surf&turf June 14, 2012 Share June 14, 2012 Looks good, I like the rock scape!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 14, 2012 Author Share June 14, 2012 Thanks! Rockscaping is stressful for me. Im always worried about what everyone else will think so I just went with what I liked. The good news is the tank is hard to get into so it won't be changing much. Now, if I can only figure out how to get the corals in there...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni June 15, 2012 Share June 15, 2012 Thanks! Rockscaping is stressful for me. Im always worried about what everyone else will think so I just went with what I liked. The good news is the tank is hard to get into so it won't be changing much. Now, if I can only figure out how to get the corals in there...... you should always go with what you like. If you like it open, aquascape open. if you like a rock wall, make it a rock wall. FWIW, I like your scape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy357 June 15, 2012 Share June 15, 2012 I think your scape is awesome I wish my new tank was deeper so I can do a scape like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 15, 2012 Author Share June 15, 2012 Yay! Thanks for the encouragement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S June 15, 2012 Share June 15, 2012 I love your rockscape! I really do. I think it will look awesome once each of those sections is covered in corals. So many places for fish to swim up and down as well! As for BB vs sand. That's a tough one. I think your idea of larger grain sand is probably what I'd go with. I love BBs for being able to create mad mad awesome flow in the tank, which SPS love. On the other hand, I love sand sifting critters like gobies, nassarius snails, wrasse, etc. I don't think I could give those guys up. The sand I got is super bright white, but maybe a weeee bit too small, as my vortechs move it around a little bit. When I go with my 300g DD some day, I will likely go with a nice white sand that's larger grain (but not crushed coral large of course). And I would go with 2" or so. Have you made any decision on which lights you'll be using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 16, 2012 Author Share June 16, 2012 Looking to buy heaters. The total volume of the system is going to be about 400 g. Can someone tell me why the fluvial 300w heater is rated for "up to 100 g" but the Jager 300w is rated 160 - 260 gallons? Just trying to figure out if I will need 3 or 4 heaters. 4 seems a bit ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS June 16, 2012 Share June 16, 2012 Have you decided on lighting? If you go MH, that might make a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 19, 2012 Author Share June 19, 2012 No I still have not decided on lighting. I am paralyzed by indecision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 20, 2012 Author Share June 20, 2012 So I've decided to leave the tank bare bottom. I have added 100 lbs of dry Marco rocks. Water is made and circulating in tank. I don't want to seed with anything, just want to start with as clean a tank as possible, so hopefully no unwanted pests. I've also decided to go with LEDs. The fish room behind the tank is not all that big and will heat up a lot with just equipment so I'd rather not add more heat in there. Now I just have to decide on what type. NOT going with Radions. Don't need all that extra. Just want something that will grow and keep good color. So now what, throw in a shrimp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT June 20, 2012 Share June 20, 2012 I want your tank......oh geez it looks great.... im still a MH/t5 believer but thats just me...it works well for me so i dont want to switch..well i want to but cant bring myself to switch... ive seen alot of really nice LED tanks lately so im starting to open my mind to them but just not for me yet. If i did it i think it would be a T5 and LED combo or again with the MH LED combo (20k radiums just treat me well) good to see your going the clean route....especially in a tank that size, it would be a PIA to deal with hitchhikers... Also like the bare bottom, its amazing how much easier it makes life down the road, if you like sand you can always do the glue on some starboard sand look. and if you really want a fish that needs a sand bed you can always put a little acrylic box with sand in it for him kinda like a wrasse bed. You shoulda done a dog in the tank shot as well haha it coulda been his work out room with its dimensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad June 20, 2012 Share June 20, 2012 Love it! Yep, throw in the shrimp and wait... though with that large tank, you may want to throw in two shrimp! I can't wait till I can have something like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S June 20, 2012 Share June 20, 2012 (edited) 1 shrimp per 50g, so I'd toss in 5 myself! quantum reefs has LED fixtures that might fit into your budget. they can make they custom for your tank dimensions as well. Edited June 20, 2012 by Ryan S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy357 June 20, 2012 Share June 20, 2012 I am getting Quantum reefs LED's for my 175. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 21, 2012 Author Share June 21, 2012 Finally! Some fun.... Having some light on the tank makes it seem real! (I put a small clip on MH lamp until I get permanent lights. ) Dry Marco rock has been in water for about a week. Phosphate reading was .25, so not too bad in terms of leaching. Finally made enough RO / DI to run pump a few days ago, so water is circulating SG is at 1.022 And I threw in 2 raw shrimp. Initial Ammonia is <.25 (undetectable) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 23, 2012 Author Share June 23, 2012 (edited) So, I threw in 2 raw shrimp on the 20th and I still have no ammonia. Not even a tiny bit. I've never cycled a tank like this before. How long does it take for something to start happening? Should I add something else? All I do all day is look longingly at pictures of coral frags.... I have been very very patient up to now, (it's been a YEAR since my crash) but I can't wait any longer!!! Edited June 23, 2012 by Sharkey18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind June 23, 2012 Share June 23, 2012 Have you added anything at all to seed the tank with bacteria? Either some small live rock or commercially available bacteria product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan June 23, 2012 Share June 23, 2012 If you drop some flake or pellets a couple of or a few times a day, just a pinch, you'll eventually start a nitrogen cycle. Make like you're feeding a small fish. You have a lot of water in there so it may need more than 2 shrimp. Add a cup of urine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind June 23, 2012 Share June 23, 2012 Like jan said, you have a lot of water volume. If it was me I would just add a couple fish and some bacteria product. Then keep Prime on hand in case you need it. Keep feeding them as normal and watch your levels daily. Because the tank is large and if you start with a light load you may not see much of a cycle. I never liked the shrimp or urine approach, just don't think it is needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco June 23, 2012 Share June 23, 2012 (edited) Couple years ago I started using Seachem Stablility on my fw tanks. Works like a charm, no problems at all. Last January I cycled my 20long nano with it, again, no problems, worked like a charm. At 10$ a bottle, it's well worth a try..... Edited June 23, 2012 by londonloco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 23, 2012 Author Share June 23, 2012 I haven't added any bacteria. I have a bottle of commercial stuff on hand but was going to wait until I had a small ammonia reading so that the bacteria have something to feed on. I was trying not to add fish since I don't have a QT set up yet and I am trying to be very very careful about adding stuff. I want to try to avoid introducing anything that hasn't been in QT / treatment. Also this is ALL new water, ALL new rock. I figure it's going to take a while to stabilize and didn't want to kill the poor test fish.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan June 23, 2012 Share June 23, 2012 I know someone who has started two of her tanks (90 gallon and 100 gallon) just using this product. She added fish right away. Fish and tanks are fine and going strong. I'm not saying add the fish, but it would not hurt to try and see what you get. http://www.marcorocks.com/fritzzyme9nitrifyingbacteria.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 26, 2012 Author Share June 26, 2012 Uh oh: setback. Sump is leaking at a corner. Anyone have a 70 - 100g sump sitting around they would like to sell? Of course, this is just another opportunity for an upgrade.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icecool2 June 26, 2012 Share June 26, 2012 Petco $1/gal sale. You could get a 55gal cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 28, 2012 Author Share June 28, 2012 (edited) Good news! The sump isn't leaking. Bad news! The 55 gallon drum IS leaking. Not so bad. Much easier to fix. Also an update on the cycle. After my Salifert test kit read 0 ammonia every single day, I got suspicious and tested with an API kit, which read 1ppm. So which is it? Zero ammonia or 1? Is the cycle starting or not? Who knows! I am basically going to go buy two new test kits and see what they say. I am always worried about test kit expiration anyhow. So maybe my tank has started the cycle.... maybe it hasn't. Let the patience continue. Edited June 28, 2012 by Sharkey18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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