55 gal OP Tank conversion

[djnzlab1]

HI,
I have started one small saltwater tank and now have the itch to convert a OP 55 gal show tank. Here's how I plan to start.
Remove all gravel and lift tubes to UGF I plan to cover the UGFwith nylon screen to keep sand out.
I will then put in 5-6 in of fine argonite sand , My thoughts is the water under the UGF should support anerobe bacteria.
I will put coral life skimmer and large marine canister filter with some type of media most likely a ultra fine filter material like that filter media Eihem sells.
This tank will be fish only and will have live rock but no sump.
Is this going to work or a potential disaster.
Doug

[Birchell]

I would trash the UGF. If your gonna have 5-6 inches of sand, your not gonna need the UGF to hold up the sand. Your gonna find that your tank set-up will be alot like a FW tank, with salt, lol. Fish only tanks are not hard to keep. Good luck and let us know how it goes,

Michael

[milesm4]

I agree the UGF isn't needed and might as well pull it to start out with a clean tank.

[djnzlab1]

hi,
Well I cycled the new sand with some of the old from the sump and the 20 gal that I turned into a freshwater.
I needed a stronger sump pump cause the 55 is a little taller than the other tank. The flow is tremendous to the sump and the skimmer seems to be skimming a little better I like the skiimer in the sump too its out of site..
I decided to leave the sump it has about 50+ snails and seems to collect alot of the waste that the overflow skims off , things like food , poo and waste. It alos help keep the water in the tank level a buffer fo eveap and adds about 15 gal to water collection. There are about 6 peppermint shrimp setting up grooming station and the LM bleemy is having a blast he has lots of rock to clean.
I bought sand siffting gobby not sure of the name he sits behind a rock all day has blue dots and a black foot may be nocturnal pretty cool looking he has a black foot looking fin he sits on uses it like a pogo stick,I borrowed this pic from another forum

I will set up a tripod and take a few the water is starting to clear after a 7 gal change today, bumped the spec grav back down after it crept up due to evap, also decide to lower the temp to 78 beings 80 seemed a little warm. I ve only had problem with a couple hermits they have been murded by someone not sure they are good indicators of water quality if the y sulk I usally check the water.
Well so far so good will have some test done this thursday when I am off.
Even the plants seem better off.
Doug
Pics to follow.

[djnzlab1]

HI,
Well I took a couple had some reflection off a window, but it looks nice water starting to clear nicely , the sump is about 2 mos old and this tank is on its second week, no DOA, everyone seems to get along except maybe the angels are alway racing about, but they have plenty of hidding places.
Hope you like.
Its cloudy from adding that calcium argo-milk this am its supposed to clear in about one hour.








this system has one sump 20 gal DSB with a Coralife skimmer , the tank has a DSB, there are 2 marineland large canister filters with media, there a couple filters on the back that have a little carbon in one and some of that phos remove, I change every week or so till my tank settles from using all that building sand and arogonite just by chance there's silica in the sand.
Occasional murder ie somones killing those hermits I do have a large red one that maybe mean.
The third picure you can see mr Sand goby lurking behind the read rock he is moving about more today.
Doug
the CLowns pair off at night and slepp in grops by species, the redclowns are hiding behind one of the fake corals and are acting like they want to spawn.

[amcarrig]

Wow! I see three different species of clownfish, two different species of angelfish, anthias, striped damsels.....I hate to say it seeing as you're so excited about your tank but you have a disaster waiting to happen! Especially in a tank as young as yours regardless of how it was cycled. Is there any chance that you can return most of those fish to the lfs because most likely, they're not going to make it for long Best of luck!

[turbo4603]

OHH oH, sorry to burst your excitement, but your tank is gonna be a warzone if you keep all them fish. To many conflicting species, and the tank is too young!
We hope the best for your tank, but in my honest opinion, you need to return some of them fish, and just let the tank be for a goot 6-8 weeks.
BTW, the aquascaping looks real nice for a show tank!!!

[nemo79]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but with a saltwater tank be it fish only or reef you need to completly cycle the tank fishless for at least 6 - 8 weeks and testing the water perameters at least 2 x a week. The problem is that most of the time the ammonia and nitrites won't even spike right away, mine took 2 weeks before it spiked and took another 4 weeks before I put in a cleaning crew. I lost a fish even after properly cycling my tank because I added 3 fish at once...your tank is full of fish and all the poop and pee is gonna cause a massive ammonia spike...it can be deadly especially the levels ammonia can reach during cycling.

The key to this hobby or actually to be successful at this hobby is doing your research, patience, and taking it slow. You need to do some homework and take a look at the compatability chart at Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums.

We are here to help so if you have any ??? just ask but I would first see if you can return your fish for a credit, they should have known not to sell them to someone who has had a new tank for two weeks because as stated above no matter how you cycle the water...2 weeks isn't enough. Go and get yourself: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, and alkalinity test kit. These are the most important thing to have at your stage. Good luck.

[djnzlab1]

HI,
well your probably right, to much to soon, the DSB sump is around 4 mos old and had zero nitrite last checkand nh3 before the exhange I move the overflow to the 55 it was never shut down or the sand wasn't disturbed in it., the new tank has all the sand from the 20 gal and a 25 pound bag of the fla live reef sand to help it cycle. I expect very little problems with nh3 or nitrate, the species of the fish may be a problem they are all tank raised no wild caught, they all feed together and pretty much seem fairly compatble so far as they age it may change due to the sex drive thing, I will check back about once a week to update this post as things occur it may be useful to other newbies. psps all the coral is fake but the rock is live and cycled about 4 mos in the 20 gal all the fish I have owned for the last 4 months except the clowns they are new.
doug
Thanks for the comments .

I ordered some shoal grass clumps today with a reforgium package that has mini sand star, and some algae, and two of the ampipods packages for the sump.
I also ordered a coral life reforgium light in the blue acetic for the sump. this should really help ..plants to arrive thurs am.. from that floridapets
I'll write a review..

[djnzlab1]

HI,
I put a small plastic container (shoe box) in the sump with several holes in it and some gravel to weight it down , I added two packs of pods, some of the live algae and put a light on,, this is a pod nursery so they can reproduce and not be in the mainwater flow to from the main return to the pump , hopefully the pods will be able to breed.. i viewed some baby snails today in the sump they are growing pretty fast , about 1/4 the size of the adults in about 2 mos.

I also received 10 mini stars put them in the main tank,I planted the clump of shoal grass its very fine and has a rather dense root system, its supposed to use bacteria to convert nitrates into plant food a little help for the DSB and maybe a future phos dump. everyone looks great skimmer doing its thing. Feeding twice day mostly frozen thawed and washed krill and green food.
Doug

ps the hermits are really active , I ve noticed when they are sulking water may be off I use them to help I"D when water changes may be needed, I tank a sample to my LPS and if its bad I grab 5 Gals and change it out day later the hermits are perky. Watching your animals can help ID problems.