55g Reef from the start

So I have a 55g tank that was a freshwater tank, but Ich for the most part killed all but a few of the fish. So the surviors are now happy in a 20g L healthy and I learned not to buy fish from Petco. I had always known that I was playing with fire with Petco fish, but I had never had a problem before and its closer to my house than the new LFS that I go to. At any rate I then had an empty 55 gallon tank and after doing a lot of research I decided on doing a reef tank.

Here is a picture of the Sump that will have a refuge with it as well. I made it out of a 20g l and some glass I bought from a frame shop:


From the top:


Tank its self (The stand is getting refinished and I will be putting a wooden hood and everything with better lights before I put any live stock in it.)


I will also be extending the cabinet so I can fit the sump underneath it instead of on the carpet behind it. (My wife told me that was a temporary solution, so thats going to have to get done sooner than later...ha ha)

 

After the tank cleared:




The surviving Peppermint Shrimp Carlos (My wife named him after the baby in The Hangover)


The new aquascaping:

 

going to be an awesome reef!

 

welcome to 3reef and make sure you ask away with questions!
everyone on here are very helpful and will gladly answer any questions you'll have!

 

Welcome to 3reef, looking forward to seeing it come together. I live in the west burbs in case you cant find chaeto for that fuge, I can hook you up with a clump.

 

Sweet!!! I havent looked at the plants at my LFS yet to see what they have. I am going to pick up the LR and LS tonight and look then. Ill keep ya posted on my chaeto situation and we will go from there. Thanks a lot!

Ill post more pics tonight after I add the LR and LS.

 

Alright I bought some pre-cured live rock, reef sand and some live sand (for my refug).

Interesting thing happened when I added my live rock my salinity shot up to 1.026 for a bit and then leveled out...again at 1.023.

Tank is cloudy as all get out and I have to order some Chaeto for the refugium.

I bought 21 pounds of LR today and will probably get more tomorrow...its cured already, but even still I am going to cycle my tank for a long while before adding any livestock to it, just to make sure everything is alright in there.

 

Welcome to 3reef and thanks for sharing your build with us! Can't wait to see how it progresses!

 

Welcome to 3reef. Anytime I read about someone starting a new tank it makes me want to start over. Congrats on the beginning of your possible addiction.

 

Well I bought more LR and some base rock today. Also picked up a water testing kit and if you havent read the ASAP board a hitchhiker Brittle Star, which I am hoping can deal with being alone for awhile while the tank cycles. Quick question, if the LR was already cured how much is the tank actually going to "cycle" and do you think this little guy can survive...http://www.3reef.com/forums/asap/starfish-new-live-rock-78755.html if you want to post on there instead of here.

Here are some picks, I aqua scaped the LR and Base Rock off of a reef I dove on in the Florida keys...it is basically a wall of rock that juts up in the middle of the ocean. The water is still a bit cloudy atm, but I took pictures anyway.



From the back(you can see the star's little legs sticking out a bit):


and the Star himself (who if he lives through the cycle will be called Butkus):