20 to 55 Gallons

zibasue · 03-12-2008, 11:33 AM

ok, DH just walked in the door with a new tank 55 gallon....I will need to set it up before I can move my critters over....so...any advice will be welcome! I have been watching and reading...I know that I will need to get more LR and probably another pump...looks like a protein skimmer is a must now... oh, yeah! YIPEE!!! this one better not leak!!

Chitown1 · 03-12-2008, 05:24 PM

Congrats!!!

Are you setting up in the same location or can you cycle the 55 in the final location before taking down the 20?

CBRrider · 03-12-2008, 07:21 PM

yes.. congrats on the upgrade.. Keep us all updated.--CBR

zibasue · 03-12-2008, 07:33 PM

The 55 is in the final location, the 20 is sitting beside it for now. DH doesn't get why I can't just put the fish in there now!! I moved most of the LR over, haven't moved the sand, the clowns have more room to swim, but the peppermint shrimp are hanging on the two or three pieces of rock that are left....like, what happened????? I didn't realize how much they liked playing on the rocks....let's see if I can get the pix to show up...

I can't get photobucket to work, but the attachment worked..

zibasue · 03-12-2008, 07:41 PM

ok, had to do this in another reply...sorry, beginner's luck, I suppose.

that is my Lucky Dog's tail in the first picture...she is feeling a bit left out

I know I need more rock, and lots more sand...but I need some more water, too! LOL I am home sick today and DH got 30 gallons of distilled water, he thought I'd just move everything over today and the combination would be enough.

I moved the fluval canister filter over and put a HOB filter on the 20 gallon. The salt is mixed in and I added the chemicals that I would add with water change. DS is supposed to be bringing me some sand soon. I know that the tank will have to cycle, right? It will take at least a week or more, from what I have been reading. oh, boy...my other tank was already set up, got it that way on Craig's list...this is new uncharted territory.

zibasue · 03-13-2008, 04:53 PM

Today's update: sent DH to the LFS to get information. He wanted to know why I couldn't just put the other 20 gallons with all the critters in the new tank. I tried to explain, but he wasn't convinced. So, he went to the folks that have been our consultants and came home with 45 lbs of live sand and more water. He tossed a shrimp in there and said..."fill er up and now we have to wait about two weeks." the shrimp comes out in two days, it's another way to jump start some bacteria. anyone else heard of that?

so, now I have the sand storm effect going on....and it's time to play the waiting game....not my favorite! but it will be worth it!

which link is it in photobucket to click on? I have tried all 4 and none of them will put the picture here! very frustrating!!

zibasue · 03-14-2008, 07:31 AM

The sandstorm has mostly cleared and I found the hermit crab that hitched a ride over on a rock and put him back in the 20 gallon, where he revived and appears to be doing quite well.

Has anyone ever had a test kit that read 0 nitrates but when you took the water to the store, their kit said nitrates? I was using the dip chemstrips. Everyone said, get a better kit, so I did. Well, I was excited, everything looked perfect, took my water in just to double check, and I had different values, not bad, but still there's a difference between 0 nitrates and 10-15 nitrates! just wondered if anyone else had ever had this problem. What is the best testing kit? Could I have one that is outdated? My bad, I threw the box away....there aren't any dates on the bottle....

zibasue · 03-14-2008, 10:05 PM

ok, question for the experience ones!!

when a tank is cycling, will a brown film form on the sides and on top of the water? I am starting to see that and I don't know if it is just the sand, or the bacteria growing.. is it ok to use the glass cleaner with magnet to clean it off? there is a bit of brown stuff on the top of the water, too. otherwise, the water looks clear and clean. I'd give you parameters, but my test kit is unreliable....

speaking of which...anyone ever have a kit give false readings? I want to take mine back....it says all is well, when it's not.

thanks!

chadf · 03-14-2008, 10:55 PM

I've had bad readings with API and Red Sea tests. I'm in love with Seachem tests now, they even come with a solution you can test to make sure you tests are true. You can clean your glass with the mag cleaner. That sounds like diatoms but the stuff on top of the water probably came from the sand. Your protein skimmer should be removing that.

zibasue · 03-15-2008, 09:36 AM

so, even though a tank is cycling, it needs a protein skimmer? right now I have two filters the fluval 205 which is a canister sitting underneath and a Aqua-filter 30-60 came with the tank. Is that enough water flow? I also have another powerhead; it was 30 on it's measurement... obviously I don't know enough about waterflow....