lysaer
Active Member
Obligatory "new member!" post time. 
I'm an experienced FW keeper jumping headfirst into the SW world. I am currently cycling a 55g tank, and have 5 coral frags in a QT waiting on the big tank to finish cycling. I know I should have waited on the coral but you can't argue with a 40% off sale. The corals are 2 zoas, an Australian prism, and 2 I haven't exactly identified. I also apparently am the proud owner of quite a number of aiptasia, including one *really* big one (like, US quarter sized in center disk that extends out over an inch when the light's on) that I'm hoping don't kill my frags before the big tank finishes cycling and I can add a peppermint shrimp to eat 'em up yum.
My LFS is a great resource, the owner has been super helpful with getting me set up and not just trying to make some money off me.
Tank details...I've got a 4 stage canister filter that's currently using filter pads, Seachem Matrix, and UV light although I have the UV off while cycling the tank. I have 25 pounds of base rock, and 25 pounds of "Life Rock", with 40 pounds of Bimini Pink live sand. The canister runs about 264gph, so I've got two 1300gph powerheads in opposite corners of the tank set to run alternating day/night currents.
Lights are set...Actinics on at Noon, 12k whites at 1pm, actinics off at 2pm, actinics back on at 8pm, 12k whites off at 9pm, actinics off at 10pm. One powerhead runs from 1pm-9pm, the other from 9pm-1pm. Tank temperature is maintained right at 26 degrees C from a 300w heater set up by the filter's spray bar.
Hydrometer is reading a little high right now, I'll be doing a partial water change this weekend (if the numbers are right, the tank should be cycled by Saturday) and putting in non-salted RODI to get the salt numbers down some.
Current plan is to add a couple turbo or trochus snails, a peppermint shrimp, and a pair of clowns once the tank is fully cycled and stable with the numbers, and more fish as time/money/load permits.
I'm an experienced FW keeper jumping headfirst into the SW world. I am currently cycling a 55g tank, and have 5 coral frags in a QT waiting on the big tank to finish cycling. I know I should have waited on the coral but you can't argue with a 40% off sale. The corals are 2 zoas, an Australian prism, and 2 I haven't exactly identified. I also apparently am the proud owner of quite a number of aiptasia, including one *really* big one (like, US quarter sized in center disk that extends out over an inch when the light's on) that I'm hoping don't kill my frags before the big tank finishes cycling and I can add a peppermint shrimp to eat 'em up yum.
My LFS is a great resource, the owner has been super helpful with getting me set up and not just trying to make some money off me.
Tank details...I've got a 4 stage canister filter that's currently using filter pads, Seachem Matrix, and UV light although I have the UV off while cycling the tank. I have 25 pounds of base rock, and 25 pounds of "Life Rock", with 40 pounds of Bimini Pink live sand. The canister runs about 264gph, so I've got two 1300gph powerheads in opposite corners of the tank set to run alternating day/night currents.
Lights are set...Actinics on at Noon, 12k whites at 1pm, actinics off at 2pm, actinics back on at 8pm, 12k whites off at 9pm, actinics off at 10pm. One powerhead runs from 1pm-9pm, the other from 9pm-1pm. Tank temperature is maintained right at 26 degrees C from a 300w heater set up by the filter's spray bar.
Hydrometer is reading a little high right now, I'll be doing a partial water change this weekend (if the numbers are right, the tank should be cycled by Saturday) and putting in non-salted RODI to get the salt numbers down some.
Current plan is to add a couple turbo or trochus snails, a peppermint shrimp, and a pair of clowns once the tank is fully cycled and stable with the numbers, and more fish as time/money/load permits.
No worms, no snails, no hitchhikers, no more visible copepods or anything that I see everybody else talking about. Sigh. I want critters!
