Eva's 90 gal baby

[evik]

Whoopee - snow day, time to start my tank treat :goldfish2 . I’m upgrading from my first 29 gal reef tank to 90 gal – to me big tank :scratch: .


I started the 29 gal tank about 2 years ago, I will post some progress of that tank; like a memory lane since back then I didn’t know there is a reef club. I thought I’m the only strange one in my neighborhood. After many mistakes and learning more from books or online I started to feel I’m ready for bigger tank. And now when I found my new reef family I feel confidant, that with your help I can handle it and some day grow bigger .

Just wanted to mention I came from Europe, so excuse my “language”, thank God for spell check, but sometimes I can confuse even the spell check .

So I bought the set up from Danny (roadking05) made some changes, painted the stand so it will fit better with our room, filled it up with mix of RO/DI and Tropic Marine PRO, add more cured rock and I’m adding the water from my every week water changes of the 29 gal to seed the new tank. So far I’m on second week, keeping water at 0.125 and temp at 78 no light and skimmer yet.


Here are my questions:
1. When should I start to test the water for ammonia?
2. How long do you think the cycle can be?
3. Should I start skimming (I bought new skimmer – Beckett with mag 9.5) but not sure if I should run the skimmer, when the bacteria should help to cycle the water
4. The aqua scape, do you secure the rock with glue or can I lean it to the back wall?
5. The light is coming, I got 8 54W T5s, should I add the light when I will transfer my corals?


And the biggest question and fear - the transfer. How to do it? Any suggestions are welcome:help: .
<o></o>
Thanx a million


This is my old 29 gal tank before taking that down

 

[jhale]

congratulations on the new 90.
I'll try to answer the questions. First stop using your old water for the new tank. The only benefit to using old water would be if you were going to transfer livestock to the tank immediately.
I would start testing for ammonia right away, but that's just a curiosity thing. I'd give it 2 weeks to start testing, the cycle might take place in three weeks. The bacteria will grow quickly, but in the beginning of the transfer I would take it slow. Don't place everything in at once. If you can do it over a two week period that would be ideal.

The skimmer will help with curing the rocks, you'll be amazed what it will pull out of the water.

there are many methods to aquascaping, it depends on the look you want. most rock can be stacked safely, but if you want overhangs, caves, and other features you might have to use epoxy and zipties.

The light can be placed on the tank now. If there are any hitchhikers on the rocks they will benefit from the light.

hope that helps a bit.

 

[evik]

Thank you and here are some pictures of my 29 gal - memory lane :spin:

Start - rock is from NJ shore :lol2: removed it

Added CC and live rock

 

[bigbris1]

Here are my questions:
1. When should I start to test the water for ammonia?

After you add the last piece or rock going in the tank & start feeling like you want to transfer your livestock. Make sure you jet streams of water around those rocks to blow off any debris, so when you do a water change you can remove it.

2. How long do you think the cycle can be?

There will be small cycles everytime you add something. But you need to add something to kickstart the cycle. Personally I always use biozyme when starting a new tank. The major cycle is usually complete in a couple of days.

3. Should I start skimming (I bought new skimmer ? Beckett with mag 9.5) but not sure if I should run the skimmer, when the bacteria should help to cycle the water

The skimmer will aerate the water as well as remove organics. Add the skimmer whenever you like.

4. The aqua scape, do you secure the rock with glue or can I lean it to the back wall?

Many have employed acrylic rods to hold their rockwork together. If you use epoxy, it might drive your skimmer crazy initially. Either way, make sure it is secure.

5. The light is coming, I got 8 54W T5s, should I add the light when I will transfer my corals?

Add the light as soon as it comes. Get the lighting cycle started but only for a few hours per day initially & gradually increase when it gets closer to the time you're ready to start adding livestock.

 

[evik]

I'm sorry I'm not good in posting pictures yet

Removed CC and added live sand

Added some nicer rock and some corals

Lots of changes, sand out - was giving me problems - blowing all over, more corals, finally it looks like reef

Thru 2007 look - added fish, more corals, tried different corals when some didn't survive (I was always so sad, but you live and learn:banghead: now I know you can ask and learn :lol2:

My favorite fish

Favorite coral (so far)

Unusual picture - crab massacre - found them like that, they killed each other

Pictures of new tank are coming .....

 

[nikkibabee]

Your tank looks great!!!

 

[evik]

Thank you, but it's too small for me now, that's why I'm going for bigger size, will post the picture soon.

 

[Awibrandy]

Very nice tank you've got there! I'm sure you will do just the same with your new bigger tank! Can't wait to see that one!

All your questions have already been answered above previous members!!

 

[NDY]

Nice Tank, Good Luck On Ur New Tank

 

[autoponicz]

your 29 looks great.....i like the pic with the 2 clowns in thier anenome......

 

[evik]

Finally the pictures of the 90 gallon.


This is the original Danny's tank:

Got it home, it's waiting to be placed in a hobby room we share with my husband - here you see his side

I painted the stand black so it will look better in the room, added new rock and waiting for now.

 

[evik]

Sorry, the wires are just temporary in this picture. Already fixed :smash:

 

[cb747]

Looks like its off to a great start

 

[evik]

Thank you :spin:

I'm puzzled with something and any suggestion will be appreciated:help:

I have now new cured rock in the new 90 and I'm adding the water from my old 29 (every few days I'm doing "water changes" ) to add the good bacteria to help cycle the new tank faster.

By doing that am I helping to speed up or prolonging the cycle

.

Would it help if I add some rock from my old 29g?

It's like that for a week and when I tested ammonia it's at 0.25 ???

Anybody any ideas

 

[Zuska]

nice rose bubble tip... those that move around alot? and the sun coral in the 29 is really nice

 

[NYreefNoob]

no it isnt helpng doing wc ever few days. leave the water and let the tank cycle. by cured rock do you mmean it never left water > if it was out of the water for more than a few hour's it had die off which will cause some what of a cycle. looks good though. and yes take a piece of rock from other system and add it. will help add life to your system

 

[casper]

really nice tank u got there

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The majority of the bacteria you need is on the rock, and in the sand. The water column has little of this. Also stop doing WC's that is extending your cycle quite a bit!

 

[evik]

Thank you guys

...stop doing WC's that is extending your cycle quite a bit!

I'm sorry I confused you. I'm doing Water changes of the old tank and adding the water to the new tank.

 

[evik]

I ran into a problem today. I wanted to start skimming during cycling process, I have the skimmer and finally got a Mag 9 pump. Originally I bought blue line 40x pump and then realize I would have to drill a hole in a glass sump (can't get the sump out now) so I bought the submersible Mag, but it has smaller fitting. I can't find reduction in plastic anywhere. Where can I get it? Do I have to order it?
:help: