Hi all, I fell in love with the GSP's from wally world and had to buy myself a couple. I had an extra 55 gallon tank sitting around and a place in the livng room to put it, so needless to say, I started this tank up. My plan is to gradually raise the salinity to a plateu of 1.010 for a few months, then 1.018 for a few more months and finally ending with an SG of 1.024(marine).
Tank started 5-26-09
Standard 55 gallon (48"x21"x12")
30 lbs of crushed coral
several fake plants and large stump ornament
400 w theo submersible heater
dual bio wheel HOB filter(no markings on the filter but has several spots for filter pads and lots of room, it really moves the water too)
I purchased two 1.5" GSPs really early on the 26th, about 1 am(after work)
I went home and filled the tank with water(yes, after I bought the fish) and the temp was at 82 F, I put some stress coat in to take care of chlorine and chloramines and put a couple of seeded filter pads from my 90 gallon tank to aid in the cycle. By 3 am I was ready for bed and the puffers were acclimated and in the tank. I woke up around 9 am on the 27th and went out and bought 4 mollies, 2m and 2f(both pregnant). I got those acclimated and headed out to work.
On 5-28 I tested the water and found 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 20 nitrate, so I did a water change and went to lfs for 1/2 off fish Thursday and bought 4 more mollies(2m and 2f)
5-29 Occupants: 2 gsp, 4f mollies and 4m mollies, fully stocked and cycled, tested water and had 0,0,20 so I did another water change, I also filled two 5 gallon buckets with water and put a half cup of Instant Ocean salt in each and placed air stones into each bucket
5-30 Checked salinity and found it at 1.005 in each bucket so I added another half cup of salt and waited a couple hours, rechecked salinity and found it at 1.010
Tested the water and found 0,0,10, I did a water change, lol, but for good reason this time as I refilled the 10 gallons(20%) I took out with the prepped salt water from the 5 gallon buckets
The puffers and mollies all swam through the salty water as I poured it in and seem to enjoy the added salt already, tested the water in the tank after an hour and the salinity is now 1.002, just where I wanted it.
Any thoughts, comments, or questions are appreciated,
Thanks for looking
Tank started 5-26-09
Standard 55 gallon (48"x21"x12")
30 lbs of crushed coral
several fake plants and large stump ornament
400 w theo submersible heater
dual bio wheel HOB filter(no markings on the filter but has several spots for filter pads and lots of room, it really moves the water too)
I purchased two 1.5" GSPs really early on the 26th, about 1 am(after work)
I went home and filled the tank with water(yes, after I bought the fish) and the temp was at 82 F, I put some stress coat in to take care of chlorine and chloramines and put a couple of seeded filter pads from my 90 gallon tank to aid in the cycle. By 3 am I was ready for bed and the puffers were acclimated and in the tank. I woke up around 9 am on the 27th and went out and bought 4 mollies, 2m and 2f(both pregnant). I got those acclimated and headed out to work.
On 5-28 I tested the water and found 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 20 nitrate, so I did a water change and went to lfs for 1/2 off fish Thursday and bought 4 more mollies(2m and 2f)
5-29 Occupants: 2 gsp, 4f mollies and 4m mollies, fully stocked and cycled, tested water and had 0,0,20 so I did another water change, I also filled two 5 gallon buckets with water and put a half cup of Instant Ocean salt in each and placed air stones into each bucket
5-30 Checked salinity and found it at 1.005 in each bucket so I added another half cup of salt and waited a couple hours, rechecked salinity and found it at 1.010
Tested the water and found 0,0,10, I did a water change, lol, but for good reason this time as I refilled the 10 gallons(20%) I took out with the prepped salt water from the 5 gallon buckets
The puffers and mollies all swam through the salty water as I poured it in and seem to enjoy the added salt already, tested the water in the tank after an hour and the salinity is now 1.002, just where I wanted it.
Any thoughts, comments, or questions are appreciated,
Thanks for looking
