New to Atlanta and Marine tanks

[frantz]

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Figured I would give a quick introduction. My name is Doug and I have long been a fish person, but growing up most of the books I had were dated from the 60s and made salt tanks seem like a pipe dream... I didn't often branch out my reading after that. Long story short, I just moved to </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Atlanta</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> and decided to break new water! I had been reading alot and I feel fairly comfortable with my setup. I'll post pictures once I find my camera.</span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">My intensions are to host two clown fish and eventually an anemone (after more research on that one), and some corals. I also will have a 55 gal (which I need to bring down from </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Pennsylvania</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> over the holidays) on an adjacent wall which will also be a pacific theme and will share filtration, giving the 25 a larger system of water for balance.</span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">25 gal cube tank with lace rock and 5.5 lbs uncured live rock (with some mushroom corals still living…) and 20lbs live sand</span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">small light running 0800-2200, LED bright light running 0900-2100</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">15 gal sump + 10 gal refugium with 20 lbs live sand and 8.5 lbs live rock</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">small light for refugium running 2100-0900</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">coralife 65 skimmer</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">The sump is a pair of plastic bins.. small one on top holding bioballs and a filter cartrage and the lower one is empty other than a little bit of extra live sand I had, and the skimmer.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">The refugium is a 10 gallon tank.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I feel comfortable with the setup but I like to tinker so we’ll see how long it stays how it is. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Now for a question… Is there any chance the soft corals on the uncured live rock will survive? I’d love to keep them going but I don’t know how hardy they are to a fresh system.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I am looking forward to interacting with the forum and getting to some meetings! First hand experience is the awesome, but second hand from you all seems to be a great option too judging by the forum postings.</span></span>

 

[sharkbait]

Welcome, I would be worried slightly at the plastic bins being used. They have a bad tendency to bow due to being used as sumps. If you do go with the plastic bins reinforce them somehow. Other then that everything sounds like it will be awesome.

 

[superclown]

Welcome. There is a wealth of information on here and plenty are happy to help you along the way. Im confused is the incited rock in your system already? Is this setup? Do you have the clowns already? If so how long has it been running

 

[frantz]

no livestock, just the live rock. I had the system running for 24 hours and then added the live rock with the intention of some of the uncured stuff dying off to start the system cycling. I put in a cube of dried shrimp too. I've never dealt with the chemical side of fish other than pH. I plan on letting the system run over the holidays and then indroduce some livestock pending good readings. Was there a better way to start the system so I can do it next time?

And I noticed the bowing of the bin.. I am going to build a 2x4 frame for it once I get a saw.

 

[superclown]

No it sounds like ur running in the right direction as far as cycling. If you have lights don't run them make sure you have plenty of flow and don't run your skimmed or other filtering equipment and you should be good to go. I would give it a solid month to cycle if you wanna keep up with your ammonia levels pick up one of those hang on the glass amoinia alerts