This is me bugging some SW veterans.

[TAFKARojo]

Hello again I hate to be a pain with all the questions, but there are a few things that I am still not clear on. I've been reading posts for 2 days now and have managed to come up with a lot of questions. There seems to be a lot of debate about carbon inserts. I was under the impression that they were beneficial. But if someone could clarify that would help a lot.

Also I read the sticky thread about setting up a new tank between coraz and jason. And had a few sand questions... my tank is about5 months old... or at least the saltwater part of it is (i had oscars in it before and used the same filters and such) and i have been reading a lot about sand as opposed to the dolomite that i was talked into at my LFS. So my questions are how much live sand would I need? And if i were to mix it with aragonite how much of that would i need in a 55 gallon tank.

My aim is a mostly fish tank but I am getting very interested in corals and anemones recently. My tank is agains my desk so it is exposed on all sides.. and i want to move it to be against a wall. Is there an easy way to do this with out losing water... I am in a house full of a bunch of large people so it wouldnt have to get too light but i cant imagine moving with half as much water as there is in it.

I do not know anything about lighting what is a good inexpensive light to purchase because I dont think that my light is cutting it.

And can someone please fill me in on some of the abbreviations that you commonly use on this site im really really confused sometimes.

Thanks if anyone can answer any of these questions I would really appreciate it.

 

[heat]

I can't help too much as my tank it's self has only been up 4 weeks... but the live sand portion I can help with.

Since you are in the north east part of the states get ahold of Home Depots in your area, ask for Old Castle Caribiean Play Sand it was formerly called Southdown, but the only way I find it now is under the name Old Castle, ask them to look for it in the play sand area of the store or they could well overlook it. It runs about $7.00 for a 50 pound bag, wash it very very well.

You can add 3/4 new sand and 1/4 livesand or half and half which ever you wish, purchased from another reefer or from a saltwater shop or wait with liverock and new sand in the tank to go "live" on it's own, but the livesand from another reefer will help out quite a bit with the existing "critters" in it.
Since the sand is fine aragonite it will also help keep your ph a bit more stable and with calcium, from what I understand anyway. Just my opinion but I'd stay away from the Agralive sand that stores are selling, not because they aren't any good, but more because they charge so bloody much for it.

As for how much in a 55... that all depends on what you are going for deep sand bed for sand sifting critters etc. I'll leave that to someone else that can explain it. But in my tank 45 pound of sand gave me 2.5ish inches of coverage in a 38 gallon tank, so that would be closer to 1.5 to 1.75 inches in a 55 roughly.

*back to lurking*

 

[jessie]

when i had my 55 i think it took me 100lbs to get a 3-3 1/2 inch sand bed.

a 55 gallon tank filled with just water will weigh about 440lbs. the real problem with trying to move it when there is water in it is the shift in weight, so its best to just buy a couple rubbermaids, siphon the water out and the put it back after moving the tank.

if you are thinking about corals and anemones, theres really not a cheap light setup, i dont keep anemones but im told they need alot of lights, some people will say only keep them under metal halides, but then again i dotn keep them so i cant gurantee it.

FOWLR = fish only whit live rock = tank with fish and live rock
FO = fish only = fish tank with just fish and a few decorations
LFS = basically a fish store
thats the only abb i can think of right now, its 1:08 am here lol.

 

[mogurnda]

There seems to be a lot of debate about carbon inserts. I was under the impression that they were beneficial. But if someone could clarify that would help a lot.

Indeed. I use carbon to help keep dissolved organics down. Water looks clearer, and probably reduces chemical warfare between the corals. Some argue that it removes essential trace elements, but so much goes into the tank via food and water changes that I don't worry about it too much. Of the books that I have, most authors recommend carbon, but also,recognize the possible downside. In other words, your tank is not likely to crash either way.

Is there an easy way to do this with out losing water...

Easy is relative. I'm with Jessie, empty as much as you can, and put a big person on each corner.