flomich
New Member
Hi I’m new to the forum!
I got a friend’s (I think about 50gal) Aquaone reef 195 about a month ago and have almost worked out all the things I’m not doing yet!
I shared a 300litre tank in 1992, and I always wanted to get one again, and now I realise it is so much more technical and complicated than back then!
So I understand that I’m supposed to be patient and cycle the tank properly and quarantine all inhabitants first. I’m not by nature a patient person so this part is hard
So far I have about 2” sand, Aquaforest reef salt water at 1021 salinity and 25 degrees Celsius with filter fluff and ceramic balls in the sump. There was no skimmer with the tank and I am looking for a quiet one that will be suitable.
I have finished 2 base rock towers held together with super glue and rock dust and reinforced with Aquaforest Stone fix. Bloody hell, that ‘creativity’ took ages! Anyway, I let it harden for a couple of days before washing it and putting it in the tank yesterday.
I was recommended Seachem Stability to start the tank, which I did when I put the water in a month ago. I was adding a bit of fish flakes which did nothing so added a bit of prawn for ammonia yesterday. Yesterday the pH was 8.2 and the ammonia 0.5ppm, nitrites and nitrates 0.
I started my Wishlist for inhabitants including shrimp, soft corals and some fish starting with 2 common clown fish. I guess I need a clean up crew, but not sure when they go in. I’m not sure whether I should start a quarantine tank now for things to go in first? I have an old ~20 litre tank is that too small?
I (unfortunately it seems) purchased API test kits so they’ll have to do for the time being. And also unfortunately was recommended a cheap needle type hydrometer so wonder if I need to replace that? I’m not sure if I can trust the LFSs that I am visiting. Only one seems to have given me good advice.
I’m reading and watching everything I can to learn, and getting confused because there is so much conflicting advice and I do want to ‘keep it simple’. Stop laughing!
Also I see products recommended here that I can’t buy here online, eg Amazon Australia, like Dr Tims products, so I’m not sure who is the best online distributor for Sydney, Australia?
I am happy and excited to be starting this journey and a bit relieved to have found this forum, so thanks for listening!
Michelle
I got a friend’s (I think about 50gal) Aquaone reef 195 about a month ago and have almost worked out all the things I’m not doing yet!
I shared a 300litre tank in 1992, and I always wanted to get one again, and now I realise it is so much more technical and complicated than back then!
So I understand that I’m supposed to be patient and cycle the tank properly and quarantine all inhabitants first. I’m not by nature a patient person so this part is hard
So far I have about 2” sand, Aquaforest reef salt water at 1021 salinity and 25 degrees Celsius with filter fluff and ceramic balls in the sump. There was no skimmer with the tank and I am looking for a quiet one that will be suitable.
I have finished 2 base rock towers held together with super glue and rock dust and reinforced with Aquaforest Stone fix. Bloody hell, that ‘creativity’ took ages! Anyway, I let it harden for a couple of days before washing it and putting it in the tank yesterday.
I was recommended Seachem Stability to start the tank, which I did when I put the water in a month ago. I was adding a bit of fish flakes which did nothing so added a bit of prawn for ammonia yesterday. Yesterday the pH was 8.2 and the ammonia 0.5ppm, nitrites and nitrates 0.
I started my Wishlist for inhabitants including shrimp, soft corals and some fish starting with 2 common clown fish. I guess I need a clean up crew, but not sure when they go in. I’m not sure whether I should start a quarantine tank now for things to go in first? I have an old ~20 litre tank is that too small?
I (unfortunately it seems) purchased API test kits so they’ll have to do for the time being. And also unfortunately was recommended a cheap needle type hydrometer so wonder if I need to replace that? I’m not sure if I can trust the LFSs that I am visiting. Only one seems to have given me good advice.
I’m reading and watching everything I can to learn, and getting confused because there is so much conflicting advice and I do want to ‘keep it simple’. Stop laughing!
Also I see products recommended here that I can’t buy here online, eg Amazon Australia, like Dr Tims products, so I’m not sure who is the best online distributor for Sydney, Australia?
I am happy and excited to be starting this journey and a bit relieved to have found this forum, so thanks for listening!
Michelle
