Dave's 55 Reef (Updated Pics, see last page)

never too many questions...I used to be the queen of too many questions, but they've slowed. I still have MANY, but I can now, sometimes, figure them out myself! JUMP IN... FEET FIRST

 

My first attempt at a reef tank was a nano cube. Man they suck! I sold that piece of @^&% and set up a real tank. Mine is a 40 gallon breeder. It is only 36 x 18 x 16 tall. I feel it is perfect for me.
I also have a 10 gal sump and 10 gal refugium (I want a manderin some day). The biggest problem I have had so far is evaporation. But my house will suck a rock dry
I think it is all in how attentive you are to your tank.
Good luck with everything and welcome

 

Not being funny phorn but you may want to start your own thread, asking questions about yourself in somebody elses thread is called hijacking, your new to the forum and maybe did not know, just pointing you in the right direction, good luck in whatever you do...

 

oops. Sorry 'bout that

 

thanks for your guy's interest, I just finished aquascaping and adding the sand. I will post pics when the water clears from the sand. I did buy the rock cured, but I think I will lay back for a couple of weeks to let things calm down, been testing, my nitrates are a bit high, but I think that may be due to the addition of the rock. Besides that everything is going well so far. I will keep everyone updated as it goes

 

Another step finished

Rock all in place, im very happy with the way it came out, feel free to let me know what you think. Now have the third maxi jet 1200 installed and running, the flow is much better. Added a piece of shrimp to help bacteria grow. Going to let it rest for a couple of weeks to allow everything to stabilize. I will keep you all updated as it progresses.

 

So far very nice, patience it will hurt like hell but will be rewarding in the end,,,,

 

Ok, upon heeding the advice of some member here, I went out to the lfs and bought my very first fish ever! It is a yellow tail damsel, about an 1.25 in. Im using him to help cycle my tank. I acclamated him using a the drip method, It might be overkill but I want to get some experience with it for future, more sensitive specimens. I also used my hand to place him into the tank, again a method I read about here at 3reef. It went really well, I just slowly placed my hand beneath him in the bucket and placed him right in. At first, he immediately hid in the lr, but after 5 min. he was out and about exploring the tank. It's very exciting to see him swimming around. Now the hard part, waiting to add anything else. Here are some pics.

 

Great tank...great pics...great starter fish.

Your water params will now let you know when to add more.

After you get your big ammonia spike and it has gone down and then nitrates 0 out...then you can add another after params nice and stable for at least a week.

Your damsel may not take to later added fish as it will have tank pretty well staked out as its own.

May have to return him to LFS and trade in for something else...like pair of percs or whatever.

Late in the fish adding process you can add another (or better yet a pair) of yellow tails.

I think they are wonderful fish...but can be very, very territorial if allowed to stake out home area early, esp. in a 55 gal.

Looking Good!!!

Thanks for sharing...keep them coming...

;D

PS

I started my SW adventure with a 55 gal. also...

Here is pic of it about 7 years ago...would guess about after 6 mos old...



Took me about a year to "outgrow" it...

Still have most of the original fish I started out with. Hippo tang, which began as very little guy quickly outgrew tank...then did again after I moved it to 125 gallon. Finally had to move on to a large tank at local nursery. Hurt so much to lose it, I swore would never get another. :-/


:-/

 

thanks for the info, thought the damsel might be trouble to later additions but ill worry about that later. I have heard that the yellow tail isn't as aggressive as other damsels