Got my LR, now what?

A

amd

Large Fish
#1
Jun 4, 2006
301
0
0
40
north carolina asheville area
#1
I bought 8 lbs of primium fiji rock today, and I need to go and get a master test kit + a few to test my water, my SG is 1.022 temp 79.2 f constant. but now how long till i can put stuff in it? and what. i want a few realy cool things like real colorful clean up crew along with what ever if any fish i decide to get:confused:

ps also i am concidering very seriously on upgradeing the lighting system, i know there are some retro fit kits out for the eclipse, i had a hard time finding any so a link or a address would be greatly appriciated. i hear that theyre 32 watt in a 12 gallon thats actually 9 gallons and i have a almost 3 inch bed of aragonite and stacking rock pretty high, what kind of coral or polyp, and whatnot grow well preferabbly a lot of blue and green yellow, i guess what looks really nice under 10000k and actenic 420.

in all enven though i have a "thought i have" some knowladge in marine aquaria, I have been seeing some quite different views on filtration and all and the bennefits of skimmers and I have a built in bio wheel filter but instead use a 250 skilter skimmer, it has all the benifits from what i see that u need, it does bio mechanical and chemical(optional) and is a fairly simmple and effective(i think) skimmer, and i have the room for it if i remove the original pump, it will also eliminate the bad light blockage from the pump bein in the way of light so I would get full usage of availible light, especially if i go with an upgrade light. I also have a power head to put in, its really tiny for a five gallon i may put behind the rock, possibly with an airstone
 

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CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#2
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#2
*Mostly a BUMP*

Once you have the test kit, you need to test the water and see what the ammonia and nitrite levels are. Once both those levels are steady at zero, you can slowly add some clean up crew.

What size tank is this?
 

kevin4052002

kevin4052002

Large Fish
#10
Jul 14, 2005
433
3
0
Tampa, FL
#10
Okay, good. I was thinking 6 for some reason...the light would be overkill there, but with the 12 you are doing very good.

I think a rock anemone would work for you too. My LFS has one in the eclipse 12 that sits on their desk, it looks great.

Good Luck
 

A

amd

Large Fish
#11
Jun 4, 2006
301
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north carolina asheville area
#11
so what should i do as far as light goes just stay 13 watts int a true 9 gallon, or go with 1 32w 50/50 10000k/actenic or try to squeeze 2 of them in there?
as of now i have an aqua clear 10 powerhead and a cascade300 i gottoday at petsmart for 5$! and i bought all the stuff they had for it like 10 carbon boxes and 15 filter pads, spent 17 even, cheap for what i got. i think i want a powerhead somehere else in there or get like a skilter250 and use it as a refugim and bio filter and it is a p.skimmer to but its not a great skimmer, but it is a small tank so it would serve a few pourposes, along with pickin out particles too., any thoughts suggestions or comment would be verrrry appriciated, im thirsty for info
 

kevin4052002

kevin4052002

Large Fish
#12
Jul 14, 2005
433
3
0
Tampa, FL
#12
You are saying that you used 9 gallons of water, as I recall. It doesn't matter how much water is in it, when people say you need a certain amount of light wattage per gallon, they are speaking gallons because it is easier than saying the dimensions. So you are lighting 12 gallons, not 9.

Using one 32w would work well. You could fit two if you really wanted.

What are the outputs of the powerheads? It should be expressed in terms of GPH (Gallons/Hr) or LPH (L/Hr). The refugium using the Skilter250 sounds like a good idea, but another powerhead would work just as well - your choice, really.
 

A

amd

Large Fish
#13
Jun 4, 2006
301
0
0
40
north carolina asheville area
#13
the 2 are somewhere around 100gph each but i had a realllllly crazy good idea. can i put my power heads in a tupper ware "clean" container and put all the stuff in my box to keep it going while i work on the tank for a day or two?
i just happen to find some acryilic laying around and though having a built in refugium up towards the top of the tank and have a corner over flow for a place to place medicines or chemicals of extra filteration media and whatnot mabey a small lees skimmer 12 inches tall 22 bucks at the lfs. just talked to the owner. plus i think the overflows are cool
 

A

amd

Large Fish
#15
Jun 4, 2006
301
0
0
40
north carolina asheville area
#15
as for a small corner box i could bond the acryilic with silicon right? that theres not much pressure and being soved in place by what pressure there is?
im not sure im comfortable with bonding with solvent, and dont know where to get weldon
 

A

amd

Large Fish
#17
Jun 4, 2006
301
0
0
40
north carolina asheville area
#17
*celebrate woohoo yay woo yeah, update!
i am waiting for the overflow to dry now, for there is wet silcone!
Im happy with my acheivement, i have egg crate to make rack in the overflow, i just havent got it out of my car yet. so heres some pix. my liverock is the tub and got 2 p.heads and lights on it*SUNSMILE*
tell me what yall think the rocks inside the tupperware*twirlysmi
 

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