Native northeast tank

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Phillyfishct

New Member
i would like to set up a native northeast saltwater tank.. I'd like small local fish as well as crabs and sand and mud....... I'm in info collection mode... I'd like a 75-90 gallon tank..... I'm looking into required filtration..... I'm worried about flooding my basement, so what type of filter am I looking for (hob, canister) what kind of tank (drilled or not) and the need for a protein skimmed....... flood pretection is my biggest worry so I was thinking a sump is out, leaned no toward a hob with a hob protein skimmer... From my crude research, this would seem to be most suitable,, idk about canister filters, they seem great, but do you have to have a drilled tank? .... any and all I put is helpful.... I had roommates a long time ago that had a 55 gallon that they made native , we lived 200 feet from Long Island sound, they dumped in mud, sand , and whatever worms may have been in there, cycled it for 2 weeks and added a blue crab, oyster roadfish, lobster, snails etc... they only had a hob filter and added saltwater when it got low,,, it ran for over a year with little problems....
 
one-fish

one-fish

Active Member
Been thinking the same but live in Chesapeake Bay area Drilled tank w/sump is best. If your into DIY projects many a you tube vids are out there
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I'd go with the hob filter. Sumps are nice and if they are the sized correctly a flood shouldn't ever happen. I used to have the same fears, I've been running a sump the last few years and would never go back. Now I have flooded my basement a couple times by forgetting to turn off my RO system. I solved that by adding float valves to shut it off. Speaking of RO you will want to get a reverse osmosis deionized water system for making saltwater and to use to replace evaporated water.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
I was just gona say that lol. For tropical fish like most tanks we keep , yes its a bad idea. But for you and local native fish i would think its fine. Aslong as its a clean area your getting it from
 
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Phillyfishct

New Member
I figure I'll use local saltwater for the water changes every so often, but keep an eye on the specific gravity, and if it gets high,- I could always add distilled water (?) - how much evaporation is expected to be in a 75-90 gallon tank... a couple gallons a week ??? - I don't really have an idea as to how much will evaporate
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
1) do an in tank refugium. Just a partition with egg crate. I put one 3" in front of the back glass in my old 55g and added 2 2 tube utility shop fluorescent lights. nitrates dropped to unmeasureable in 3 weeks, phosphates a few weeks later, the tangs constantly grazed on macro poking through and small fish really liked the pods.

2). google, lookup paul b. He has had a saltwater tank running for over 40 years in Long Island NY.

my .02
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Phillyfishct said:
☝ Like a cardboard egg crate? Does the partition go from top to bottom, or is it just there for algae to grow on?
Click to expand...
No

It's a 1/4" square plastic grid sold as a lighting diffuser for dropped ceilings. sometimes in home supply stores sold in the ceiling sections vrs the lights section. a 4'x2' section is around $10 or so.

My partition went from top to bottom side to side on my old 55g. held it from the glass with powerheads at top and rocks at the bottom.

So macros, pods, and even smaller fish could move/grow through the grid.

Actually it was the best $10 I ever spend on the tank. LOL

Obviously is doesn't have to be over the entire back but you get the idea.
 
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Phillyfishct

New Member
Thanks ! After looking around it would seem that a canister filter a hob protein skimmer, - light diffuser, and perhaps a in water fan to create a current that I could occasionally move would be sufficient for my purposes?...? ... also how often should I clean the filters/ change out water.... water every two weeks (20% of the tank) ?? ..... and the hob about every two weeks?? And canister filter ??? N
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
actually the old 55g referenced above had zero water changes in 6-7 years. IMHO once the system is balanced out (with algae) no need to do water changes.

I did do the dr randy holmes-Farley improved diy 2 part dosing though. It keeps calcium, alk, and mag in line using inexpensive bulk type materials.

my .02
 
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