mauler
Active Member
Are you talking about some kind of algae or seaweed?
Hi, sort of new!
- Thread starter Sawickib
- Start date
trigger40
Well-Known Member
its just that the pipe fish around here eat a typ of algea that grows on the grasses and if you bring home grasses that are already way to hard to keep you will get in trouble. ill let you in a little secret if you have a jetie around you get a realy small bream fish hook you file down the barb not the point and get a clip on weight fish the jetie with a peice of shrimp. ypu will catch a lot of cool stuff.
mauler
Active Member
Just the idea seems hilarious to me that a 2' fish is so viciousnot untill he takes a chunk out of your leg! lol but they ushualy go for the flipers, thanfully.
trigger40
Well-Known Member
+1, the queen, humu, grey, and titan trigger are known to chase you around. also ther are bure fish on thoes grass flates. thoes are cool.
geridoc
Well-Known Member
You will need a source of RODI to use to replace evaporation. Tap water, even if the city starts with RO, won't do since there will be chemicals in the water that won't evaporate, so as you keep replacing evaporative loss with tap water you are increasing the concentration of things like dry cleaning fluid, nitrates, etc. If you can't afford a dedicated RODI system, get your water at WalMart - their stations are RODI systems.
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Welcome to the site, +1 on getting water from Walmart or other large grocery store. Your fish don't need fluoride, just to name something in city water you don't want in your tank. Unless you're goal is for a nuisance algae nightmare tank.
I kept freshwater fish for 30+ years. The only thing that experience helped me with concerning keeping a SW tank, was knowledge about the cycle. Everything else is 100% new and different. A 20g tank is teeny tiny for keeping anything in it. A neon goby, and maybe one other very small fish can be put in it besides the CUC (Clean Up Crew of snails and such).
The CUC does a good job keeping the tank clean, so you won't be breaking it down and vacuuming the sand. You simply remove some water and replace it with the same amount called a "water change". To keep the salinity the right level...water evaporates, but salt (and other stuff as GeriDoc pointed out) does not... so each evening we refill the tank with RO water to the original water line, called "topping off".
Have the sand 2 inches deep. Build the rock half way up the back side of the tank (caves are cool). Put the rock in first, and put the sand around it, you can't build on shifting sand, SW cleaning critters often dig, and that can cause a rock slide, killing your critters or breaking the tank. The rock work must be very, very stable.
Setting up a quarantine tank at the same time you set up the display would be the best thing you can do. Saltwater ich isn't like freshwater ich. You won't be able to drop a fizzy tab into the tank to clear it up like you can in a freshwater set up. Instead you have to treat the fish in a separate tank, and leave the display without any fish at all for 6 to 8 weeks, for the parasite to die off.
The freshwater set ups would not cost any more to set them up as saltwater, you can use all the same equipment, unless you use under gravel filters (the only filter not suited for saltwater tanks). Maybe change the lighting system if the larger tanks have a hood. Saltwater tanks should be open, not covered. You wouldn't need any more rock then what you already have if you use macroalgae. Check out "GOLF COAST ECOSYSTEMS". Macro's will keep your water quality pristine, and add color and life to fish only systems.
I really recommend you use a much larger tank then a 20g.
Welcome to the site, +1 on getting water from Walmart or other large grocery store. Your fish don't need fluoride, just to name something in city water you don't want in your tank. Unless you're goal is for a nuisance algae nightmare tank.
I kept freshwater fish for 30+ years. The only thing that experience helped me with concerning keeping a SW tank, was knowledge about the cycle. Everything else is 100% new and different. A 20g tank is teeny tiny for keeping anything in it. A neon goby, and maybe one other very small fish can be put in it besides the CUC (Clean Up Crew of snails and such).
The CUC does a good job keeping the tank clean, so you won't be breaking it down and vacuuming the sand. You simply remove some water and replace it with the same amount called a "water change". To keep the salinity the right level...water evaporates, but salt (and other stuff as GeriDoc pointed out) does not... so each evening we refill the tank with RO water to the original water line, called "topping off".
Have the sand 2 inches deep. Build the rock half way up the back side of the tank (caves are cool). Put the rock in first, and put the sand around it, you can't build on shifting sand, SW cleaning critters often dig, and that can cause a rock slide, killing your critters or breaking the tank. The rock work must be very, very stable.
Setting up a quarantine tank at the same time you set up the display would be the best thing you can do. Saltwater ich isn't like freshwater ich. You won't be able to drop a fizzy tab into the tank to clear it up like you can in a freshwater set up. Instead you have to treat the fish in a separate tank, and leave the display without any fish at all for 6 to 8 weeks, for the parasite to die off.
The freshwater set ups would not cost any more to set them up as saltwater, you can use all the same equipment, unless you use under gravel filters (the only filter not suited for saltwater tanks). Maybe change the lighting system if the larger tanks have a hood. Saltwater tanks should be open, not covered. You wouldn't need any more rock then what you already have if you use macroalgae. Check out "GOLF COAST ECOSYSTEMS". Macro's will keep your water quality pristine, and add color and life to fish only systems.
I really recommend you use a much larger tank then a 20g.
Sawickib
New Member
Alright so it sounds like it would be much easier to just get a RODI unit and wait until the fish from my 55 gallon grow out of that tank, then i will just make that the sw tank. So would 30-40lbs of sand, 60lbs of live rock and what type of light is good for easy soft corals? For RO water do you do 100% RO water for water changes or just a certain amount mixed with tap (i have well water atm)? Will i also need a protein skimmer?
I was meaning to just do a pair of clownfish and some inverts in the 20 gallon. Also should i try the florida native tank first or just not at all? I know i have a high chance of bringing in nasties from catching my own fish. And by plants yea i meant types of algae and seaweeds.
I was meaning to just do a pair of clownfish and some inverts in the 20 gallon. Also should i try the florida native tank first or just not at all? I know i have a high chance of bringing in nasties from catching my own fish. And by plants yea i meant types of algae and seaweeds.
mauler
Active Member
For sand you want a nice 1-2" deep sand bed and 60lbs of rock is good it doesn't all have to be live you could get 5-10lbs live and get dry base rock for the rest it would be cheaper that way.
For lights read this
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/index.php?threads/snakes-method-of-lighting.390122/#post_3452980
For water changes you use 100% RO water put salt in it till it's at the right salinity let it churn for 24 hours and your good. For top offs you just dump in RO water till it's back to where it was. You don't want to use tap or well water in your saltwater tank.
A protein skimmer couldn't hurt but it's not necessary depending on what you what you plan to keep and how well you maintain the tank.
You can still put a pair of clowns and inverts in the 55 and you try some native fish just QT them like any other fish
For lights read this
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/index.php?threads/snakes-method-of-lighting.390122/#post_3452980
For water changes you use 100% RO water put salt in it till it's at the right salinity let it churn for 24 hours and your good. For top offs you just dump in RO water till it's back to where it was. You don't want to use tap or well water in your saltwater tank.
A protein skimmer couldn't hurt but it's not necessary depending on what you what you plan to keep and how well you maintain the tank.
You can still put a pair of clowns and inverts in the 55 and you try some native fish just QT them like any other fish
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
The 20g is too small for two clownfish, they need at least a 30g tank. Soft corals will do fine under T5HO lighting. 100% RO water, no tap or well water. The only thing you want in your water is what you add via your salt mix and additives. Just so you understand: Never add anything such as additives to your tank until you do a test first to see if you even need to.
I agree with mauler that 1 to 2 inches of sand is perfect. However I think 60 pounds of rock in a 55g tank is overkill...the fish need some room to swim, a 55g is so narrow, it already has restricted room for the fish. In a 55g you might look into a false rock wall background, instead of trying to build up rock to save a little space for corals and fish. We can guide you on how to make one...it's super easy to do.
Some rocks are heavier then others, so pound of rock isn't a good measure IMO. Build your rock 1/2 way up the back side of the tank. It's a personal choice, but I combine rock and resin décor in both of my 56g and 90g tanks.
Sawickib
New Member
So when im ready to set up my saltwater tanks, can i set up my 20 gallon as a QT? And then just set it up as you would a normal tank. IE sand and live rock or do you just cycle it and thats it?
So for liverock in the 55 gallon, do i just add enough live rock to make it so theres lots of open areas, but still some liverock areas?
What are water change regime's like? Im aware that taking out to much is bad, but what if you over feed? Do you have to grab the food with your hands? How often do you clean filters, and how do you do it? Should i scratch off the salt rim and put it back in the tank?
Sorry for the question over load lol o and one last one is a T8 bulb ok or no good? Its about 6500K
So for liverock in the 55 gallon, do i just add enough live rock to make it so theres lots of open areas, but still some liverock areas?
What are water change regime's like? Im aware that taking out to much is bad, but what if you over feed? Do you have to grab the food with your hands? How often do you clean filters, and how do you do it? Should i scratch off the salt rim and put it back in the tank?
Sorry for the question over load lol o and one last one is a T8 bulb ok or no good? Its about 6500K
mauler
Active Member
For the rock just put in enough till your happy with it just make sure the fish still have room.
Your water change regime will depend on how good your filtration is how many fish you have and how much you feed them so basically you'll figure it out as you go along. Same for your filters. And as far as extra food goes if you have a cuc they'll take care of it.
I don't put the salt creep back in my tank I'm not sure if your supposed to or not.
The T8s are only good for fish only tanks they can't support healthy coral growth.
Your water change regime will depend on how good your filtration is how many fish you have and how much you feed them so basically you'll figure it out as you go along. Same for your filters. And as far as extra food goes if you have a cuc they'll take care of it.
I don't put the salt creep back in my tank I'm not sure if your supposed to or not.
The T8s are only good for fish only tanks they can't support healthy coral growth.
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
The QT questions the others answered. So I will jump in with the other stuff.
Over cleaning will kill the good bacteria colonies, (also depends on the type of filter) A canister filter should be serviced once a month. HOB filters: Once a month I remove the sponge and rinse it in the old saltwater that I just removed for a water change, and put it right back in, then I replace the carbon. Sumps can go many moons before you need to actually vacuum up the silt in the bottom that accumulates, but if you use a sock you should clean that once a week or every couple of days. Wet/dry filters need the bioballs rinsed the same way you rinse the sponge, in old saltwater (freshwater destroys the good bacteria).
Set up your rock to look the way you like, you need enough surface area to allow the building of good bacteria colonies, and of course your critters need a place to hide and feel secure. Caves look awesome and the fish love them. I use décor as well as the rock. The only rule is to make sure it's very stable and won't topple over. Some folks even zip tie rock into place after drilling a hole. Black pond foam works great for attaching rock to each other...but only base rock, you can do live rock like that. If you kind of twist and move the rock against each other, you will feel it kind of lock into place and not move. Always build from the bottom of the bare tank, and then put sand around it, it's the safest way IMO.
Water changes are just that...you remove some water, and replace that same amount back into the tank. That replenishes the minerals and such that have been depleted, and removes some nitrates. In a SW tank the cleaning critters actually do their job. A Variety of critters make up our cleaning crew. Some are in the live rock, such as bristle worms, micro stars, copepods, isopods, amphipods and pineapple sponges. The rest we add ourselves and each do their own job, nassarious snails and brittle or serpent stars eat wasted food that fall into the rock. Turbos, astrea and other snails eat algae.
Your CUC (clean up crew) not only take care of algae and wasted food, but any fish that hides and dies deep in the rocks, are eaten before it becomes an ammonia generator. Otherwise every time a fish dies we would have to rip apart the entire tank to get to it. We certainly remove any dead fish we find, but once the tank is established, a sick or dead fish just disappears never to be seen again.
T5, T8, LEDs, Metal halides or regular fish lights...There are corals for every type of lighting you have... not all corals need or want the bright lights, in fact, I think the non-photosynthetic corals have the better colors. So all you have to do, is select the right corals for the lighting you have. Nitrates are a problem for corals, but some corals such as Xenia actually need a little nitrate to live... but any reading over 10 is not good, a reading at 20 or above will kill them. Corals need to feed, and that pollutes the tank, and so requires more water changes...what feeds corals also feed nuisance algae, so always be careful of how much food you add to the tank. Some corals need to be hand fed, so you have to take into account all the things that coral needs before you buy it and put it into your tank. So always do your homework before you buy any critter, or this hobby will get very expensive.
Macroalgae feeds on all the nasty stuff, such as ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and phosphates, it absorbs it to be able to grow, and once it reaches a certain overgrowth (all plants need to be pruned) you remove those elements from your system (called harvesting), keeping the water quality pristine. I highly recommend that one way or another, you add some type of macro to your system. A HOB refugium, or a refugium chamber in the sump, or Beaslbobs idea of a rigged version in the display using egg crate, or even certain decorative macros that can grow right in the display. An algae scrubber will do the same thing, it's only draw back is that it must be cleaned once a week to work
Sawickib
New Member
Alright guys its been awhile since i last posted but i now have a 55 gallon drilled sw aquarium and a 10 gallon sump. First off will this provide enough filtration? It has a protein skimmer, also can i add whatever i want to the slots inside? I wanted to add sponges, bioballs and live rock.
In the tank i have live rock up against the back of the tank is that ok? Is it best to provide as much caves as possible? Because thats what i did haha.
Is there a post on here of how to properly cycle a SW tank or is it the same as FW? besides taking longer...
For the initial set up im just using tap water and marine salt, but for WCs ill be using water made from my LFS which has RO and all that good stuff. Will it be ok to top off the water with my well water?
What fish can i put into my tank? I want a clownfish and maybe a goby and they need to be coral safe as well. I really like hawkfish but their reputation proceeds them as being quite aggressive.
Once i start cycling should a buy like a pound of live rock and place it throughout the rocks to promote bacteria growth and colonization faster?
I have a florescent light that has 4 white and 4 blue bulbs, but i dont know their rating or their spectrum but ill try to figure that out, the fans on them dont work though will that be a big problem later on?
Do i need a heater for the tank? Its usually 74+ degrees in my house and i have the option of putting a fan on the sump if needed to be cooler im not really sure with the temp ranges.
Should i have lids or no lids? I think lids would help stop evaporation right?
For excess salt on the trim of the tank do i push that back in the water or remove it?
I think thats all the questions i can remember at the time lol sorry theres so many any answers are much appreciated.
In the tank i have live rock up against the back of the tank is that ok? Is it best to provide as much caves as possible? Because thats what i did haha.
Is there a post on here of how to properly cycle a SW tank or is it the same as FW? besides taking longer...
For the initial set up im just using tap water and marine salt, but for WCs ill be using water made from my LFS which has RO and all that good stuff. Will it be ok to top off the water with my well water?
What fish can i put into my tank? I want a clownfish and maybe a goby and they need to be coral safe as well. I really like hawkfish but their reputation proceeds them as being quite aggressive.
Once i start cycling should a buy like a pound of live rock and place it throughout the rocks to promote bacteria growth and colonization faster?
I have a florescent light that has 4 white and 4 blue bulbs, but i dont know their rating or their spectrum but ill try to figure that out, the fans on them dont work though will that be a big problem later on?
Do i need a heater for the tank? Its usually 74+ degrees in my house and i have the option of putting a fan on the sump if needed to be cooler im not really sure with the temp ranges.
Should i have lids or no lids? I think lids would help stop evaporation right?
For excess salt on the trim of the tank do i push that back in the water or remove it?
I think thats all the questions i can remember at the time lol sorry theres so many any answers are much appreciated.
flower
Well-Known Member
A good beginners book will be very helpful, the difference between keeping SW and FW tanks are a world apart. The ONLY helpful experience of keeping FW first is some knowledge of the nitrogen cycle... the rest is all new...
Click on your quote to see the answers I gave you to your questions...my words are in bold
silverado61
Well-Known Member
Until then, there is a thread in this section called "guides for new hobbyists" written by snakeblitz that will give you a good foot hold on cycling. It's a very good read. I bumped it to the top for you so you won't have to search for it.
Welcome back.
Welcome back.
flower
Well-Known Member
Those posts should be set up as articles so they are easy to find... Snake did a very good job explaining quite a few things. Sawickib, They all begin with "Snakes method of __fill in the blank__"
