old newbie

Hi guys, back after a year I think. But now with a sw nano. Feels good to be back. Let's say I'm a newbie. So I bought a boyu t550. Any advice on the tank before is start it up

 

Welcome back Cameron,

On the TL550 there are broadly speaking 3 things to observe:

1. Lighting - PL tubes vs LED. There are some nice LED units which would fit the TL550 canopy with a bit of DIY.

2. Filtration : Back compartments may need some modification to allow for improved flow. You may also want to consider running with some LR in the back compartments. Skimmer quality is not great, so would also be good to consider upgrading the on-board skimmer.

3. Flow. The standard on-board equipment for the TL550 is woefully inadequate IMO insofar flow is concerned. You may want to consider upgrading the return pump and adding 2-3 pumps in the display which provide 1000-1500 l/hr flow .

Looking forward to your updates.

 

Thanks guys for advice so far. Is there a skimmer on the market that would fit the tank. And what leds would go. Think tank comes with moonlight leds and some t5s. Before I start I would like the polish the Glass, as it has many scraches from previous owner. Any tips on this. Durban guys any help on places were this can be done

 

Tunze 9004 fits and is a beast

 

Not sure where to get cerium oxide but this might work if you can get hold of some...

 

Cameron, you could go with either inboard or hang on skimmer. There are numerous types available that would fit. LED wise the choice is large as well. I have a particular liking for the ZT6500 ( Zetlight). The unit is compact and could be used either suspended above the tank or you could DIY the canopy to fit the LED unit. They are a little pricey, but provide a good balanced spectrum of light.

Polishing the glass/acrylic: Not too many products I am aware of that actually perform well. The efficacy of these products would depend on how deep the scratches are. Perhaps Google a few options.

 

But do your'll guys think the scraches will be see once water if filled, the scraches can be seen but not felt, quite a bit aswell but not deep

 

Cameron,

Really difficult to say. I have some experience in polishing my TL450 and the results were good. The scratches on my tank were however very minor. Filled with water, one cannot see the scratches unless you look really closely. Bear in mind that most of these "polishes" are mildly to severly abrasive, and could actually cause a hazy appearance on the acrylic if not correctly chosen.

I can suggest that you look at products suited for headlight lens restoration for vehicles. These products perform well and remove haziness and shallow scratches. Just Google acrylic polishing or headlight lens restoration. Try the compound on a small area and see how it performs.

Hope this helps a bit

 

I'm looking for someone to do it properly as it can be a hard tas To do .
ok for the substrate can I use pfs or play sand instead of argonite. I'm looking for the sandy look or I should get aragonite?

 

Cameron,

I would go with Aragonite. Play sand may look nice and powdery, but in my experience this just ended up being blown around the tank due to the flow.
From a bacterial point of view ( Anaerobic activity in sandbed), I don't believe the grain size will make such a big difference, but perhaps there are others with a different view ?

 

somebody mentioned these guys a while back for scratches.

The Glass Surgeon