the blue & yellow tangs if you get them young you cant put two or three in your tank at once.

 

[Convict2161]

Damsels are very aggressive IMO. I re homed all the ones I had. For little fish they aren't afraid if anything and starting harassing the bigger fish.

IMO damsels have no place in my tank. Not saying you can't have yours just be weary of them. They get mean.

 

[Wendy68]

Damsels are very aggressive IMO. I re homed all the ones I had. For little fish they aren't afraid if anything and starting harassing the bigger fish.

IMO damsels have no place in my tank. Not saying you can't have yours just be weary of them. They get mean.

Totally agree!! Damsels are devil fish. Will never get them again.

 

[Daniel Fishy]

Check out bulk reef supply (brs) reef octopus skimmer and korlia powerheads maybe a 1050 and 700. Damsels had me insane before took out almost every rock to catch one! 400 should be fine just clean it regularly. Fish bump!!!!!

 

[jerrydraper]

Yeah the lfs has a fish trap that they are going to let me borrow to catch the damsel...thanks for the advice on the powerheads and skimmer. should I wait to see where the nitrates end up or just get the powerheads to be on the safe side...the "new" lfs said go sllllooowwww with buying things I may not need.

 

[Daniel Fishy]

If you do fowlr or reef you still want good flow.i have a speargun if trap doesn't work. Fish bump

 

[jerrydraper]

Lol on the speargun....will go ahead and get the powerheads ordered up from what Ive read on here the more flow in the tank the better it controls the nitrate w/pwc's...when I start getting a reading

 

[jerrydraper]

Just an update water test shows
0 Ammonia
.25 nitrite
.15 nitrate
Lfs said about 5 more days if the nitrite and nitrate go down I'll be ready for fish....yeah!!!

 

[jerrydraper]

Ok been a while working too much....sooo I got my first fish 3 weeks ago wife wanted "Nemo" go figure. I ended up with a clown and a strawberry dottyback. Both are doing well after the dottyback had a little acclimation issue with the damsel. The damsel was chasing the dottyback all over the tank I tried to catch the damsel for 2 hours with no success but the dottyback did get a chance to hide in the rocks. I figured I'd wake up in the morning with fish carcass in the tank but they were fine the next morning. The next week I added a diamond watchman goby and havent had clear water since lol. He is fun to watch he has dug himself a cave under one of the live rocks and is cleaning all the sand in the tank, hard working little bugger though. Im taking my water to a trusted lfs and so far Ive been great on the parameters. Last week I bought a API test kit and it syncs up with what the lfs has said and I picked up a turbo snail and an emerald crab (wifes choice) and finally this week I picked up another clown fish and another turbo snail. This morning the new turbo snail had died...I drip acclimated him for 1 1/2 hours last night and he appeared to be cruising the tank with no issues he attached to a piece of algea covered live rock and this morning he had detached himself from the rock and was "on his back" on the sand I picked him up and put him in the qt and he hasnt moved and his foot is black from what I read on here that isnt good.

checked parameters

Ph 8
Amonia 0
Nitries 0
Nitrates 20

I suspect the trates are up due to the recent additions but will be doing a pwc today to drop them and check tomorrow.
When would be a good time for a protein skmmer the lfs said two weeks or so...agree disagree..they have been super good about not having me spend money I havent needed to until it was the correct time....

 

[Dchi225]

I think you would be fine adding the slimmer without waiting the two weeks. Just may not have much skimmate until the organics build up in the tank.

 

[jerrydraper]

Cool Ill pick one up tomorrow been wanting to see how hard they were to get working...