I'm entering the saltwater hobby need advice please

[jay0705]

Nls pellets are good. Frozen for the fish u want should be , mysis, brine, spirulina brine, mega marine, mega marine alage. Brine it self has minimal nutritional value, the spirulina brine is atleast gut loaded. You can always make ur own too

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Just thought of another question....
When I mixing the saltwater when I get the tank, do I need to mix every single bucket of water with salt? Let's say a 40 gallon breeder takes 5 or 6 buckets, does this mean I have to mix water with salt 5-6 times or do I just do it once until the salinty reachs 1.021 and add the rest fresh? Only thing left that confuses me

 

[lmforbis]

In a new tank I mix the water in the tank. It is just too hard otherwise. You can do it in buckets too. You don't need the extra mix time since there is nothing alive in the tank. The salinity may not stablize for a day or two.

 

[pegasus]

Just thought of another question....
When I mixing the saltwater when I get the tank, do I need to mix every single bucket of water with salt? Let's say a 40 gallon breeder takes 5 or 6 buckets, does this mean I have to mix water with salt 5-6 times or do I just do it once until the salinty reachs 1.021 and add the rest fresh? Only thing left that confuses me

You don't mix the entire bucket, unless you need that much saltwater. Only mix what you need. The salt I use is Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, and I mix roughly 1/2 cup per gallon of water to start with, and after stirring for several hours, I check the salinity of the freshly mixed saltwater. It's usually just a little low, so I add tiny bits until I reach my goal of 1.023 - 1.024 SG (Specific Gravity).

BE SURE to add salt to water slowly and stir rapidly so there is no settling of elements on the bottom of the mixing container. You should aerate the freshly mixed saltwater 24-48 hours before use to allow for carbon dioxide/oxygen equilibrium. Another method is to use a power head to circulate the water in the mixing container, as this will accomplish the same thing. It's the method I prefer.

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Ok so that's good to know for when I do water changes and such. Thanks for that.
But for when I first get the 40 gallon breeder and want to add water, how would I do so with the salt mix?

 

[pegasus]

While saltwater can be mixed in the new tank, I recommend mixing the water in a separate container.The reason is because you won't know if you've mixed enough water, or too much water if you mix it in an empty tank. Sand and rocks, assuming you'll be using those, is going to displace a good bit of water. I'd have about 30 gallons of saltwater mixed, and add the water to the tank immediately after the rocks and sand had been placed. Since you won't be mixing large quantities of water after the initial fill, a new, clean 30 gallon Brute garbage can will work just fine for mixing saltwater. I use a 30 gallon, heavy-duty tote that I picked up at Lowe's for water changes in my 125 and 40B... combined.

If you choose to mix the initial water in the tank, only fill the tank half full of water, and mix it to the required salinity. Add your rocks and sand after 24 hours of aeration or circulation, and then top the tank off with saltwater mixed in another container. You don't want to try to mix water in the tank once you have sand and rocks in it. It'll never completely dissolve... and you'll have a sandstorm in the tank.

 

[bang guy]

While saltwater can be mixed in the new tank, I recommend mixing the water in a separate container.

+1 Absolutely!

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

While saltwater can be mixed in the new tank, I recommend mixing the water in a separate container.The reason is because you won't know if you've mixed enough water, or too much water if you mix it in an empty tank. Sand and rocks, assuming you'll be using those, is going to displace a good bit of water. I'd have about 30 gallons of saltwater mixed, and add the water to the tank immediately after the rocks and sand had been placed. Since you won't be mixing large quantities of water after the initial fill, a new, clean 30 gallon Brute garbage can will work just fine for mixing saltwater. I use a 30 gallon, heavy-duty tote that I picked up at Lowe's for water changes in my 125 and 40B... combined.

If you choose to mix the initial water in the tank, only fill the tank half full of water, and mix it to the required salinity. Add your rocks and sand after 24 hours of aeration or circulation, and then top the tank off with saltwater mixed in another container. You don't want to try to mix water in the tank once you have sand and rocks in it. It'll never completely dissolve... and you'll have a sandstorm in the tank.

Ok awesome. So any ordinary garbage barrel is good?
Just fill a 30 gallon Brute garbage can to the top and then add the salt. Add a heater and a pump. Sounds much easier now.

 

[lmforbis]

Needs to be a food safe container which Brute garbage cans are but other brands might not be.

 

[jay0705]

Just to reiterate , your premix needs to be the same sg as your tank when u do water changes. Rapid changes up or down can be deadly for tank inhabitants.
The brute is an excellent idea, depending how often you do water changes make sure to check ur sg tho. If u mix it at 1.021 on say nov 1 then go to use the rest on nov 21 evaporation will have risen your sg in that case add fresh to get it where u need it

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Just to reiterate , your premix needs to be the same sg as your tank when u do water changes. Rapid changes up or down can be deadly for tank inhabitants.
The brute is an excellent idea, depending how often you do water changes make sure to check ur sg tho. If u mix it at 1.021 on say nov 1 then go to use the rest on nov 21 evaporation will have risen your sg in that case add fresh to get it where u need it

SG is Salinty? I will only mix water like a day or 2 before a water change so it has had a chance to sit.

Needs to be a food safe container which Brute garbage cans are but other brands might not be.

Very familour with those used to work as a line cook/chef.

 

[pegasus]

SG is Salinty? I will only mix water like a day or 2 before a water change so it has had a chance to sit.

Very familour with those used to work as a line cook/chef.

Yes. SG is an abbreviation for Specific Gravity. Another measure of salinity is PPT (Parts Per Thousand). The average oceans salinity is 1.025 SG, or 35 PPT. Yet another measure is percentage, where the average of ocean water is 3.5% salt. You will most often hear the first two terms, SG or PPT. I think SG will be the most common measurement that you'll encounter.

You'll want to keep the fresh mixed water circulating (not sitting), not only for O2/CO2 equilibrium, but also to make sure as many solids as possible get dissolved.

 

[flower]

I kept my mixed water circulating with a utility pump in a 37g Brute garbage can. When it got low on water, I would add new RO water and salt. Let it churn for 24 hours before use, but you can keep the mixed water going ... even for months on end, as long as you keep it circulated. Always check the SG, and make sure it matches your display before you use it. Don't heat the water for mixing...cold is better, I think it's Bang Guy who told me that, I used to warm the water. Oh... and when you add salt to your RO (reverse osmosis) water, make it swirl so the mix doesn't hit the bottom and clump up. Sprinkle the mix in as the water swirls.

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

I kept my mixed water circulating with a utility pump in a 37g Brute garbage can. When it got low on water, I would add new RO water and salt. Let it churn for 24 hours before use, but you can keep the mixed water going ... even for months on end, as long as you keep it circulated. Always check the SG, and make sure it matches your display before you use it. Don't heat the water for mixing...cold is better, I think it's Bang Guy who told me that, I used to warm the water. Oh... and when you add salt to your RO (reverse osmosis) water, make it swirl so the mix doesn't hit the bottom and clump up. Sprinkle the mix in as the water swirls.

Thank you very much for your help!!!!
I went in to my lfs today and they a 5 gallon bucket of Ocean Sea Salt Mix and right now it's priced at 69 dollars but he suggested I wait until Black Friday to get it because it will be only 30 dollars so I put in my order for 4 of them. How long do you think those buckets should last?

 

[pegasus]

The Reef Crystal pail makes 160 gallons at 1.021 SG. This is an estimate, as higher salinity will result in few gallons per pail. I don't recommend 1.021 SG. 1.023 is a nice average salinity for most marine fish.

 

[flower]

Thank you very much for your help!!!!
I went in to my lfs today and they a 5 gallon bucket of Ocean Sea Salt Mix and right now it's priced at 69 dollars but he suggested I wait until Black Friday to get it because it will be only 30 dollars so I put in my order for 4 of them. How long do you think those buckets should last?

Hi,

1/2 cup per gallon of water, is the usual measure. How long it lasts depends on how often you do water changes, how high the SG you want, and the size of your tank. For around $40.00 you can buy salt mix by the box which makes 200g. The deal for 4 buckets at $30.00 isn't bad, but no way would I pay $69.00 for a bucket that makes up only 160g... reef crystals have higher Calcium and such then regular salt mix. If you are going to go with coral, use the reef salt mix, otherwise the regular, for fish only systems is a little cheaper.

It seems a silly thing, but I really didn't know, and I figured I would pass on this information.
The box has 4 very strong thick plastic bags of salt mix, so no need to be concerned it won't keep. It took me a long time before I purchased by the box because I feared the cardboard would absorb moisture and ruin the salt mix. Then one time someone gave me a box of salt mix, that's when I found out it was actually in bags.

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Awesome thanks guys!!!
One finally question, if I do go with a 55 gallon, could a bicolor angel live with clowns and a bicolor blenny and yellow watch man goby and inverts? ***** was out of 40 breeders.

 

[bang guy]

Those fish all sound compatible as long as the Clownfish are both the same species.

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Those fish all sound compatible as long as the Clownfish are both the same species.

My fish store was telling me that it is ok to mix occellaris with snowflake clowns is this true?
Most of the clownfish tanks are marked O.R.A. what does this mean?
I didn't see any regular occellaris just snowflakes and blacks. Are the regular ones not marketable or sellable or could they have sold out? I went in today to check out their pricing and the prices have gone up since the summer wonder why?

 

[AquaAlexCardinale]

One of my friends is closing his 125 salt and going back to fresh.
He is offering all of his live rock to me. However, I don't plan to set my salt tank up until November at the earliest.
Could I keep the live rock alive in a rubbermaid tub with his saltwater and an air pump?