Set Up My First Saltwater tank

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Hello. I got a free 29 gallon aquarium from a friend and I turned it into a saltwater aquarium that I'm gonna keep clownfish, and others in.
I first filled the tank with tap water and then used reef crystal salt as someone at my lfs reccomended for tap water. I let it sit for 24 hours.
I then this morning added my live sand and 13 lbs of CaribSea Life Rock. (LOVE this rock).
I checked the salinty and it's at 1.020. Is this ok for fish only with live rock and inverts later on down the line or should I increase?
Also I will be adding more live rock this week.

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

This is the rock I am using at this moment. it's awesome

 

[flower]

Hi, welcome to the site...

#1 rule...never use tap water, use RO (reverse osmosis). Your own unit is best, Walmart sells it for 67 cents a gallon by me... You can also get premixed from the fish store, whoever told you to use tap water is an idiot. Reef crystal salt mix is for just fine to use, but it isn't better geared for tap water.

Get yourself a good saltwater beginners book, and whatever you do ...stop asking advice from the LFS. Go into the store knowing what you want or need. Because you used tap water, you most likely are going to have nuisance algae nightmares.

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Hi, welcome to the site...

#1 rule...never use tap water, use RO (reverse osmosis). Your own unit is best, Walmart sells it for 67 cents a gallon by me... You can also get premixed from the fish store, whoever told you to use tap water is an idiot. Reef crystal salt mix is for just fine to use, but it isn't better geared for tap water.

Get yourself a good saltwater beginners book, and whatever you do ...stop asking advice from the LFS. Go into the store knowing what you want or need. Because you used tap water, you most likely are going to have nuisance algae nightmares.

Ok. Thanks for clarfying. Where is the r/o water located in the wal-mart?
I can buy some ro water $1.25 a gallon which is what I will do for water changes. Will this help with the algae?
I have my salinity up at 1.024 now.
I'm thinking to speed the cycle up a little, do a small water change once a week and add prime once a week... good idea?

 

[flower]

Ok. Thanks for clarfying. Where is the r/o water located in the wal-mart?
I can buy some ro water $1.25 a gallon which is what I will do for water changes. Will this help with the algae?
I have my salinity up at 1.024 now.
I'm thinking to speed the cycle up a little, do a small water change once a week and add prime once a week... good idea?

Hi,

NO...do not do water changes or add prime. You can't speed up the cycle that way, in fact you slow it down. If you had live fish, doing that (called soft cycle) would keep the fish alive. You can add a product called cycle...but it won't hurry it up either, no matter what you do, good bacteria needs time to build it's colonies. Patience is the key to success.

Since you already started with tap water, all future water changes (after the cycle is complete) and top offs should be done with RO water, that should help. Keep nitrates and phosphates at 0 and you won't have a problem. Nuisance algae feeds on phosphates and nitrates.

All major grocery stores that have a refill station has RO water. It's just a stage filter to remove everything out of the water, so the refill station water, is RO water. RO/DI is best for your tank, but to get that, you will have to get your own unit, I don't know of anyone who sells it. The LFS will charge more then the stores for RO water, I wouldn't recommend you buy your water from them, just go to the grocery store. Spend your money on other stuff.

 

[lmforbis]

At my Walmart the RO station is in the same aisle as bottled water. You just need a jug to fill, they sell them too. It only costs $ 0.37 per gallon. I did it for quite a while till I bought my own RODI system.

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Hi,

NO...do not do water changes or add prime. You can't speed up the cycle that way, in fact you slow it down. If you had live fish, doing that (called soft cycle) would keep the fish alive. You can add a product called cycle...but it won't hurry it up either, no matter what you do, good bacteria needs time to build it's colonies. Patience is the key to success.

Since you already started with tap water, all future water changes (after the cycle is complete) and top offs should be done with RO water, that should help. Keep nitrates and phosphates at 0 and you won't have a problem. Nuisance algae feeds on phosphates and nitrates.

All major grocery stores that have a refill station has RO water. It's just a stage filter to remove everything out of the water, so the refill station water, is RO water. RO/DI is best for your tank, but to get that, you will have to get your own unit, I don't know of anyone who sells it. The LFS will charge more then the stores for RO water, I wouldn't recommend you buy your water from them, just go to the grocery store. Spend your money on other stuff.

Ok AWESOME!
Thanks Flower, so no water changes and NO prime. I'll let the water sit and do it's thing and check the parameters.
RO water is the easiest to get for me. I'll get RO water.

 

[flower]

Ok AWESOME!
Thanks Flower, so no water changes and NO prime. I'll let the water sit and do it's thing and check the parameters.
RO water is the easiest to get for me. I'll get RO water.

Great, glad to be of some help. You can ghost feed the tank...just a few flakes like you are feeding an invisible fish, when the ammonia reaches 0.5 to 1, let it ride. Spend this time waiting, on researching the fish and inverts you might want. Your list may change a bunch of times, but it passes the time. You might also consider setting up a quarantine tank, this is the perfect time to do it.

A 10g tank, either paint the outside bottom black, or set the tank on a towel to darken the bottom. A cheap HOB filter, a piece of plastic decoration, or a piece of PVC pipe to give the fish a hiding place to feel secure, and a bubble line... attached via rubber band to the décor. Not only will it keep the display from disease and parasites, but it also help you regulate how fast you add new fish.