new 10gallon set up

[Jezze]

Hello, this is my first attempt at a salt water tank, and I want to do it right.  here are my supplies:

10 Gallon Tank

50watt ebo-J heater

AC 150

80gph P.header

32watt PC + 15watt NO flourscent with a 50/50 bulb

Coral life salt

Hydrometer

And unlimited water testing stuff courtesy of the place I work

 

Planned stuff:

5lbs of argonite(more or less?)

5lbs of live sand(more or less?)

10lbs of live rock(more or less?)

 

Here are my questions.  When setting it up, should I put all of the sand and rocks in at the same time?(once the tank has been up and running for a few days)

How long should I leave the light on?  

Will my PH stay at a steady 8.2, or am I going to have to add chemicals?(i try to avoid chemicals whenever possible)

How much should I be paying for live fiji rock?  the cheapest I can find it is 7 bucks a pound.  If anyone in the seattle/bellevue/issaquah(washington state) area can point me towards a shop with better prices, it would be much appreciated.

How often should I be testing the water during the cycle, and how long should it take?

and lastly, too skimmer or not to skimmer?

[Jezze]

Thats supposed to read 36 watt's, not 32.

[vanillabox]

Are you looking at Blue Serria for the live rock?  If so, I would take a look in there frag base rock tanks.  It is actually live rock in small chuncks.  Then get you self some DRY Base Rock, and let it turn live.  

 

FYI I am in the South End of the Puget Sound, and I still go up to Issaquah to get alot of my supplies.

[Jezze]

How long does it take for it to turn live, and get the purple stuff on it?  Yah, Ive been going to blue sierra.  It seemed like a lot their live stock wasnt doing too well though, so I wasn't sure if they were considered a "good" store.  Do you have any opionion on renton fish gallery?  They offered to sell me live rock out of their main reef tank, so I think I may get it there.  Going to take a trip out to the fish place in bellevue to check it out.  Never been their before.    

 

Does it look like I have the right ideas though for my tank?  I have a fair amount of experience with fresh water fish, but none with salt.    

[printerdown01]

Your amount of LR, LS, and argonite looks good... As does everything else... By the way, you can add your LR and sand in on the first day, even before you add the water.... Your pH will stay at 8.2 if preform regular water changes (approx 10% every week) - be sure to use RO or RO/DI water for the changes. As for rock: a good price here in the SF Bay area is $6 and in San Diego is about $5 (not cheap stuff)! But hey, it is the backbone of the reef aquarium! If you do use "dry reef rock" to cycle your tank, it will extend your cycle period (if you don't mind that cool)... Another option is to use "base rock" which is REALLY ugly LR... It is the LR that didn't get any light lol... So it has bacteria, but is virtually void of all other life. Occasionally you will find this stuff at an LFS. Out of curiosity what type of lighing are you using for the 36W (I'm looking for spectrum, doesn't have to be #'s... names will work)?

[Jezze]

I bought it off ebay, and it "Includes (1) 36 watt combo bulb (1/2 7100K actinc blue & 1/2 10,000K super daylight) "

[Jezze]

apparently the fish store i bellevue is closing, so I guess im not going.. hehe..  also.. to skimmer, or not to skimmer?  I have no problem with doing water changes...

[SLOreefer]

if you have no problem with water changes dont worry about the skimmer since you would have to add trace elements if you disd skim. just do weekly 10%water changes and youll be fine

[vanillabox]

Is the Renton Fish Gallery the store by Top Foods in Kent?  If so, they have good stock, and If not could you give me the instructions on how to find the other one?  

 

I have had my 10 gallon running now for about 4 months with no addition of trace elements (using the sand and stone to supply most of the calcium and buffering) and I now have some green, purple, and burgendy (sp?) growing on the limestone that I set up in the tank. *Note: this tank was set up to culture items for a 40 gallon reef, and 29 gallon FOWLR that I am in the process of setting up.*  In fact I got over 100# of limestone for free from a local marble works company and the life is moving to it at a rapid pace.  I will try to get some pics of the tank up on my site tonight.

[Jezze]

I dont recall there being a top foods nearbye, but its in renton city.  Its near the place where all of the car dealers are, and renton city hall.  I dont know exactly where your comin from, but if you get on 405 going towards renton, get off at the Raineer avenue exit I believe it is(or it could be valley fwy one of the two).  Its the same place where you would get off to get on 167(but dont go that direction, go towards renton). youll make a right at the light, onto to S grady way.  Go through the next light, and its going to be in the shopping center on your right.  (theres a mcdonalds in there too).  Right now they dont very many fish cause they are redoing their system, but they still have one reef tank set up with all there corals and whatnot.  Last I was in there, they told me two weeks est before they start getting stuff in again.    

[Jezze]

here there address and phone number: FISH GALLERY & PETS RENTON VILLAGE

37 S GRADY WAY, RENTON, WA 98055

(425) 226-3215

[vanillabox]

thanks, I will have to take a look at it this weekend.  it is only a few minutes away from where I work.

[Jezze]

Ok, Im almost done setting it up.  with my lighting, what kind of things will I be able to put in it?  I have a 15 NO flourscent thats 50% 6000K, 50% actinic 03 blue, and a 36 watt PC with 50% 10,000k, 50% blue 7100k.

 

What kind of clean up crew would you recomend(and when should I add them)?

 

What kind of small fish would you recomend(I know I shouldnt add them for a while, but im just curious)?

 

Can I put in any corals or cool stuff like that?  

 

Thanks

[Jezze]

bump

[vanillabox]

in my 10 gallon I have a blue devil damsel, 4 scarlet leg hermits, 4 bumble bee snails, 4 asteria snails, and an unknown hermit (was supposed to be 5 scarlet legs).  I would recommend going with something hardy, and cheap sense this is your first saltwater tank.  Look at damsels, I know alot of people use them to cycle tanks, but I think they have great character and colors.

 

P.S. I would also cycle the tank with a chunck of food instead of the fish.  it is more humane.

 

 

(Edited by vanillabox at 12:34 pm on May 24, 2002)

[Jezze]

Disastour struck.....  Last night, I bought 6 pounds of livi fiji rock, and 6 pounds of sand...  I also recieved my big als order.  I got every thing all set up...  woke up this morning to find the tank was about ready to split open at the seam, and was leaking water all over my table.  So i had to rush out, get a new tank, and now my rocks and water is sitting in buckets nad theres a fan trying to dry off the table.  ugh.. well.. this new tank better not leak...  also.. I really am not an idiot.. I had the tank set up for 5 or 6 days with water in it to test for leaks.. so i have no idea how this happened.  poor rocks.. how delicate are they?  I put a powerhead in the bucket for them, and i left their light on.. Is there anything else I should be cautious of?  thanks

Jesse