SALTWATER HELP!

[Ryan88]

Hello everyone,
Ive recently had the urge to try doing a saltwater tank. Now I have cleaned out my freshwater tank that had goldfish in there and now Im all ready to start! Ive heard alot of things and alot of mixed stories, So ive come here looking for some good facts that a beginner like me can pick up. All these sites do is go into complicated things that I dont understand yet. I do have a few questions so responses are definately apprecaited! Thanks alot guys.

So I ABSOLUTELY need a protein skimmer even as a beginner?
Also how big of a saltwater container should i have for mixing new saltwater??

I got an aquaclear 30 for my new filter system, I like there products so i hope that was a good choice

Also I figured to fill my 30 gallon tank up with just freshwater, let it filter then add the salt a day later is that alright??

Is instant ocean a good brand of salt to choose?

Was really thinking of getting some fish and live rock from live aquaria i think the site is called, they got really good reviews so i wanted to give them a try.

Can I start the saltwater tank THEN put the live rocks in??

Im sure ill have alot more ?'s but I do need alot of help, So ASAP!

 

[JRWOHLER]

Welcome aboard Ryan.
First congratulations on asking questions the people here are a load of help.
Let me say that there are a lot of different opinions and more then one can be right. My nano tank was doing very well without a skimmer until my fuge light died. With a 30 G tank some people set up a refugium (natural system that uses live rock and macro algae to skim your water) You can check out some of the different set ups here or some of the web sites have special areas for nano tanks. The biggest problem is on a 30 G tank you might not have the room for a skimmer or it will add heat to your tank.

Second if you ever used copper(medication ect with copper) in your tank I would seriously consider starting with a new tank. Copper kills a lot of invertebrates and they are very sensitive to it.

Third take your time figure out what you want to keep because that is going to be the very first question you get.

 

[Subliminal]

No, you don't absolutely need a protein skimmer on a 30 gallon tank. I've never used one on mine, and it's been up and running for over a year. It doesn't have anything to do with beginner or advanced, but it's a matter of being a great filter for a saltwater tank.

I don't think power filters are very good for saltwater, as after a while they just seem to be detritus traps, and they make your nitrate numbers climb rapidly, unless you clean clean CLEAN them. For the $$$ you paid for that filter, you could probably go get a decent or used protein skimmer and be better off.

Instant Ocean is a fine brand of salt. I use Reef Crystals, which is by Instant Ocean, and have happily for a long time now.

Live Aquaria is good, but with shipping it gets expensive. There are some decent vendors in NJ who might end up cheaper without the shipping. Aquatic Obsessions in Woodbridge comes to mind. Also, this forum is a GREAT place to get things like live rock.

Yeah, feel free to fill up your tank with water, first. I'd recommend ro/di filtered water, as you'll find keeping certain things in check (algae) is tough in a saltwater tank if you don't use filtered water. Once the tank is full of water (but nothing else), drop your salt in there and let it mix with your filters. You'll probably want to get a powerhead or two to keep the water moving, too.

Also, if you've used copper based medicines in your freshwater setup in this tank, you probably don't want to use that tank for salt water. These chemicals can leach into your tank and then leach back out into your sw setup, and many occupants are very sensitive to copper.

Ask away...there's a ton of great people on this site!

 

[Subliminal]

PS - I use a 5 gallon bucket for mixing saltwater for my 29g. I do 5g a week.

My basic mixing strategy is:

RO/DI water (comes out of the tap COLD) into the bucket with the appropriate amount of salt.

Stick in a maxijet 1200 and cover it in my garage.

24 hrs later the salt is mixed and the MJ1200 has heated the water to the appropriate temperature...no heater required.

 

[blange3]

Welcome to NJRC!

The most important thing to remember is only bad things happen quickly in this hobby, in other words it's important to take your time.

You want to start a saltwater tank, great! So what are you hoping to keep in that tank? Before you get too specific about the equipment, it's important to know what kind of livestock are you going to keep.

Will this be a fish only tank? Some beginner corals? Anything and everthing you see? ;D

 

[Ryan88]

Awesome help so far. I am now concerned with the choice of my power filter What should i do about that now? Should I just keep it and see how it is and everything?

Can I just fill the tank with tap water and then put in some water dechlorination solution that i had picked up from petsmart with my filter?

Also the only things i used in that tank was aquaclear solution to clear the water and the dechlorination, and thats it. Any trouble there??
cause if there is then im really going to have to wait to get another tank, i already bought my new filter, 1 powerhead, and a hydrometer. it just all adds up lol.

Anyway i understand it like this, i can fill the tank and let it filter for a day then add the salt the next day. I heard im supposed to add the live sand after the saltwater has already mixed in the tank, any truth to that??

I really wanted to start out with 1 small clownfish like a nemo i guess, i wanted to do my entire tank one big rock display bc at one of the places i saw these fish the entire tank is a couple of big rocks grouped together, i noticed these fish like to hide alot and everything so i just thought that would be a good idea??

Also are there really vendors on here that i could like buy live rocks and stuff and they will ship it to me and everything? Because if so then ill just go through here to get my stuff

 

[JRWOHLER]

You need to use RO/DI water. For a 30 gallon tank you can get away with buying the water. Tap water has a lot of stuff you don't want some of the local fish stores (LFS) sell water you can buy 5 G at a time. Remember when you add rock you will displace water so you will not need a full 30 G.

Like I said a lot of people make the AC(aqua clear) into refugiums. Basically you get a very small light for above it add live rock and a macro algae like Cheato and the water flows though it and is natually filtered. The good thing about that is you get the water movement at the surface from the AC plus a natural cleaning. So don't dispair it will come in handy.

Second slow down and relax, these tanks tanks take a lot more time then goldfish which can basically live in your toilet bowl.

 

[Subliminal]

Why you want RO/DI water:

Any questions?

 

[JRWOHLER]

Forgot you will be doing water changes to export the nutrients added by your fish and to replenish nutrients used by your corals.

 

[Ryan88]

RO/DI water is the unsalted water ill be putting in 1st then adding salt??
How many 5 g buckets will i need to fill the 30 g tank.
And how do i turn my filter into that refurgim thing?

 

[JRWOHLER]

RO/DI water is water that has been specially filtered. You can get a unit from one of our venders, next month is a group buy, they generally cost between 100-150 that would give you a lot of water. I bought mine from Tropiquarium for the first year premade but as I gear up for my bigger tank I purchased a unit (bigger tank bigger water changes you get the idea)and now make it myself. To answer your question yes the unsalted water.

I didn't do the Filter to Refugium thing but I believe basically you gut it and add rock and algae with a light over it. I had a chamber in mine and I had filter floss, macro algae, and live rock.
One trick is to light the refugium on an opposite light cycle from your tank to help with PH flux.

Try to read here and some other sites to see what I am taking about. Google Refugium and Aqua Clear I am sure you get some examples.

 

[Ryan88]

I could just keep the filter as is to right?
I did see some water at a few places but i dont know what kind it was, wouldnt it save me shipping to just buy it in the store?

But anyway, how many of those 5 g buckets would i need for the 30 g tank?

I dont want to get to ahead of myself here i just really wanted to know what the main setup was and then go into detail about the other things you know? but i guess i cant do anything til i get that water?

 

[Ryan88]

Could i even fit a protein skimmer in the tank with all the live rocks ill have to put in? I mean do they even tell you how to work it and what to do?

 

[Ryan88]

I dont know where everyone is, but i found a protein skimmer that wasn't OUTRAGEOUS in price its called
Fission Nano-Protein Skimmer and its from aquariumguys.com i think

 

[JRWOHLER]

Save your $24.99 and send me $10 bucks and I will let you curse at me. PIECE OF CRAP they shouldn't be allowed to sell them.

 

[Ryan88]

Well then where should I be looking then? I mean I dont really want to spend so much on my first one.
Im hearing now from someone else im talking to that the ro di water isn't unnecessary if im not setting up with reefs which im not, just live rocks and sand. So couldn't i just use the dechlorination liquid to purify the water??

 

[blange3]

You're not slowing down enough yet, Ryan!

If you are only keeping a clownfish or two in a 30 gallon tank, you can use the Aquaclear, a power head and tap water; but there are advantages to using RO/DI water.

Where do you live? If you live near Woodbridge I can give you water while you get started.

You need to read up on the nitrogen cycle and you will understand how the basics of marine chemistry work. Then the choices regarding water, filters and skimmers will make more sense.

Try some light reading Here.

The less sophisticated your filtration, the more you will need to export waste products by doing water changes. If you use tapwater instead of RO/DI you will probably be introducing nutrients that can fuel algae growth. Excess algae in a reeftank interferes with coral growth. Excess algae in a fish only tank is basically an eyesore, although I know fish only folks who love the look of it. By using tapwater you will have to do more frequent waterchanges.

Even when I used tapwater for my fish only tanks, I preferred to age it a few days in a bucket with an airstone and heater instead of using dechlorinators. After the chlorine dissipates, then you add your salt mix. Do not add salt mix to water that still has chlorine in it.

Read some of the articles on the link and we'll chat more. IF you can make it to the club meeting, lots of folds will be there who can chat with you more.

 

[Ryan88]

Well Im just going to bottom line this.

I have an empty 30 g tank in my room. I have purchased an aqua clear 30 filter system, a corolla power head 1, top fin water purifier, and a hydrometer. I am yet to purchase salt, live sand, or live rocks. Now I am located in Hazlet, NJ. Maybe Tropi Aquarium would be a good solution for my needs? And yes i want to start with a clown fish. Then add fish that are compatible with the clown. Thats all guys. Nothing crazy at all man. I mean if i have to get this water i will and then ill take it from there i guess

 

[Phyl]

You can either get a cheap skimmer or a good skimmer. You can't get a cheap skimmer that works well. The skimmer goes in the sump, outside of the sump, or hangs on the tank. You wouldn't put it in your display tank.

 

[Ryan88]

what is a sump?