New beginnings

Banjo-king · Jul 31, 2016

I'm finally at a place in life where I can have a proper marine aquarium. I've had saltwater tanks for years now but always struggled with finances. I like to think most of us have been there at some point. Saving up just to get second best equipment. Here is where I'm at now.

EQUIPMENT

30 gallon rimless 20x20x20 tank with stand
Deep blue pro Maxx reef 75 sump
Reef octopus BH50 skimmer
Sicce Syncra silent 2.0 return pump
Kessil a160aw x2 with controller.
I purchased the lights right before I got out of the hobby the last time and have had them in a box waiting.
Reusing a maxijet 900 until cycle is complete then I'm looking into the mp10's

Here's the view so far

I'm questioning if the skimmer will be okay sitting on the sump floor and not hung, but I think it's the only way. My walls are high and the water level is going to be low. I'll find out for sure. Anyways thanks for reading and I'm sure I'll post much more. On a side note I couldn't remember any of my log in information and started a new thread then I remembered I used an old email, so forgive me if this post looks similar to another one. Nobody responded anyways lol.

Banjo-king · Jul 31, 2016

Here's a question when I broke down my old tank I saved the old sand in ziplock bags any good way to reuse it? I saved it just in case I could. Did some googling, but all the answers sounded like speculation. Here's a picture.

Pruett-nc · Jul 31, 2016

I would say get new . Alot less headache that could happen from dead organisms. I feel ya on the financial part too . Not always a piece of cake when you have to work for a living lol .

Banjo-king · Jul 31, 2016

Pruett-nc said:
I would say get new . Alot less headache that could happen from dead organisms. I feel ya on the financial part too . Not always a piece of cake when you have to work for a living lol .

Yeah that's what I I've decided. I don't think I want to risk it.

Banjo-king · Jul 31, 2016

Got new sand and added the rock.
Might have added more sand then I wanted, but I'll live.

Banjo-king · Jul 31, 2016

Pruett-nc · Jul 31, 2016

It will balance out once you get everything settled.

Banjo-king · Aug 1, 2016

Got the water in last night. Can't wait until the cycle Is over.

Pruett-nc · Aug 1, 2016

Lookin good so far now let mother nature do her thing .

Banjo-king · Aug 3, 2016

Added a led strip under the cabinet to help see. Running out of plugs so I'll need to upgrade my bus. I am probably going to get a gfo/carbon reactor and an ATO this weekend. I kind of want all the equipment taken care of first before I add any livestock.

Banjo-king · Aug 13, 2016

From what I can tell
Ammonia is 0.25 ppm
Nitrite 0.0 ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
I'll test again next week

Also I'm having the hardest time getting my skimmer to have a proper water level. No matter how deep or shallow or where the water level adjusting tube is the collection cup just fills with water at a decent rate. Maybe 2min and it's full of water. Is that part of the break in period to fill mostly with water?

Ordered a belkin 10 plug surge protector today also. Time to break out the label maker soon.

Banjo-king · Aug 21, 2016

Okay so skimmer is still acting funny, but I'll wait until I'm ready for live stock before I loose my mind over it. I've been running it with the collection cup open so I don't disturb the cycle anyways. Purchased a new surge protector with 12 outlets and mounted it. Got to get a label maker to keep things organized, my wife is happy about that purchase [emoji12]. Purchased a jbj ATO and a 2 gallon slim container with a maxijet 600. It's a 2 switch kind so I was able to place a float in the container and in the sump. Got a refractometer (spelling?) And a digital thermometer. Next weekend hopefully will be some livestock and then possibly a mp10. Still trying to decide if I want an apex though and with one.