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My first saltwater setup

G

gogol

After 3 yrs of 3 aquariums in fresh water, I have decided to try my hand in Saltwater.

My 20G became available and that's where I have setup shop and I have tonnes of newbie questions. But first I would want to ask if something needs to be done to my setup.

Equipment

Tank Size: 20 Gallon
Age of marine setup: 1 week
Heater: Unknown, second hand, but maintains steady temp and has a glass cover
Filter: Hagen AquaClear Filter 150/30
Pump: Whisper Air Pump 60 [connected to 8" air stone]
Tap Water Filter: PŪR® 3 Stage Vertical Faucet Mount-Chrome http://pur.spex.channelintelligence.com/StoreFront.aspx?offid=6&org=pg&mdl=723987005249&rule=2024&ciitem=14876432&__utma=1.572555106346319940.1235402381.1235402381.1235402381.1&__utmb=1.3.10.1235402381&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1235402381.1.1.utmgclid=CM_whdX48pgCFQxHQwodOHzx1w|utmccn=(not%20set)|utmcmd=(not%20set)|utmctr=pur%20water%20filter&__utmv=-&__utmk=125530890
Substrate: 0.5" Live Sand over 1 " regular sand
Water Monitor: Mardel Live Meter Master Test Kit
Water Test Kit: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Liquid Master Test Kit

LiveStock:

1. 2 Live Rock from petco [about 5 lbs]
2. 2 dead coral skeletons from a friend
3. 3 blue legged hermit
4. 2 turbo snails

eagerly awaiting your expert comments ..
 
J

junk

Congrats on the startup. When you read my comments below, please keep in mind that I’m a total newb and have only had my small 14g up and running for a few months now. So there is a ton that I need to learn as well. Hopefully the comments will come across as constructive as that’s how they are intended.

You’ll want a lot more live rock than 5lbs. I’d estimate closer to 20-25lbs. This greatly helps with your mechanical filtration. That’s a lot of sand in my view for a 20g. There seems to be a big change in the view of sand beds with one extreme being very deep and the other being a bare bottom. I don’t know which is right, but I prefer only 1” max in my 14g.

I don’t know if there is any value at all in having an air stone in a saltwater tank. I’d doubt it.

It’s very very very early to be adding any live stock at this point. It usually takes a few weeks for the tank to cycle. It can go quicker if you use live rock, sand and water from an established tank though.

That tap water filter…. I’m not sure it’s going to get you to where you need to be. You can pick up premixed saltwater if you want at most local fish stores.

Don’t take any of the above the wrong way. Glad you’re getting it set up. This is merely input from a newb.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

gogol said:
Thanks for the inputs.

The tap water filter was an attempt at cutting down cost of buying RO water.
Here's a list of things it would filter out. My filter is in the last column: http://www.purwater.com/manuals/PUR_Filter_Comparison.pdf

I really want to add Live Rock. Would you know of an LFS that gives good quality Live Rock?

Do I need a power head or a protein skimmer for my setup ?
Click to expand...

Welcome aboard.
Buying RO water from LFS might be cheaper then where you are buying now. Don't know where you live will point you in the right direction or let someone close to you point you in the right direction. Go spend a little more for RO IMHO it will be a big help on a little tank. (I can show the the bad alternative :-[)

The same goes for live rock as far as LFS...I am pretty sure too that Phyl and John still have some live rock for sale. Check out the for sale threads. You might get a better deal with more "life"

You don't need a skimmer...if you can great if not you just have to be more careful with your water changes. (not so hard with a 20G)

Bubbles will promote salt creep and can cause you a bit of trouble. Good water flow on the surface will help gas exchange.

Sand ... I like sand...IMHO it is personal preference.

Keep asking questions some more experienced reefers will chime in. Good Luck. :)
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

sign up to become a member...then participate in the group buy for AWI coming up next. You'll be able to get a RODI for a good price.

With a nano though - perhaps you don't want to make that investment (i would since this hobby is addicting and for all I know you'll have four nanos next year)...if that is the case then check out places like Aquatic Obsessions - I believe they sell RO water at a great price for members.

My only comment regarding trying to save money in this hobby is that of all the components (skimmers, powerheads, salt, etc) - i would submit that water is probably the one thing you should try not to be too cheap with.
 
G

gogol

Thanks again for the many suggestions. I will contact aquatic obsessions once they open.

I got my self around 18 more pounds of LR [ adding upto a total of 23 pounds in my tank] from a hobbyist in Bergen county following a craigslist advert. [Will post pictures later]. Some of it had a red mushroom growing on it, and some others were covered with a thick slimy moss like coat.

My pH seems around 8.4, but my ammonia is still hovering around 0.5ppm, my nitrates are also 1.0ppm and my nitrites are around 0.5ppm.

I was also wondering if I needed to add a power head now, or do I add it later, once the water has stabilised and I have added some corals. My airstone and power filter combo seem to cause enough disturbance to the surface for aeration, but I have no idea if the red mushrooms might prefer current. Please let me know what you think.
 
qwik

qwik

Hi, Welcome to the hobby . You do not mention your lighting system . If you are looking to keep corals as you say you will need the compatable lighting . The shrooms will not need a lot of current but they can spread all over if not kept in check .
The new live rock you say has a gren moss on it . A picture will help but I've never seen or heard of a "good" green moss . It probably will have to be taken care of,as in removed .
You are still to soon to add livestock of any sort . Since you already have a few inverts in there leave them to help the cycle .
You will be going thru a cycle of some sort . Maybe not that bad because rock was already live but expect one .
I would toss that airstone and get a small powerhead for water circulation .
Like everyone else said,dont cheap out on water . You will end up fighting algae blooms and other issues without properly filtered water . Just buy r/o for now. You can use it for top off and also mix your own saltwater . Mixing your own lets you decide on which brand to use and also where you want your salinity . It will be easy for you to keep good water params with a 20 gallon, a few gallon water change a week will be enough . If done with a good salt mix you will probably not need to add supplements at all .
Just take it slow and let the tank cycle and mature before adding fish . Keep in mind that you cant add alot of fish in a 20 g so think out what you want to keep before going to a store and impulse buying(we have all done it ;D ) . I know its hard but try to delay adding livestock until you have all the algae and cycling isssues under control .
I also believe in some sort of sand covering and you should be fine with what you have . Just remember when doing your rockwork to not let it touch the glass or you will not be able to clean that area . Make sure the rockwork that is on the bottom is not resting on sand . If you add any sandmovers(jawfish,etc..) they can dig under and topple your rockwork .Also using a little less rock and more openings in the rockwork give the fish more area to explore/feelsafe and also helps with waterflow .
Good Luck and Take it slow,it will be more fun in the longrun.
 
G

gogol

Does anyone know if the powersweep power head is would be adequate ? The hobbyist I bought my LR from had an old hydor nano for sale, I really liked the low wattage and the magnetic attaching mechanism. How much water flow should I aim for?

Called up aquatic obsessions and they said they would have 10 gallons of RO water at 75c/lb ready by tomorrow. Does someone know of grocery stores/chains that carry RO water ?

I would be posting pics soon.
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
We have a 20 g (along with 3 other tanks) and have not been using a skimmer. The nano skimmers are pretty new to the market and there are some pretty bad ones out there. The only one we tried that seemed to work was the new biocube one. We do weekly water changes on the 20 and that helps with the water quality. We buy our water from Tropiquarium, which is already premixed salt which helps save time and headaches.

I would also recommend getting liverock from a store, you don't want to introduce slime algae to a tank, it is tought to get out. I would let the tank cycle for a few weeks longer before you add anything. Keep in mind, how you stock your tank is going to affect the water quality as well.
 
G

gogol

Mnat, that store is kind of far from me, but thanks again for the input.

Why would you say that rock in a store is better than the rock from a private hobbyist ? I am not doubting your judgement, just curious to know the thought process.

Also what do you keep in your aquarium ? I am planning on starting with hardy mushrooms a week after my tank stabilises and very slowly move to corals. I always preferred inverts to fish even in my freshwater aquarium.

Do you have a powerhead ? If yes, what sort.

I did find a protein skimmer[Taam Rio Nano] which had a couple of good reviews. You could check it out if you would like.http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~protein_skimmers_taam_rio_nano_skimmer.html?ne_ppc_id=610&ne_key_id=972105&gclid=CLCrzM6C9pgCFQulQwodQ0X21w
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
We have bought all of our liverock from a LFS and have never had a problem with any hitchhikers or algae problems. Once you get something in your tank, it is next to impossible to get it out. As someone said above, you can save a lot of time, money, and grief by spending a little more and setting up the tank right.

Stocking wise for corals, we just have a few zoas and mushrooms. We just upgraded the lights to T5s, 96w so we may upgrade the corals as well. We have two cleaner shrimp in there, snails, serpent stars, strawberry crab and a few hermits as well. Fish wise we have a juvenile flame angel and a long-nosed hawk (which we are watching carefully with the shrimp). Both those fish generally need a bigger tank, and they will be upgraded soon.

I don't know what the powerhead is, she bought that one and honestly we don't even have it in the tank right now.
 
G

gogol

Can not add pics

Hello Mods ...

How do I add pics to gallery?

Why can I not add pics uploaded in picassa ?

Please delete the last 2 posts.
 
H

Hirobo

Re: My first saltwater setup[ pics in picassa]

gogol said:
I am having trouble adding pics.

Here is the link to my picassa album. If someone can tell me what sort of shrooms and anemones I have. And what is the green and red covering on my rocks, I would be most thankful.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bhattacharya.sayan/Aquarium1Week#
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you have in there as of shrooms and cant tell by the picture of the anenome but i think the stuff covering the rocks is just algae. what kind of light do you have?
 
G

gogol

I have 2 35watt halogen bulbs. Do you think the red slime is algae too ? Also would you say I need a power head?
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Looks like a common type of mushroom...the anemone I have no idea.

That skimmer gets very mixed results. If you go with a low bioload fish wise and don't go SPS now then put your money into lights and a decent RO/DI unit, and keep up with very good water changes. I will post up AWI group buy before the end of the week.

My suggestion for lights is T5 lighting.

A decent hang on skimmer is going to be roughly 100-130 bucks. Take your time and see what is out there.
Slow down and you won't be sorry.

You can also do something like a hang on refugium, CPR makes a pretty popular one, here is a link with some other refugiums...he also sells the CRP units. http://www.theaquariumgroup.net
Could go the natural route(refugium) vs protein skimmer.
 
G

gogol

I read that peppermint shrimp, nudibranches and an injection of lime juice can kill of these guys. I seem to have about 5-6 Aiptasia. Which one of the above killers would you recommend?

I also seem to have some green algae and very similar reddish brown growth on some other rocks. would you recommend any inverts to curb their growth?
 
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