Kevin's 55 Gallon Adventure To The Salty Side!

[cowbla1]

Well i have decide to become a salty! So i guess i will try a journal.
I bought a used 55 with a stand and filter for $110 on craigslist, and i am planning to turn it into a reef tank. I have ordered a skimmer for it which should be here next week, and i am hoping to get some metal halides for christmas. If i can not get metal halides i will keep it a fowlr, but my parents said they will probably get them for me then. Here are some tank specs:
Tank: 55 gallons
Filter: fluval 405 (will take out media and use carbon)
Lighting: Basic T8's
Stand
Sand: aragonite
Skimmer: Odyssea ps75

And here is a stocking list for you guys to evaluate:
2x Ocellaris clowns
1x Bangaii cardinal
1x firefish
1x 6-line wrasse
1x mccosker's flasher wrasse

And here are some pics.

Tank semi-clean

Stand

 

[cowbla1]

Update:
Painted background.

 

[cowbla1]

Tank and stand in final position.
(I know its dirty)

 

[cowbla1]

Here it is filled with ro water and salt added.

 

[seffieuk]

Woo hoo......... exciting isn't it

Seffie x

 

[cowbla1]

Is it ok to cycle a tank with damsels instead of adding ammonia?

 

[seffieuk]

You dont need either - the live rock will create your cycle from die-off

Seffie x

 

[cowbla1]

Well seffie i am making my own live rock to use will that affect the cycle?
Here are some picures of the live rock i am making with this website http/www.athiel.com/lib10/rockmaking.htm

(This one is not the best )

 

[simonas]

Looks cool with the background painted and lights on

Bet you can;t wait now to get sand and rock in there and see ittake shape

Simon

 

[seffieuk]

MMmmm, well, I have never made it before, but someone on here has, it might have been KJ or Nemo?

It will take a long time to become Live and will need some live rock to seed from. I also thought it took quite a long time to cure?

Seffie x

 

[cowbla1]

Sorry it has been a while and i have not had a whole lot of money, considering i'm too young to work . But i got $150 for Christmas as well as a new nova extreme pro 6 bulb t5 light. That puts my tank at a little below 6 watts per gallon which i think is ok for my purposes.
All lights

10000k

Acintic

 

[cowbla1]

Got about ten pounds of live rock today.

 

[-Nemo-]

Noticed the earlier post. I have made DIY live rock, although the curing process is long and painful and although I love how it came out, I have not used it because I'm still not comfortable with the pH being given off.

Looking good, slow is better than fast

 

[cowbla1]

This morning i found this. Is it aiptasia and if it is how should i kill it?

Kevin

 

[ozzie2011]

This morning i found this. Is it aiptasia and if it is how should i kill it?

Kevin

Yes its aip, pepermint shrimps will eat them.