New Tank Orca Tl-450 - Help Pls

[Sapphire15]

Hi, hope someone can help me answer probably a few simple questions but I want to make sure I do things properley! I am currently in the process of setting up my new tank, there is a small clear plastic box with a lid which I'm not sure what it is for, when I open the lid it seems to fit in the 3rd box from the left, is this right? also a black box with 2 leads coming out, one blue one black, presumably the blue one connects to the blue lead coming from the tank and the black one is for the power lead. Then - sorry there's more - is there anything else I need to do before adding water? I have marine gravel for the bottom, does this go in before the water or at a later stage? and then of course the salt, I was going to add this before the water, how much do I put in I have a box of 2kg which says for 60ltr, the tank is 58Ltr but would you put half the box in first then add more later or more than this to begin with? Anything else I should know I would be extremely grateful for and any other advice anyone has will be welcom. Sorry for all the questions but I really want to do this right!
Thanks

 

[seffieuk]

Hi Saphire

I can help you out with the tank as my sister and I both have the larger 550 version.

If you are standing looking at the tank from right to left:

the skimmer - which is a see through contraption should sit in the first box at the back.

second box is for the heater

third box has filter material in - my sister and I followed BigC who told us to take out all the media and replace with live rock rubble and rowaphos (which we have done) - balls and noodles should be removed

fourth box houses the powerhead and spray bar - the spray bar has two wires coming from it which attach to a little box that sticks on the side (as you said the one with a blue lead). Hope that helps.

If you reread BigC s journel and all the info he has given my sister and I it will answer some of your other questions.

mix your water in the tank, I used a 2kilo box for my tank so assume yours will be about half - it is easier to add more so err on the less than half and test - you can easily add more. Then in goes your live rock if that is what you are using closely followed by the sand

all the best, sure Bigc and others will be along shortly to help you out

Seffie

 

[Sapphire15]

Hi Saphire

I can help you out with the tank as my sister and I both have the larger 550 version.

If you are standing looking at the tank from right to left:

the skimmer - which is a see through contraption should sit in the first box at the back.

second box is for the heater

third box has filter material in - my sister and I followed BigC who told us to take out all the media and replace with live rock rubble and rowaphos (which we have done) - balls and noodles should be removed

fourth box houses the powerhead and spray bar - the spray bar has two wires coming from it which attach to a little box that sticks on the side (as you said the one with a blue lead). Hope that helps.

If you reread BigC s journel and all the info he has given my sister and I it will answer some of your other questions.

mix your water in the tank, I used a 2kilo box for my tank so assume yours will be about half - it is easier to add more so err on the less than half and test - you can easily add more. Then in goes your live rock if that is what you are using closely followed by the sand

all the best, sure Bigc and others will be along shortly to help you out

Seffie

Thanks for this, think the 450 is set up slightly different - left to right it goes - heater, filter materials, skimmer and then powerhead spray bar but you have given me the confidence to go ahead now! Presumably the small plastic box sits on top of the skimmer in the 3rd hole. I am going to add the water and then add 500g salt does this sound right, if so how long do I leave it before testing and what results should I be looking for? Also somebody has suggested a powerhead a hydor koralia nano, do you have one of these?
Thanks very much

 

[BigC]

Hi,
Not sure the way those aquariums are set up so I would go with the discription that Seffie has given you. I would add another Koralia pump the smallest Nano version would be fine for a little extra water movement. From scratch fill your tank up with RO water then switch on all you electrics and let the water heat up set your temp to around 80-82'F Once the heats up add your salt to mfgs recomendations for the volume of your tank. Test the SG after 24 hours. (refractometer is best) you are aiming for around 1.025.
If its under this then add some more salt but you'll have to give it time a few hours to mix before you test. If its over then you can just add some RO water and keep testing until you have achieved the target fig.
( cheap plastic weighing scales will come in handy for future mixes, waterchanges, when you'll be mixing water outside the aquarium)
Regards
BigC

 

[mutantbigman2000]

The Koralia nano is a great and silent little powerhead.

I use one for surface agitation on my 30g cube.

It would provide enough extra flow for a tank this size and would also aid the salt in mixing.

 

[Sapphire15]

Great, thanks very much off to search the internet for one

 

[mutantbigman2000]

it is actually cheaper to buy a koralia 1 that it is a nano. Might be a bit big for your tank though.

I got my nano for about £24 from ebay from a seller called aquaticdeals_123.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yes the Box is part of the skimmer and sits on the second chamber from the right.

Couple of pointers for this tank.

Before filling it cover over all the holes where the heater is attached (use marine putty or even just super glue to go round where it clips in).
Its a good idea to get a pump in the first chamber on the left and put the return onto the spray bar. Then cover up the small hole next to the spraybar. This increases the water flow through the back compartments (which is otherwise pretty poor).

The skimmer sucks by the way and I ended up ditching mine in the end. Tank is doing fine without it though.

I have a koralia nano in mind and its brilliant. You could probably be fine with the koralia 1 in there too.

Unfortunately all the pics in my orca 450 journal are gone (stupid photo host) but there are a few people on these boards with one. Other than the rubbish skimmer they are great little tanks.

Edit: have a look at this thread, should be a good amount of information there to get you going:
http/www.fishforums.net/content/Nano-Ree...-By-Step-Quest/

 

[Sapphire15]

All filled up and switched on (at last!!) very bubbly at the mo which I am hoping will settle tomorrow??

 

[ben1987]

get some pics up

 

[Sapphire15]

will try, had trouble downloading before, not that much to look at at the moment though lol

 

[BigC]

not that much to look at at the moment though lol

Dont matter, you'll be able to look back at the crude beginnings when you have a fully matured, fully stocked aquarium. Sort of then and now shots
Look forward to the Pics then LOL
Regards
BigC

 

[Sapphire15]

Have just tried with both my digital camera and my phone camera and get 'Upload failed. The file was larger than the available space'
any ideas anyone pls?

Also have read that a few people have journals, where do I find these on here, I would like to read some!!

Thanks again

 

[BigC]

Are you using Photobucket.
Go to Photobucket.com Open an account (free)
Upload your files (browse)
Then once uploaded copy and paste the .img line under the photo into your thread.

Oh yeah the journals
http/www.fishforums.net/category/105/Mar...arium-Journals/
Regards
BigC

 

[Sapphire15]

Thanks, let's see if this works!!

Yay!! It worked thank you very much!!