10 gallon project-starting now!

[discus4everGrl]

Ok, I have decided that I am going to start a 10 gallon nano. I will post what I have done thus far so others can see what I'm doing if they are thinking of the same. Hopefully, as I go the more experienced members can make comments and so forth so that others can see where I went wrong etc (hopefully not) and not make the same mistakes.

I have a 10 gallon tank, heater, themometer, and filter from an old hospital tank. I have torn it down. My plans are to start with live rock 5 pounds this week and another 5 pounds this weekend. I have no plans to rush into this so I can get fish asap. Personally I want two clowns perhaps, but this is going to be mostly a cleanup crew type tank. I bought a 18 watt, 10,000K corallife bulb for the top of the tank. I also have an additional strip sitting around that needs a new bulb that I plan to put a marineglo or something similiar in and also add that. I don't think I need it yet though with only live rock sitting in the tank and the new strip. I also have two spare powerheads I plan to use and a sand substrate.

Question #1 - Is it a bad idea to use the filter, minus the filter pads just for added water movement? Well I have to paint the room this tank is going in and then set it up so I better get painting...

 

[OCCFan023]

its perfectly ok to use the filter with no media in it for added water flow in your tank. Is the filter just like a aquaclear type hob filter?

 

[S.Reef]

Yeah, its fine to use the filter without the stuff.

 

[discus4everGrl]

its a filter sleave that holds carbon. I plan to not use that unless advised otherwise.

 

[1979camaro]

sounds like a whisper...i agree with the above, use it sans media...if you want to run carbon for a few days now and aain it will be convenient for that too

 

[discus4everGrl]

Ok room is painted. Tomorrow I will set the tank up. My plan is to mix the salt water to about a 1.022 salinity because from what I have heard, the salinity will go up slightly as the water heats to the right temp. Is this a good way to go or should I aim for a 1.024 right off the bat?

 

[1979camaro]

i would get the water to the proper temperature and then add salt to reach 1.024. if you look on your salt mix you will probably find instructions for how much salt to add to 1 gallon of FW. this should get you in the right area

 

[Grymatta]

whats wrong with using media? Isnt it good to have additional biological filter besides LR?

 

[discus4everGrl]

I think I will put a new filter sleeve in from time to time just to catch any large particles, but I think the idea is that it causes too much nitrates????

 

[discus4everGrl]

Anyways I have added 8 gallons of water (makes room for lr) and the temp is currently at 78. Salinity is a little low and am adding a little every 15 minutes to try to get as accurate a reading as possible. However, I might have to adjust in the morning as I had no idea you have to "season" the needle in a hydrometer. Lesson #1 - If you want to set up your first sw tank - season the hydrometer in saltwater the night before.

 

[discus4everGrl]

Okay I officially now have a sw tank - a tank with saltwater in it.

Another interesting thing I learned today. when you test ammonia in a saltwater tank, the test solution turns to gel....

 

[aresgod]

um it shouldnt....

 

[discus4everGrl]

Not sure if you guys ever had college chemistry, remember those reactions that they called percipitants (sp). Thats exactly what it looks like.

 

[discus4everGrl]

Ok new question. My tap water is acidic. I plan to use about 10 pounds of live rock. Would it serve me better to use live sand as well, or to get a calcium based substrate so I don't have ph/KH hardness problems?

 

[aresgod]

forget the calcium based substrate, your salt mix should buffer the water to a correct ph/alk, and when you do fresh water top offs just add some buffer to get the ph correct

 

[discus4everGrl]

Ok, thanks aresgod

 

[aresgod]

happy to help

 

[discus4everGrl]

Ok - got the lr!!!! It is 11 pounds of awesome liverock. It is covered in blue, green, purple, red and pink colors. I saw that a few pieces have either tubeworms or featherdusters on them. The best part is - my lfs had a clearance - all the live rock was marked from 11.99 a pound to 5.88 a pound. I hope to get pictures soon.

 

[discus4everGrl]

I just cleaned up my rock and put it in my tank and guess what I found - some type of soft coral or polyps, a itty bitty sea star and man can he move and a green bi-valve of some sort. These are all good hitch hikers right? I am so excited I can hardly stand it.

 

[aresgod]

just wait, over the next couple of months you will find all sorts of cool stuff coming out of your LR, and yes those are all good hitch hikers