First Tank - Project (First Fish! Pics Tomorrow)

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by jeremya, May 18, 2012.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. jeremya

    jeremya Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    May 17, 2012
    Messages:
    75
    Location:
    Fort Collins, Colorado
    Thanks for the input and advice, sjnovakovich. I'm not sure about the Blennys getting along. Still have to do some research on this one. Why add the clownfish last? I definitely want them young; just crossing my fingers hoping they don't "get busy" (I don't want to have to explain that).

    If I had more time and a little more money I would have likes to build a custom acrylic tank, but that will have to wait until the next tank.
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. jeremya

    jeremya Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    May 17, 2012
    Messages:
    75
    Location:
    Fort Collins, Colorado
    Ok, next thing I have done; I decided I was going to make some frozen meaty food. I totally underestimated the smell associated with it, and it just won't go away. I also burned up my blender when a chunk of squid got stuck.
    All total it was $20 for about 6 pounds.

    Carrots, Kale, and Garlic (All organic to avoid pesticides hopefully; and slightly steamed)
    [​IMG]

    Slightly steamed meat medley. Oysters, crab, shrimp, prawns, squid, octopus, salmon, and, talapia.
    [​IMG]

    And mid-process.... Yes it smelled as bad as it looks.
    [​IMG]


    My only question was how fine it needs to be. I went super fine with most of it and left some smaller chunk (for bigger fish?) that were about half the size of a pea.
     
  4. nept2n

    nept2n Coral Banded Shrimp

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2012
    Messages:
    365
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Your stock list looks fine. I would do one of the two blennies and not both. I personally like the lawn mower. I would also and the two clowns first. I did this on my tank and I have had no issues. Your 55 measures the samein length as my 90 so you shouldnt have a problem

    I do recommend buying them at your LFS vs. online that's what I did. It gave me a chance to watch them interact with each other before I got them. Also I'm not sure if you are trying to reduce your cycle time by creating your own bacteria in a bottle no pun intended but if you are going to start your tank up with no live rock and no live sand then I guess it is fine.

    I started with dead rock, dead sand and only a cup of live sand. I thru a table shrimp in raised he temp to 82 and in les than 3 days the shrimp dissolved. Ammonia spiked and 3 days later it dropped over night. When my nitrites spiked I added a bottle of Tim's one and only ( in your case bio spira) and within the week nitrites were down and nitrates up. 50% water change and then monitored to drop nitrates.

    I think this is an awesome project and your students won't be paying much attention with the tank in the room to what ou will be teaching them but I think you realize that.

    Good luck with the project I'll be following along
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. jeremya

    jeremya Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    May 17, 2012
    Messages:
    75
    Location:
    Fort Collins, Colorado
    Thanks for the reply, nept2n! One Blenny it is; I was also leaning towards the lawnmower.
    I hung out at the LFS today just watching fish and bugging the guy with questions. I watched some of the clowns they had today and was a little concerned. A couple looked odd; I can't really describe it, it was like their skin didn't look right. It wasn't like the pictures I have been seeing online of diseases, but it just didn't look normal. And one looked to be underfed (belly was kind of caved). I was planning on buying from them, still am, just feel that I need to pay attention to what I am getting.

    I'm still waffling around on how to get the cycle going. I did try to culture some bacteria, but I am starting to doubt if it worked (guess we will see). The guy at the LFS told me that I was dumb for even considering anything but just adding a chunk of LR. While I would prefer not having a 3 month cycle, I am very patient and want to do it right. Obviously from my past posts, and this one, I am still not decided on what to do... Just waiting for someone to spazz: "Just get the flipping LR and be done with it!!!!!"

    Talking to the LFS guy today he was trying to tell me that One-and-Only, Bio-Spira, SafeStart, etc were to supplement the bacteria colony of the tank, NOT to start it. Kind of a contradiction to what I have been reading. Comments?

    LoL we might have to hang a sheet in front of the talk if it gets to out of hand. I'll probably be the first to get distracted ;)
     
  6. Marshall O

    Marshall O Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2012
    Messages:
    3,517
    Location:
    Central MA
    Looks like you are well on your way! A couple of things. As far as adding the clowns last, you want to add fish in their order of aggressiveness. Clowns, being damsels, are actually pretty aggressive for their size! I would say to add the angel last, and the clowns second to last. This is what I am doing for my tank.

    And just a comment on the food, I don't know how other people feel, but for the herbivore food, I think you want to limit the amount of land grown food. It is nothing they would ever eat in the wild, and so they are not really made to eat and digest it. Garlic would be one exception, but other than that try to stay with seaweeds and algae. This is all my opinion, and would love to hear from some more experienced people on this.

    Other than that, nice job and good luck!
     
  7. jeremya

    jeremya Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    May 17, 2012
    Messages:
    75
    Location:
    Fort Collins, Colorado
    Thanks for the input, Marshall!
    It makes sense to add fish in the order of aggressiveness; I will just have to try to restrain myself from going out of order.

    The only reason I chose Kale was because of its super high vitamin content and nutritional value. And it is really low in fiber. While it might not be ideal, I figured it would be good for them.. I could be wrong though!
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. pho88

    pho88 Fire Worm

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2011
    Messages:
    172
    Location:
    CA montery park
    wow! awesome build! i wish my classes had fish tanks in them.
     
  10. jeremya

    jeremya Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    May 17, 2012
    Messages:
    75
    Location:
    Fort Collins, Colorado
    Thanks, Pho! I'm looking forward to having it set up and finally getting something living in it.
     
  11. jeremya

    jeremya Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    May 17, 2012
    Messages:
    75
    Location:
    Fort Collins, Colorado
    So I was finally able to get into my classroom today and get my tank set up. Sorry for the low quality pictures, I only had my phone today.
    I tried to go really cavey and ledgey with the rocks and keep it fairly open. I might change it later, but for round 1 I was pretty happy with them.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Got the heater cranked up to 82F and ammonia at 2ppm. I'm going to give it a couple days with the bacteria I bottled and see how it works.
     
  12. Camkha1234

    Camkha1234 Great Blue Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2012
    Messages:
    2,818
    Location:
    Orlando, FL