Advice on my new tank plan

Grant wrote in message
om...
Hello all:


I have been lurking here for a couple weeks now trying to absorb all
of the information in the group. I would like some advice on the plan
I have developed for my new tank.

kewl good that your researching now

Background:

I ran a freshwater tank (cichlids) for nearly 5 years and really
enjoyed it! I have been moving around a lot the last few years and
havent brought it back up. I have finally settled down and can start
a tank again. Instead of freshwater I have decided to try a sal****er
tank. My plan is a FOWLR to start and hopefully convert to a reef
tank once I get the system well established.

ok take almost everything you know out of your head, and put it in a trash can

Equipment thus far:
55 gallon tank
Power Filter

drop it its not worth it.

Prizm Pro Skimmer
200w heater

the best one your $ can afford the difference wont be much in $ but a big difference in
quality

Timer
Instant Ocean Salt
Hydrometer
Marine Test Kit
*No power head yet
move this one UP on the purchase order, get it instead of a powerfiilter


45lbs Figi LR (just ordered from Live Aquaria
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...=24&pCatId=397
)

good stuff dont let it dry out as soon as you get it it needs to be in a tank full of
water, remember it will displace water so dont fill a full tank.

I am still confused as to what would work best for my substrate. I
have been reading about deep sand beds but still unsure what to buy.

any of the finer grain sands will do, if your local homedepot carries it southdown
otherwise your lfs will sell it in bags, it can be bought online at a good price, but in
the end after shipping only if your LFS is really high priced

Some suggested I go with a crushed coral substrate but then I would
not get the benefit of live sand. Speaking of live sand, I am not
sure what to buy but I would like a 1 1/2 - 2 inch base.

DO NOT use CC its not worth it, if you really think it is search around groups.google.com
for all the people that have had to upgrade you will notice that they had huge nitrate
problems, this isnt acceptabile for a reef.


The Budget:
The wife has given the green light but I dont want to spend 500 on
live sand.



The Plan:
1) Fill the tank with sal****er and test for proper salinity.
2) Add equipment (Heater, Skimmer, Filter, Power head (when purchased)

add skimmer now, it will be new and will need to run to get the gunk from making it off
the plastic, even if it doesnt skim, also the powerhead should be in now.
while your cycling its probibly a good thing to use the venturi adapter that came with
your powerhead once your tank is cycled forget it.

5) Add my substrate (crushed coral?, live sand??, black sand?,
mixture?, PLEASE HELP)

this needs to be here, you want a DSB it wont be easy, nor fun to move the rock to make
one, also you will want that dsb to be seeded while the tank cycles so it will be
effective sooner.

3) Add LR (45 lbs)
4) Let the rock cure / cycle the tank for 3-4 weeks or however long it
takes for the nitrite/nitrate/ph/etc levels to be normal.

sounds good

6) Add a algae attack pack (12 Scarlet Hermit Crabs, 24 Margarita
Snails, 35 Dwarf Red Tip Hermit)
7) let the tank run 1-2 weeks to ensure levels are still normal.

8) Add 4-5 Blue Damselfish (not for cycling)
9) let the rank run 2 weeks
10) return Blue Damselfish to LFS
if its not for the cycle, dont do it, dont do it for the cycle either, if your not keeping
them dont get them skip these 3 steps and move to #11

11) Add a couple clowns (Cinnamon Clownfish) and a few other reef
friendly fish.
12) let the tank run for 5-6 months
good plan

13) start adding live coral
also good plan

Please let me know what I am missing or any suggestions. I have the
patience and the time to make this tank a success and I don't want to
make any common mistakes that can be avoided.

some you will make regardless of how many times I tell you what to do its the nature of
the beast, taking your time is a good idea, but dont waste time either, some of that stuff
on the rock will not live happly on the rock and will want to be in the sandbed as soon as
it can get there. the rock will provide ammonia no need to supliment with damsels.

there are a few people that read posts on this list often, you might state where you are,
so we can guide you to or away from certain LFS's

TIA:

Grant

--
richard reynolds