Starting up my first SW...55g

[Skellz]

I'm still in the process of setting it up. Currently have 37lbs of base rock, getting some more base and some live rock this weekend. Then the cycling begins! Can't wait til I can get some fishies in there! The aircraft is my husband wanting to be included in this project, it's SW safe.

Starting it up...

My 2yo daughter helping me mix up some salt

And this is how it's sitting currently

 

[sgc0286]

Looks good! Except for the plane wreck...lol.

 

[sgc0286]

Are those two HOB filters? Is that the only filtration you have?

 

[mfdrookie516]

looks like an aquaclear 50 or 70 and a emperor 400?

 

[jcmelski]

Will this be a FOWLR tank? I would upgrade the filters for sure. Maybe the lights also.

 

[austinsdad]

I'd like to see 3x that amount of rock. Even for fish only. Hope to see some swim thru areas constructed with it all. Good luck.

Great helpers! I see another willing set of hands.

 

[Skellz]

Yes, It's an Aquaview 70 and I believe the other is a Top Fin, soon to be replaced with another Aquaview 70. Also looking into to skimmers, but honestly don't know which one to get. Everything has to be HOB for right now, once my babies are bigger we'll upgrade to bigger and better things, they'll grow out of the seek and destroy age eventually right?!

I also have some new lights on the way T5 4X54 with some lunar lights, I've been ready to get rid of the current hood since I set it up! 50lbs of rock will also be added to the current rocks. How much of that 50lbs needs to be live rock?

 

[austinsdad]

Any base or dry rock will become live after the cycle anyway, I'm thinking that if you cycle with that in the pic above, and what you're adding thins weekend, it'll all be cured and live after the cycle.

Check our articles section for fishless cycling methods. I prefer the grocery store shrimp.

 

[Skellz]

I was planning on doing the shrimp for the cycling. Our LFS was trying to talk us into doing a few damsels, even said they'll buy them back if they live through the cycling process, um no thanks! We're gonna check out the other LFS in our area, they have a HUGE SW only area so maybe they'll be better...

 

[Zer0]

Actually.. i really like that plane wreck down there. It makes the tank look the the bottom of the ocean where all the wrecks actually are! Now that is one piece of decor i can honestly say.. keep it!

Also, i see mighty potential in this tank. You definitely need more rock though, not just for biological filtration, but because in a tank that size, it will look complete with the more rock you put in there. Many tanks skimp on LR and their tanks look barren and empty.. :/ Even with that plane wreck there im sure you will be able to fit in lots more rock.

 

[austinsdad]

Good plan on the cycle method and staying away from the damsels. ALL rock will be "live" once you finish your cycle.

 

[Skellz]

So should I save my money and just buy all base/dry rock for the rest of the tank and skip buying the live rock? Base rock here is going for $3 a lb, whereas live rock is between $6.99-$8.99 a lb. I could use that money to get a better skimmer...still don't know which one to get...

 

[austinsdad]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that you can load up with base rock, add a couple of shrimp to begin the cycle, and go. The beneficial bacteria created during the cycle will make all the rock "live" - hence the new bacteria living on it. The only concern I have would be the lack of other critters that help a tank survive, lick the bristleworms, other worms, sponges, pods. You'd get that from adding real live rock or corals affixed to rock.

I'd still get some real live rock too for that reason.

 

[Skellz]

So two sized live rocks would prob be enough to get started what all I need? I'm wanting a lot more rock, but didn't realize the live rock was as expensive as it was! Hubby is not a big fan of spending $8.99 on live rock, especially is we need like 30lbs of it! I'm trying to get as much base rock as possible and I guess as little live rock as possible, but enough to keep the tank doing what it needs to do!

 

[austinsdad]

Not sure whatcha mean by "two sized live rocks". Try to talk him into maybe 10lbs of live rock. Look foor good foundation pieces that can be fitted together to create some kinda structure with holes that fish can swim in and out of - rather than just laying it all in there. Check out some of the tank pics at this site, and you'll see what I mean.

The other thing that live rock will give you is a good start on corraline algea growth with makes all the rock look a LOT better with all that purple, crusty corraline on it. It'll spread to the other rocks.

 

[Skellz]

Sorry I meant 2 GOOD sized live rocks.

Yeah I rearranged some of my rocks last night, waiting for the finaly product once I get my other rocks tomorrow. Then after I get my arrangement set up, gotta find an appropriate place for "the crash".

 

[austinsdad]

What's a "crash"?

 

[Skellz]

My airplane that looks like it crashed in the ocean, it's in the pics at the beginning of the thread.

 

[austinsdad]

Oh, THAT crash.

 

[Zer0]

Honestly, IMO i find it pointless to buy live rock if your tank isn't already cycled. Cured or non-cured. I know i've heard stories of people cycling with live rock and still have life left on the rocks after cycling, but that isn't always the case. Too much rock will produce too much ammonia. Too much ammonia kills everything. That's what happened to me :/

My suggestion would be to just get as much base rock as you want, set it up in your tank to your liking and then just cycle with a shrimp. This way you can actually control your ammonia levels by putting either a large piece or a small piece and adding or subtracting the shrimp if your not getting any spikes, or enough ammonia to start up a good cycle. After you tank is cycled, all you really need to do is get a few pounds of cured live rock and throw it in your tank(not literally lol). This will start the seeding process of making the base rock in the tank "live" once again, and honestly, you begin to see things within weeks. For the base rock to become fully live and thriving it will take a good amount of time, but you will start seeing life within the first couple weeks. My tank went through an ammonia nuke(well over 9ppm) because i had too much uncured live rock with mass die-off and everything started decaying pretty quickly. However, when my cycle was done and i added 3lbs of live rock, about 2 weeks later i was seeing little reef bugs ALL over the rocks and the sandbed throughout the entire tank. Didn't take very long at all. I also saw many other things besides the reef bugs. It was pretty crazy.

If your looking for a cheap solution, you may just want to go with base rock first. That's what i will be doing for my next tank.