55 gallon

you shouldn't have to take the sand out unless you want to change it out. The different layers of sand will develop different types of bacteria, aerobic and anaerobic. The point of the cycle is to grow bacteria on the sand and rock. Seeding it may help make it go a little faster, but is not necessary. All you need to do is get your rock, aquascape it, put the sand in if not already in, fill it up, add salt, heat it up and let it sit for a few weeks. Use your test kits to tell when it is done.
As for your heater, if it stays on all the time, it is either too weak to heat the tank, or broken. I have a 300watt heater for my 55. You could get away with a 250 too. Either way, I would get a new heater.

 

Good start, you could definitely use 40+ more lbs of live rock, but that's up to you. That's kinda what my tank looked like at first too. ;D Here's a pic from when it was on it's 2nd week.

 

soo can i put the rock on the sand? cuz theres some shugar sand under it that cam with the tank that i dont like and dont want to take the ofer sand off from on top of it? guys thanks for the help

 

yah i think my tanks is to open

 

OK -
For small rocks like you have right now, where they stand alone in the tank, it's ok to have them sit on the sand. Your tiny rocks would get 1/2 buried if you placed them on the glass bottom, then filled in sand around them.
You only need to worry about having the rocks placed steadily on the bottom glass if they are big and are going to be used as a base to build other rocks on top of. That way they have a steady foundation, and your whole "aquascape" rock structure is solid.
Otherwise, if you put a goby or some other fish/shrimp in there that likes to dig... well it might dig under your rockwork, causing your rock structure to become unstable and unbalanced, and maybe come crashing down, killing fish or cracking your tank walls.
The main point is to make sure your rock work is stable and sound. How you design it is up to you.

 

thanks bogie for all the help i was thinking of getting some fire fish and a benny so i should take the sand out were i want to put the base rock then put it around it. i might use some putty to make some overhangs. and romendations. i head people use that fast drying gel glue.could i use this? and one more ting i want a sump/ refguim could i make this out fo a plastic bock of one of those rubbermade boxes of would the stuff in the plastic leak into the tank?

 

bock = box

 

People have made them out of rubbermaid totes, but they get brittle over time and can crack, causing major leakage. Do a lot reading through the filter and sump/refugium sections. Then see what you'll need to fit with your protein skimmer. Size it all up, figure out what your plumbing and return pump needs are, and off you go.
Filters, etc.. - 3reef Forums
Refugium - 3reef Forums

 

umm if i wanted to start with just a fuge could i do a 5gallon with some chetto?