5.5 gallon Salt Water tank update 8-13-07

Well the reason I haven't been on much lately is that I'v been researching for a 5.5 gallon saltwater tank.

tank stats will be:
5.5 gallon tank
10w cp 6500K with reflector (will upgrade later)
25w elite HOB heater (hoping to get a stealth)
aquaclear 20
maxi-jet 400 powerhead
going to get 6lbs live rock
1" aragonite sand substrate

Pictures
1. hydrometer (getting a refractometer)
2. maxi-jet
3. gloves
4. rio minI (for mixing SW)
5. salt mix
6. aquaclear 20
7. versa-top
8. all together

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Progress 2-24-07

1. draining tank
2. bucket
3. empty tank
4. tank with equipment in
5. Saltwater mixing station next to tank

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

You're setting up a saltwater tank? That's very cool What kind of fish will you have in it? Are there any such small saltwater fish as for a 5 gallon tank? Or do you just want to keep live corals in there?

Also, I think for a saltwater tank with live corals you need a very different light spectrum than the 6,500K one. A 6,500K one is for a planted tank. Reef tanks need a very blue light / actinic bulbs. I also think reef tanks need strong lighting (though not 100% sure).

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Yes I'v wanted a Saltwater tank since last summer but wasn't allowed to get a larger tank, but then I found out about pico tanks (google pico tanks it's amazing) and realized I can have one with my 5.5 so I ditched the planted tank and am starting this one, expensive though. I figured I'll have my 29 planted better when I get a t-5 fixture this summer hopefully so why have two planted tanks when I can finally have a Saltwater tank. fish I don't know, probably a clown goby possibly a fire fish also though that might be too large. Corals to come later.

Yes lol, I'll probably be upgrading to 2x18w coralife fixture giving me 6.6wpg with acitinic bulbs also. For now it's going to be fowlr (fish only with live rock) until I get more money, but then I have to split money between Freshwater tank and SW.

O getting Live Rock probably march 12-13 ;D

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Atm, how is your tank coming along?

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Thanks for asking, I have my Saltwater mixing and now is fully mixed and ready to go. Should be getting my LR tomorrow. Will let you know.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Got some sand tonight, aragonite but not live, that's too expensive and the aragonite will become live sand soon enough anyways. Should get some LR tomorrow. Pics to follow

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Great! Can't wait

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Me either, my mom's taking me today and were taking my lilttle sister to see the sharks and stingrays there and there large tank. can't wait only a few more hours

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank

Still working on it, that's it so far

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

Pretty cool! Cant wait for updates ;D

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

Hmm maybe you will know.

there are red things growing on the rock, know what these are?

Do you know anything about refugiums?

I'm not done with it today, just trying to figure some things out like how deep the sand should be and about a fuge. Will post some more pics later

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

I want to setup a refugium. They are the best.If you get copepods with some macroalgae you have a food source and you will never have to replace your live rock. The red stuff is Coraline algae. That algae is very beneficial and gives your rock a nice color.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

As I've said in the other thread: LOOKS GREAT, and it will be even more beautiful with the colorful saltwater fish

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

I want to setup a refugium. They are the best.If you get copepods with some macroalgae you have a food source and you will never have to replace your live rock. The red stuff is Coraline algae. That algae is very beneficial and gives your rock a nice color.

Hmm, no it's not coraline algae, it's sticking up and looks like paper then there's tube things too that are red. I'm putting in the refugium tomorrow, waiting for the silicone to completely bond. What are copepods? ??? I'm putting in some LR, phophate remover, and going to grow macroalgae.

As I've said in the other thread: LOOKS GREAT, and it will be even more beautiful with the colorful saltwater fish

Thanks, sure do hope so

Here's some pics of the refugium and the things I don't know what they are, unidentified growing objects first , whoops realized don't have all the refugium pics up yet, will download them later.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

Copepods are actually tiny shrimp. They live in the live rock which helps cycle the tank along with the bacteria.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

O ok, well I think I'm going to get another lb. to add to my tank and my refugium then a week later maybe a aestrea snail, then take it from there. Thanks, will get pics of the refugium later tonight hopefully.

You going to make your filter a refugium?

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

Yeah Its going to be my 20 gal tank.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

O, not going to make that a sump?

Getting the fuge up today but am going to run filter floss in it and change every couple days to help remove some junk that came in with the LR, will hopefully this weekend get a few more lbs to add to the fuge and tank.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

Its one of those tall tanks not rectangular. I will put copepod and chaeto in there with live rock. I may have to invest in another MH ballast though.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

I've read that MH lighting isn't good to use over refugiums/sumps and that pc is more than enough so I would just go with pc, cheaper too.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

I am also putting chaeto in the display tank for the inverts.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

OK

Got some LR rubble, filter floss, and phosphate remover in the fuge now and lighting it with a blue l.e.d. light until I can get a white one. Filter floss will be replaced every couple days for probably a week to not trap lots of nitrates and to get rid of some of the that came with the LR.

Got red things growing on the LR and might have spotted one apistia so far, no hitchikers :-\

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

What kinf of LR you got? Was it cured or uncured?

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

It's cured that broke off from the stuff I got on Saturday. the stuff I"m getting later is cured fijI branch I think.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

I heard the uncured usually has the most life. I am going to try tonga next month

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

Well if your lfs is curing it then your not going to get anymore life than what comes in, just you may be able to get any life before it ventures off a certain piece of rock. Your best bet would be to order some online harvested freshly and delivered to your door. ;D

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

I am. I found one company that customers claim to get urchins and coral and sponges in there live rock and that its the best LR out there

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (pictures, LR in)

O urchins are cool, to bad I can't get one.

Hope to get some more LR this weekend, talk to my aunt in getting a test kit for me since there cheap by her and hopefuly getting another heater tonight to prepare Saltwater in since the one I have now is bad.

Lots of algae growing on the rock now, the purple type called macro algae right? Looking better will post pics later.

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (WEEK 1)

pic 1: week one
pic 2: yesterday after adding some aragonite

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (WEEK 1)

pics as of today after new LR and aragonite added.

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (WEEK 1)

Ordered aqualight fixture, legs, and refractometer. Should come in later this week can't wait ;D

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (ordered supplies)

New and final rescape to move the newer bought large piece to the bottom and make more room for corals at the top. Items coming in on Friday ;D

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (ordered supplies)

Here's the new lights. My camera doesn't like them at all, doesn't look good, looks all fuzzy. Don't know what I'm going to do with pics now. Refractometer is amazing too, so much easier to use and read.

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

4-10-07

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

lookin good! well done! ;D tan

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

Yes it is looking good - good job! I think all Saltwater tanks with that type of lighting look that way in pictures. I should have my tank delivered next week or the week after. Really looking forward to it!

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

Thanks guys, I like it a lot. Still working on getting my dad to buy a real digital camera but he's set on moving now so that's going to have to wait.

Terry-can't wait to see your tank, I like cubes a lot and that red sea tank looks really nice, you should make a journal.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

Good idea on the journal, if I can remember!

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

It looks beautiful Atm I can't wait to see some fish in there What fish will you have? Also, which fixture and which legs did you finally get? (Sorry, I am really far behind the forum now.)

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

Hope you remember Terry

Isabella, I got this fixture with black deluxe regular mounting legs. The deluxe mounting legs are a bit too big and I might try the regular one's when I go to a lfs next. They are too long and I have a problem mounting them in the back where the switch is, I had to take the switch cover off for now. I plan on getting a clown goby or some other type of small goby or a black lyretail molly.

Livestock now:
1 peppermint shrimp
2 margarita snails
2 astrea snails
1 emeral/mirthrax crab

Am going to return margarita snails and one astrea snails and try to get cerith and another type. Found out margarita snails perfer cooler temps and astrea's aren't keeping my algae down.

 

Re: 5.5 gallon Salt Water tank (Lights and refractometer in)

Update: 8-13-07

Fish:
1xGreen Clown Goby

Inverts:
2x astrea snails
1xemerald crab
2xfeather dusters

Corals:
9xActinodiscus genus mushrooms
1xfantastic mushroom (unsure on scientific name)
5xbutton polyps


Here's an older photo, not much has changed

 

Looks great, I thought you had more fish than that? Now an invert I would love to add to a tank would be a porcelain crab.
Tom

 

Looks great, I thought you had more fish than that? Now an invert I would love to add to a tank would be a porcelain crab.
Tom

No I've always had only one fish and planned for one fish. It's a small tank so a goby is one of the few fish I could actually get for the tank since they don't swim much and need much room. He's so hard to take a picture of though, I'm still trying to take a decent one, he's so fast.
this what you are talking about?

 

No, I mean these little guys.

They are so cute and full of personallity, or at least the ones at the LFS are.
Tom

 

Interesting, not sure if they would work in my tank, don't think I want to try that, you going to setup your 10 gallon to saltwater?