Celebrate with Me! (newbie style)

[RondaGP]

Not a big deal to you reefers but I just purchased my first livestock!
THIS IS HUGE TO ME!

(About 4 months ago I bought an established 55g FOW(very little)LR from a co-worker for hardly nothing. I have been enjoying my clowns, damsels, and hitchhikers while researching everything envolved in doing a real reef tank. Details about my upgrade to a 100g reef coming next year).

Soooooo...... I bought some Astrea snails and Bluelegs yesterday. I know they're not that exciting to most but to me and my tank it is!

I tend to over research everything so I am moving very slow and calculated when it comes to doing anything or making changes. Maybe that's why it feels like something major.

So dig deep into your memory and revisit how cool it was the first time you bought animals for tank and then celebrate with me.

 

[RondaGP]

Oh Yeah, while you are "celbrating with me" I'm also open for major advice. Although my system was dirt cheap, it is the worst set up ever.

I have an undergravel filter with the corsest crushed coral substrate I've ever seen, and (no laughing) a skilter. We were going to upgrade everything on this tank but we have already decided on starting fresh with 100g or higher, which we will include all the appropriate items (high gallon to pound LR, MH's, sump, RO/DI combo, ect). We are already shopping.

But I could use advice and the highest priorities for fixing my current 55g set up. I have already switched my tests to Selfiert and stored, mixed, areated distilled water for changes, added more LR, a DIY doser for Kalk, and next month new lighting. I think a PC system like Satelite or Orbit will suffice for most new livestock down the road for this tank (???).

I'm assuming the next most logical purchase would be a real skimmer (and more LR so I can take out the stupid UGF and change substrate).

What would you guys fix first?

 

[Anonymous]

You can mod. the skilter to make it work a little better. Drill a hole in top of the collection cup lid. run a rigid airline tube through it att. a wooden airstone close to the bottom of the reaction chamber. Hook this to a airpump and this thing will act. skim. This is what I use on my "yard" tank. Congrats on the new livestock. After a few years I still get excited adding anything. Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Congratualtions on your first purchase. I remember mine. I bought two clownfish and a cleaner shrimp. I was so excited.

Good luck with your 100G setup. Sounds like it's gonna be a good one.

I would just use your 55 to house the fish that you want later in your 100G. That way you can manage the tank with WC's if the current filtration is not adequate.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Congrats on the purchase!! My first purchase was a royal gramma, and I think I watched the tank all weekend!

Andy's idea about improving your skimmer is a good one...it's cheap, and it works.

An idea for the future: you may want to consider a reef-ready tank with built-in overflows as your next tank. Then you can use for present 55g as a sump...that's what I'm doing, and it has worked very well.

Finally,

I tend to over research everything so I am moving very slow and calculated when it comes to doing anything or making changes.

There is no such thing as over researching, imho. Keep it up!

 

[Tackett]

I agree, no such thing as over research and it sounds like you have done a good job so far. Power compacts are more than adequate, but I would not screw with an orbit. The only difference between satellites and orbits as far as I can tell is that orbits have one more moonlight and a larger fan. Thats all. Ive got a picture of my 55 with powercompacts on it in the "music and the aquarium" thread in this forum. It puts out plenty of light. I think its 4 65 watt bulbs, dont think its enough for sps but for most everything else it seems fine. The orbits are just alot more expensive that the satellites for really no reason. If you can afford it I would just go ahead and shoot for halides, will save you a hassle. I get excited any more whenever I add anything. I think we all do First off, coarse gravel isnt bad. You could actually buy some live sand and mix it in with the coarse stuff. If you ever buy Jawfish or pistol shrimp or anything that likes to burrow, they will love the large coarse stuff to build with. I have like 3 different sizes of substrate in mine. Many people will argue you to keep the depth of the sand bed down to a minimum (you can even do bare bottom but I think its piss ugly, but thats my opinion.) but like I said before, if you have a shallow sand bed, then it keeps you from getting burrowing critters. If you havent already I would do some research on pros and cons of barebottoms. I think it is alot easier to maintain a barebottom tank, or near-barebottom tank, as a deep sand bed can die and cause major algae blooms. But then again Ive never had any problems with my DSB. Just another option for you to try. Next thing to think about is flow. Put the most flow as humanly possible in both of those tanks. Try to keep waste suspended in the water column rather than settling in some corner. (one reason why people like bare bottoms.) I would also definatley try to get a reef ready, pre drilled tank, again this will save you major hassle and keep you from having to get a hang on back overflow which are very invasive asthetically (just look at mine...eww...) You could also use that 55 as a sump or refugium with the powercompacts on it. That would work really well. Hope that was some help.

 

[fishgills]

Good luck, hope it all works out for ya.
_________________
g13 diesel pics

 

[RondaGP]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

That's so cool you guys understand my excitement.
I also freak out when the tinest creatures or any growth appear on my LR!
I'll even wake up my husband or call friends about it.

I love reading about your first purchases.
My set up came with the four fish which was pretty exciting in itself.
It must be even more rewarding to cycle a tank and then finally get to add livestock.

Thank you so much to all for the advice. (Especially since that part of my post belongs in a different forum anyway. :wink

I agree that in this hobby you can't over research anything with all the changes and opinions. I do tend to take forever to make any needed decisions though, out fear that I haven't read enough.
I mean just look at my first livestock purchase!
It took me four months and an algae outbreak of every kind and color just to buy a few snails and hermits that I have been wanting forever.
:lol:

 

[Tackett]

I do tend to take forever to make any needed decisions though

Well you are female so we wont fault you for that :lol:

<--------runs and hides.

 

[RondaGP]

Woo Hoo for me!
(more celebrating..........)

I was so excited with my new stuff that today I bought two more peices of live rock and another blueleg.

I tried to buy a scarlet reef crab but he couldn't find it and they already stayed open after hours for me after I called them.

 

[Tackett]

I likey the scarlets