My first saltwater, 40G long (yes, theres pictures)

Calopolus · 02/22/2011, 08:44 PM

Well, here we go! I have been wanting to do a marine tank for about 10 years. I finally took the plunge. Here is the setup with some dates;

Jan. 10th, 2011: Started building new stand for freshwater tank, wanted a two level with the top tank for the baby Chiclids I have.

Mid Jan 2011: Decided for a saltwater tank while at LFS (oh, and for those who don't yet know, extra money at LFS when deciding to go marine with no friggin clue what you SHOULD be buying = a happy LFS owner) Ordered a 40G long (36X18X13tall) with starfire or low iron if you prefer front from glasscages.com

Here is what I bought in the month I waited for the glasscages.com truck to bring my tank:
Bought 60# Agronite live sand, salt, average test kit bundle, calcium test kit, (3) 36" T-8 light fixtures standard output, (2) Actinic blue, (1) 10K bulb, a 750 GPH Korila power head, a huge protein skimmer that was too tall for tank, and a TINY protein skimmer that couldn't clean a Dixie cup.... No skimmer on tank right now.

Bought 65 pounds live rock from some dude on craigslist. Nice guy, gave me his lights, his salt, a hydrometer and anything else I could carry. I looked at his lights which he said were all he had on a 125Gal. They were 36" T8's with bulbs that said "4500K Home/Office" I know from reading this is probably the major cause of this guys failure to enjoy the hobby. Decided that the rock looked like hell after looking at others on RC, decided to clean and boil that "live" rock.

Feb 20th, 2011: Picked up new tank from glasscages.com, bought RO water from LFS, and filled tank. Bought 5# of known good live rock from LFS.

I wanted a 4" sand bed per WaterKeeper's advice, but 60# was all I could afford, and I figure 60# in a 40gal tank should do.

Fun Fact: After putting in sand and dry rock+ live rock, tank took 25 gal to be filled.

So thats my new tank. Took measurements today
Ammonia .13
Nitrite 5.0 or greater, off the chart
Nitrate 40
PH 8.0

DSC09341.jpg

DSC09342.jpg

jmchzn123 · 02/22/2011, 08:57 PM

LOL...........welcome to the cult! Remember that little fact that it took 25 gallons to fill the tank. That is the volume you will use when calculating anything you put in the tank.

Sounds like you're off to a good start. Let the tank cycle good and long and make sure you read some books because with that little water volume parameters are going to be fun to control. NOTHING good happens quickly in a reef. TEST TEST TEST in the beginning. Have plenty of fresh SW and some RO on hand. Make sure you have a little QT for new additions. I bought a 12 g Nano. Fill it, QT, empty it and store it until nextime. No fuss. Don't get crazy with dosing. Every tank is different so ...test test test and only put crap in as needed.
Homework. .....Turn your BBQ grill on and go burn a few hundred bucks so you get the feeling of reef keeping. ...

Calopolus · 02/22/2011, 09:05 PM

Definitely. I went with a forty thinking I would better control the swings, as I know how fast changes can happen in the freshwater tanks I've had for years. I Am not very interested in fish at this point. I just want some mushrooms and polyps within the next couple months. I was at PetCo (or pet smart or pet land... who knows anymore) And snagged up a 14Gal BioCube for $119 to use as a quarantine. I am VERY lucky to have Shark's Cove, the local LFS right down the road. The owner, Eddy, is a very helpful and honest owner. He will answer the same question 100 times and still smile about it.

wbdevers · 02/22/2011, 09:28 PM

Welcome to the addiction and RC! Nice job on the aquascaping and I really like the stacked tank design--very cool and unique idea. However, this may cause you some problems later if you decide to run a sump, but that can always be handled with a sump box to the side. Would also recommend upgrading your lights--T8's just don't really cut it anymore. I would recommend T5's or LEDs ($$) but they are the future.

Congrats on a good start!

Calopolus · 02/22/2011, 09:45 PM

Thanks! The tank on the bottom is still a freshwater, but if I can afford this hobby it has a split sump that works great. Thats where I keep my Chiclid fry. Someday I hope to have some VHO T-5's but I feel the 75watts of light on the 13" deep upper tank should support some candy canes and mushrooms, though this varies on who you ask. I ordered some LED's today because the shimmer on the LFS tank won't leave my head. Also, I ordered 3 yellow tangs from, no just kidding about the tangs.

Thanks all for the great comments. I like hearing what people who have been where I have give their advice. And if anyone has any VHO's that they just can't stand to have laying around, PM me and I send you a box to send them to me in! I would fire up the BBQ to dispose of my money, but those LED's I just ordered cleaned me out. I think I will ride my bike to work tomorrow......

IbanezIC300 · 02/22/2011, 09:56 PM

Your start-up story reminds me of how my saltwater experience began. It starts small and continues to grow and grow. The setup looks good, just take things slow and it will be very enjoyable. As someone else already said test, test, and test, it is always better to know where you with your levels than to assume it is all good.

02/22/2011, 08:44 PM	#1
Calopolus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 7	My first saltwater, 40G long (yes, theres pictures) Well, here we go! I have been wanting to do a marine tank for about 10 years. I finally took the plunge. Here is the setup with some dates; Jan. 10th, 2011: Started building new stand for freshwater tank, wanted a two level with the top tank for the baby Chiclids I have. Mid Jan 2011: Decided for a saltwater tank while at LFS (oh, and for those who don't yet know, extra money at LFS when deciding to go marine with no friggin clue what you SHOULD be buying = a happy LFS owner) Ordered a 40G long (36X18X13tall) with starfire or low iron if you prefer front from glasscages.com Here is what I bought in the month I waited for the glasscages.com truck to bring my tank: Bought 60# Agronite live sand, salt, average test kit bundle, calcium test kit, (3) 36" T-8 light fixtures standard output, (2) Actinic blue, (1) 10K bulb, a 750 GPH Korila power head, a huge protein skimmer that was too tall for tank, and a TINY protein skimmer that couldn't clean a Dixie cup.... No skimmer on tank right now. Bought 65 pounds live rock from some dude on craigslist. Nice guy, gave me his lights, his salt, a hydrometer and anything else I could carry. I looked at his lights which he said were all he had on a 125Gal. They were 36" T8's with bulbs that said "4500K Home/Office" I know from reading this is probably the major cause of this guys failure to enjoy the hobby. Decided that the rock looked like hell after looking at others on RC, decided to clean and boil that "live" rock. Feb 20th, 2011: Picked up new tank from glasscages.com, bought RO water from LFS, and filled tank. Bought 5# of known good live rock from LFS. I wanted a 4" sand bed per WaterKeeper's advice, but 60# was all I could afford, and I figure 60# in a 40gal tank should do. Fun Fact: After putting in sand and dry rock+ live rock, tank took 25 gal to be filled. So thats my new tank. Took measurements today Ammonia .13 Nitrite 5.0 or greater, off the chart Nitrate 40 PH 8.0 DSC09341.jpg DSC09342.jpg Last edited by Calopolus; 02/22/2011 at 09:07 PM.

02/22/2011, 08:57 PM	#2
jmchzn123 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 240	LOL...........welcome to the cult! Remember that little fact that it took 25 gallons to fill the tank. That is the volume you will use when calculating anything you put in the tank. Sounds like you're off to a good start. Let the tank cycle good and long and make sure you read some books because with that little water volume parameters are going to be fun to control. NOTHING good happens quickly in a reef. TEST TEST TEST in the beginning. Have plenty of fresh SW and some RO on hand. Make sure you have a little QT for new additions. I bought a 12 g Nano. Fill it, QT, empty it and store it until nextime. No fuss. Don't get crazy with dosing. Every tank is different so ...test test test and only put crap in as needed. Homework. .....Turn your BBQ grill on and go burn a few hundred bucks so you get the feeling of reef keeping. ... __________________ 10 years running - 90 gal Tech Tank, 48x18x24/ 30 gal sump/ BK 180 mini/ 3 AI Sol Blues/ DSB / UV / Tunze Wave Box/ APEX-Lite controller/ dosing pumps on the way/ Goldfish

02/22/2011, 09:28 PM	#4
wbdevers Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 754	Welcome to the addiction and RC! Nice job on the aquascaping and I really like the stacked tank design--very cool and unique idea. However, this may cause you some problems later if you decide to run a sump, but that can always be handled with a sump box to the side. Would also recommend upgrading your lights--T8's just don't really cut it anymore. I would recommend T5's or LEDs ($$) but they are the future. Congrats on a good start! __________________ Wes Beatings will continue until morale improves!!! "I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them."--Judge Smails Current Tank Info: 125g ML dual corner OF mixed reef, Custom stand and canopy, 40g custom sump, lighting (in flux :( )

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02/22/2011, 09:05 PM	#3
Calopolus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 7	Definitely. I went with a forty thinking I would better control the swings, as I know how fast changes can happen in the freshwater tanks I've had for years. I Am not very interested in fish at this point. I just want some mushrooms and polyps within the next couple months. I was at PetCo (or pet smart or pet land... who knows anymore) And snagged up a 14Gal BioCube for $119 to use as a quarantine. I am VERY lucky to have Shark's Cove, the local LFS right down the road. The owner, Eddy, is a very helpful and honest owner. He will answer the same question 100 times and still smile about it.

02/22/2011, 09:45 PM	#5
Calopolus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 7	Thanks! The tank on the bottom is still a freshwater, but if I can afford this hobby it has a split sump that works great. Thats where I keep my Chiclid fry. Someday I hope to have some VHO T-5's but I feel the 75watts of light on the 13" deep upper tank should support some candy canes and mushrooms, though this varies on who you ask. I ordered some LED's today because the shimmer on the LFS tank won't leave my head. Also, I ordered 3 yellow tangs from, no just kidding about the tangs. Thanks all for the great comments. I like hearing what people who have been where I have give their advice. And if anyone has any VHO's that they just can't stand to have laying around, PM me and I send you a box to send them to me in! I would fire up the BBQ to dispose of my money, but those LED's I just ordered cleaned me out. I think I will ride my bike to work tomorrow......

02/22/2011, 09:56 PM	#6
IbanezIC300 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 51	Your start-up story reminds me of how my saltwater experience began. It starts small and continues to grow and grow. The setup looks good, just take things slow and it will be very enjoyable. As someone else already said test, test, and test, it is always better to know where you with your levels than to assume it is all good.