Whats my next step??

[bknapp]

Wow, really am I asking this??

Is it ok to top off the water level during cycling?? I dont know why this should be simple question has had be baffeled...
:huh:

 

[OgreMkV]

Use RO only water to top off due to evaporation.

Adding more rock will extend your cycle time, but best to do it now. It's VERY difficult to add rock once you've got critters in the tank.

 

[bknapp]

Yeah, I just wish that the LR wasn't so darned expensive or I wouldv'e had a bunch more to begin with, but at $10 a pound getting 30-35 lbs would be no cheap or easy task. And I would rather have a long and thruogh cycle than I would have a short cycle, even though I am chomping at the bit to see something swimming in the tank. Maybe I should do what I've seen others do and tape a picture of a fish on the outside of the tank so it seems like theres a fish or two. LOL

Thanks for the imput.

 

[OgreMkV]

$10 a pound... geez. Look around at LFS or local reef clubs. Someone should have some that's cheaper than that. I paid $9 a pound, but I only bought 7 pounds. It was heavy with coraline and I even got two mushrooms out of the deal.

 

[bknapp]

Well $9.99 a pound, in my area I haven't found another LFS nor do I know of any reef clubs. And I really do like my LFS, they ahve been very helpful with this setup as well as my FW setup. If anyone knows of a good reef club or any good LFS in the Nashville, Tn area please let me know. Thanks.

Did some rearranging with the LR to get it off of the back tank wall. I think this layout will give the (future fish and inverts) some more hiding places... here are some new pics, tell me what y'all think....

 

[thereef]

Yeah, I am definitly planning on more rock (at $10/lbs, its not cheap), I would like to have around 35lbs of live ontop of the ten pounds of base rock. Yes to the protein skimmer Red Sea Prizm (not very liked here, but heard good things at the LFS.) As far as stocking I really havent gotten that far, I am just trying to get everything set up 100% before I even worry about it, but if my two year olds have any say there will be a clown, as they are totally obssesed with Nemo. I was gonna walk around my LFS and write down the fish that I am interested in and do some research on them and ask peoples opinions on them, before adding any. As of now there is about 500gph, I couldnt find any details about the skimmers movement, but I am looking into another Koralia. As in the future I would like to keep some hardier corals.

Thank you.

The prizm is not a good skimmer at any price point. Remember your LFS is trying to sell you somthing they have and not what they dont. A good skimmer. See about a CPR back pac decent skimmer much better than the prizm and not much more cost. I am sure we can find you rock for less than 10.00 per pound - send me a pm and I will tell you more.

 

[bknapp]

Why is it not a good skimmer? Anybody here have any experience with them??

 

[thereef]

It has low contact time with the water-the venturi gets cloged easily and it releases a lot of micro bubbles to the water column.

 

[ToeJam]

It has low contact time with the water-the venturi gets cloged easily and it releases a lot of micro bubbles to the water column.

The sig I have a bout SKimmer 101....that link explains in detail about skimmers and stuff you need to know.

Though the answer above is correct about contact time ..a newbie still wouldn't understand the importance of contact time...or how to determine if a skimmer they want to buy is good.

Read the sig link so you can understand about skimmers a lot more. Then you can understand Reef's response more.

 

[abob60]

put a few dead shrimps in the tank amonia will rise test water every 3 days until nitrite is 0 then stock the aquarium.