anthony27

Advanced Reefer
Location
long island
Rating - 96.7%
88   3   0
well see lps and sps requier a excelent skimmer inorder to keep them. You already have the light to run a reef tank now it is the point of setting up the reef thank. The best bet save the money and a small fish for now to let the tank cycle then once you have money saved up you can buy a skimmer. I went from a 42 custom high tank to a 40 breeder I can tell you hands down with in year between the up grading the tank and the new lights and all that I spent over 2k easyy and that is also including coral I think. It is going to be a expensive hobby but you can cut some conors like the skimmer used or a stand custom built or hang on fuge and sump used. There are alot of roads to go down. Start off with a light coral like a colt or kenya tree coral. I will give you one my self to help you star out once the tank cycles out and you can try that out. Just let the tank cycle out no reason to get a skimmer now when it is cycling out I would try to save up for about 2 weeks and then see what your potions are from there. O also to add a rodi unit is a must for water changes or you can buy rodi water from your local lfs. I wish you all the best and if you need help or coral or any thing just ask you are on my friend list so I would not mind helping you out at all
 
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JonG101

Experienced Reefer
Location
Huntington 11743
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
the one thing that has been said again and again is you need a good skimmer. especially now knowing what you would like to keep. I have seen numerous aqua c remora's in the for sale thread for 75 or less that would suite your tank perfectly. check RC's for sale thread as well.
 

nanoreefer22

Live Sale Pioneer
Staff member
Location
11756
Rating - 100%
345   0   0
Ok PLEASE DO NOT use a fish to cycle the tank, there is no need. You'll be subjecting the fish to undue stress and you may very well kill it.

Honestly, if you're tight on your budget just say goodbye to SPS and stick to LPS and softies with JUST a HOB filter stuffed with carbon and filter floss (picture below) . You'll save a ton of money and you won't need to buy that $200+ skimmer.

I ran a successful LPS/Softie tank for almost a year, until I got stupid and decided to start messing with things. If you take your time, you can achieve anything. Don't get me wrong, my tank was in no way set up for SPS which is why I had almost none in my tank.

Just remember that a good tank doesn't mean the most expensive or the one with the most gadgets. Just take your time and figure out what you really want. I for one still can't figure out what I want long term :eek:.

What do you really want to achieve with tank, realistically? Would you be willing to give up SPS coral if you could save money? Whats your budget for the tank to get it where you want it to be and what do you expect your budget to cover?
 
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Anthonyjiz

New Reefer
Location
Fairview, NJ
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
Well I'm going to be having SPS/LPS so I will eventually have a BETTER skimmer, you guys keep forgetting I have that 30gal skimmer atleast, and it's brand new!

Guys! There's two TINY maybe 1/4th a finger nail sea slugs in my tank (Sluging around with two wisker's and have a tiny bit of Coraline on their backs, almost look invisible bc they are the white sand color but I spotted them together on the live rock), should I take them out of live them alone??
 

Awibrandy

Old School Reefer
Location
Far Rockaway
Rating - 100%
182   0   0
Can you get a pic of the 2 slugs? They may or not be good. With a pic some of the more knowledgeable people on those critters could tell you if they are good or not. Or you can simply research "reef pest", and see if you can find them there.

LPS I have found that they do not like extra clean water. SPS do need extra clean water, some more then others. But if your patient, and willing to go at this slowly you may be able to find that happy medium where you can keep both.

As I read your thread I see that you are adament on keeping both lps & sps. My humble advice to you would be to start with some easy to keep animals, and work your way up slowly. Perhaps I am wrong, but many years ago a great reefer told me it takes approximately 2 months to cycle a salt water tank, and 12 to 18 months for it to mature.;) I didn't listen to him, and consequently cost the lifes of many animals.;( So if you want to do like I did go ahead, and jump right in with 2 feet.

You say you are on a tight budget, then listen to those that came before you who are trying to help you not only to not waste your money, but to save the lifes of the animals.
Take it slow, do a lot of reading, and start with the lower animals, and work your way up. Safe the SPS for last, and even then start with the easy to keep ones.;) When your tank is ready there are quite a few of us here who would be willing to help you with the animals (corals).;)

BTW, I don't believe Anthony27 ment for you to cycle your tank with a fish. What he was trying to say was that you'll want a small fish in your tank as well as corals to add even more interest.;)

My very best wishes for a successful reefing experience!!!!

Awi

PS What is your tank sitting on?
 

Anthonyjiz

New Reefer
Location
Fairview, NJ
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
well see lps and sps requier a excelent skimmer inorder to keep them. You already have the light to run a reef tank now it is the point of setting up the reef thank. The best bet save the money and a small fish for now to let the tank cycle then once you have money saved up you can buy a skimmer. I went from a 42 custom high tank to a 40 breeder I can tell you hands down with in year between the up grading the tank and the new lights and all that I spent over 2k easyy and that is also including coral I think. It is going to be a expensive hobby but you can cut some conors like the skimmer used or a stand custom built or hang on fuge and sump used. There are alot of roads to go down. Start off with a light coral like a colt or kenya tree coral. I will give you one my self to help you star out once the tank cycles out and you can try that out. Just let the tank cycle out no reason to get a skimmer now when it is cycling out I would try to save up for about 2 weeks and then see what your potions are from there. O also to add a rodi unit is a must for water changes or you can buy rodi water from your local lfs. I wish you all the best and if you need help or coral or any thing just ask you are on my friend list so I would not mind helping you out at all

Thanks a million buddy, right now I can't get an RO/DI and on top of that I'm just going to use plain old sink water with a VERY strong dechlorinator and all that garbage. So far from a week n half down the cycle I haven't even spotted an inch of algae so I think I'll be good this way.. I mean, if a "GOOD" deal ever comes up for a unit, I'll take it, but that's just one thing I'm really not set on putting $150+ dollars out on.

I've lost those sea slugs after the first hour in the post, they ran right off, but I mean they didn't look bad at all, theyre were a 1/5th inch and we're like clear with a tinyyyyy pit of purple on their back looked like coraline... Should I like scavenge the tank for them? I really doubt I'll ever see em again =(
 

Anthonyjiz

New Reefer
Location
Fairview, NJ
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
My tank is sitting on a coffee/tv type kinda table from IKEA about 5 years ago, it has two sliding tiny cabinets in the front and then two in the back and they go through the whole table so i store EVERYTHING in them and it looks perfect!

Btw guys I got my AQ110! Do you guys think I should turn it into a fuge now or wait till AFTER the cycle like after the CUC n my first two Ricordea? Btw my nitrite's are reading 0 pretty much but my ammonia is still .25 about.. Is that ok guys?
 

anthony27

Advanced Reefer
Location
long island
Rating - 96.7%
88   3   0
eveything is going to be fine in the tank for now until you add a fish or coral then the levels are going to shoot up and down, so dont worrie. Just wait it out and all will be well that is the reason why i said in the 3rd week of the cycle drop a fish in to have some form of bacetria in the tank. but that is up to you. How do the rock look now. Are they starting to color up like a brown. I think you will see the little snails again they came out when the lights were off right? You best bet right now is to take the ac and just load it with carbon and let it run. The one thing that will help you out the best for that thank and the budget you have is live rock. Buy live rock and stock up the tank with it. When you do the live rock will become a major filtration part along with the sand you have also for the ac buy loose carbon and nylon bags put the carbon in the bags and let it run then when you need to change the carbon just wash the nylon bag in tank water and that will help build up bacteria in the tank. re using the nylon bag and washing it out in the tank is another way of kicking off the tank in the right direction. Any other help just feel free to ask
 

mstrpln03

Advanced Reefer
Location
Bergen County
Rating - 100%
20   0   0
Hey Anthony,

Glad to see you signed up here.

The AC 110 mod thread on nano-reefs is exactly what you want to do. That fuge will be fine for that tank. It's looking good so far. You should get a better skimmer for sure, but let it cycle first. If you have .25 ammonia and no nitrates/nitrites that means your nitrification process didn't start yet.

Your tank will have to develop 2 types of nitrifying bacteria (1 converts ammonia to nitrates, the second convert nitrates to nitrites). Ammonia is very toxic to your tank's inhabitants, nitrates are bad but not as bad, nitrites are relatively harmless. When you test you will see this happening. If you want to speed up the process, search for "ammonia dosing", there's a thread here, on the subject I believe.

RODI water is pretty much a must for SPS, but you'll be able to keep most softies and LPS without it. Your tank won't be ready for SPS for close to a year if you want to do it right, and Awibrandy is right, it takes 12 to 18 months for a tank to mature. You really shouldn't add SPS until then.

Good luck buddy!

Jerry
 

Awibrandy

Old School Reefer
Location
Far Rockaway
Rating - 100%
182   0   0
Jerry, I have to disagree with you.:)

Cycle= Ammonia - Nitrites - Nitrates
Ammonia extremely toxic
Nitrites very toxic
Nitrates toxic in high ranges

Wouldn't put any fish through trates higher then 40ppm, and I personally will not put fish through anything higher then 20ppm. But that is just me.;)

I believe I stated this before, but you can add small pinch of any dry food to create bacteria which will get that cycle going with out the chance of a killing any animals.:) Another way is to drop a raw shrimp, or piece of dead fish, or any other crustacean that you get at your grocery store.
Or if you really want to get gross you can do what an old friend told me they use to do where he (Mr. Young from AquaWorld) came from. Are you ready for this?????????



















































Pee in the tank.yuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk:bigeyes::bigeyes::bigeyes::bigeyes::bigeyes:
 

nanoreefer22

Live Sale Pioneer
Staff member
Location
11756
Rating - 100%
345   0   0
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't live rock supposed to kick start the cycle? Why should he introduce fish (which would most likely die), dead shrimp, or food that would just decay and probably take him through a longer cycle at this point. I might have missed something along the way and I apologize if I did. Could someone please help me out :)
 

Anthonyjiz

New Reefer
Location
Fairview, NJ
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
Well I had nitrites guys about 5 days ago, then 3 days ago they went to zero and now i checked em and they're at like .1 ppm... The sand on the sides of the tank are ALITTLE brown and the middle is pretty white bc of the powerhead, flow, etc.

The rocks don't seem to be getting anything whatsoever other than feather dusters and snails (which i kill at night, they're sundials (The zoo killers!))
 

Anthonyjiz

New Reefer
Location
Fairview, NJ
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
Hey guys! Look what I picked up at the MR Fall Swap! Thanks to everyone for showing me around and helping me out!!
 

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