[08TRDOFFROAD]

Updated: 8/20/2012

It's offical! It is time for another build thread!:banana::banana:

I am jumping back into the hobby again after a nearly two year absence!:dance:

I recently purchased a Aqueon 45 Gallon tank to fit an existing stand that I already had, I went with the biggest tank I could get with that right size footprint for my stand. The dimensions are 36"x13"x24"

The equipment list so far...

Current
~45 gallon tank
~30 lbs of Carib Sea Sugar Sized Aragonite Sand
~40 lbs of Key Largo Marco Rock
~28 Cree LED DIY fixture with 48D drivers and 80 degree lenses (7-Royal blue, 7-Blue, 7-Neutral white, 7- Cool White)
~Octopus BH-1000 HOB Skimmer (slightly modified)
~150 W Eheim Jager Heater
~1 MP10w ES
~Koralia Nano 425 (2)
~10 Gallon Sump w/3 baffles (o-u-o)
~Eshopps PF-300 Overflow box
~Sicce Syncra 3.0 Return pump

Planned
~MP10w ES (want two total, one on each side of the tank)

The tank has been running with water and sand for several weeks while I decided on rock.

I ordered 50 lbs of Marco rock that just arrived yesterday. I didn't have time to unbox it or look at it all, but I am very impressed with what I saw when I peaked at it breifly last night. It is very porous and clean! I don't think I will be able to fit all dry 50 lbs in the tank! I will rinse it in fresh water to get the dust off and then it will be going straight in the tank.

I will take pictures of the rock as I unbox it, as well as of the tank once it is aquascaped tonight.

I will pick up a few medium raw shrimp from the store tonight to toss in to get the cylce going also. I will only leave them in the tank until there is a registerable amount of ammonia and then remove them.

The plans for the tank to start out with are a FOWLR while I save for my lighting and protein skimmer. But, eventually my wife and I will be keeping LPS, Clams, and some type of anemone.

Current Livestock List
~Pair of True Percula Clownfish
~Tiny Hippo Tang
~Tiny Yellow Eyed Kole Tang (RIP 5-7-2012)
~10 Red Leg Hermit Crabs
~10 Cerith Snails

Planned Livestock List
~Flame Angelfish
~Coral Beauty Angelfish

It didn't take as long as I thought it would to save for my lighting and protein skimmer, so the tank is now a bonafied reef! Although all the coral pieces are frags, I have seen some outstanding growth so far under my MH lighting setup!

Current Coral List
~Green Birdsnest (RIP)
~Hammer Coral (10-12 heads)
~Pulsing Xenia (RIP)
~Kenya Tree (2) (Sold)
~Green Toadstool Leather
~Radio Active Dragon Eye Zoanthids
~Nuclear Green Candy Cane
~Green Star Polyps
~Rose Bubble Tip Anemone (2) (1.5 as of 8/20/2012, Dang MP10)
~Yellow/orange Zoanthids
~Green/purple Zoanthids
~Green/orange Zoanthids
~"Pink" Montipora
~Idaho Grape Montipora
~Green Torch Coral (2 Heads)
~Purple Palys
~Dragon Eye Zoas (RIP)

Here is a FTS of the tank today!

I will do my best to keep this thread updated with pictures as things progress...so let's try to keep the squirrel out of it! :beer:

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Sorry it took so long for pictures! I only have internet access at work, and I only work Wednesday-Saturday.

Over the weekend I was able to get a lot of progress made on the tank! I got my rock unpacked and put in the tank and I can't tell you how impressed I am with the rocks I received from Marcorocks! I was also able to get a background put on to hide all the equipment. I added two Koralia 4's that I had for circulation until I have the funds to purchase their smaller counter parts.

Here is some pictures of how the rock came packaged. Each piece was wrapped individually in bubble wrap.

There was very little rubble due to the way it was packed.

Here is all 50 lbs laid out after unpacking.

I rinsed the rock in a 5 gallon bucket and began placing in the tank. It was a lot of rock!!!!

Here is the final aquascaping. I am extremely happy with the way the tank has turned out so far!

I did have a little rock left over after aquascaping. I figure I have about 40 lbs of rock in the tank as it sits now. I will hang on to the left overs for another project or bigger tank down the road.

Last night I was able to get to the grocery store to pick up a couple raw shrimp to get the cycle started. The guy at the meat counter looked at me extremely funny when I asked him for just two of the 71-90 count raw shrimp. It cost me a whopping 11 cents... Then as I proceded to the check out and the cashier wanted to throw the bag away after scanning it until he realized that there was still shrimp in it! lol!

Now for the long wait as the cycle progresses....

I tested the water last night to get a baseline for the cycle.

SG: 1.024
PH: 7.9
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Temp: 78 degrees

And the waiting begins!

 

[emkbass]

Looks good so far! keep us posted on the progress!
I really like the rock, I'd put the rest in there too, but that's just me. I like lots of rock.

salinity ?? 1.0024 or 1.024??

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Looks good so far! keep us posted on the progress!
I really like the rock, I'd put the rest in there too, but that's just me. I like lots of rock.

salinity ?? 1.0024 or 1.024??

Thanks!

1.024...I got alittle a head of myself on the keyboard apparently!

I fixed it in the other post as well!

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Here is a question...well more of just wanting to bounce my thoughts off of other people.

I put the raw shrimp in last night to begin cycling the tank, I plan on testing the water daily until there is a registerable amount of ammonia in the system and then remove them. Is this the correct course of action or should I be doing something differently?

 

[Nate_Bro]

Here is a question...well more of just wanting to bounce my thoughts off of other people.

I put the raw shrimp in last night to begin cycling the tank, I plan on testing the water daily until there is a registerable amount of ammonia in the system and then remove them. Is this the correct course of action or should I be doing something differently?

I would remove one of them once ammonia starts showing up...

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

I would remove one of them once ammonia starts showing up...

So remove one and leave the second indefinitely?

 

[Nate_Bro]

So remove one and leave the second indefinitely?

I did, since it is a little shrimp once they start decaying they go fast, so there probably will not be a lot left of it, and if there is a little bit and the ammonia is 0, and the Nitrite is 0, then you can add a small CUC to finish it off... or you can remove it and get the CUC, ether way it will work...

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

That just seems like a large chunk of flesh to just disappear, but that is what bacteria does I guess. What would you recommend for the initial clean up crew?

I already know my first fish will be a pair of True Perc's.

 

[Nate_Bro]

That just seems like a large chunk of flesh to just disappear, but that is what bacteria does I guess. What would you recommend for the initial clean up crew?

I already know my first fish will be a pair of True Perc's.

inverts tend to decay very fast in warm water, and once they start going, it usually only takes a few hours to fully dissolve.

 

[benzzz]

Hey Man,,,wo0w Looks awsome so far. Love the rockwork.

Gonna follow along with this one:beer:

 

[Brad65ford]

Congrats and welcome back to this indigenous fun hobby. Your rock looks great where did you purchase from.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

inverts tend to decay very fast in warm water, and once they start going, it usually only takes a few hours to fully dissolve.

I noticed when I looked at them yesterday when I got home. That the ends were already looking like they were falling apart, and the shrimp looked somewhat pink like they had been cooked slightly.

Tested the ammonia last night.

Ammonia: .01

Hey Man,,,wo0w Looks awsome so far. Love the rockwork.

Gonna follow along with this one:beer:

I was extremely happy with the way the rock work turned out! I can't wait for it to be covered in coral and coraline!

Thanks for tagging along! :beer:

Congrats and welcome back to this indigenous fun hobby. Your rock looks great where did you purchase from.

Thanks, my wife and I are excited to be back! I purchased my rock from Marcorocks.com. I ordered a 50 lb box for $109 and Marc covered the shipping! It is great rock! Clean, pest free, and very porous!!! And because the rock ships dry, you get a lot for what you pay for, you aren't paying for water weight, just rock!

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Day 3 of the cycle...this is the worst part of the salt water hobby...waiting!!!

 

[egator89]

i really like that rock, next time i start up a new system that is definately the way im going.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

It is awesome rock! I can't tell you how impressed I am with it!! And at $2.18 per pound it is hard to beat!! I actually ended up with a bit more than 50 lbs too, Marc always adds a few extra pounds to make up for the rubble that occurs in shipping. It comes dry and clean so you don't have to worry about potential pests like you do with other rock.

 

[egator89]

thats great, it seems like that really may be the best way to start a tank. although it may take longer, its worth the peace of mind to know that there is absolutely nothing in there that you didnt put in there.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

I ordered my skimmer this morning!

I ordered a Reef Octopus BH-1000 HOB skimmer from Aquacave.com. Hopefully it gets here sometime next week!! Hopefully my tank will be nearly finished cycling and will be ready for the first few fish!

 

[fihsboy]

You will love it! I love mine, best skimmer I have owned thus far. It pulls like crazy once its broken in.

 

[fihsboy]

I had to tear down my 45 when I moved....and now I have a biocube. But I used to run two 150 mh. I think you could probably get away with 150w of led and still have plenty of light. Just some food for thought.