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View Full Version : my story of ups and down.


msaleem
06/06/2011, 10:18 PM
ok, so i went to my local fish store to get a saltwater tank. sold me some crap for 450 and told me this is a salt water tank. no sump, no live sand, no skimmer, no live sand or live rock.
i was ripped off!
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/IMG_0218.jpg

then went to another store and again dished out 1400 for Red Sea Max 130d with live rock sand and other things. i feel like i got ripped off there as well. oh wells crap happens i guess.
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/IMG_0007.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/IMG_0008.jpg


even if i paid a little much for it, i love it.
started adding coral, and more coral, and more coral.
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/photo4.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/photo3.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/photo5.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/photo1.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/IMG_0449.jpg

but now im moving to a bigger tank (90 gallons) im still waiting for the full parts to be delivered but i cant wait!!

so far ive collected live rock from someone else's tank but the problem is, its my back yard since a week and so is the live sand. the sand has this weird smell now. is there anyway i can somehow clean it and how do i get rid of the smell.
so far ive gotten
90 gallon tank with stand.
trigger system sump 36s (shipped not yet recieved)
euro usa 250 skimmer? forget the name
triton3 return pump at 1050 gph
i have yet to buy RO filter. thats next on the list, but boy does this stuff get $$$$
enjoy the pics also comments are welcome:fish1::fish1:

msaleem
06/06/2011, 10:20 PM
more pics!!!
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/IMG_0397.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/msaleem5286/IMG_0396.jpg

bnumair
06/07/2011, 10:29 AM
for ur live rock and sand. u gonna have to wash with with ro water and maybe mix with viniger. it needs to be rinsed and cleaned out well before use. its dead and its nothing but gonna crash ur system at this point. once cleaned i would put it in a rubbermaid tub and run a heater and flow with skimmer in saltwater for curing(atleast 6 weeks) till u r ready to setup a new tank.
also i would read a lot of newbie sections here otherwise u gonna get ripped off every step of the way.

greech
06/07/2011, 11:00 AM
for ur live rock and sand. u gonna have to wash with with ro water and maybe mix with viniger. it needs to be rinsed and cleaned out well before use. its dead and its nothing but gonna crash ur system at this point. once cleaned i would put it in a rubbermaid tub and run a heater and flow with skimmer in saltwater for curing(atleast 6 weeks) till u r ready to setup a new tank.
also i would read a lot of newbie sections here otherwise u gonna get ripped off every step of the way.

Not sure why you would rinse live rock (even uncured) unless you purposely wanted to to start with clean rock which is what people use dry rock for. Why spend a fortune in LR to rinse it in freshwater/vinegar? Also the OP never mentioned if the tank cycled before he added stock. I think he/she is just catching us up on his experinces so far. Maybe I am wrong and if so, yes, you might be in some trouble if the tank wasn't cycled.

As for the money you spent, unfortunately lost of us spent way more than we should have in the beginning. It sounds like you have a great attitude about it though and the important thing is that you are happy with what you ended up with. The RSMs are really nice tanks and yours looks great. I'm sure I won't be the last one to suggest this but you should consider removing the tang pretty soon. The tank just isn't large enough for it and it is probably going to (if it isn't already) get pretty stressed in the cramped quarters.

Good luck going forward and welcome to the hobby/addiction!

bnumair
06/07/2011, 11:12 AM
OP="so far ive collected live rock from someone else's tank but the problem is, its my back yard since a week and so is the live sand."
live rock sitting in back yard would be contaminated with fertilizers chemicals or even rain water high in nitrates and who knows what else. i would highly recommend washing.
Also GREECH, hes trying to setup a new tank 90gal soon and has collected sand and rock for that project sitting in back yard.

greech
06/07/2011, 11:20 AM
OP="so far ive collected live rock from someone else's tank but the problem is, its my back yard since a week and so is the live sand."
live rock sitting in back yard would be contaminated with fertilizers chemicals or even rain water high in nitrates and who knows what else. i would highly recommend washing.
Also GREECH, hes trying to setup a new tank 90gal soon and has collected sand and rock for that project sitting in back yard.

I am really sorry, I completely missed that whole section of text. May bad!!! Completely agree with cleaning and cycling the rock in a separate container.

bnumair
06/07/2011, 11:31 AM
I am really sorry, I completely missed that whole section of text. May bad!!! Completely agree with cleaning and cycling the rock in a separate container.

GREECH its all good. to OP, i would wash and cure the rock and sand in a separate container and setup new tank the right way by washing and curing everything especially things sitting outside in backyard.

msaleem
06/07/2011, 10:12 PM
for ur live rock and sand. u gonna have to wash with with ro water and maybe mix with viniger. it needs to be rinsed and cleaned out well before use. its dead and its nothing but gonna crash ur system at this point. once cleaned i would put it in a rubbermaid tub and run a heater and flow with skimmer in saltwater for curing(atleast 6 weeks) till u r ready to setup a new tank.
also i would read a lot of newbie sections here otherwise u gonna get ripped off every step of the way.

thanks, also one question!
if you see the bottom rocks i believe there called "base rocks"
what about the rocks that are on the top? also would they be better then baserock?

msaleem
06/07/2011, 10:13 PM
OP="so far ive collected live rock from someone else's tank but the problem is, its my back yard since a week and so is the live sand."
live rock sitting in back yard would be contaminated with fertilizers chemicals or even rain water high in nitrates and who knows what else. i would highly recommend washing.
Also GREECH, hes trying to setup a new tank 90gal soon and has collected sand and rock for that project sitting in back yard.

will do guys
thank you!