New to the forum and got a new C-250

[Supermookik]

Hello
I am new to the site but have been lurking around for a while
After reading all the reviews I got a Red Sea C-250 and I love it.
It didn't come with instructions so it was a little challenging putting the stand together but after 6 hours the stand was built
The tank has been running for a week and half I have 60lbs live sand and about 60lbs of LR but looking to add another 10lbs
What do you think is it to much LR?
I have 2 damsels in there now to kick start the system but should I go with the dead shrimp approach as well? To much?

 

[sirrealism]

Welcome to the addiction. It is frowned on to use live fish to cycle a tank but since you have them already do not add the shrimp. it would kill the fish. If you can catch the fish and return them then add a shrimp would be best. I know the LFS told you that you could use the fish to cycle but its very hard on them and a lot dont make it. Kind of like how much radiation can you live in before it kills you. You live in LA so you know about pollution. Thats what your asking your fish to do wile it cycles.
Post some pics of your system after you get to 5 posts. Looking forward to seeing your setup. As far as adding more rock? post the pics of the tank and ask again. There are lots of different rock.

 

[DianaKay]

Hello Supermookik
:welcomera WELCOME to Reef Sanctuary
And Welcome to the Red Sea Max Owner's Club...GREAT TANK, Congrats!!!
I'm with Sirrealism on the idea of damsels for cycling. They are beautiful little fish but they can also prove to be a nightmare of aggression after a bit of time in your tank. What kind are they?
If you decide to remove them & return them to the place you bought them from...do it before you get any additional LR. Most likely you will have to re-do your Rockscape to get them out.
60 pounds of LR sounds like enough but it really depends on the how porous your LR is. Lighter weight LR tends to have more good bacterial growth area inside it than solid heavy base rock.
A picture would for sure & We LVE PICTURES!
Hope you'll start a tank thread & share your progress.
GO SLOW, don't overstock too fast would be my best advice right now. Good things happen SLOW--Bad things happen Fast!
Very BEST WISHES.....:biker

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members

Start a tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along, we love pics

Congrats on your new beautiful RSM ! The LR seems about right for a 65 gallon tank

 

[Supermookik]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!!
The LFS didn't tell me the damsels won't make it. He said they are hardy but after reading this I took them out and will be returning them back him and find another store.
Once I hit my 5 post mark I will post more pics.

 

[Supermookik]

The LFS was trying to sell a chiller to me I didn't buy it yet. My house AC is set to 78-79 do you think I will need a chiller?

 

[Joeys Tank]

You can avoid getting a chiller depending on ambient temp of the room (yours is 78-79), location to windows (natural lighting heating up the tank vs cooler air around windows cooling off the tank), amount and type of equipment being used with the tank, etc. There are a lot of variables. Ideally, the best way to determine if you need a chiller or not is to watch the temp within your tank.

My thoughts are to let your tank tell you alot about what it needs, not a LFS who isn't as familiar with your setup as you are and is more interested in staying in business than he is in you staying in the hobby.

If it turns out your tank is running slightly warm, there are several things you can do for less expense than getting a chiller. What those options are will depend on what your tank is telling you, not what your LFS is selling you.

Great advice above from all. While some will cycle a tank with fish, it is usually frowned upon to place livestock in a harsh environment. The amount of rock you want in the tank is less dependent on weight and more dependent on how it fits in your tank. A good thing to shoot for is more porous rock (increased surface area for bacterial growth vs a 50 lb solid block of rock).

Welcome to RS!!! I look forward to following along on your journey.

 

[DianaKay]

If you have already removed the damsels, then go ahead & put in a couple of mashed raw deli-shrimp....
It will help "feed" your nitrous cycle by providing a gradual release of ammonia as it deteriorates.
I actually used this kind:

It's actually cooked frozen but that's what kind I cook with & had on hand, it worked for my tank.
I put it in a cut off pantyhose stocking and anchored it down with a small rock.

 

[DianaKay]

And if you don't have a test kit for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates....it would be a great time to buy one & be testing & recording the results daily so that you will know where you are with your tank's cycle progress.
I just used an API test for Saltwater, it was cheap & easy

 

[Supermookik]

Thank you for the info Diana I will go the the market on my way home
Thank you for the info Joey!! Love this place great place for a newbie

 

[Supermookik]

How can I post pics? When I click on the picture icon it asks for a URl

 

[Supermookik]

 

[Supermookik]

 

[Supermookik]

I think I figured out how to post pics

 

[mganapa]

How can I post pics? When I click on the picture icon it asks for a URl

First off welcome to this forum!

Here is a sticky from nanoreefing4fun

1 way post pics photobucket

I personally use Flickr. In Flickr
1. Upload the picture with Privacy option as Public (appears on the upload page)
2. Once the upload is complete, click on the picture.
3. Click the share button on the bottom right of the image.

4. Select BBCode and medium size for embedding. This seems to work nice for me (see an FTS of a 10 gallon nano below)
5. Copy the link that is provided in the box and paste it here.
6. Edit it if needed. I typically remove the hyperlinked text that comes with it.


Hope this helps.

 

[DianaKay]

I use Photobucket (It's FREE & Easy to use) for posting pictures.
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...hotobucket-nanoreefing4fun-5.html#post1244670
The link above^ tells you how to use it.
I ABSOLUTLY know what you are meaning by loving this RS Forum....
My tank is BEAUTIFUL & I owe it all to the HELP that the members here provided.
I'd never dreamed of having colorful live corals like this

Stick around, get you a tank thread started (if you didn't already ) this is a great place to hang out!

 

[Supermookik]

 

[Supermookik]

 

[Supermookik]

This is fustrating I am using an iPad and photobucket is not letting me copy and past the links for some reason

 

[Supermookik]

How do I start my own tank thread sorry for all the questions