Hi, im starting my first log of my tank. I started on janurary 1st of this year (clever date for tracking tank's age eh?). I started with a 55g tank given to me by a friend who had used it for some time (maybe 3 years) as a freshwater tank. I did a complete cleaning, as it was one of the dirtiest things ive ever seen (it had bee down and not cleaned for 6 months). I've made many mistakes over the liftime of this tank. Main reason for this is I am 16 years old and have a job that pays 50-60 dollars a week (working one day). I originaly relied on knowledge from freshwater, and my father who did saltwater in the 80's. I started the tank with an undergravel filter run by two of the junkiest powerheads I have ever seen (my first money "saving" mistake). I also used a freshwater mechanical and carbon filter. I used one bag of live sand and crushed coral (another thing i regret). I never washed the sand, and spent a few days frustrated with cloudy water, until i broke the whole thing down and washed the sand. I then bought 25 lbs of live rock and let the system run, until i bought 3 damsels to cycle it, and i still cant get rid of them. After getting online i learned of alot of the mistakes i made and slowely upgraded, I tried making a diy skimmer, which turned out to be just and expensive pvc container of air and water. I then added a sump and ditched the undergravel. I now have a seaclone skimmer powered by a rio pump. It works okay but its on the lower end of the list of things to be replaced. I have i trickle filter with bioballs and some macro algea and some rubble rock down there in the 20g sump with a 27 watt pc lighting (actualy a desk lamp). The return is also a rio, some higher gph model. I now have two aquaclear powerheads, one with a Hydor Flo on it. Im considering removing everything from the trickle filter, and mayber even removing it. I now have 125lbs of rock 75 of it starting as base rock. I have a 2x65 pc light and a 175 watt mh I found at a flea market for 15 dollars, in a custom pendat made from mdf and aluminum for a cheap reflector. The mh is in the center of the tank, so thats where all the light demanding corals are. I have 2 clowns and those 3 stupid damsels i cant get rid of. For corals I have a few green mushrooms which spread from a rock i bought from an lfs near my dad's work, 1 frag of zoos from Trop., 2 frags of xenia which i fragged once. And most recently i got 1 frag of what i thought was hammerhead, but cant identify, and green star polyps. So Im going to get some pics later and probably edit this first post, but in hopes of not loosing all this typing by some odd occurance Im going to ask for any suggestions. Advice and questions are welcome.
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My 55g @ 9 months
- Thread starter ocmsolidsnake
- Start date
Sounds like your doing your esearch and putting together nicely.
One thing I'd recomend is not to put the green star polyps in too much light as they'll grow like weeds ... literally!
You've got plenty of rock that will age over time, that was a good choice.
Your SeaClone can be modded, there's a mod for it in the DIY forum on Reef Central you may want to look at. With your low bioload it'll do OK for a bit longer for you. You may want to look at some flow options as that is a big factor in keeping a healthy tank IMO.
A 55 g is a great size for a first tank! Good luck!
One thing I'd recomend is not to put the green star polyps in too much light as they'll grow like weeds ... literally!
You've got plenty of rock that will age over time, that was a good choice.
Your SeaClone can be modded, there's a mod for it in the DIY forum on Reef Central you may want to look at. With your low bioload it'll do OK for a bit longer for you. You may want to look at some flow options as that is a big factor in keeping a healthy tank IMO.
A 55 g is a great size for a first tank! Good luck!
Today I added a Firefish and a sailfin blenny. I got them both from Tropiquarium, they were dripped for 1 hour, and added into the system. They both ran for the rocks but are starting to appear again. As a side note I havent forgotten to add pictures, but I cant figure out how to get them hosted, and havent spent the time to do it 
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.ocmsolidsnake said:Today I added a Firefish and a sailfin blenny. I got them both from Tropiquarium, they were dripped for 1 hour, and added into the system. They both ran for the rocks but are starting to appear again. As a side note I havent forgotten to add pictures, but I cant figure out how to get them hosted, and havent spent the time to do it
I have started to up my acclimation time to 3 hours and had MUCH more sucess with fish life.
Thats an easy change to make. THe fish have gotten a little braver now that it is night time and I have seen them both now. Ill take picture tomorrow I sware.
Pictures finaly, These are old, since i took them I have cleaned the sump, removed bio balls, and added an egg crate section for the macro algea.
My Xenia
First Coral I bought, Mushroom rock
One of my clowns
Fts
Lighting
Wide angle shot
Sump
Zoos
My Xenia
First Coral I bought, Mushroom rock
One of my clowns
Fts
Lighting
Wide angle shot
Sump
Zoos
I added an open brain coral yesterday, I also ordered 4 bright blue ricordias, and 1 green one from www.sealifeflorida.com.
Shipping was 12 dollars and it is on it way as of this morning, its due weds.
Subliminal
NJRC Member
I think your xenia is actually anthelia...same thing, really, but...
As a note for the shipping, it is not overnight, but I have heard from many people that have had priority shipping done for corals from this company and all has gone well.