My First Marine Tank

[ryan scott]

Well I now have my very first marine tank up and running (with out anything in it so far)
I tryed to attach pictures for info but could'nt work it out so visit my gallery and they are there. I will now be running this tank for about four weeks to make sure all is well.

Here are my specs

Main Tank is 620 litres
Sump half full holds 159 litres
Protien Skimmer
Aqua 30w UV steriliser
3x halide ligts plus 4 blue fluros
1X 500w Heater

I have two gravity fed outlets (25mm) & 1 return (19mm) which seems to work fantastically.

I am very interested in any comments anyone may have as to my setup, the pictures show a close up on my sump.

Easier for me to fix now rather than latter.

Thanks

[scottfarcuz]

Why is the water level in your skimmer so low?

[ryan scott]

not to sure it has a line on it that says water and has an adjustable tap on the outlet to get it to this level.

do you think that it is to low?

[alexinfla]

Looking good, but I think the water line on the skimmer means the actual water...not including the foam. You want that foam to be able to rise up the collection neck. Might still take some tweaking...or it could be so new that it's just not really kicked in yet?

[Scuba_Steve]

[welcome]

[sloshesv]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/123727fish_tank_11_6_06_005.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/123727fish_tank_11_6_06_002.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/123727fish_tank_11_6_06_001.jpg

[ryan scott]

Yes the photo actually looks like that is foam but really is just the bubbles & water, as said above just so new that it is not producing any foam yet.

The ugly peice of timber is just an extra support as i am a little paranoid about the weight even though I have a 35mm top there is a span of 800mm with no post. Better safe than sorry.

[CeeGee]

I would paint that beam!

good luck on your journey.

One word of advice don't skimp on equipment as you will just end up buying the good stuff anyway and you will be stuck with a bunch of crap equipment. You can start by ditching that swing arm hydrometer and purchase a refractometer. I can't tell from your pics but if those are bio-balls in the sump ditch them as well. Nitrate factory.

[reefshadow]

looks nice and clean!

what are you planning for livestock?

i have a couple of small suggestions.

if you can, get your live rock now and get it curing in a seperate container.

get that power strip up off the floor of the stand.

nice work!

[ryan scott]

The live stock i plan on having is tangs and maybe some clowns Corel Beauty & a mix of soft & hard corals .

Live rock that i am going to get is already cured.

good point with the power strip

thanks heaps

[ryan scott]

also I have a bottle of live bateria when should I add this to the tank and does it matter where i add it too. Should it go in the same time as the live rock or before?

[reefshadow]

i've never used a product like that, so i'm not sure... if i was to use it i would think to add it with the rock, that way it has lots of surface area to colonise. i'm not sure how effective products like that are, personally i think that with well cured l.r. you would have all the nitrifying bacteria you need. i am also sceptical about how they can package 'live' bacteria. i would think it would need oxygen and a food source to be alive. i've never looked into it though, so it could be a good product.

i know alot of people run power strips like that indefinately w/o problems, but it really only takes one splash and you could have a disaster on your hands. just seems safer to get it up off the floor of the stand.

looks like you are planning ahead and doing things right, have fun.