First Post

[Comedy Fish]

Hey everyone. My name is Dustin. I am a 23-year-old from Indiana. I just thought that I would throw up my 40b build on here. As of right now, my tank has been cycling for 12 days. Ammonia seems to be at 1-1.5 and I haven't had a diatom bloom yet. I have about 70lbs of live sand. I have about 25-30 pounds of live rock and plan on getting 10-15 more. I have a 150w heater and plan on getting another one in case this one sticks. I have started to see some life coming from my rocks. I have asterina stars, baby brittle stars, snails, feather dusters, and even some zoas (I think). I have uploaded some pictures of my virgin tank, Haha. I love this hobby and plan to use this 40b to learn and then one day, create the "Dream Tank." So without further ado, here is my modest 40 gallon breeder. I have one 850 aqueon power head and a HOB filter. I plan to get rid of both of them and get two Koralia 750's and a protein skimmer.

Threw in a pic of my planted tank just for fun :rollface:

[smom1976]

wow .. awesome .. so all that stuff grew in 12 days? and all grew off your live rock?

[Comedy Fish]

Yes except the cauliflower coral

[JAnwyl]

You got spoiled on that live rock. http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Marine-Aquariums-Saltwater-Systems/dp/1890087742/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1389669284&sr=8-4&keywords=dream+aquarium "Ultimate Marine Aquariums: Saltwater Dream Systems and How They Are Created" This is not good for learning but good for drooling, maybe I'm jaded but I think It's a good coffee table book. (dream aquariums)

[Comedy Fish]

I got it from a friend who has three reef tanks. It's covered in coralline and all sorts of life. Why do you say I got spoiled?

[Comedy Fish]

Can anyone identify the hitch hikers I posted in the above pictures?

[Sugar Magnolia]

[Welcome]

I have a 40b as well. Your tank looks great!

[danimallaminad]

I started with a 40b and I think its a great starter tank. Not too small, not too big. You could keep a good amount of fish and learn alot with it. Just know it won't be long before your itching to upgrade haha.

[Comedy Fish]

I know dude believe me. Lol

[danimallaminad]

Any idea on what fish you are gonna put in it? Will it be a reef or FOWLR?

[Comedy Fish]

Probably a pair of ocellaris. My favorite fish right now is an orchid dotty back. Just love them. Maybe a coral beauty. Gonna master fowlr now and move on to a reef after I get more practice under my belt.

[danimallaminad]

Haha weird thats almost identical to what I had in my 40b. I had a pair of ocellaris, and a coral beauty, and a six-line wrasse. The clowns were fine, my coral beauty is a great fish but when I upgraded to a 125 reef, it started eating some zoas. Make sure if you buy an orchid dottyback its not a purple pseudo. Purples are very aggressive.

[Comedy Fish]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/14/re5e9umy.jpg

[Comedy Fish]

Ammonia 12 days in

[JAnwyl]

I said you were spoiled because only good hitchhiker I got was some bristleworms. (people will give you different opinions on whether they are good or bad) Actually I had some tube worms also. Also you treat those Zoo's good and they will start to multiply (maybe you can even trade for different zoo's down the road)

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml

On your hitchhikers. I see some Zoo's (Can't tell you the type) Some tube worms (think they are tube worms, I had some that would make a tube with sand or whatever and would filter feed) Some algae (snails and patience, to eliminate/minimize)

[Comedy Fish]

Thank you for the response! I'm not sure if these. Zoas are going to make it or not lol. I just don't have the lighting yet

[smom1976]

spoiled.. :eek1: yes..! Im on day 4 of cycle. so far I have 3 feather dusters.. that with my luck will turn out to be aiptasia :facepalm: beginning of tiny coral.. like pencil lead size, and some other little worm looking things that look like they could be a carpet fiber... about 3 mm long (those are all over) and a little coralline algae. But no really cool finds like you got.. I have studied the rock inch by inch looking for something that is growing.. and looking at those huge bristleworm videos on youtube.. that would freak the living .... out of me!

[Comedy Fish]

So I have been doing some searching on Craigslist for lights. Me being the bargain shopper that I am, I think that I have found a great deal and I am ready to snatch it up. I thought I would come on here and get some more opinions first, of course. Here is what we are looking at: two metal halide pendants. 150w each by Hamilton technologies. Thy each have 14k bulbs for a nice blue tint and there is an external ballast included that they plug into. He is only asking $65. Would this be a good deal in your opinion, seeing as how I am kind of on a tight budget? http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/14/u5ahymeb.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/14/syvamaje.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/14/a7aqy4e4.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/14/agytu8ut.jpg these are the pictures that he sent me.

[Comedy Fish]

No one, really?

[JAnwyl]

I think craigslist is awesome, but you got to worry about lights. Reason I say this is you can get lights that are old and have lost some spectrum. Not sure about ages affect on MH but it affects compact fluorescent.

[JAnwyl]

I have seen some of those YouTube videos and those aren't bristleworms. I think my biggest bristleworm was maybe around 8 inches. (I had a shitload)

[Comedy Fish]

Would anyone recommend the halides or Taotronics LEDs? I am torn between the two.

[Comedy Fish]

Bump

[Mycivic88]

I have never use the mh's but love the way led looks and saves money and btw welcome to the hobby I've been addicted for about 5yrs my faience say I need to go to swaa lol but welcome

[Comedy Fish]

Yeah....I am all about saving money

[mata]

Cutting corners is not a good idea as far this hobby is concerned. You will end up paying twice for upgrade.
This is my personal experience and it's wiser to learn from others mistakes.
All the best.

[Comedy Fish]

Went ahead and picked them up along with another 15 pounds of live rock. That puts me at 40lbs and the lights are VERY bright. I am going to have to find some way to hang them, though.

[kingsofke]

Metal halides are hobby standard for growing coral. The downside is the wattage, cost of bulb and heat production. If you were not going to grow corals you could have gone with T5 or taotronics but that's fine.
1. Make sure you know the exact age of bulbs. They change their spectrum in 6-9 months and you would start growing lot of algae in the tank.
2. Keep an eye on temp of the tanks. Corals and fishes hate temp swings. Even as low as 3-4 degree swing chronically can hurt them bad.
3. If you are not growing coral you could do away with one of them hung in the middle hung high enough to cover all of the tank and will also lessen heating of the tank. Closer the light hotter the tank.

I read through your earlier posts but it's easier to answer a more specific question.

[Comedy Fish]

How many hours a day would you recommend? I am roughly getting 7.2 wpg. Also...with that strong of lighting, how many inches above the waterline would you suggest?

[Comedy Fish]

Seeing as how no one wants to respond, I went ahead and did it myself. Hanged the halides, Hamilton Technologies 2x 150w, 9" above the water surface. Also, just found what appears to be a soft coral on my live rock. I am now up to 40lbs and I am happy with that.

[Comedy Fish]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/21/gurepara.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/21/bydujuqu.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/21/a4y9anyt.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/21/ybe3y7y4.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/21/vabapery.jpg

[smom1976]

I have a 36 gal bowfront and petco has lights until 21st on sale and bulbs on sale.. my t5 HO with 2 blubs was 9$ each bulb and 38$ for the light

[Comedy Fish]

Yup I saw. I doubt your gonna grow much coral with that fixture though. It will be fine for fowlr