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02-09-2008, 01:39 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2
Karma: 1
 |  Hello!! From STL
Hello everyone from the STL!!
I have had a freshwater tank for the last 5 years and I am just starting a saltwater. I ran across this site and looking forward to the help from the forums.
I have a 55g tank
40 lb of Ocean Direct live sand
50 gallon Instant ocean Sea Salt mix.
Hydrometer
MarineLand Canister Filter C-220
Heater
I have put the sand in and mixed the salt and the filter is running.
What is the next step?
The fish store told me that I can wait a while for a protein skimmer..
How much Live Rock do I need for a 55g tank?
I am looking for the most basic saltwater setup to start off with? | 
|  | | Reef Links |  | |
02-09-2008, 05:26 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Gnarly Old Codfish
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Silverdale, Washington Age: 59
Posts: 4,788
  
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To 3Reef!!! Salutations! Glad to see you found way here!
You are off to good start.
Next step is get some good Live Rock.
Keep us posted.  _________ AG "125," AquaC EV 180, 30 gal sump, "SCWD", 80 lbs LR, CoralSeaLife "Moonlite" Hood, PFO 250W HQI Mini-Pendant (SPS HQI 14000k bulb)
12 Gallon NanoCube - 24w stock PC 50/50 light "...nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank, only bad things happen fast..."
- MIKE PALLETTA - (2008 Reef log) ("OmarD"/"Scott") | |
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02-09-2008, 05:28 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Gnarly Old Codfish
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Silverdale, Washington Age: 59
Posts: 4,788
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Oh, get some live rock and "study up" 
Here are some good places to start. Knowing How to Set Up a Marine Aquarium, Adam Blundell M.S. Your First Reef aquarium: How to Create a Miniature Coral Reef System at Home. by J. Charles Delbeek B.Sc., B.Ed., M.Sc. About.com - Saltwater Aquariums 101 "Getting Started" FREE Email Course Thinking about setting up a saltwater aquarium? (melevsreef.com) An Introduction to the Marine Aquarium Hobby (Part 1) - Associated Content (Parrothead) An Introduction to the Marine Aquarium Hobby (Part 2) - Associated Content (Parrothead) "Getting Started" - Mike Paletta A List Of Good Beginner Fish Fish To Be Avoided - I Fish To Be Avoided - II Your Aquarium Cleanup Crew by J. Charles Delbeek "They are mysterious guests from an exotic world. Unlike anything else we keep in an aquarium, they represent the essence of the coral reefs that we try to duplicate in our living rooms. Our success at this effort depends greatly on how well we understand these unusual life forms.
Unfortunately, for the average hobbyist, the increased availability of these animals is not matched by the information available concerning their biology and care. Too often, hobbyists know more about who manufactures their aquarium equipment than basic biological information, or proper identification of the animals they are striving to keep. And yet, without this information it is difficult to provide the optimum conditions that will allow them to grow and reproduce." Answers to Everything! Learn to Live With It
Adam Blundell M.S.
"...As surprising as it may seem your tank will look ugly at first. This happens to all new marine aquariums as they cycle through their initial filtration phase. Your tank may go brown, and then green, and then red, and then just look junky. It happens. Consequently the one coral you really want to keep may not live. You may struggle to raise the prize fish you originally intended to acquire. It's okay; just learn to love whatever is working for you. Remember, not only is this a hobby, but we are keeping living ecosystems. Special efforts should be put forth to enjoy and appreciate what we are keeping, whatever it may be. It takes time and patience to turn a glass box full of rock into a beautiful, thriving reef tank..."  | |
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02-09-2008, 05:33 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami, FL Age: 39
Posts: 4,512
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It has been said that when getting LR, you should get 1.25-1.75 pounds per gal. If you havent cycled yet, wait about three months before you get any livestock. Dont do any water changes while cycling. Good luck and welcome aboard. Luna _________ 9YR OLD 90G/55g custom sump/refug Mag18 Aquac 180skimmer 692w MH AC jr,yel&kole tang,midas&convict blenny,B&G chromies,Blk/yel fin chromie blackcap,nemo,neon goby,6line; Blastomussa Merleti,Acan ,BUBBLE,Torch,LTA, Acropora(2) Moon, assort zoas, yel& G star polyps, P&B ricordia, montiporas, cup&candy corals, xenias,B/G mush,flower ane(2), cherry red mussa, dusters,cleaning crew..  | |
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02-09-2008, 07:43 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Coral Banded Shrimp
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 45
Posts: 367
Karma: 142
 
|  3 Reef Library
Take a look at the bottom of the 3 reef home page at the section entitled
3reef Article Library - Member Submitted Aquarium Articles
Check out 3 steps to a reef aquarium by Matt. 
Welcome!!!
_________
180 Gallon Reef, 150 lbs of LR and 4" LS. 4-175w 10k MH. 8-110 W actinic VHO, 2 Wave2K, LifeReef Skimmer . A 90 gal sump, Top-Off. 2Mag 9.5 return, Life Reef CR LCR-1. 1 Cin Clown, Bub coral, Xenia, Purp Tang, Yellow Tang, Pogoda, 4 Gobies, Niger Trigger, Angel, Brittle Star | |
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02-09-2008, 08:03 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,346
Karma: 4672
 
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Welcome to 3Reef>>>>>> | |
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02-09-2008, 09:00 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Torch Coral
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 47
Posts: 1,163
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Welcome to 3reef...Good luck with the setup....Keep us posted on your progress... _________ 72 gallon bowed 150lbs LR 60 lbs LS
2 Percs
1 Chevron Tang
Hippo Tang
Six Line Wrasse
Coral Banded Shrimp
Cleaner Shrimp
Starry Blenny
4 Lyretail Anthias
Long Polyp Toadstool
Montipora
Long Tentacle Anenome
Short tentacle plate
Pulsing Xenia
Green Star polyps
Frogspawn
29 gallon
2 Clown
1 Coral Beauty
1 Fairy Wrasse
24 FOWLR
Dwarf Lion
125 gallon African Cichlid Tank http://home.comcast.net/~pizzal/index.html 
"The more you learn, the more acutely aware you become of your ignorance" | |
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02-09-2008, 09:24 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisville, GA Age: 45
Posts: 3,304
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Welcome to 3reef!  and also welcome to the wonderful world of 55 gallon tanks!(not too big, not too small) | |
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02-09-2008, 10:05 PM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Fire Shrimp
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 335
Karma: 181
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go to marine solutions and look for Dwayne, he is the manager there, u can talk him down on the price, there phone number is 636 947 5999, in st charles,mo
_________
55g AGA 55lb LR, 55lb sand, CPR skimmer, magnum 350, koralia 1.
in progress:
120g RR, 40 sump/fuge, panworld 50pxx, 2 x 250 Lumen Bright Reeflux 12k coralvue ballst, 2x54 t5 current usa, 24 led moonlight, shallow sand bed, 2x Koralia 4, around 200lbs rock, msx 200, aquac phosphate reactor... If you see something better out there, let me know. most of the parts still being process. | |
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02-10-2008, 11:10 PM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Vlamingii Tang
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: joliet,il Age: 41
Posts: 1,892
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welcome
_________
just one little sps frag tank with lots of goodies | |
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