My Tanks Progress (more pics added) 2/22/11

First topic message reminder :

So i decided to try sw for myself. First let me say i have never done any water tests on my two fw tanks or have i ever done tests in general. So with that in mind this is a whole new ball game for me. To start i purchased a 30 gallon long tank( its about 3 feet wide) I added sand on Dec 13th( about 45 lbs argonite?) and i purchased a whisper ex70 power filter. I have a koralia nano and 1( one on each side of the tank for water movement. The tank has been up and running like that since the 13th. On saturday the 18th i purchased 31 lbs of live rock. It was put in the tank that night. I know everyone says 2 lbs per gallon but the tank would be stuffed if i put 60 lbs of rock in it. It looks good with what is in it. ( I will post pics soon) So tonight leads me to water test number one of a million im sure. Here were my results, I went with the API saltwater master test kit. the scale was a color range so the numbers arent exact. I got my wife to help me determine about what they were.

PH 8.0-8.2
ammonia 0-0.25 ppm
nitrite 0.5 ppm
nitrate 7.0 ppm

I know they need to come down a little but let me know what you think. ALso i picked up some stuff off craigslist the other day. Let me know what i can use these for.

-Kent marine starter kit(comes with essential elements, pro-ammonia detox, and pro buffer dkh)
-Kent super buffer dkh
-kent garlic xtreme
-kordon rid fungus(herbal formula)
I got all of these for 10 bucks. figured i could use them. ALmost all of it is brand new.

So far this sw adventure has been fun. It is different looking at a tank for two weeks with nothing in it really except water. I have been keeping a total so far and with all my purchases i am still under 300 dollars. Thats for everything. And i have a heater on the tank too. Any suggestions please feel free. As i said i will get pics up soon.

------------------------------------------------
New Pics 12-30-2010..



New pics 1/4/2011




New pics 1/11/11






New Pics 2/22/11 - Making Progress...

there also maybe a break in period for the skimmer to get a good slime coat if the skimmer was really clean when you got it. new skimmers take about 3 weeks to break in. I just bought a new skimmer as well the Reef Octopus SUPER SRO 5000INT In-Sump my Bio load has grown so we'll see how it go's.

Color on the rock is deffentely changing. Looking good!

How about some newer pics again? I bet you have some more growth in there by now.

Bump. More pics

ya see....the thing about posting a sw anything thread is the demand for the upkeep of pics! your tank is always growing therfore we need to see it progress:)
pixpixpixpixpixpixpixpixpix lol jk
nice zoas though

You moved your rocks around again! LOL

Lookin good!

Yea i like how they are now. Only thing is if i come across some rocks with things already attached and growing on them i will stack in the middle of the arches and fill it in, cant wait til the 29th. You change your mind april? what about you cindy?

I know that I can't make it

Boooooooooo

So the skimmer i hooked up is totally working. Pretty sweet. also noticed some little thing growing on one of the rocks. I cant get a pic bc camera wont focus on it. But im not sure what it is. It may just be like a mushroom or something i dunno. But its something.

Be sure it's not bubble algae. What color is it and shape?

Its just foaming in the overflow tube. like whitish

looking good

I think Vixen means what color is growing on your rock? LOL

If it is bubble algae it will be clearish green and kind of look like a fish oil capsule. I have some in my tank, I just pull them out if I find them. They are pretty small like less than a pea but I have heard if you pop them the spores get everywhere. I just don't pop them and no problems.

The thing growing on your rock could be a shroom. When mine reproduce they usually start out looking like a fleshy purple bump on the rock that then turns into the shroom. They are pretty small at first.

I hope something cool grows for ya!

hope its not an aptasia anemonie!! those thing are pests and harm corlz!

WEll i got a new light a few days ago. Just got around to putting it on the tank today as i have been ill. Its a 4 bulb t-5. Two 10000k's and two acintic. 59watts each. Has a built in fan and three led moon lights. For 60 bucks. Only thing is the canopy doesnt fit now. The wife isnt going to like that. But i need to look for a timer for it. ANy suggestions on that. Ive never used timers. I will get pics in a few days when im feeling better.

I am still on the fence about the swap we'll see by mid next week.

lol ok i just messaged you

I use the white square 24 hr timers you get from Lowes there about 10 bucks each.

cwhip wrote:

I use the white square 24 hr timers you get from Lowes there about 10 bucks each.

That is what I use for my snakes too!

ok i will look into it. Am i going to need one for each of the plugs on this fixture or how do they come?

My cheap one just takes one plug I think.

couldn't tell , do you have anemene(can't spell)for the clownfish? Looks like a great start

No anenome. I have a piece of green star polyps and a little group of zoanthid. will be getting a few more corals next weekend.

edub wrote:

couldn't tell , do you have anemene(can't spell)for the clownfish? Looks like a great start

His tank is not old enough to properly support an anemone yet.

How long do you have to wait?anemone