Set up two tanks today.

[TheNoteBooker]

Howdy all! I've been wanting to get a salt water tank for a really long time, and have been doing research for years, and practiced with some pretty extreme freshwater set-ups (230 platy breeding set-up in 30 gallons for example) to get ready for the real deal.

Well, that's my intro, let's get to the showing off.

First we have the 20 gallon, 15.6 pounds of live rock, picked one rock from each of the four different types available at the LFS.

Sweeping landscape view 1:



Sweeping landscape view 2:



Now of course there are critters.
Couple of worms milling about



The upper one looks like some small type of clam, while the lower arrow is pointing to a possibly dead/sick/white shrimp type thing.


Second picture:



No idea what these little red spots are, I'm thinking coralline algae.



My plans for the 10 gallon is to be a simple growout for macro-algae and a steady pod-resource for a goby or other small fish I'll eventually put in the 20.
The sand-bed here is about 2 1/2 inches deep, while the 20 is going low sand until I buy live sand.


I ordered a refractometer and Master test kit this afternoon, and it should be coming in a few days. I have a binder for keeping track of live-stock and water parameters, and I intend to use it frequently.

What'd y'all think? Feel free to tell me if you see any critters that I missed.

[stevek480]

Seems kind of empty, don't you want more rock? You could make some cave structures or something.

[Cloudburst2000]

I might rethink rockwork a little bit. With all the rock so low in the tank, that is likely where the fish will be also. Nano type fish tend to like to hang out among the rock because that is where they would be in the ocean. So the upper part of your tank will likely stay pretty bare. Perhaps you could turn one rock on end so it reaches higher in the water column. It will create more visual interest and fish will be more likely to swim higher if there is some rock there. I would also open up the sand bed a bit more. There are several corals that do best on the sand but you don't have much room to place then on the sand bed. And I agree that you need to create some caves for whatever fish you get. They need a retreat for sleeping, etc. You might want to think about breaking up one of the larger rocks into smaller pieces. It will give more aquascaping options and various size rocks in a tank create more visual interest then all rocks of the same size.

What type of filtration will you have on that tank? What type of lighting? What type of livestock do you plan on getting? Are you planning on plumbing the two tanks together? Also, with using all live rock, you might experience a fairly quick cycle. You might want to take water samples to your LFS every couple days or so until your test kits come in. The cycle could actually be completed by the time you get your test kits. When using all live rock, my nano fully cycled in like three or four days.

[TheNoteBooker]

The rock work isn't final, (when is it?), I just arranged what I had so I could take pictures.
I plan on getting another few pounds of dead rock as a base to elevate my current pieces, and so I don't get die-off from the sand.
As of right now, I'm using hang-on back filters, two 20 gph for the 20 gal, and a another 20gph hob for the 10. They're all I have and I plan on either getting a small cannister filter, or a small skimmer to put in the 10 and work out the plumbing and overflow.

I'll be picking up some MH or LED's the next time I go to the LFS to buy the clean-up crew starters.

As for live-stock, I have a friend in the bay-area that has a bunch of frags of most every color zoa you could imagine, and some SPS + gorgonians he's willing to trade. I plan on keeping about a dozen different types of snails between the two tanks, and not much more than a goby or blenny and if I successfully plumb the two tanks together, a clownfish pair.

Water-changes aren't a major hassle, just the salt supply. So bi-weekly 10% or weekly 20% if I'm busy.
Also, I've waited this long to start a salt-water tank, so I'm in no hurry to stock it. Doesn't bother me if the thing finishes cycling quickly and it's just sitting there for another day while the test-kit arrives.

I would expect the cycle to complete quick though, I didn't pay all of that money for nothing!

[TheNoteBooker]

I did some more research, and What I initially thought was red coralline algae may actually be Foraminiferans. Guess we'll have to wait and see, but if they are then I'm in for quite the treat.

[BlindZide]

I started with a 30g tank and I'm looking into purchasing a bigger tank now. I do like how the smaller tanks make everything come together rather easily and makes for more interaction between fish (like playing or just hanging out). The only thing I don't like is the difficulty of placing rock so its not on the glass which is pretty much impossible with a narrow 30g so mine touches the back glass. No biggie because my snails keep it clean.

[TheNoteBooker]

What I thought was a bristle worm turned out to be a cute little Mini Brittle Starfish.
I'm quite surprised it lived past the LFS's rock tank, let-alone the trip home and being dropped into a completely different type of water than its home for the last few weeks.

[Almondsaz]

Great start, can you please share what type of sand you are using for the sand bed?

[TheNoteBooker]

Right now, It's just a thin layer of cheapo Play-Sand I got from home depot.

I use it in all of my freshwater tanks and the plants do great, and It's small enough where sand-sifting fish can pass it through their gills and dig around in it.
Kind of dusty straight from the bag so there's a bit of washing in the beginning.


I intend on putting a layer of finer live sand on top of that and then coral rubble.

[AZBigJohn]

If I might suggest, in the "Reef Discussion" forum, one of the stickies on top contains a tank log sheet built into an Excel spreadsheet, which give you graphs and is an awesome improvement over the pencil and notebook process.

[TheNoteBooker]

Well, thank you BigJohn.
I have a similar excel sheet already made and printed out, but this one will save me a lot of work with the premade graphs.

I was actually planning on using the data collected to program graphs and learn how to use Matlab while I was at it.

[Almondsaz]

Did you check the label of the sand, some are silica based and will wreak havoc on your tank and make managing phosphates a bit difficult - so I have read on many different threads. There are some play sands that are even marked "not suitable for aquarium use". Just checking since your next steps are the expensive ones (adding fauna) and I would not like to see you get frustrated chasing problems caused by the playsand. I have never used playsand in any of the systems I have set up.

[TheNoteBooker]

I know for a fact that the sand I have is Sillica based, but I have no concerns over it (and neither should you), because the little I have in there is for purely bacterial purposes and the layer currently in the tank is maybe 4-5 grains thick at most.

I plan on burying it under an inch layer of aragonite, but again, the small amount isn't much of a concern for me.

I do however appreciate the concern.

As for the 10 gallon, I'm liable to take most of that sand out as well, but have no reason to as yet, and so It stays for the bacterial qualities.

[Almondsaz]

I will watch your progress. I am intrigued by the use of the play sand. Like everything in Reefing there are a lot of opinions and I was just reacting to some reading I had done some time ago when I was setting up my first tank. Can't wait to see your next steps.

[TheNoteBooker]

Upgraded the lights today.

Took a T5 54w 10k & 54w Actinic from my 50 gallon freshwater, and dragged out some older 6' T5's for it.

The lights actually hang over onto the 10 gallon as well, which is perfect imho, because now I have one light for both tanks, instead of having to buy more lighting.

The tank actually looks like it belongs in the ocean now, and the colors are a lot nicer

[TheNoteBooker]

Just got the test kit and Refractometer in.
PH:8.3
SG: 1.024
Ammonia:0 ppm
Nitrites: ~.25 ppm
Nitrates: ~55 ppm

I was laughing the whole time at how poison the whole system is but everything is growing and living just fine.
I'm even seeing some sponge growth, which is the weirdest thing In the world.

I'm doing a 30% water change right now, I'll update with new parameters once the tests are in.

[worm5406]

Nice... Keep up the work so far.

[TheNoteBooker]

I'm seeing a noticeable increase in copepod population despite nirates steadily rising levels.

At first I thought it was my water causing the spike, even though its filtered from one of those big machines at the market. I tested the water anyways, and found nothing. Everything reads 0. Just incase anybody was going to ask me about that too.

Side note: Fresh water Christmas Tree Java Moss left In the 10 gallon has grown and survived in full saltwater for the last week. I don't know what's up with that, but I'll be keeping track of it.

So far, saltwater is by far the liveliest and most interesting form of aquaria.

[worm5406]

Originally Posted by TheNoteBooker

So far, saltwater is by far the liveliest and most interesting form of aquaria.

Understatement!

Go look in the special interest area in the Large Tank section

[TheNoteBooker]

I've looked through the Large Tank section like you suggested. Nothing short of amazing there. I was originally going to start out with an 80 gallon acrylic, but I plan to move in a few years, so there's really no point in setting up a medium one now when I can have one double the size later instead.

Water parameters stable still, Nitrates are half what they were yesterday at 80ppm. Only 40ppm now.
At this rate, I can get the snails in here within the next week.
There's a small patch of brown hair algae, about 1mm long on average. Not growing very fast, Im thinking Mexican Turbos for removal?

I haven't made my mind up on the livestock either, I'm up for suggestions, but I'm currently thinking either a goby and pistol shrimp combo or a pair of false percula clowns.

[TheNoteBooker]

The getting the water into the smaller tank isn't going to be the problem.
It's the sending it back up that's going to cost a bit extra.

My current plan is to just hold out on the plumbing until I can get some extra room in the garage for tanks. At that point, the 20 and 10 become sumps to larger systems.

[worm5406]

If you do this you need to make the flow close to even/level. Otherwise the head pressure over that long a distance will require a larger pump.

[TheNoteBooker]

Ph: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: *Drumrolls* 0!

Now to add another 15 pounds worth of rocks and live sand and let the cycle start all over again! ;P

[stevek480]

I have both a clownfish pair and a pistol shrimp/yellow watchman goby pair, and I'd say the shrimp/goby are more entertaining. The shrimp never stops digging and it can be pretty fun to watch. Though if you had only those in a 20 gallon tank, since they stay near the bottom rock, it could make the upper/mid part of the tank boring. You'd at least want another fish or 2.