Aquascaping 55 gallon

[Meadowlark]

Hello to everyone! Just discovered this forum and I'm finding lots of interesting new information. My name is Tim and I've never had an aquarium before. Unless you consider a golfish in a bowl to be an aquarium. (I don't). I decided to jump right into having a saltwater aquarium. I have a few questions that maybe you fish gods can help me with and please give me some feedback on the equipment that I have.

Equipment:

Aqua C Remora skimmer w/ 1200 maxi-jet pump
Hydor Koralia ph 3 x 2
Odyssea GFS4 cannister filter
Visitherm heater x2 @ 200 watts each

also:
50 lbs of figi live rock
80 lbs of live sand

I have already started to cycle using dead fish. I didn't know that live rock was a requisite until recently. I'm going to add the live rock in one week from now. (2 weeks into the cycle). How will this effect my cycle? Will it just prolong the cycle? How effect ammonia/nitrite levels?

I'm also interested in keeping the live rock off my live sand. I have spent some time researching aquascaping with pvc. Do you have any experience with this? Any tips? I'm thinking about building rectangles out of the pvc for my live rock to sit on. Would it be best to build "feet" for these rectangles to create caves underneath?

Sorry about the long post. Just a bit excited and confused at the same time.

Tim

[okkiedokki]

Let me start off by saying I'm no expert. But, you really don't start building up the bacteria to break the ammonia down if you don't have rock. When you add the 50lbs you'll probably be starting another cycle. But LR is a must; what do you plan on keeping? I've never used any pvc or eggcrate to keep the rock off the sand but I've seen it a few times. Just remember to go slow, nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

[laserjim]

I made a couple of pillars using cpvc. drilled holes in the rock and slid it on the cpvc.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t112/laserjimm/002.jpg


The 2 outside pillars are made with cpvc.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t112/laserjimm/004-2.jpg

[papagimp]

For a newbie just starting to ask around, seems like you did some good research. Even the odyssea canister is a good choice from what I hear. The only equpiment trouble I see is that you have 2 of the Koralia #3 powerheads in a 55g. I have a 55 and am using 3 of the #1's, although I'd like a coule of those swapped out for the #2's, I have used the #3's before and found them to be a tad too much flow in my 55g. Now that being said, it's definatly the right amount of flow, but a 55g being so thin front to back, makes it a tad more difficult to work with higher flow powerheads IMO. Use the aquascaping and rockwork to your advantage here.

fwiw, the nitrogen cycle will start regardless of live rock being in the tank, bacteria will colonize on any and all surfaces, but you just won't have anywhere near the amount needed without the more porous surfaces of live rock. So, adding liverock in a week isn't really goign to prolong the cycle, it'll actually speed it way up, since it'll allow for more bacteria to properly filter out the ammonia/nitrite.

laserjim, love the bangaii, that's a nice looking one. (although his finnage looks kinda puny from that photo :D)

for more ideas for aquascaping a 55g, please refer to my photo gallery (the little red house above my post, it's in one of the sections listed there)

[laserjim]

[QUOTE]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10122462#post10122462 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
[B]
laserjim, love the bangaii, that's a nice looking one. (although his finnage looks kinda puny from that photo :D)


papagimp, don't be pickin on Mr. bangaii's finnage. He had them laid back and was cruising , I dont want him to get a complex you know. He already has issues.:D

[Meadowlark]

Thanks for all the tips. I have learned most of (the little) what I know from forums so far. Lots of great info. Jim, I love your tank! I saved a picture to my computer. I'm trying to figure out how I want mine to look and this gives me a good idea.

I lucked out. I thought that I bought the Hydor Koralia 3's, but I checked the invoice and they were Koralia 2's that I bought. So it sounds like they will be ideal for my 55.

Tim

[papagimp]

Meadowlark, one of the best things I ever done for my tank was to go through oodles of members photo galleries just staring at what others have come up with, as well as looking through previous tank of the month winners in reefkeeping magazine, So many awesome options and ideas that you may not have even considered.

[specialkb]

just a suggestion but 80lbs of sand is an awful lot of sand in a 55 i would try around 50 maybe a little less unless you like a really deep sand bed look. good luck with this sounds like you've done some research. :)

[kysard1]

I really like what you did with the live rock

Few questions:

1. What diameter PVC did you use to build you support? Was the drill bit expensive?

[laserjim]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10129194#post10129194 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kysard1
I really like what you did with the live rock

Few questions:

1. What diameter PVC did you use to build you support? Was the drill bit expensive?

I used CPVC not PVC, its just like pvc but it comes in 1/2 inch used for high pressure water pipes I think. The bit was between 15-20 bucks. Used a 5/8 bit 13 inches long.Dont drill to close to the edge,the rock will break. Hope this helps.



Meadowlark,Show us some pics once you get going.

[Meadowlark]

I was wrong on the 80 lbs of live sand. I'm pretty sure it was 40 I put in there. I have about an inch to an inch and a half. I just got my power heads and put them in last night. They really cleared up the water quality.

I'll be getting the live rock on Tuesday. Had to wait because I won't have the protein skimmer until Friday. It might be kind of tricky setting it up like I want it because my tank is not very deep. I'll be sure to put some pictures up.

I've been looking at alot of pictures online to get an idea. There was a site called ratemyfishtank.com that has alot of them. Good idea I'll check out some galleries on here.

[salty55]

i just built a pvc rack for my tank last week. i think they are awesome. it doesn't take near as much live rock to give you a full tank look. i built mine in a rectange shape. with 4 legs 4 inches tall. i also drilled 1/8 inch holes in the pipe and hooked the return from my canister filter up to it. it would rather hook a power head up to it bit i don't have an extra one at the moment. the extra water flow through and around the rocks is awesome. as far as you sand i would think 80 lbs is too much. i have 75 lbs in mine and it doesn't look too deep. i'll try to post a pic later

[Meadowlark]

I was considering building my rack with legs, that way very little pvc is touching the live sand. I wasn't sure how I would do that. I saved a picture someone else had on here. http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79324 Might just do it this way. Thats a cool idea to put your return through there.

Can you see any of the pvc or is it all covered up pretty much? I bought a bremel so I can cut the rock a bit so it fits nicely. Also, got some cable ties and a masonry drill bit so if I need to I can tie them together.

[salty55]

oops! i meant to say that 80 lbs ISN'T too much rock. i wanted to take pictures of mine before it was installed. my wife was out of town for the weekend and she took the camera with her. my rack is similar to that. my legs just go straight down, with a pvc cap on the end. instead of making a complete circle and back to the other side. i just made a rectangle shape, cut it where i wanted a leg to go and glued in a tee pointing downward and installed the leg. and on one corner instead of using a 90 i used a tee so that i would have a place to hook up the tubing from the canister filter.

[salty55]

there are a couple of places where you can see a little bit of pvc. but i still don't have all the rock that i want. but, i am one step closer with the pvc

[Scuba_Steve]

Sounds like you have a good setup going. My only advise is to get rid of that dead fish. Your live rock will have some dead or dieing stuff inside it, and this will power your cycle. There is no need to suppliment this with anything, and it will just slow things down, and add extra garbage that you dont want or need.

[Meadowlark]

those places where you can see the pvc will be covered up in time. Thanks for reminding me about drilling the holes in the pvc. I forgot all about that part.

Have you ever bought fish online? I was considering saltwaterfish.com because of the free shipping.

I was planning on getting rid of the dead shrimp on monday when the live rock gets here. I've been monitoring my ammonia levels. Up to 2 ppm now.

[Meadowlark]

Should I be concerned about chemicals used on the pvc? Also I was considering using egg crating (plastic grid stuff) on top of the pvc. Will this be aquarium safe?

[salty55]

the pvc cement and primer should be safe. just rinse the pipe out really good. you might even let it air out for a day or two.

[Big Chika]

Hey Papagimp your tank is really nice. I have a 55 that I started recently but I'm looking to redoing some stuff before I get it stocked.

[Scuba_Steve]

Pvc, and pvc cement is reef safe. Same with egg crate. There would be alot of reefers in trouble if they were not. I think 95% of us have those in the tank in one place or another.

[mantis32]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10126879#post10126879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by specialkb
just a suggestion but 80lbs of sand is an awful lot of sand in a 55 i would try around 50 maybe a little less unless you like a really deep sand bed look. good luck with this sounds like you've done some research. :)

Take about 20lbs of that sand and dump it in your refugium.