Jayelle
12/10/2006, 09:53 PM
Hi everyone,
This is my first post and my first saltwater tank. I have had freshwater tanks for 25 years or so but never had the nerve to try salt. You all know the drill. Everyone says they are very difficult, etc.
Anyway, I am still wading through the TONS of awesome information on RC but I'd appreciate it if someone with more experience than I have could take a quick glance over at my stuff and tell me if I am on the right track.
I have a 75 gal tank that I just started a week ago with 60 pounds of live sand and 40 pounds of live rock. No fish yet, though the guy at the LFS told me I could put a pair of clown fish in this weekend! No worries, I did not take his advice. Levels at the moment are 1.017 for SG if you can believe the silly Deep Six thing that gives me a different reading every time I use it. The LFS told me it was at 1.021 when they tested it 3 days ago. Ammonia is at .5 and nitrites are at .25. Nitrates just hit 5 this morning, the first time they've shown up. I know I have some more cycling to go through but something must be working because this seems like the fastest cycle I've ever seen.
My main question is do I have my 40 pounds of rock set up in a good configuration? The LFS told me I'd need 70 pounds but the 40 looks pretty good to me. Do I really need more? Here's a picture:
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o41/jayelleshines/IMG_1503.jpg
Other equipment: I have an emperor 400 filter which seems to make most experts raise a brow and then say "OK" as if it is not the best choice. Hey, it was free, and I have a thing against filters that can overflow all over your floor when the power goes out, as happened to me when I actually spent the money on a canister filter. That thing was the worst filter I've ever seen. But anywho...I digress. I also have a Stealth (by Marineland) 250 watt heater and a Maxi-Jet900 power head which is aimed sort of at the middle front of the tank.
Lighting: just the standard T12 40W 2ft. bulbs (and only two of them work right now). My intention is to havea reef tank down the road a bit and I intend to upgrade to better lights once I am ready to go with some corals (and get over the initial investment cost) but I figured I had better start small with just fish for now.
If anyone wants to give advice I'm happy to hear it. Thanks!
This is my first post and my first saltwater tank. I have had freshwater tanks for 25 years or so but never had the nerve to try salt. You all know the drill. Everyone says they are very difficult, etc.
Anyway, I am still wading through the TONS of awesome information on RC but I'd appreciate it if someone with more experience than I have could take a quick glance over at my stuff and tell me if I am on the right track.
I have a 75 gal tank that I just started a week ago with 60 pounds of live sand and 40 pounds of live rock. No fish yet, though the guy at the LFS told me I could put a pair of clown fish in this weekend! No worries, I did not take his advice. Levels at the moment are 1.017 for SG if you can believe the silly Deep Six thing that gives me a different reading every time I use it. The LFS told me it was at 1.021 when they tested it 3 days ago. Ammonia is at .5 and nitrites are at .25. Nitrates just hit 5 this morning, the first time they've shown up. I know I have some more cycling to go through but something must be working because this seems like the fastest cycle I've ever seen.
My main question is do I have my 40 pounds of rock set up in a good configuration? The LFS told me I'd need 70 pounds but the 40 looks pretty good to me. Do I really need more? Here's a picture:
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o41/jayelleshines/IMG_1503.jpg
Other equipment: I have an emperor 400 filter which seems to make most experts raise a brow and then say "OK" as if it is not the best choice. Hey, it was free, and I have a thing against filters that can overflow all over your floor when the power goes out, as happened to me when I actually spent the money on a canister filter. That thing was the worst filter I've ever seen. But anywho...I digress. I also have a Stealth (by Marineland) 250 watt heater and a Maxi-Jet900 power head which is aimed sort of at the middle front of the tank.
Lighting: just the standard T12 40W 2ft. bulbs (and only two of them work right now). My intention is to havea reef tank down the road a bit and I intend to upgrade to better lights once I am ready to go with some corals (and get over the initial investment cost) but I figured I had better start small with just fish for now.
If anyone wants to give advice I'm happy to hear it. Thanks!