My First Saltwater Tank.

[Jonno]

Jonno's Saltwater Journal

Hi, and Welcome to My First Journal and Saltwater tank.

Recently I have been talking in the forums about getting a saltwater tank and now I have a full time job I now can finance it.

So i am writing this Journal to record my events and also so people and myself can learn from it.

Please don't hesitate post seeing feedback is most welcome. Right enough of me talking lets begin :P

[Jonno]

1st May 2006

Been down the local Marine Fish Shop called Plymouth Marines & Has taken a big chunk out of my Bank Account I Have ordered a Rena Panorama:

http://www.theaquariumshop.co.uk/images/aq...parorama120.jpg

This tank looks amazing with its curved class and Down the shop they had a reef set-up and it looked amazing its about 55Gals(UK) so its plenty big enough with this you get a Rena Canister Filter, Cabinet, Lights, Heater, Hood. I got a really good deal on it so I'm Pretty Happy.

I have also ordered a Red Sea's PRIZM SKIMMER:

http://www.aquatics-warehouse.co.uk/acatal...KIMMER__69.html

So I should be getting all of these goodies on Friday so its going to be like Christmas for me When I get Home, hehehehe.

While out at Plymouth Marines I Picked My Self Up Some Marine Salt, Hydrometer, Test Kit and Some Coral Gravel(in the picture there are only 2 small bags but there is a huge sack that is to heavy to lift upstairs at the mo).



So this is all for today can't wait for Friday when i get the tank and that is when i will most likely have my next update.

Thanks for reading.

- Jonno

[Jonno]

5th May 2006

The tank and bits have arrived. Good news they the protein skimmer i did order didn't come in so they gave me the next model up which has lots of extras for the same price so i saved £70.

I have been busy building the flatpacked stand and i thought they where ment to be easy :P

I'm going to be washing the gravel and tommorw going down to get the ro water to fill it up so thats going to take awhile to fill seeing the tank is 60gals(UK).

I personally think the tank looks great and will look even better when its all running.

Thanks for reading this Update, next update will be very soon.

P.S Don't laught at how small my t.v is :P

[bpswim90]

Really nice tank. Can't wait to see what it looks like with all the fish and things in it.

[flamingo]

Awesome tank and glad to hear your finally starting up a saltwater tank!

That tank you bought is the one i've had my eye on for some time!

[leveldrummer]

how are you gonna open that door? haha, fantastic tank btw.. i have the smaller one, 46gallons (us) your gonna be real happy when there are fish swimming around in it. have you picked out a fish list yet?

[Jonno]

no not yet but i have filled it up took me alot of trips to get all the ro water i was thinking of some easy fish to begin with clown fish but not 100% sure yet going to post some more picutres of it with the water and everything in.

[Jonno]

7th May 2006

Hi, okay well the tank is coming on quite nicely I spent all day yesterday filling it, it took me 3 trips to the LFS carrying 5 canisters at a time to fill the tank up with RO water, also I was surprised how much salt I put in to get it to the right level.

I have installing all equipment and is all working great also purchased a new power head to help with water movement.

I have cut out some of the hood to allow the skimmer to fit I just used a jigsaw to do this and it looks pretty tidy IMO. I added some bio mature to help the tank mature so I just have to play the waiting game now till I can add some fish into it.

When I start adding coral in I’m going to purchase some new lighting but the lighting on the tank at the mo will do till then.

Well that’s it for this update enjoy the pictures and I will post another update soon.

[Jonno]

22th May 2006

Havn't Done a update for a while so here it goes.

Not much of the tank as changed but i have been using bio-mature for 2 weeks now and i think the tank cycle is near the end. I have had my Ammonia spike and nitrite is nrly down to 0ppm. So at the weekend i will see how the levals are maybe buy some lr. I have also had a lot of Alage growth in the tank and bought 2 new powerheads so i know have 3 maxijets in there.

Test Results below:

PH:7.9
Ammonia:0.25
Nitrite:0.50ppm
Nitrate:10ppm
Salt:1.024

I will try to get some pictures when i get home but like i said not much has changed

[Alin10123]

Can't wait to see it when it's finished! Keep us updated!

[Jonno]

3rd June 2006

Hi, It’s been a little while since I have done an update and a lot has changed in the tank. The Cycling is finished in the tank it took about 3weeks to do so using bio-mature.

Last weekend I bought about 20kg of live rock to add to the tank, which cost about £250. I tested the water levels and this gave me a small ammonia spike but it dropped within the same day.

So Today I bought about 10kg of Live Rock which cost about £120, also bought 6 Turbo Snails which I’m hoping to keep the algae down in the tank.

All water levels seem to be fine with results below, I have also ordered 2 Maroon Clownfish which should come in next weekend.

PH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm
Salinity: 1.024

You also might have noticed, I have added a background on the tank which makes it look ton’s better. The Live Rock that I added is Cured Figi Rock and has lots of things grown on it I have also seen a small maybe 1inch Feather duster living on 1 bit of live rock. I also have to arrange the rock a bit better so thats my next Job!

Thanks for reading this update hope to have one by next week when I add the first fish in. Enjoy the pictures below. All Comments are Welcome !

[Womby]

Nice Tabk and a good start the back groung does look a lot better

it may be just me but the first pic on the 7th of may the tank looks uneven as you can see one whole brace and only half the other??

can anyone else see that

[Osiris]

It is definatly coming along niecly! Beautiful bow tank setup BTW, i dont reckon seeing those kind of designs here. Cool!

[Jonno]

Originally Posted by Womby

Nice Tabk and a good start the back groung does look a lot better

it may be just me but the first pic on the 7th of may the tank looks uneven as you can see one whole brace and only half the other??

can anyone else see that

Yea it does look like that, but i can sure you that it isn't.

Thanks for you kind comments.

[Jonno]

13th June 2006

Well, here is a small update; I had some Vouchers for my birthday so have got some stuff for my tank. So today I went down the fish shop and purchased a cleaning crew.

I purchased 6 turbo snails, 4 cleaning shrimp, 5 red-legged hermit crabs that I might buy some more later. Everything seems to be growing in the tank including the algae.

Water levels are fine:

PH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm
Salt: 1.024

Few pictures below of the shrimps and hermits.

[board to wake]

AWESOME!

looks like your ding a wonderful job with your first salt water tank!
looks great! more pictures!!

[Jonno]

25th June 2006

Well I haven’t done a Update for awhile so I some new things have gone on in the tank. I will first begin with my water levels.

PH: 8.0
Nitrite: 0ppm
Ammonia:0
Nitrate:10ppm
SG: 1.024

Last weekend I Purchased 2 Maroon Clownfish I made sure in the shop that there fins where fine and they all looked well, which they did. So the Guy bagged them up and I began my 10 mintue trip home. I finally got home and started to float the bag in the tank, then I noticed the smaller 1 of the two had some ripped fins which was pretty bad, so I’m guessing the bigger one was getting a bit aggressive with it in the bag.
So now they have been in there a week and are starting to settle down, the fish with the bad fins has grown most of it back and is starting to look great, I did try to get some pictures but they never stop moving so the one below will have to do.

Everything else in the tank is fine I have also added a UV Steriliser.




(action shot , i had to feed them to get them to swim about)


(mr shrimp)


(the tank)

[Jonno]

27th June 2006

Only a Small Update today; I recieved my Light unit that I'm very pleased with and it matches the tank style very good with its modern look. You might of noticed that I have moved the rock around I have done this because:

A: Is to put it in a better position so no food & dirt gets under it.
B: I'm going to buy some more live rock this weekend and going to pile it up in the left & right hand corner of the tank and leave a swimming space in the tank, so I'am getting it ready for the live rock I'm puchasing on Friday or Saturday.

Some Pictures below of the new layout & light unit.

Tell me what you think!

[Reefneck]

Nice job so far. since it seems this is going to be a Reef tank you do NOT want a UV sterilizer running. It will kill many live organisims that the Reef Animals thrive on. UV's are great for Fish only tanks and ok for occasional use on a reef when needed to correct an issue but not good to run on a reef full time.

[harif87]

Originally Posted by Reefneck

Nice job so far. since it seems this is going to be a Reef tank you do NOT want a UV sterilizer running. It will kill many live organisims that the Reef Animals thrive on. UV's are great for Fish only tanks and ok for occasional use on a reef when needed to correct an issue but not good to run on a reef full time.

That comment just helped me out too with my new soonn-to-be reef tank

Also, to Jonno, is that 2 powerheads you have? One on the left and one on the right?