Boyu Tl-550 Set Up Help

[Welsh_Reef]

HI All

Purchased the Tl-550 from a local stockist 10 days ago. Was told it was a good tank but crap instructions, which I fully agree with.

I took it all out & washed the tank & parts in cold water, put everything back where it was found originally & then set the pipes etc in. Filled the tank adding the stress coat which we were given by the shop, & then added the salt. Switched the whole thing on & the water cleared.

The only trouble I have got is the skimmer, the cup at the top of the skimmer is empty but the section inside of it is half full of water because I have turned the air valve but when I open the vale which has the white stuff coming up it bubbles all over- is this normal? If not how can I rectify the problem. If I turn the valve down then the bubbles go away & all I am left with is the water as before. Im worried that I havent set this up right so would be so grateful for any help.

Finally should the sponge filter be put under the skimmer (where it was in the box) or shoudl it go under the bioballs?

Many Thanks

Welsh Reef

 

[seffieuk]

HI All

to the salty side of life and TFF

Purchased the Tl-550 from a local stockist 10 days ago. Was told it was a good tank but crap instructions, which I fully agree with.

Yes, a good tank

I took it all out & washed the tank & parts in cold water, put everything back where it was found originally & then set the pipes etc in. Filled the tank adding the stress coat which we were given by the shop, & then added the salt. Switched the whole thing on & the water cleared.

Well, would have been a good idea to get the water up to temp. first, but never mind, not the end of the world you don't need stress coat - what is your SG, after the water has reached temp. ?

The only trouble I have got is the skimmer, the cup at the top of the skimmer is empty but the section inside of it is half full of water because I have turned the air valve but when I open the vale which has the white stuff coming up it bubbles all over- is this normal? If not how can I rectify the problem. If I turn the valve down then the bubbles go away & all I am left with is the water as before. Im worried that I havent set this up right so would be so grateful for any help.

Ok, you don't need the skimmer yet as you have nothing in there to skim! However, don't panic - just needs a little playing with until you get the right result. yes if you have the valve fully open that will happen, just turn it down a wee bit

Finally should the sponge filter be put under the skimmer (where it was in the box) or shoudl it go under the bioballs?

Ditch all sponges and bio balls and noodles - replace with, Live rock rubble and rowophos

Many Thanks

Have you read the many 550 set up threads and journels on here? Mine and my sisters is 'our journey to the salty side'

Welsh Reef

What are your plans and can we have some photos please?

Seffie x

 

[TigerIssey]

Are you going for a reef, if so did you use RO water or tap water?? If you want a reef and inverts you need to use RO, they are very sensitive to copper present in tap water.

 

[Welsh_Reef]

I currently have added 3 peices of live rock int he tank itself & live sand although reading on here I think Ive been conned. Are you saying to put live rock in the compartments at the rear of the tank? Or just in the tank itself- also the same with rubble?

Hoping someday to get 2 clownfish amongst other things....

Tiger- we initally used tap but have now put RO in to top it up.

 

[TigerIssey]

If you are wanting a reef you really need to get that tap water out, it will not just be copper, there will be nitrates and phosphates in the water that will affect the tank considerably.

For LR you want some nice sized pieces in the tank as this will be your filtration and you will attach corals to it. You will also want some rubble, very small pieces in the back of the tank to replace biobalss and noodles, these can be nitrate traps. You ideally want a nitrate and phosphate reading as close to 0 as possible.

In the back compartment you will also want a carbon and phosphate remover, Rowaphos is the best. I can thoroughly recommend reading Seffie and Trods Journal as it really is a wealth of information on starting up a reef, and as it is the same tank, will help you considerably.

Also, if you could answer the question on what you are hoping to achieve, types of coral, fish, inverts etc, we will be able to help you more.

 

[Welsh_Reef]

If you are wanting a reef you really need to get that tap water out, it will not just be copper, there will be nitrates and phosphates in the water that will affect the tank considerably.

For LR you want some nice sized pieces in the tank as this will be your filtration and you will attach corals to it. You will also want some rubble, very small pieces in the back of the tank to replace biobalss and noodles, these can be nitrate traps. You ideally want a nitrate and phosphate reading as close to 0 as possible.

In the back compartment you will also want a carbon and phosphate remover, Rowaphos is the best. I can thoroughly recommend reading Seffie and Trods Journal as it really is a wealth of information on starting up a reef, and as it is the same tank, will help you considerably.

Also, if you could answer the question on what you are hoping to achieve, types of coral, fish, inverts etc, we will be able to help you more.

Thanks for that-

So you are saying to take all of the water out & restart it with RO water; do i put more salt in with that?

With regards to coral Im thinking Sarcophyton leather coral but am unsure on what else at the moment, I quite like the branching Sinularia & the Lobophyllia

Fish wise as I mentioned I would like 2 clown fish, along with
Yellow Tang- liked the blues but have been told they are agressive
False Gramma
Redfin Flasher Wrasse
Shrimps & Snails too
Not sure about what else, depends on what our suppliers can get.

Will post a couple of pics in a min of two

 

[Welsh_Reef]

Front View of tank woth live rock



Our tropical tank in the front room- was set up for salt water but the set up was too noisy as it had over flow box at the back & couldnt cope with the noise,

 

[TigerIssey]

Yes, I would empty out and start entirely with RO, you will have less problems further down the line. You will need to get this back up to temp and then add salt again. I would take out the water and place what LR you have in there whilst you are swapping out the water. As you want shrimp and snails, unless you do this, they would die on you.

In a tank that small you will not be able to keep a yellow tang, they need at least 75 gallons.

Flasher should be ok, I have a filamented, beautiful fish.

Pictures are always good

Lastly, the LFS gave you wrong advice, you won't need the stress coat at all.

 

[seffieuk]

Ok, for the moment i am not going to discuss your fish list

So your plans are a reef with fish and corals

How much lr have you put in already - you will need approx 17 - 20k

As Tiger says, to avoid any problems, change all your water to RO water

Can see that you are already getting diatoms, so your cycle is under way

Have you started testing for:
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
?

Do you have a powerhead in the main display?
Is your spray bar pointing to the surface?

Seffie x

 

[Welsh_Reef]

Yes, I would empty out and start entirely with RO, you will have less problems further down the line. You will need to get this back up to temp and then add salt again. I would take out the water and place what LR you have in there whilst you are swapping out the water. As you want shrimp and snails, unless you do this, they would die on you.

In a tank that small you will not be able to keep a yellow tang, they need at least 75 gallons.

Flasher should be ok, I have a filamented, beautiful fish.

Pictures are always good

Lastly, the LFS gave you wrong advice, you won't need the stress coat at all.

Great! I will grab a load of RO then & chuck the LR in the existing water whilst waiting for the water to get up to temp then Ill add the LR & salt. Surprised about the tang.

What rubble would you suggest for replacing the bioballs?

Ok, for the moment i am not going to discuss your fish list

So your plans are a reef with fish and corals

How much lr have you put in already - you will need approx 17 - 20k

As Tiger says, to avoid any problems, change all your water to RO water

Can see that you are already getting diatoms, so your cycle is under way

Have you started testing for:
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
?

Do you have a powerhead in the main display?
Is your spray bar pointing to the surface?

Seffie x

Weve had the water tested & they said to get triple buffer into the tank which we are doing.

We havent got a powerhead in the main display....

The spray bar is pointing 90 degress to the right hand side of the tank- should it be?

 

[TigerIssey]

When you add the water back, get it up to temp then add salt, when it is completely dissolved and to the correct SG, then add the LR back.

Weve had the water tested & they said to get triple buffer into the tank which we are doing.

Stop using it for the moment, you pH and Alk will not be particularly stable whilst cycling anyway. If you add any supplements, you need to test for them. On to testing, you really need to get the test kits yourself and test yourself. I would say to begin with pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, API are OK, Salifert are much better.

You will probably need a suplemental powerhead for flow around the tank, Seffie will confirm this as she has that tank.

For rubble, you just need however much seffie says (not sure how much will fit) of LR rubble, its the bits that fall off the main stuff, usually LFS will have some sitting in the bottom of their LR tank.

As seffie says, how much do you have in the main tank now??

 

[seffieuk]

When you add the water back, get it up to temp then add salt, when it is completely dissolved and to the correct SG, then add the LR back. Oh indeed yes, dissolve the salt and test the SG before putting the live rock back

Weve had the water tested & they said to get triple buffer into the tank which we are doing.

Stop using it for the moment, you pH and Alk will not be particularly stable whilst cycling anyway. If you add any supplements, you need to test for them. On to testing, you really need to get the test kits yourself and test yourself. I would say to begin with pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, API are OK, Salifert are much better.

Yes, buy your own and get to know a bit about water chemistry

Agree with Tina - STOP using it now - lfs are just trying to sell you stuff by the sounds of it

You will probably need a suplemental powerhead for flow around the tank, Seffie will confirm this as she has that tank.

You MUST have a powerhead in the main display - most go for a korallia 2 - fleabay best price usually

For rubble, you just need however much seffie says (not sure how much will fit) of LR rubble, its the bits that fall off the main stuff, usually LFS will have some sitting in the bottom of their LR tank.

Yep, get enough to fill approx. a third

As seffie says, how much do you have in the main tank now?? Yes, very important?

Seffie x

 

[Welsh_Reef]

Quick update, we have added some hermit crabs, along with turbo snails (not called turbo for nothing it seems) & on the weekend we added 2 clownfish. They seem happy in the tank & are feeding well, but hell the food stinks. I will post some pictures when I get home tonight.

Also have 2 corals in there, forgotten the name of them but one of them is like a load of mushrooms, and the other is purpley with green end bits....LOL I know Im not good at describing

What other fish would people suggest goes well with Nemo & Marlin?

 

[seffieuk]

Quick update, we have added some hermit crabs, along with turbo snails (not called turbo for nothing it seems) & on the weekend we added 2 clownfish. They seem happy in the tank & are feeding well, but hell the food stinks. I will post some pictures when I get home tonight.

Also have 2 corals in there, forgotten the name of them but one of them is like a load of mushrooms, and the other is purpley with green end bits....LOL I know Im not good at describing

What other fish would people suggest goes well with Nemo & Marlin?

So within twenty days you have bought a tank, cycled it, added cuc, fish and coral...................

I'm out of this thread

Seffie x

 

[Trod]

Ok, We seem to have another speed king here

The whole point of a Marine aquarium is to take your time Slow down, you have no idea what your corals are, so how are you going to look after them, each coral is individual and as such needs individual care, unless you know what you have you won't know how to care for it Get some pictures up so we can help you identify them, and advise you on their care

I am assuming your Tank has cycled What are your stats now. SG, Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte and P.H

We are here to help use us ,there is an awful lot of experience on this forum, it would be a shame to waste it