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DanS · 06-27-2005, 10:00 AM

I've been watching and reading 3reef for a couple weeks now, so decided to join.
My cousin gave me his old 55 gallon tank that I want to try and dive into (no pun intended) a salt water tank. Wanted to describe what I have and see if you guys think I'm off to a good start or if I need to do something different or get something different.
First, I have about 50 lbs of live rock and an argonite substrate that have been cycling for about a week now. Obviously still waiting for that to get further along.
I have 2 power heads - the 660 which moves 170 gph and a 1140 which moves 300 gph. These are connected to the uptakes from an undergravel grate and tubes, so it's pulling water through the substrate, in theory. These are in the back corners of the tank. The return from the wet/dry is in the center of the tank.
I have a wet dry filter, but have removed about half the bio balls because I've heard those can be bad and think I have a fair amount of live rock.
My protein skimmer is small, and I don't really know anything about it, but my cousin used to keep an eel in the tank and he seemed to think it was fine for the tank. The skimmer is in the wet/dry before the trickle plate. Have the overflow box that feeds to the wet/dry with a new filter in there. Don't have any carbon filters in the system that I know of. That OK?
Got the Aqualight 260 W power compacts brand new.
Have a heater rated for the tank size and a thermometer. Water has been around 78 since I've had it up (having a hard time keeping it down in the heat).
This sound correctly setup and like I have everything I need in the right places?

06-27-2005, 10:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
DanS Plankton Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 5 Karma: 1	Does this new tank setup sound OK? I've been watching and reading 3reef for a couple weeks now, so decided to join. My cousin gave me his old 55 gallon tank that I want to try and dive into (no pun intended) a salt water tank. Wanted to describe what I have and see if you guys think I'm off to a good start or if I need to do something different or get something different. First, I have about 50 lbs of live rock and an argonite substrate that have been cycling for about a week now. Obviously still waiting for that to get further along. I have 2 power heads - the 660 which moves 170 gph and a 1140 which moves 300 gph. These are connected to the uptakes from an undergravel grate and tubes, so it's pulling water through the substrate, in theory. These are in the back corners of the tank. The return from the wet/dry is in the center of the tank. I have a wet dry filter, but have removed about half the bio balls because I've heard those can be bad and think I have a fair amount of live rock. My protein skimmer is small, and I don't really know anything about it, but my cousin used to keep an eel in the tank and he seemed to think it was fine for the tank. The skimmer is in the wet/dry before the trickle plate. Have the overflow box that feeds to the wet/dry with a new filter in there. Don't have any carbon filters in the system that I know of. That OK? Got the Aqualight 260 W power compacts brand new. Have a heater rated for the tank size and a thermometer. Water has been around 78 since I've had it up (having a hard time keeping it down in the heat). This sound correctly setup and like I have everything I need in the right places? _________ 55 gallon tank with wet/dry. 1 penguin 660 power head and 1 penguin 1440 power head. Approximately 50 lbs live rock. Aqualight 260 W PC lights. Protein Skimmer.