Hi guys,
I have been reading posts here for a while, researching making the jump to salt from fresh. I have been keeping fish since I was 4 (when my grand dad got me into keeping guppies) and now that I have kept freshwater fish for 38 years I am ready to make the leap to saltwater.
After a boatload of thought, I decided to shoot for a micro reef with maybe 1 or 2 fish.
Due to budget constraints, I set up my old Aqueon Evolve 8 with some Caribsea Live Sand (roughly 10lbs - I wanted a thick bed), currently only 4 lbs of LR (adding 4 more lbs or so in the relative near future). I mixed up my water and currently it sits at 1.025sg after 2 days - I think that is okay based on research, but there are so many different opinions out there that I am winging it. I know an 8 gallon tank is going to be brutal, but I am up for a challenge and learning everything I can before I get a 125 and invest a ton of cash on something I am just now learning about.
I am using a Wave Point 6 inch 8 watt Super Blue LED light for now, which I hear should suffice for starting out. Trying to mind the budget and get exactly what I want to achieve has been a tough process, but fun none-the-less. I upgraded the pump to a RIO 600, and did some DIY modification to the filtration "area" in the back of the tank to make it 3 compartment. If I can achieve success in the pico tank, I will divert the funds toward the next one, I doubt I will upgrade this one too much, unless it really takes off.
Test kit should be in tomorrow, but one question, since I am going through the cycle process, aside from watching the normal levels of ammonia, ph, nitrates and such, what else should I be looking for, or adding to the tank to insure success when I start getting clean up crew together in preparation for my first frags?
So far, the only thing I have added to the water is a product I have used in every tank I have set up in the past 3 years (about 10 or so, for myself and others in total, all freshwater) Dr. Tim's Aquatics One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria (Marine Version) - it is an effort to kick start the cycle, and I swear by the stuff.
Anyway, I just wanted to say hey, and I am happy to join you guys. I am off to top off the new tank and hit the community tank waterchange. Keep those sleeves wet and rock on peeps.
I have been reading posts here for a while, researching making the jump to salt from fresh. I have been keeping fish since I was 4 (when my grand dad got me into keeping guppies) and now that I have kept freshwater fish for 38 years I am ready to make the leap to saltwater.
After a boatload of thought, I decided to shoot for a micro reef with maybe 1 or 2 fish.
Due to budget constraints, I set up my old Aqueon Evolve 8 with some Caribsea Live Sand (roughly 10lbs - I wanted a thick bed), currently only 4 lbs of LR (adding 4 more lbs or so in the relative near future). I mixed up my water and currently it sits at 1.025sg after 2 days - I think that is okay based on research, but there are so many different opinions out there that I am winging it. I know an 8 gallon tank is going to be brutal, but I am up for a challenge and learning everything I can before I get a 125 and invest a ton of cash on something I am just now learning about.
I am using a Wave Point 6 inch 8 watt Super Blue LED light for now, which I hear should suffice for starting out. Trying to mind the budget and get exactly what I want to achieve has been a tough process, but fun none-the-less. I upgraded the pump to a RIO 600, and did some DIY modification to the filtration "area" in the back of the tank to make it 3 compartment. If I can achieve success in the pico tank, I will divert the funds toward the next one, I doubt I will upgrade this one too much, unless it really takes off.
Test kit should be in tomorrow, but one question, since I am going through the cycle process, aside from watching the normal levels of ammonia, ph, nitrates and such, what else should I be looking for, or adding to the tank to insure success when I start getting clean up crew together in preparation for my first frags?
So far, the only thing I have added to the water is a product I have used in every tank I have set up in the past 3 years (about 10 or so, for myself and others in total, all freshwater) Dr. Tim's Aquatics One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria (Marine Version) - it is an effort to kick start the cycle, and I swear by the stuff.
Anyway, I just wanted to say hey, and I am happy to join you guys. I am off to top off the new tank and hit the community tank waterchange. Keep those sleeves wet and rock on peeps.
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