46 to 65gal upgrade. New photos added 1/17

I can believe the kH kit because my FW kit after I buffer the water is well above 20 (cichlids) and we have hard water in the area. I do not believe the nitrate kit though I find API to be inaccurate with nitrates and have also read that the presents nitrites effect the truthfulness of the nitrate test. I do plan on taking my water to a lfs again though to test and confirm my results and once I add corals and fish upgrading to a better test kit. No point in spending a ton of cash on cycle test kits.

 

Nice rock and set up as well, I get my rock tomorrow, since the 40lbs is only half of the recommended rock for the tank I will have to look in to that pukani rock, lots of nice aquascaping ideas you can do with that rock, I think my rock is pretty much going to be round, not a lot you can do with that.

 

Yea I hate round solid rocks so Pukani was the only way to go for me. I here it is very dirty though and using it alone spiked my ammonia to 1ppm but good for cycling a tank. Thanks for the compliments, took awhile to get it how I liked it, now I cant wait to add corals!

 

Added a Hydor Koralia 750 tonight, man am I glad I didnt get a 1040 or 1400, the 750 blows so much more powerful than my nano 425s and anything larger would overpower my tank I think. The little hermit is still alive and well, found some fuzzy tan stuff he was munching on this morning.

 

How much Noise?

Enjoying your thread. I'm an amateur, but I have the opportunity to get the same tank as a hand-me-down and trying to learn all I can about it. But how loud is your setup when running? e.g Koralia 750 vs nano 425?

I ask because the only place I can really fit this tank is in the family room right next to the TV. I'm concerned it will be to noisy when sitting in there. I expect that all depends on the filter / air pump, and I plan to start with freshwater not salt, so not sure if you can comment in that regard. But still curious how much sound it makes. (Also wondering if it will make the room too humid... )

Keep up the good work can't wait to see how it turns out.

Thanks.

 

Great tank and I actually have done freshwater for many years, this is my first saltwater. The Powerheads are both quiet, with a TV on you can not hear a thing. Even with the room dead silent in the middle of the night all I hear is a very gentle hum from my HOB filter. As to using powerheads for a freshwater tank, they would not be needed provided you have a good filter they are more a SW thing. I have has FW tanks of 5/10/20/29/37/55/and 125 over the years and never used a powerhead until I setup SW.

As to the room being humid, I have always used a glass canopy to minimize evaporation so I have never noticed an increase in humidity but this would depend on what kind of top you use, where you are, etc.

One last thing, forget about an air pump not really needed these days, never hurts to have one unless you want a planted tank but dont really need one either. Good luck

 

I stopped checking ammonia to conserve the test since it has been 0 the past 5 days or so, just nitrites have been high. I think I may finally be near the end of the cycle as the past 3 days my nitrites have gone from 5 to 2, to .25ppm last night.

Update- I think the tank is cycled, as of today ammonia is 0 nitrite is 0 and nitrate is 15. pH 8.0 kH 15. Thinking a 15gal waterchange tomorrow and first fish monday.

 

Did a 15gallon water change today, Parameters are
temp 79
SG 1.0255
Salinity 24
pH 8.2
kH 17
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5

Hoping to get some more test kits for CA and Mag, cant figure out why my kH and everything I read states it has to do with the CA and Mag ratios.

 

He what HOB filter are u using? I have a 46 bf too and thought most of the HOB filters would be noisy with all the running water.

 

The aquaclear I run is quiet.
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