Thought I'd go back and try to document some of what I've done.
Back in March 07 I decided to finally get my very own fish tank. I really wanted a marine tank but was too scared so was talked into a freshwater tank and a 10g at that. I was lucky enough to learn about cycling before setting up so by the end of the month I added my beautiful blue and zebra danios.
Nice, but not the saltwater tank I had always wanted.
My son tried to convince me it was still a great tank and added a gorgeous Queen Arabesque Pleco to the tank. Pfft, it hides all the time and still it isn't a reef tank.
So I started reading. Without fully understaning the patience needed I jumped onto CraigsList as well and bought a used 55g tank. A "complete set-up" and being the idiot I was I believed it. Here is the photo she took the day I went out to get it.
Luckily she had scraped most of the film algae off before she took the photo but an earlier photo she shared showed you could barely see in the tank. But what did I know? We loaded the tank, stand and all up in my vehicle and thankfully had thought to bring buckets which we transported the rock and stock in.
So upon getting hom we proceed to set it up and to unpack the treasure trove of goodies she had told us we'd need and that she was sure to have shown us all the price tags on.
Our "complete set-up" came with the tank, a stand that was sturdy but short and narrow, a typical cheapie flourscent hood and bulbs that were probably 9 months old. I'm guessing the rock was about 20#s but only because it was dense. The sand came with lots of bristleworms and a few hermits she didn't even know she had. There was no heater, the SG read only 1.019 on the hydrometer that we found in the "box o' crap", we hooked up the Tetra 60 HOB filter (yeah, you heard me right), and tried to figure out the super deluxe Prizm Skimmer she had paid $129 for.
I immediately hated that filter and skimmer. Obnoxiously loud and useless. Did I mention I hated them?
Oh and in this tank the whole time? Two 3 stripe damsels that seemed terrified for their lives (and with good reason).
So the next stop was to our LFS to pick up some equipment and get some advice.
Back in March 07 I decided to finally get my very own fish tank. I really wanted a marine tank but was too scared so was talked into a freshwater tank and a 10g at that. I was lucky enough to learn about cycling before setting up so by the end of the month I added my beautiful blue and zebra danios.
Nice, but not the saltwater tank I had always wanted.
My son tried to convince me it was still a great tank and added a gorgeous Queen Arabesque Pleco to the tank. Pfft, it hides all the time and still it isn't a reef tank.
So I started reading. Without fully understaning the patience needed I jumped onto CraigsList as well and bought a used 55g tank. A "complete set-up" and being the idiot I was I believed it. Here is the photo she took the day I went out to get it.
Luckily she had scraped most of the film algae off before she took the photo but an earlier photo she shared showed you could barely see in the tank. But what did I know? We loaded the tank, stand and all up in my vehicle and thankfully had thought to bring buckets which we transported the rock and stock in.
So upon getting hom we proceed to set it up and to unpack the treasure trove of goodies she had told us we'd need and that she was sure to have shown us all the price tags on.
Our "complete set-up" came with the tank, a stand that was sturdy but short and narrow, a typical cheapie flourscent hood and bulbs that were probably 9 months old. I'm guessing the rock was about 20#s but only because it was dense. The sand came with lots of bristleworms and a few hermits she didn't even know she had. There was no heater, the SG read only 1.019 on the hydrometer that we found in the "box o' crap", we hooked up the Tetra 60 HOB filter (yeah, you heard me right), and tried to figure out the super deluxe Prizm Skimmer she had paid $129 for.
I immediately hated that filter and skimmer. Obnoxiously loud and useless. Did I mention I hated them?
Oh and in this tank the whole time? Two 3 stripe damsels that seemed terrified for their lives (and with good reason).
So the next stop was to our LFS to pick up some equipment and get some advice.