my 35 FOWLR

[taylorab85]

Hey, OK I have finally decided what I am goin to do.Instead of jumping right into a 100 gal from my 35 after only 8 months into the hobby I am going to do the more reasonable thing and get real into the more technical side of everything and read into everything as closely as I can so I gain a library of knowledge in my head to go into the 100 with (but its just sitting in my garage and its getting hard to walk by it empty :( )OK anyway,I have a big confession to make.My 35 is kind of a heartache for me to look at now because about a month ago i put in my base rock and it killed everything in my tank,volitan,copperband,heniochus,long nose,valentini,EVERYTHING.I seriously lost it,6 months of of work gone in one night.I mean im not an idiot, i soaked it for a week with no ammonia or nitrites even though it hasnt been alive in a thousand years.But then after the fact, I cracked open a piece and all this mud and die off came out of the inside of the rock that wouldve never been seen otherwise.But anyway, Im about a week away from adding the LR to start over a cycle.OK, to get to the bulk of the question,What are some good additives for LR?What about testing,I test all the basics now what do i need to add?If I were to go to a coral setup,Whats a good lighting setup and beginning corals???

[rememberme]

Eeek not a nice thing to happen. I don't touch base rock anymore. All the stuff I have bought has had loads of soil type stuff inside and I'm sure the rock was partly to blame at the start of my tank!

I am starting up another 4ft tank. Was going to be a 6ft, but space issues has changed that. I plan to take this real slow. Long period to allow to establish, buying all the rock in one go to scape and make sure everything is firmly in place. Build up the pod population for the mandarin then slowly add everything else in...

Good luck with yours. Sorry to hear of your loss... deaths happen to most people :(

[Zack]

Hey
I am very sorry to hear about your tank. I suggest for your LR that you add calcium to help with the coralline algae (purple kind). With LR i suggest you test for the normal basics, but since you are going to add calcium, to test for that as well.

As for lighting, what do you plan to have? A FOWLR or a reef?

[taylorab85]

I think for now I am going to go with just a FOWLR, but planning for the future maybe to go with a reef.Is there a happy medium somwhere???? :)

[miztahphong2]

i use kent marine part a and part b calcium to grow my coralline algae.. this stuff works great.

[Zack]

This is a little tough for me. I am thinking you could jut do normal output lights for the FOWLR which is cheap and will work and then when your ready for your reef you can buy a good lighting plus if you upgrade before you start your reef, which i highly suggest you do, you will know you did not water money on good reef lighting for the small tank when you just going to have to upgrade for the big tank. That make sense?

Zack

[taylorab85]

By,upgrade do you mean the 100 gal.I mean I know that its easier to keep the enviorment within the tank more stable in a bigger tank,but the whole purpose of me staying with the 35 is so I can learn to stabilize this small tank which will inturn make it easier for me when I go to upgrade,knowledge wise.So,What kindof lighting would I need for the 35?I mean the whoooooooooooooooole setup please

[Zack]

I suggest for your 35 gallon if you want a reef you look to get a 175 watt MH and then 2 VHO actincs for the dawn dusk effect.

As for your larger tank, i really suggest you upgrade before your reef if you can as that will save you a lot of money from spending on the 35 gallon, as when you upgrade to the 100, you will have to also upgrade, lighting amount of LR/LS, filtration, lighting ect. I totally understand what you mean about learning first, but I think with our help you will really get a great tank. I would maybe just do a FOWLR with the 35 and then from there you won't need to upgrade everything. Once again, this is just my thought on this, but I will help you anyway you chose.

Thanks,
Zack

[taylorab85]

im such a flip flopper,but, now i am going to go with the hundred

[Zack]

:D VERY good idea in my mind, you will really save $ this way.