HH's 55 Gal tank log

H

HeathersHobbie

Long story short. A year ago. Sawdust + a three year old ='s Massive Tank crash

Straight up nothing I could do about it, talked to my LFS and the response they have me was "You are in uncharted waters, tell us how you are doing in a few weeks."

Needless to say, I could not save my corals, my daughter dumped the sawdust into the tank in the wee hourse of the morning around 5am I didn't know about it until 830 am. I was just getting started on my tank, when that happened. I still lost three fish, my whole cleaner crew, and three corals.
I was outragously angry, my daughter sat in time out for the whole day.

After the die off happened, I just cleaned my tank and started all over again. Sad because of the costs of coral and angry that my lfs were total slackers and couldn't offer me any advice. At that point I just called my old fish store back in NC and had a long conversation with the fish department. They are still awesome, mainly because they really care about what they are doing, and want to offer the highest qaulity of fish and coral possible. With them I have never had a tank crash at all, even when I first started.

The whole idea of a 55 gal tank was a whole new ball game. I Orginally started with a 10 gal, 1LR, 1 kenya tree and a blue damsel. The tank thrived. My husband sugestted that I turn our 20 gal hex into a sw, and so it happened.

Before we moved, I told him that the 55 gal was mine and there is nothing he could do about it.

So in the present.
I have done a DIY 10 gal sump under my tank, the plumbing job myself, and I am looking at adding a refugiam or a RO system.
It currently has a Skimmer on the bottom and works nicely. For myself I am still a beginner, I have had one tank crash, and one midget seahorse die on me. Mainly because it didn’t want to eat, and I had no idea what I was doing.

Since joining the DFWMAS I have had LOTS of resources to help my hobby grow, I enjoy just sitting watching my tank do its thing.
Today I attended the frag swap and as I quoted to my husband “I made out like a bandit, check out my loot, help me acclimatize these guys then dip em.”
I really can’t say enough how grateful I am for the frag swap because I have got some awesome pieces for my tank, at mouth dropping prices.

See! If you are reading this, and you are not a member you are missing out!

Anyways to continue my tank build. My tank has about 50 pounds of Live Sand and 70 pounds of live rock, it has an over flow system, and DIY sump.
My future plans for water quality is to add a RO system or…. Algea…. OR mandrake plants (Is it obvious that I am fighting the Hairy green monster right now? No? I AM, and I WILL WIN! I hope. [smilie=smile.gif]
That would involve a lighting system down below. Aside from the fact that I am not happy about my DIY sump and plan to improve upon it. It is not working like my drawings, plus I had unforeseen things happen during construction (Such as my acrylic tub bursting open, don’t ask) It is not perfect but it is working for now.
Help on building a new sump, Like maybe a SUMP class would be great! HINT HINT HINT! >.>
BYOM (bring your own materials)
That’s it for now. More later as budgets allows.
 
Well today, I made the decision to redo my sump. Let me be honest here, my first one doest work like a sump at all. More like a simple box underneath my tank. It has to be doing its job because my qauter sized frog spawn or torch coral.. No idea what it is really... is happy. Spawning some milky white clear liquid. IT is the first time I have ever seen that happen.

My tank levels are doing awesome, but It really is time that I get serious about my sump. So I redid it.

It is again a 10 gallon. The reaons for this, is because I have to invert the entire sump tank to fit it underneath. Then turn it and finally put it in its place.
I wish I had a cabinet next to my tank where I could do everything in stages. Its my dream tank. Done in three stages. I'll have to draw it up some day.

Anyways to continue.

It has the same design as before. Only this time I hope the seals stay, and water flows like it is supposed to. I am adding a media filter carbin pad platform so I can have a trickle effect. I can cut those to the way I need them, my skimmer of course, and to improve water quality I will be adding a light system and mandrake plants.

Yup all in my little 10 gal.

I am of course pondering just what kind of lighting set up to use for the mandrake plants. I have never had them before so this is improving upon my skill as a baby reef keeper.

Thoughts?
 
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=200121&id=653765372&l=416e32ca6c


Heres the photos of my corals from the swap and the few that I have had for a while. Enjoy.
 
New Sump and Intake installed today.

The sump. It works! I tested it before I put it in. Although my sealing job is crappy. it works. Which is much better than last time.

My return pump flow had to be adjusted, that thing is just WAY to powerful. I had to adjust a valve on the return line. Cuase it was just returning the way to fast and creating a saltwater bubble valcano inside my tank. All is happy now. I have been monitoring the water flow, and doing on off test's to simulate a power outtage.

Now I am thinking about doing mandrake plants for the sump and a light system. Going to have research those, to improve water quality.
But I want some type of natural plan that is going to pull out what my skimmer misses.
 
Mandrake! Gah I am such an idiot today. Mangrooves! So right now I am looking at a lighting system and planning to add it all to my sump. Next month though! Lets hope that hairy green algea doesn't want to get worse.

Onto other things. It MUST be breeding time in my tank. seahorses having babies. the green frog spawn spreading out his milky white love, then my coco worm doing the same a few days later. Yup All within a week. My orange sponge I got from the frag swamp has even broken off small pieces and is laying in a shadowy area, we will see if it grows.

I am removing daily about 10 atrena starfish in order to save my zoo, which is now starting to open now that I am adding filter feeder food. I forget the name. But everything is looking very happy.

HH.
 
Long time since I updated this. So let's see where I left off, I was unable to save the zoo's. But I have a new zoo now and a harlequin shrimp! and the starfish are lessoning.. *snicker* I had no idea when I will see my harley shrimp again, last I seen he was cruising the rocks for the starfish.
I have also added some macro algea named "dragons breath" which is pretty neat, and it grows really fast, but it is also really brittle. Handle with care.
I am looking to start adding new coral's, the red ones I got from Marc at my first ever coral swapped has produced a baby! I'm so proud. I now have three instead of two red mushrooms! I have to say I am really excited about the next wave, I hope to nab some more corals to add to my collection, but I am more interested in other things like top off systems, RODI systems, lighting and so many basic questions to make my 55 galleon really shine. I envision it as a reef tank... I just feel like I am moving into intermediate and I need to pick someones brain to get there.

Next month I am adding another set of two T5's so I can have a super awesome lighting system of a whopping four bulbs on my tank for coral growth.

This month I added a zoa that has a really neat looking mushroom on it, its blue in the center and purple towards the edges with little bumps all over it. Really pretty.
Two harly shrimps, One just didn't make it. I'm bummed!
And another jet for more flow.

At next wave I plan on getting more variety in my tank as it only just a softie tank, I just got the itch to add more coral so it can be vastly more colorful and entertaining when I look at it.

Btw, Hermit crab verses Harley shrimp... Harley everytime! "I'm gonna pince you! don't make me do it! That's it, your getting the pince!"
 
Yup! you read that right,

My hubbins got me a 100 gal for valentines day! woohoo! for me! YAY!

Took my hubbins to the lfs to pick up some stuff for my tank and fug, bioballs and some copepods and what not.
I was like lets go price check tanks, and he said Surprise! And there was this pretty 100 gall tank! Omgoodness! Woot!

Now all I can think about besides next wave is all the stuff it is going to take to set it up and get it going.

But before all that can happen, I want some new carpet in my house. :) otherwise I am stoked and beyond happy.
I'll load a picture later after I run to home depot for stuff.
 
So there it is! I'll be bringing it home tommorrow! Then I guess I will finish this thread out as a the break down of the old tank into the new tank in time.

So in the meantime. I got some sump stuff, some live sand, a light from homedepot. I really did learn alot from Marc's presentation. Mainly small things that I want to incorporate into my new system.

I want to add top off systems and a RODI system, a switch board, auto timers, ballast. >.>

This new tank should one a load of fun!

So any advice on transfering things from a 55 to a 100 would be great.

Heather
 
That's a great gift Heather. Very nice tank. Build yourself a nice sump. Buy an overflow box or have it drilled and it will be good to go.
 
Well I did it. I won't be starting on my 100 gal until new carpet gets installed. Soon it shall happen!

In other news. I finally picked up an ATO and a pump, while my hubbins was with me at Next Wave seeing all the cool corals convinced him that I needed a better lighting system! Thanks guys! So we grabbed some super awesome T5ho's. So that means I have six T5hos and four LED's on my tank currently. Yea... its a WORLD of differnce.

While at next wave, after my husbands spontanious crash hard coral geek that he is now. :D We decided that we should be taking the dive from softies to harder corals because theyre awesome.

Even though I have tons of smaller frags. I'd love some bigger pieces to really make it feel homey.
With my new tank I haven't decided if I want to do a dosing system. In fact I really don't know much about dosing at all. Count my knowledge that I just know that some people have them.

New fishies. A tri Colored Wrasse and a goby.

So its official my tank is now a mixed reef tank; and did I learn alot at next wave. I particulary enjoyied the discussion about clams, and also the helpful information from Reef Nutrition. Thank you!

The candycane is really cool when it is eating! Okay now that I am done gushing here's the updates.


New lights.
Refugiam is finished.
New alternating jets.

I have the stuff for the auto top off I just have to figure out how on earth I am going to stick it all under my tiny 55 gal. I wish I had a cabinet.

Things to get.
Marc's RODI system.

Things for new tank.
New sump.
Marc's super awesome help.
Sump pump.
Sand
LR
 
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