Just bought 65 gallon used tank

[Homebrewer]

This looks awesome, did you use glue at all or just stacked carefully?

Thanks! No glue or epoxy, just careful stacking. The "mound" on the right isn't really that high. The rock in the front is sitting on two uglier pieces that are sitting on the bottom. The anemones give it the height when they are fully open, balancing out the real height on the left. When I do a water change or when the nems get mad by me poking around - they shrink down and the tank looks weird, mainly because it just looks different with just plain live rock on one side.

On the left is more careful stacking. If you see that flatter rock on the top left, I bought that piece purposely (I'm currently trying to grow-in a platy garden, we'll see if it works). If I were to lift that up, you'd see a rather sizeable cave underneath. Fish love to break and hang out there. In other words, this isn't a solid mountain stack.

I'll say again though, if I was starting fresh with dry rock, I'd sculpt something to give me the look and flow that I want. The one drawback is that the area underneath has extremely low flow. Like I said, fish love to hang there occasionally as a break from the current, but it is also likely a dead spot for detritus. Though I'll tell you, with the occasional vacuuming of the sand underneath (requiring me to move that "cap" rock), I've never had any problems that I would attribute solely to that spot.

 

[gidelgadojr]

Any thoughts on wave maker positioning? I keep playing with them and I know it is not a huge deal as the tank is cycling, but not sure what is best locations for the three of them.

 

[Homebrewer]

Any thoughts on wave maker positioning? I keep playing with them and I know it is not a huge deal as the tank is cycling, but not sure what is best locations for the three of them.

Those look like Hydor Koralias??? I had 4x425gph of those before I switched to 2xNero 5's about 18 months ago. Flow is a whole other subject and the decisions are usually going to be based on your goals, what type of reef are you going to keep (SPS or no), that sort of thing. I won't get too detailed here, there's plenty to read on this forum on that subject.

Placement-wise, for your tank, it appears you've done a good job creating that chaotic movement - which is sometimes tough to do with a limited number of AC pumps. That said, you may want to go high/low and move one of them deeper into the tank. A new tank with sand is going to go through the "ugly" phase and flow will help mitigate some of the stuff that can build up during that time.

 

[gidelgadojr]

Those look like Hydor Koralias??? I had 4x425gph of those before I switched to 2xNero 5's about 18 months ago. Flow is a whole other subject and the decisions are usually going to be based on your goals, what type of reef are you going to keep (SPS or no), that sort of thing. I won't get too detailed here, there's plenty to read on this forum on that subject.

Placement-wise, for your tank, it appears you've done a good job creating that chaotic movement - which is sometimes tough to do with a limited number of AC pumps. That said, you may want to go high/low and move one of them deeper into the tank. A new tank with sand is going to go through the "ugly" phase and flow will help mitigate some of the stuff that can build up during that time.

I have one Hydro and two eflux (large/small) that came with my current USA pro loop. The eflux I can program to either do a constant stream or a “wave” so that helps.

 

[gidelgadojr]

First full week of cycling completed, went to my LFS (amazing reviews never had an issue) and they told me all my levels were perfect and the tank is somehow fish ready. I’m not sure if maybe because the tank was used and the live rock was perfect, but this seems to be the fastest cycling period I’ve ever heard of. I also used micro bacteria. Let me know any thoughts please.

 

[Rjukan]

Did you buy any livestock?

 

[gidelgadojr]

Did you buy any livestock?

Did not buy any fish yet because I thought it was way too soon. Bought a cleanup crew(snails and blue hermits) to see how they do.

 

[gidelgadojr]

Got two clowns and a cleaner introduced today. Got myself some chaeto as well. All comments appreciated.

 

[FreakPrism]

Looking good. I started my 65g tank cycling on Sunday using Turbo 900 and added 2 clowns and 2 yellow tail damsels. So far so good. May add some Chromis this weekend and then leave it for another week to see who things go. Likely start with some corals too.

I did not go with any cleaners yet considering nothing to clean so they may die out.

Not sure what you are doing but I leave the lights on "cloudy" for about an hour during feeding time and in moon mode for several hours. Lights are off otherwise. I use the ReefBreeder Photon V2+. My skimmer is off and socks removed per direction of Turbo 900 (to do this for at least 5 days).

By the way what substrate are you using? I see your pumps are pointed down ... is that causing sand to blow around?

 

[gidelgadojr]

Looking good. I started my 65g tank cycling on Sunday using Turbo 900 and added 2 clowns and 2 yellow tail damsels. So far so good. May add some Chromis this weekend and then leave it for another week to see who things go. Likely start with some corals too.

I did not go with any cleaners yet considering nothing to clean so they may die out.

Not sure what you are doing but I leave the lights on "cloudy" for about an hour during feeding time and in moon mode for several hours. Lights are off otherwise. I use the ReefBreeder Photon V2+. My skimmer is off and socks removed per direction of Turbo 900 (to do this for at least 5 days).

By the way what substrate are you using? I see your pumps are pointed down ... is that causing sand to blow around?

I have been wrestling with the positioning of my pumps everyday, but the way I have them now looks great and is not causing sand to blow around really. I have two of them on “wave” mode and one on constant stream so that may help.

 

[FreakPrism]

Is that Fiji Pink sand?

 

[gidelgadojr]

Is that Fiji Pink sand?

Nope carib sea

 

[gidelgadojr]

Changed aquascape some, all thoughts/comments welcome

 

[FreakPrism]

Looks nice to me! I'm sure once you get some coral frags you will adjust the scape a bit

 

[gidelgadojr]

Looks nice to me! I'm sure once you get some coral frags you will adjust the scape a bit

Worried about that as I am not dosing, and don’t really know what to start with. I have 5 little zoa heads but you can’t see in the picture. I will take a better picture tomorrow.

 

[FreakPrism]

I started my tank a week back and am not dosing either. Used Turbo 900 along with 2 clownfish to start. This past weekend I added a "beginner coral" package that is mix of softies and LPS. I also got Xenia and some zooanthids. So far so good.

I've left my skimmer off for now and see how the tank does.

 

[gidelgadojr]

I started my tank a week back and am not dosing either. Used Turbo 900 along with 2 clownfish to start. This past weekend I added a "beginner coral" package that is mix of softies and LPS. I also got Xenia and some zooanthids. So far so good.

I've left my skimmer off for now and see how the tank does.

Similar then, I’m 4 weeks in with 2 clowns a cleaner shrimp and one frag of zoas. Not sure if to go fish or coral next add

 

[gidelgadojr]

I started my tank a week back and am not dosing either. Used Turbo 900 along with 2 clownfish to start. This past weekend I added a "beginner coral" package that is mix of softies and LPS. I also got Xenia and some zooanthids. So far so good.

I've left my skimmer off for now and see how the tank does.

This is the only frag for now. I may go fish next I just don’t know what.

 

[gidelgadojr]

Alright I have reached a point where I want/need to get a new fish in there, what gets along great with 2 clowns and a cleaner shrimp? I really love the Blue Hippo and yellow tangs, but I know there’s issues with them regarding size of tank, ich issues and they should be introduced last. Any other ideas of fish to go next?

 

[Rjukan]

I would stay away from tangs with a tank that size. Have you considered a royal gramma? Nice colors and would love living in that aquascape. A cherub angel would be a really nice centerpiece fish for a tank your size. Bangaii cardinals are a good open mid water swimmer. I have a yellow coris wrasse which is very bright and active, will hunt your pod population tho. Benefit is it will take care of some pests if they get introduced on coral frags. And you can't go wrong with a goby pistol shrimp combo, that's probably going to be my next addition.
Regardless of what you decide on make sure you do a bit of research of the specific fish on your own before purchase. Even a quick Google in the store just to confirm is helpful.