New 55 setup/also new to site

[Nemo4Life]

Let me start by sharing a little background info on how I got the tank. Well, I had a 125 that was set up as freshwater and I had no intentions of going saltwater. But then, a friend of mine sold me a 35 gal hex tank/stand and filter for $75. So, I decided to make it a sort of a nano project. I was gonna have a Lemon peel Angel, 2 Clowns, Blue Damsel, and a Purple Pseduochromis. Then I was planning on buying a MH pendant and have some softies and LPS and call it a day. Well, as you all know a 35 is just a teaser, and before I was even able to get the MH pendant(thank God), I decided to go bigger. I was gonna make the 125 I have into a reef-but after much thought and going back and forth-I decided that a 125 would be too much on my time and wallet. So I decided to sell the 125 and get a 65 from Glass Cages. Well I called Glass Cages and told them I wanted the 65 gal, but was informed that they had stopped taking orders for the April 3rd truck and that it would be 6 months or so before they were back in the area-or I could have had it delivered by freight($128 for the tank but $165 FREIGHT). So I decided against it and went looking for another tank. Well I really found a deal, and from who else but the same friend that sold me the 35 hex (oh, BTW-he also sold me the 125 ) Anyway, that is how I came to have a 55 now instead of the 125 or 65. Oh, and I still have the 35 hex-that will be my hospital tank after I get the 55 set up.

Now on to the description of the deal of the century(as far as I am concerned).

55 gallon tank / stand & canopy / overflow box / Top Fathom TF100A Skimmer / 2-Rio 2500 pumps / Wet Dry / Canopy has a 4 bulb 4 ft VHO lighting retro'd into it. All this for......$100 WOW!!

here are some pics




Ok, got her up and running today. Went out this morning and got all the hoses, clamps, return nozzle, and VHO lamps (Thanks Paul-Advance Aquatics in Belmont NC). Also, got some dry LR and added it.

here it is being filled-all plumbing done. I simply used the wet dry and overflow box, then used one pump from sump to skimmer-which empties straight back into the sump. Then used the other pump as return from sump straight to tank.



I took out one set of the VHO's and put in a set of 55w PC's I had. So my lighting is 2x110w VHO 10k and 2x55w 50/50 PC's. I think that should be plenty on a 55 and be able to keep about anything. What do you guys think?



Close up of the wet dry and skimmer plumbed in.



Close up of the skimmer already skimming a little (Top Fathom TF100A)



Finally, FTS. I need to still either paint the back of the tank or just get a black background to hide the overflow box, hoses, and wires. But you can get the general idea. Can hardly wait till I can add my first coral.



Let me know what you guys think, I would appreciate any comments, praise, or letting me know where I screwed up at. Thanks


Before you say it- I added a hose to the skimmer return so it is under the water level, the metal clamps are food grade stainless so the wont leech, and I am planning on painting the back of tank black. Oh yea, and I monted the venturi line for the skimmer above the waterline so I dont get backflow and empty it on floor in case of power outage.

[7digits]

Are you using a crushed coral substrate?

[Nemo4Life]

It came with the tank setup. It actually looks like a cross between crushed coral and regular aquariun rock. I plan on using live sand in my fuge when I add it after the tank cycles.

[7digits]

Most people here I think would tell you to get rid of the crushed coral and put sand in. Crushed coral is a detritus trap that could lead to higher nitrates. I would get it out and put sand in before it got any further, but that's just me. Sand also gives more surface area for bacteria to grow. And yes I am jealous of the deal you got on it.

[Parrothead]

first off get rid of the bio balls, they will become more of a goo trap than the crushed coral(yuck, JMHO, I prefer sand and it's not to late to change), the bio ball will become a nitrate factory, in a reef tank, your biological filtration is provided by your live rock and sand bed.

Just out of curiousity, you mentioned it looks like a mix of crushed coral and regular aquarium gravel, was the 55 orginally a freshwater set-up, I'd get rid of it and replace it with about 2 - 3 inches of good ole plain aragonite. I believe you will be glad you did

And welcome to reeflands

[Nemo4Life]

It was not setup when I brought it, so dont know if it was used last as a fresh or salt. At some time it must have been salt thro, cause he was using VHO's and a skimmer and wetdry. Never seen anyone use these items on a freshwater.

Like I said earlier, I am planning on removing the bio balls after the cycle, and will be adding a fuge too. I actually like the look of the white rock substrate, so I will probably keep it. But when I add my fuge I will go with an extra deep sandbed-probably about 8-10 inches.

[Parrothead]

you should really remove the bio balls before you cycle, if done afterwards you will only be able to remove a cup or so at a time due to most of your biological filtration being the bio balls, I'd pull them now and let the rock and substrate do it's thing, jmho

[mpwolken]

AFAIK, bio-balls will leave Nitrite in your system. This is OK for a fish only system (if you do water changes), but it is not good for a reef.

I thought I was old-school using a Beckett skimmer (as I think they outperform all-others), but your kickin' it venturi style! I'd probably look into upgrading the skimmer.

[Nemo4Life]

I was told by several people well established in the hobby that the Top Fathom skimmers worked very well, but they are a pain in the butt to dial in. I will just work with it and get it right, I cant afford to buy a top of line skimmer.

[blennydude]

Nemo, you asked for peoples advise and they suggested you get rid of the bio balls and crushed coral. But you tell them you are going to keep it.

[7digits]

Everyone wants advice. No one wants to follow it. A lot of the people giving advice here have lots of knowledge and experience. I'm new, but I will follow the advice I get here. They have helped me out a lot. If Ninong or Parrothead or Charlie or Leebca offer their advice you would be very wise to do what they say. I'm sure I'm leaving someone out, sorry if I missed you. They will not lead you the wrong way.

[Nemo4Life]

where did I say I was keeping the bio balls???? I said I was gonna remove them after the cycle. I know I will have to remove them a little at a time.

[7digits]

you should really remove the bio balls before you cycle, if done afterwards you will only be able to remove a cup or so at a time due to most of your biological filtration being the bio balls, I'd pull them now and let the rock and substrate do it's thing, jmho

+1

[7digits]

It looks like you may have some river rock in the tank from looking at the pictures. Is it all from the ocean?

[Nemo4Life]

there is 4 pcs of river rock mixed in there. It came from a landscape place that sells rocks. I had it in my freshwater tank. Keep a few pcs of it when I sold that setup. Most of my LR is shelf rock, so I needed a few pcs to use as a base.

[Nemo4Life]

went and got some live sand today(CaribSea brand). Gonna get a rubbermaid tub that will fit under my stand for a fuge. I got some hose and a bulkhead today also. Need to get a cheap clip on light and some chaeto. Right now my skimmer returns back into my wet dry. Gonna change it so it feeds into the fuge, then it will gravity feed back into the wet dry where it will be picked up by the return pump to the tank. I'll post some pics after I get it installed in the next few days.

On a side note- I HATE DIATOM ALGAE!! Yep, going thru the "new tank syndrom"

[7digits]

Just make sure that river rock doesn't have any trace metals or minerals else it will cause problems with the livestock. It would probably be best to pull it out, or I would at least. Recently someone posted a question wanting to know why her fish were dying. Her rock was 2 pieces she got from the forest. The rocks may be fine for freshwater, but saltwater fish are not use to these materials and it causes them problems.

[Doodaa]

Right now my skimmer returns back into my wet dry. Gonna change it so it feeds into the fuge, then it will gravity feed back into the wet dry where it will be picked up by the return pump to the tank.

You should "T" off your drain (from the display) to feed the refugium instead of having skimmer water feed it.

[Nemo4Life]

mmmmm, ok. I dont know how I would "T" it off the display drain-using a wet dry and the hose is big like a vacuum cleaner hose. I could use a maxijet to pull from the wetdry to the fuge before it goes into the skimmer. But from all the sump designs I have seen, the skimmer is before the fuge. Why do you suggest that it not be feed from the skimmer?

[Doodaa]

Why do you suggest that it not be feed from the skimmer?

The stuff your refugium will be growing off of is the same stuff your protein skimmer takes out. The main purpose of a refugium is for nutrient export. Yes, you will still grow algae and export nutrients, but instead of using your refugium to its full potential, you will be using less efficient equipment.