Questions from the Newbie

[holry7778]

Okay So I’m setting up a new 55gal reef aquarium…This will technically be my second salt tank as my first has been ½gal LR/LS and invert only tank…So really this is my real jump to Salt after my 5+years in FW. What I have right now is as follows:

Used 55gal all-glass w/ 2 1.5” holes drilled in the side
DIY counter-current Skimmer w/stone and pump
DIY 20gal sump
2x 150watt Visi-Therm Heaters
Quiet One 3000 (780gph) return pump
2x 660 penguin power heads
…do you see anything missing?

I planning to get things plumbed and tested sometime next week. I’m going to start with 2+ inches of sand bed (1/4 LS the rest various size aragonite) once things are a go. Then let the water sit for a while running. Next get about 50# LR (cash pending) Is there anything like “Dead Rock” that can be impregnated with life over time from LR? If so where can one find it? And what is the average cost?

Right Now I’m looking into lighting (it is where the money goes) I’m going to go with 2x175watt MH and 2xactinic 03. DIY hood of course.

After the cycle goes for a while I think I’ll add a Convict Damsel for some visual interest. When can I ad the clean up crews?
The list looks tentatively like this:

Blue Stripped Tomato Clown (pair)
Royal Gammas
Neon Goby
Green Mandain (once the tank is well established)
Midas Blenny
Six Line wrasse
Yellow watchman goby
1 snail per gal
1 hermit per gal
Arrow Crab
4-6 Scarlet shrimp
2-3 Tridacna Maixima clams
…Does anything look out of wack here?

Of course there will be corals, but since I’m just learning about them I still have a ways to go before I commit to anything. My wife likes the leather corals and I like brains and anchors. Feather dusters are really interesting to me as well.

So where have I gone wrong? What things are obviously missing? What tips can be oftered up as things to watch for?

I appreciate the help and really glad I found such a great forum to pick info from

 

[Juck]

I think most folk would say that 8 fish is pushing it for a 55g, but they're all relatively small, so if the skimmer is up to the task then IME you should be ok.

I'd advise against a 6-line and a Mandarin in a 55g tank,, they'll be competing for the same food source and dragonets are hard-enough to keep alive as it is. The Gramma, gobies and blenny will also impact the pod population in the tank,, though probably to a lesser extent as they will usually take prepared foods.

With LR in the tank there is no need for a damsel to help the cycle along,, and once he's in there he could be a terror with your other fish and very difficult to remove.

The only 'dead' rock I've ever used is mined fossilized reef rock from the Florida Keys,, it's essentially the same stuff as Fiji etc. (limestone) just more dense. I've seen it at LFS's all over the country and the price varies greatly,, sometimes costing more than LR. Do not put any kind of rock in your tank unless you're 100% sure of it's suitablilty,,, the chemistry of our tanks is complex enough as it is!

 

[Brian5000]

I had a yellow-tail damsel, supposedly the most docile of damsels, and it harassed the fish I put with it. I took the damsel back to fish store, and if I could do it all again, I would never have put it in there to begin with. They're pretty and active fish, but they become a nuisance quickly. My advice is to stay away from the convict; go straight to the other fish.

After the cycle is done you can go for the clean up crew. The rocks will probably be pretty green by then anyway. They'll get that under control quickly.
_________________
BMW S1000RR

 

[Anonymous]

>...I had a yellow-tail damsel, supposedly the most docile of damsels, and it harassed the fish I put with it.

The most mild of all murderers still can take your life. Stay away from damnsels!

 

[Anonymous]

In Huntsville Al here they have some limestone quarries. They sell limestone surge rock for $20/ton. Surge rock is ~3-4" in diameter and fairly dense. Drilling some holes in it and cureing it in saltwater should make it better for salt tanks. But then I just used lava type landscape rocks for my 55g anyway. And yes it does become live over time.

You could also make your own rocks from portland cement, sand and oyster shells. That way you could mold it to whatever shape you want. It takes about 6 weeks in freshwater to cure it for salt. Look at the www.garf.org site for agracrete under the how too pages .

 

[holry7778]

okay so I'll stay away from the damsel...that seems to be the consensus

Thanks for the advice

 

[ErikD]

I like to stick with the smaller blue hermits...
Seems like I only ever see the red's tooling around in previously occupied snail shells.

My kids like the arrow crab, but I like the polyps and feather dusters that it picks at. Maybe an emerald crab instead?