My New Acrylic 55g Tank

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LordsSoilder

Armageddon outa here!
Aug 29, 2005
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Holland, MI
www.jc4me.org
I recently bought a 55g acrylic tank with stand and hood for $91.
It was a steal of a deal, and I don't care that it's not the prettiest tank on the block! It looks good with water in it, and It will look even better once I paint the stand and put stuff in it...

I need a little help. I recently got 2 48inch flourescent fixtures but no bulbs. Can I buy any 48inch bulb and expect it to work? And if I do, what bulbs should I buy. The fixtures will hold 2 bulbs each so the bulbs should be at least 40w to acheive 3watt per gallon. Please advise me on what to buy, and if you know a good place, where to buy it too.

I'm also going to be making this tank a reef ready tank and drill holes in it. I'll put one hole in the bottom center and run a black pvc pipe up the middle for the overflow. My question is, what pump should I use in my sump? I'll be using a 29g tank I allready have setup for the sump...

I have some stuff selling on ebay right now that will give me some extra cash (about $100) what would be my best buy for that money? Do I need a skimmer right away? And can I find a good one on ebay (or elsewhere) for $100?

Should I spend my money elsewhere?

I'm new to the marine world and I'm going to be running a bigger tank. My 29g tank seems to be doing good in it's month of operation. But now I really need help with the big tank...

My overall goal for this tank is to one day get a nice reef going with coral etc... but for now with my limited budget I'll start with a FOWLR.

what life (shrooms etc.) can I start in my tank to get I looking nice. I want something that will spread nicely but not be a pain like aptasia. Basically I want my cake and eat it too...

Please help!

I'll post pics of the tank once I get it, and then some after I retrofit the lights and the sump.

Links and opinions are all very helpful...

Thanks everyone.
-LS
 

mogurnda

vaguely present
Apr 29, 2003
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The balllast should be able to fire any 48" normal output (NO) fluorescent bulb. That would mean either 40 watt T12's or 34 watt T8's. T8's are more efficient, and more readily available in different spectra, so you will probably want to go with those. As far as spectrum, I'd go with two 10000 K daylights and a couple of actinics. I think I got my last set of NO bulbs from Drs Foster and Smith, but shop around.

The pump should be matched to the flow through the overflow, otherwise you'll get serious slurping. The outflow rate will depend on the pipe diameter. As I recall, the max flow through 1" PVC is about 1200 gallons per hour, but you will probably have less because of twists, turns and turbulence.

$100 will get you most of the way to a decent skimmer. I am a big fan of skimmers. You'll also want a few powerheads or a closed loop for more circulation.

What you will really want to save your pennies for is live rock. That will probably be your biggest expense.
 

LordsSoilder

Armageddon outa here!
Aug 29, 2005
389
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Holland, MI
www.jc4me.org
Thanks for the info,

I currently have about 15lbs of LR. I plan to buy about 15-30 more when I get money and About 50-80lbs worth of base rock. I've heard if I do it this way I can maximze my LR and Minimize my cost because base rock with become LR after the existing LR seeds into it. (Does this sound correct?)

I've seen an aqua-via in-sump skimmer for arround $60. Is this skimmer any good? Or are there some name brands That I want to look for, and some I want to look out for. I've heard Jebo = Junko

Tommorow is taking to long to get here, lol...

Anyone know how long I should wait to start my sump cycling to the big tank?
My current tank will be the big tanks sump and its cycled with fish and LR allready.
I plan to take some water, rock and sand from the sump tank and use it to cycle the big one. how long will this take?
 

LordsSoilder

Armageddon outa here!
Aug 29, 2005
389
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Holland, MI
www.jc4me.org
I've been letting the tank cycle for a while now and I am ready to go for it. I still have the 30 up and running but I'm going to have to get 2 10g tanks for sumps because the stand is small. It wont fit as much as a normal 55g tank stand.

I made a purchase to kickstart my tank, Here is what I bought;

Products: Actinics to go with my daylights that I already have
96300842: MAGTINIC W/REF. 40 WATT 48 in.
Qty: 2
Price: $17.99

51303499: Visi-Therm Stealth Submersible Heaters (To replace the identical heater I bought for $43 from the LFS)
Qty: 1
Price: $15.99

(Fish)

117200L: Tank Raised Ocellaris Clownfish
Qty: 2
Price: $13.99

119200L: Green Chromis
Qty: 6
Price: $3.59

(Cleaners)

160700L: Blue Leg Reef Hermit Crab
Qty: 2
Price: $0.99

160710L: Red Leg Reef Hermit Crab
Qty: 2
Price: $0.99

170960L: Nassarius Snail
Qty: 3
Price: $1.99

(Corals - I decided to try a hardy bunch of corals)

161510L: Easy Care Coral Pack
Qty: 1
Price: $89.99

The Coral package comes with

ASSTD MUSHROOMS
YELLOW POLYP OR COLONY ROCK
BLUE/PUR, GREEN, OR RED MUSHRM
CHRISTMAS TREE OR COLT CORAL

I'll take some pics when It comes in and I get it in the tank. Anyone have any tips for the things I bought?
 

LordsSoilder

Armageddon outa here!
Aug 29, 2005
389
0
0
Holland, MI
www.jc4me.org
Wow no opinions...

I got my shipment in this morning and everything is doing great dispite the extra day it took to ship (My fault)

The lights are off for the day to rap up the acclimation process. I can't wait to turn the lights on tommorow and stare at it...

What does everyone think? good choices bad choices????

:look:
 

LordsSoilder

Armageddon outa here!
Aug 29, 2005
389
0
0
Holland, MI
www.jc4me.org
Left my camera at church again...

I'll get some pics soon...

Update:

Everything is doing great and I got a hookup on a nice hood setup for my tank... It will have 4 48inch bulbs and I will run 10000k and actinic 03's in it. I also plan to DIM (Do it Myself) a nice lunar light LED setup down the middle of it...

It's all comming together and looking really nice...
 

mayran

AC Members
Oct 3, 2005
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Grand Rapids, MI
Sounds like a nice set-up. I'm jealous. I want corals, but i'm forcing myself to take this slowly (just set up my first fish only tank about two months ago). As far as building your own led lunar light, if you are looking for any tips, I just built one myself and it worked out great.
 

mermaiden78

AC Members
Oct 23, 2005
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Mobile Alabama
Real Name
Dana
I hear that fostersmith (www.liveaquaria.com) is a good place to shop and has good prices... shipping is ok could be better but that is who i like shopping with
 
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