Hello from Central Illinois

Alvin Moore · Dec 23, 2012

Hi everyone, I am Alvin.. yea, yea, just like the chipmunk, but my voice is slightly lower toned..lol.

I drasticly failed a salt water (fish only) back in 1993, and never had the nerve to try it again until just this month, so I am looking to learn all I can. I am not fish stupid, but am really behind on technology of it. I purchased a 75 gal set up from a doctors office and moved it to my home, the tank was stocked with 2 very nice clowns, a yellow tang, and a couple pajama cards, and some damsils crabs and shrimp. The tank had a outbreak of aptaisia so I restocked it with dry rock and about 6 rocks that was slightly brushed clean. It has only been up for a week, and being I did not have a cycled tank to keep the fish in I lost 3, (was keeping them in a 20 g) but had to go ahead and transfer them to the 75 today because the ammonia spikes was so much greater in the 20 than in the bigger tank. So basicly I am starting out with about a 60% live start of this tank (sand and some rock) and I used the chemical cycle agent.

I work with cars, been a mechanic and autobody man for all my working career, and have been disabled due to a back injury since 2001, so I have time to learn, sometimes the money is a issue, but I guess that is where I need to take my time.

I will be greatful to any and all advise given, and look forward to meeting some new friends.

Thanks.

SeahorseKeeper · Dec 23, 2012

Hi, welcome to R2R!!!

RichieT · Dec 23, 2012

Welcome. i'm over in Champaign, but I grew up in Decatur. My parents still live there so I'm back and forth regularly. Let me know if you need any help.

revhtree · Dec 24, 2012

Welcome to R2R!

We appreciate your membership!

Thanks for joining and please make sure to post often!

Alvin Moore · Dec 24, 2012

RichieT said:
Welcome. i'm over in Champaign, but I grew up in Decatur. My parents still live there so I'm back and forth regularly. Let me know if you need any help.

Hey Thanks alot, I would really look forward to some more insite. I live by Ruby Tuesday if you know where that is. look me up on FB Alvin Moore, add me as friend then we can exchange contact info.

Thanks again, have have a Merry Christmas.

Alvin Moore · Dec 24, 2012

Hey Richie, just wanted to drop you a line and also send a couple pics, (if I can get it done) and kind of let you know what I am starting out with. I bought this tank from a doctors office and moved it home last week, tried keeping fish in a 20 gal but lost a yellow tang, striped damsil, and a pajama cardinal, first discovered that the salinity was at 1.030, so I did a gradual water change and adjusted it to 1.024. that seemed to make the fish happier. Anyway I set up this tank, running a sump and fighting air noise down overflow, it has ball valves on it so its a little hard to get regulated, am going to make a turn down on overflow skimmer tube here soon, unless I find some better idea. I have a current orbit 260 watt light with 10 k daylight, and 460 atintic, and a 96 watt dual atintic for right now. My main question is do I have too many rocks to start with? and if I can get it posted these mushrooms.. not sure how to place them under the lights I have, they are about in 5-6 inch debth right now. Any advise would be greatly aprechiated. Thanks

Tank is 75g about 10 g in sump, also about 85% of this rock was dry, this tank had a aptasia out break in it, so I didnt use most of the rock (plus I didnt like it) it was very dense and HEAVY, no pores at all, the sand I kept in water and it was in bucketts over night, and I added a bottle of bio-spria (instant ocean brand) I am waiting for a complete test kit to show up, ordered it online, and the ammonia is keeping a good level so far. Dont mean to over whelm you, just trying to see if Im screwing up too bad off the bat. Thanks

Nemoose · Dec 24, 2012

Hello. Im in Bloomington. I am also a fairly new reefer. Drop me a line sometime I can try to help you if I can. Or , we can jsut talk about our tanks. I have an 80 gallon with a pair of maroon clowns, a melanarus wrasse, a fiji blue devil damsel, a cherub angel and my newest addition a lamarck's angel. So far been a nice peaceful community, lol. Hope to talk to you. Have a Merry Christmas.

skinz78 · Dec 25, 2012

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

If you haven't already done so, be sure to get your entry in on the December Reef2Reef Membership Drive contest for your chance to win a Snow Onyx Clownfish Pair from Clownfish Depot! https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/me...f2reef-dec-2012-membership-drive-contest.html

Rydogg420 · Dec 25, 2012

Hello and welcome! Hope you get the hang of things with your tank.. IMO it is pretty dang easy to keep saltwater fish now then back in 93.. lol.... Just make sure you follow the few rules of saltwater keeping and you cant go wrong.. also using RO/DI water will help ALOT. for some reason, people do not do that and wonder why they are having so many issues with algee and other things.. Doing it right from the start will make this hobby more fun then annoying.

saltydawg · Dec 25, 2012

Welcome. I am fairly new as well. I have been hoping to get to know some fellow reefers from Illinois.

Alvin Moore · Dec 25, 2012

I sure would love to get a ro filter but my problem is that where my house is located I am in Long Creek Township and even though our water comes from Decatur, we have to pay alot more for it coming from Long Creek, for example Decatur water and sewer fee runs about $60.00 every 90 days, from Long Creek water alone cost me about $70.00 per month, and from what I know about ro filters isnt there a waste factor of about 2 gal to every good gal you get?? If thats the case my water bill would sky rocket, so I have been toting it from Wal Mart, and thats a major hassel in its self.. need to figure out something easier.

Alvin Moore · Dec 25, 2012

Hi Nemoose, sounds great, are you on FB? if so look me up and add me friend, I am also on a site https://www.facebook.com/groups/255193314588025/ a group of people from Cenral Il, all I ask anyone who sends me a friend request is to drop me a message and tell me u are from this site so I dont ignore someone I shouldnt. Thanks, and Hope your Christmas was good.

revsgirl · Dec 26, 2012

Hi Alvin!! Welcome to R2R!!

Saltlife · Jan 6, 2013

Welcome to R2R. Nice tank.

Alvin Moore · Jan 7, 2013

Hey Saltlife, I like your profile pic.. seen that way too often when Im in my 69 Nova SS, it has a 406 that puts out around 600 horse on gas, 850 with the nitrous on it, do a little dragracing with it.. and you know whats funny?? I can get pulled over for hot dogging, open headers, what ever and never get a ticket.. I think they just wanna check out the car..