First saltwater tank, 40 breeder

[KleineVampir]

Also it might be kinda pointless but I'll throw this one in here too of the refugium. Notice there is a crack on the fuge though. It's above the water line and doesn't really matter, but yeah...I think I'm gonna say something to the guys I bought it from because I did pay top dollar for it. And it is pretty noticeable.

 

[KleineVampir]

There's only a few ways to deal with soaking rocks! The rinse, the soak, and the flush! I believe all 3 should be done to completely wash a rock. I think we all get what a rinse and a soak is, but the 'flush' is when you fill their container up and then pour it out, and then fill it back up again. This is the kind of stuff I'm doing now to get all that bleach off of the 2 big rocks. There can't be any bleach left when I put them in the tank!

 

[KleineVampir]

btw...what should the first inhabitants of this tank be?

 

[sstanley223]

There's only a few ways to deal with soaking rocks! The rinse, the soak, and the flush! I believe all 3 should be done to completely wash a rock. I think we all get what a rinse and a soak is, but the 'flush' is when you fill their container up and then pour it out, and then fill it back up again. This is the kind of stuff I'm doing now to get all that bleach off of the 2 big rocks. There can't be any bleach left when I put them in the tank!

You could always throw a shot of dechlorinator in there

 

[KleineVampir]

You could always throw a shot of dechlorinator in there

Hey, good idea! The bleach I used is most certainly chlorine based, smells exactly like a swimming pool. I assume the water conditioner I've been using for my freshwater tanks will do? (That is before I got the RO unit.)

 

[sstanley223]

Hey, good idea! The bleach I used is most certainly chlorine based, smells exactly like a swimming pool. I assume the water conditioner I've been using for my freshwater tanks will do? (That is before I got the RO unit.)

Yeah in with the rock "rinse" I do that with my filter socks when I remember. Lol I would recommend rinsing the rock in old tank water before adding it too... like water change water. Peace of mind? Following btw [emoji3]

 

[KleineVampir]

I appreciate the follow! I think a few people are but even they are finding it difficult to care about every little thing I do! Two very different perspectives! Lots of time, effort, and money poured into this project so for me everything matters! xD

Though thankfully they at least took the time to set me straight on filtration/refugiums. Certainly helpful but I guess now we're just kind of cruising through the process, not that exciting!

But about the rocks, yeah...right now they're soaking in hot water, I dumped some water conditioner in there too. Earlier I took out a rock and smelled it, it still smelled like chlorine. Then I smelled the water and absolutely could not smell anything. Given I've flushed the bleach water out twice by now. Looks like I can take the rocks out of the bleach but now I can't take the bleach out of the rocks!

 

[sstanley223]

I appreciate the follow! I think a few people are but even they are finding it difficult to care about every little thing I do! Two very different perspectives! Lots of time, effort, and money poured into this project so for me everything matters! xD

Though thankfully they at least took the time to set me straight on filtration/refugiums. Certainly helpful but I guess now we're just kind of cruising through the process, not that exciting!

But about the rocks, yeah...right now they're soaking in hot water, I dumped some water conditioner in there too. Earlier I took out a rock and smelled it, it still smelled like chlorine. Then I smelled the water and absolutely could not smell anything. Given I've flushed the bleach water out twice by now. Looks like I can take the rocks out of the bleach but now I can't take the bleach out of the rocks!

I have a few likes and nice comments on mine but I'm also enjoying the convenience of documenting everything. I wish I had photos of some of my old tanks. I was never a big picture taker. Good luck!
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/427670/

 

[KleineVampir]

Thanks. Wow your project was even bigger! And yeah it is partially about documentation. The thing is, if you've been doing this for 19 years, there's nothing I can really teach you! This is my first saltwater tank! Though I will say it really helped to do freshwater first.

 

[sstanley223]

Thanks. Wow your project was even bigger! And yeah it is partially about documentation. The thing is, if you've been doing this for 19 years, there's nothing I can really teach you! This is my first saltwater tank! Though I will say it really helped to do freshwater first.

Not true... I was sweating bullets worrying about moving that rock and disturbing everything. I always have to review the basics. I havent done a dry rock tank yet. I have learned more here on R2R in the last year than in the last 20. Some on here really have it figured out.

 

[sstanley223]

Thanks. Wow your project was even bigger! And yeah it is partially about documentation. The thing is, if you've been doing this for 19 years, there's nothing I can really teach you! This is my first saltwater tank! Though I will say it really helped to do freshwater first.

I like the 40b it's the same footprint as the 65. I always thought the 65 was a bit too tall

 

[KleineVampir]

True, so I guess you could say the 40b is efficient in that regard.

 

[KleineVampir]

I think clownfish are the first ones to go into the tank, but here's the rub: If I put them in too early and they die, I'm out 70 dollars! So the question is, could the tank possibly be ready? I think it's been stewing for about a week now and I've been adding beneficial bacteria stuff to it! And it has live sand as well, for what it's worth.

 

[sstanley223]

I think clownfish are the first ones to go into the tank, but here's the rub: If I put them in too early and they die, I'm out 70 dollars! So the question is, could the tank possibly be ready? I think it's been stewing for about a week now and I've been adding beneficial bacteria stuff to it! And it has live sand as well, for what it's worth.

Have you fed the bacteria?

 

[KleineVampir]

Have you fed the bacteria?

Yeah I put the bacteria in there once a day for a week...it was a small bottle but I finished it off yesterday.

 

[sstanley223]

Yeah I put the bacteria in there once a day for a week...it was a small bottle but I finished it off yesterday.

Put food of some sort in to create ammonia. That's what the bacteria eat. (Nitrosomans) turn ammonia into nitrite. Then you need to wait for (Nitrobacter) which turns nitrite into nitrate. The clownfish may survive this cycle, but will suffer. I recommend "ghost" feeding the tank 2-3, while testing times per week until both ammonia and nitrite disappear. https://www.thesprucepets.com/nitrogen-cycle-understanding-1380724

 

[KleineVampir]

Put food of some sort in to create ammonia. That's what the bacteria eat. (Nitrosomans) turn ammonia into nitrite. Then you need to wait for (Nitrobacter) which turns nitrite into nitrate. The clownfish may survive this cycle, but will suffer. I recommend "ghost" feeding the tank 2-3, while testing times per week until both ammonia and nitrite disappear. https://www.thesprucepets.com/nitrogen-cycle-understanding-1380724

But...my beautiful clean tank! You said 2-3...2-3 what? Days?

 

[sstanley223]

But...my beautiful clean tank! You said 2-3...2-3 what? Days?

There are many different ways to cycle the tank. I feed my tank like there are fish in there 2-3 times a week. When ammonia is at 2ppm. Stop feeding. The bacteria you added is just a kick start. It needs to be fed with a source of ammonia. It is more humane to do a fish less cycle. We used to use damsels... then return them after the cycle

 

[WMR]

Welcome to R2R, are you planning to have an anemone for you clowns, if so, which type? What kind of clowns are you planning on keeping?

 

[KleineVampir]

Welcome to R2R, are you planning to have an anemone for you clowns, if so, which type? What kind of clowns are you planning on keeping?

I believe it's the ocellaris that I want to keep. Bright orange and some white. I do plan to get an anemone but I think the tank has to be more cycled.