View Full Version : Marine - and so it begins
coolnicks
06-27-2007, 10:55 AM
Just picked up a marine tank and bits off a mate, who works at the LFS none the less. [Person to guess the nearest price wins :)]
What you guys reckon? I think I just need to pickup some sand and LR at the weekend, and the marine dream begins!
Aqua One EuroView 500 tank & stand
V2 400 skimmer & Rio 2100 powerhead
Internal 440 lph powerhead
aquaone cf500 external filter
50w heater
auto topup kit - pump, float etc
t8 ballast
7kg red sea coral pro salt
red sea Calcium +3
red sea buffer
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/tank.jpg
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/skimmer.jpg
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/autotopup.jpg
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/buffercalc.jpg
Sorry about the pink photos, too lazy to take them again!
Reefscape
06-27-2007, 11:12 AM
looks like your off to a great start there....And nice to see another UK Reefer on the boards...
Welcome
Niko
rwilliams254
06-27-2007, 1:59 PM
Good to go.
SHK_ATK
06-27-2007, 3:56 PM
as niko would say. "Spot on"
Rbishop
06-27-2007, 4:52 PM
And you will have fishies in no time!
Welcome to the club/hobby. As a new reefer/marine fishkeeper I will pass on to you something that an old timer told me when I first started. I've remembered it and it has served me well.
...."Nothing good happens quickly in this hobby".
Good luck and welcome aboard.
Excellent ! Keep us posted
...."Nothing good happens quickly in this hobby".
that is exactly word for word the advice I was given on starting :)
also, that we don't keep fish. We keep water - the fish tell us how well we're doing.
mee-mee
06-27-2007, 8:08 PM
Can't wait for the grand finale..:)
OldManOfTheSea
06-28-2007, 6:34 AM
I not know that skimmer you have there but I hope that if your doing a reef tank that it not fails you. And im angry that you are going to start your tank long before I begin my reef tanks :angryfire: :silly:
got2envy
06-28-2007, 9:09 AM
another reef addict to be muahahaha
nice tank..how many gallons?
OldManOfTheSea
06-28-2007, 9:58 AM
180 & 240
coolnicks
06-28-2007, 1:49 PM
And nice to see another UK Reefer on the boards...
How could you tell? :)
...."Nothing good happens quickly in this hobby".
Thats a good quote, something im very prepared for aswell. Im fully geared up to be waiting a month or few for the first fish!
Can't wait for the grand finale..:)
Will keep you guys updated on the progress!
I hope that if your doing a reef tank that it not fails you
I belive they are a good make, and lots of money, TMC vecton v2 400 skimmer if you want to look it up, I also have their UV units.
nice tank..how many gallons?
Me or OldManOfTheSea? Its 60L, so about 15gallons. I have other, bigger tanks I could move it into, but while I learn the ropes will keep it a bit smaller.
Should have water tommorow or saturday:headbang2:
jm1212
06-28-2007, 2:27 PM
cool!
Mgamer20o0
06-30-2007, 3:40 AM
keep us updated
coolnicks
06-30-2007, 10:14 AM
This was last night:
Measure up the salt...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05617.jpg
Tank with the substrate added...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05618.jpg
My live rock, 5kg in money, proberly a little more in weight
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05619.jpg
Upside down limpet?...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05620.jpg
Some nice calcerous algae, if im right?...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05621.jpg
All my live rock...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05623.jpg
Tank half full...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05624.jpg
Damit, salt level not even on scale, worked it out wrong...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05625.jpg
Evey tank setup needs some good food, mmmm...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05626.jpg
Yay, salt level better...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05628.jpg
Get the skimmer going to remove dust from substrate...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05629.jpg
Get the other power heads going...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05630.jpg
Full tank shot, too blue/actinic...
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05632.jpg
Damit, look at the salt levels...
However fear not, my mate from LFS turned up...Hydrometer had bubbles on it!
And "Youve got live rock, what?"
Damit, should not have got live rock until tank was ready....
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05633.jpg
Need to keep stiring up the substrate for few days, get all the dust out, or it could block up the live rock. So live rock is in another tank with heater and power head for the time being.
:headbang2:
Bryce
06-30-2007, 11:46 AM
I would advise to not use the skimmer yet. It is designed to remove proteins from the water not particulate. Just be patient and the cloudiness of the water will settle out in a few days.
coolnicks
06-30-2007, 11:51 AM
I would advise to not use the skimmer yet. It is designed to remove proteins from the water not particulate. Just be patient and the cloudiness of the water will settle out in a few days.
Indeed, one of the reason though, is the return from the skimmer, in the box to stop bubbles, ive got it full of filter wool, aswell as the external filter.
The water is clearing pretty quickly now, but I keep stiring it up to get rid of as much as possible before I put the LR in.
Could it damage the skimmer?
Also wouldnt the skimmer help to remove any ammonia created from any dead/dieing stuff in the live sand?
Bryce
06-30-2007, 12:02 PM
It shouldn’t harm the skimmer. If anything the grit may shorten the life of the needle wheel pump used to pump water through the skimmer. Didn’t know you were using filter wool in the outtake box. That will indeed help with the cloudiness.
However, during the cycle phase of a new tank, you don’t want to remove the things that are going to create ammonia. Ammonia needs to be present so the nitrifying bacteria, that eats ammonia, will grow and multiply. Using the skimmer prior to having the cycle complete would hamper the process to some degree.
coolnicks
07-05-2007, 1:38 PM
Live rock is in, because it was sitting in a tank for a week with heater and powerhead, found some intresting little critters in the bottom of the tank.
There are loads of baby shrimps.
Is this a baby starfish, or some kind of sea spider?
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05637.jpg
Please excuse the skimmer powerhead.
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05638.jpg
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05639.jpg
http://data.coolnicks.co.uk/fishtanks/marine/DSC05640.jpg