nickbme06
Aquarium Advice Regular
Sorry about the long post, this is the start of my thread for this porject based on other posts, not in the correct section
My new tank, 55 gallon, doesnt have anything in it yet. Like i said earlier, i have the magnum filter and 2 biowheels. Flourescent lights are ontop, but ill prob replace the bulbs setup for corals. Anyone got any experiance with LED light ?? a whole nother topic.... Ok, so keep in mind ill only have (FOWLR) fish only with live rock to start. My main question with this project is the obvious question everyone is always asking at first and despite i have done alot of reading online on this subject, I am still uncertain as to which way to go with... Cycling, of course. Im thinking the best way for me to do this is with just with treated tap water (or maybe get my hands on some RO water to start with) and slowly feed it ammonia for 6 weeks with all the filters running and just use a zyme bacteria inhibitor in the process. Ammonia being from the store with no additives. I see this being the cheapest way to get my cycle going. Im assuming not even to put the live sand or live rock in yet and wait till i have a cycled tank so i dont kill the livestock in both with the ammonia. my local store sells saterwater @ $1 a gallon, but i figured i should just buy the stuff that makes it in dry form.. Or can i just start with treated tap water??
Suggestions so far on my 55gal project?
Ive read that the fine sand is alot harder to maintain with a vacuum type of cleaner. Ive never had to clean a tank out yet, so im unsure about any of that..
I bought the 55gal tank, stand, magnum filter and bi wheels and also came with 1 powerhead. Im going to sell the powerhead and buy 2 50 powerheads and run those with the magnum and biowheels until i get a cycled tank. I need to buy the 2 50w heaters as well so that i can get the temp up to help bacteria growth go faster. I was actaully just thinking i want 3x 50w heaters to aid in backups of 1 were to fail. keeping them at 50w will protect me against over heating due to a stuck on heater as well. I cannot bring back the mechanical filter, but i could always sell it... but. i was thinking of getting a protein skimmer as well. Is it not normal to use both and just use one or the other?? I need suggestions on this and which HOB Skimmer i should look into.
So you guys suggest using the 2-3 shrimp for a 55gal tank cycle method and not the ammonia from the store and keep at 4ppm?
So if i go ahead and get live rock and cycle the tank with it in there, isnt the ammonia going to kill ALL the live parts of the rock bacteria and totally make the live rock $$ pointless? I was thinking to use 50% non-live rock and 50% live rock on top. or even 70% non, 30% live, just to save on $$ starting off. Let me know some more on this, plz.
And also, is it ness to have the water im using to cycle the tank be the salt water that i will be using when i start to put live stuff in? well thats obviously saying that i dont put the live rock in to start.. but thats still up for discussion.. i just want to try to not spend alot of $$ at first until the tank is cycled, because im worried im goign to kill all the live stuff off and be pointles... unless you tell me theres huge advantages to starting with the live rock and you tell me a way to keep it all healthy throughout the cycling =D thanks guys!
The 55gal tank and setup was orig a freshwater setup, but the previous owners did a good job cleaning it all out. the tubes are pretty cleaned up and the filter and rock in the magnum is all new. Do i have to do anythign to these before starting with the saltwater? Is the magnum and biowheels ok for the setup im looking for with FOWLR? and possible move to coral down the road? Should i seel the magnum setup and get just a protien skimmer?? im a little confused on that, i though the skimmer was just for cleaning purposes etc and the filter and biofilter actually cleaned the water with the bacteria that resides on the filters?
Rock. Im looking toward 1# per gallon, so 55#'s of rock. 20# live rock, 35# Base rock. 1 local store has base rock @ $3 a pound and LR cured @ $6 a pound. No un-cured LR. Going to check another store after work thats local before i go online for it.
My new tank, 55 gallon, doesnt have anything in it yet. Like i said earlier, i have the magnum filter and 2 biowheels. Flourescent lights are ontop, but ill prob replace the bulbs setup for corals. Anyone got any experiance with LED light ?? a whole nother topic.... Ok, so keep in mind ill only have (FOWLR) fish only with live rock to start. My main question with this project is the obvious question everyone is always asking at first and despite i have done alot of reading online on this subject, I am still uncertain as to which way to go with... Cycling, of course. Im thinking the best way for me to do this is with just with treated tap water (or maybe get my hands on some RO water to start with) and slowly feed it ammonia for 6 weeks with all the filters running and just use a zyme bacteria inhibitor in the process. Ammonia being from the store with no additives. I see this being the cheapest way to get my cycle going. Im assuming not even to put the live sand or live rock in yet and wait till i have a cycled tank so i dont kill the livestock in both with the ammonia. my local store sells saterwater @ $1 a gallon, but i figured i should just buy the stuff that makes it in dry form.. Or can i just start with treated tap water??
Suggestions so far on my 55gal project?
Ive read that the fine sand is alot harder to maintain with a vacuum type of cleaner. Ive never had to clean a tank out yet, so im unsure about any of that..
I bought the 55gal tank, stand, magnum filter and bi wheels and also came with 1 powerhead. Im going to sell the powerhead and buy 2 50 powerheads and run those with the magnum and biowheels until i get a cycled tank. I need to buy the 2 50w heaters as well so that i can get the temp up to help bacteria growth go faster. I was actaully just thinking i want 3x 50w heaters to aid in backups of 1 were to fail. keeping them at 50w will protect me against over heating due to a stuck on heater as well. I cannot bring back the mechanical filter, but i could always sell it... but. i was thinking of getting a protein skimmer as well. Is it not normal to use both and just use one or the other?? I need suggestions on this and which HOB Skimmer i should look into.
So you guys suggest using the 2-3 shrimp for a 55gal tank cycle method and not the ammonia from the store and keep at 4ppm?
So if i go ahead and get live rock and cycle the tank with it in there, isnt the ammonia going to kill ALL the live parts of the rock bacteria and totally make the live rock $$ pointless? I was thinking to use 50% non-live rock and 50% live rock on top. or even 70% non, 30% live, just to save on $$ starting off. Let me know some more on this, plz.
And also, is it ness to have the water im using to cycle the tank be the salt water that i will be using when i start to put live stuff in? well thats obviously saying that i dont put the live rock in to start.. but thats still up for discussion.. i just want to try to not spend alot of $$ at first until the tank is cycled, because im worried im goign to kill all the live stuff off and be pointles... unless you tell me theres huge advantages to starting with the live rock and you tell me a way to keep it all healthy throughout the cycling =D thanks guys!
The 55gal tank and setup was orig a freshwater setup, but the previous owners did a good job cleaning it all out. the tubes are pretty cleaned up and the filter and rock in the magnum is all new. Do i have to do anythign to these before starting with the saltwater? Is the magnum and biowheels ok for the setup im looking for with FOWLR? and possible move to coral down the road? Should i seel the magnum setup and get just a protien skimmer?? im a little confused on that, i though the skimmer was just for cleaning purposes etc and the filter and biofilter actually cleaned the water with the bacteria that resides on the filters?
Rock. Im looking toward 1# per gallon, so 55#'s of rock. 20# live rock, 35# Base rock. 1 local store has base rock @ $3 a pound and LR cured @ $6 a pound. No un-cured LR. Going to check another store after work thats local before i go online for it.