29g first salt build

[hotwingz]

Ok, so I have a 29g that I will setting up over the next couple days. I will be making the saltwater tonight. And tomorrow I'm getting the live sand and rocks from a friend.
Current set up.
I have a Marineland Penguin 350 power filter, and I have a single bright Marineland LED. I do have a dual bulb T5HO set up I'm planning on using, especially if one day I decide to add a coral or few. I know your supposed to have between 2-3 times (correct me if I'm wrong) water movement in the tank. Now the filter turns the water over around 5 time an hour. Is this good enough or do I still need a power head?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by hotwingz http:///t/397671/29g-first-salt-build#post_3545343
Ok, so I have a 29g that I will setting up over the next couple days. I will be making the saltwater tonight. And tomorrow I'm getting the live sand and rocks from a friend.
Current set up.
I have a Marineland Penguin 350 power filter, and I have a single bright Marineland LED. I do have a dual bulb T5HO set up I'm planning on using, especially if one day I decide to add a coral or few. I know your supposed to have between 2-3 times (correct me if I'm wrong) water movement in the tank. Now the filter turns the water over around 5 time an hour. Is this good enough or do I still need a power head?

Hi,

You need a power head...actually you need two small ones so you can aim them where you need flow. The wave is the very life of the ocean, and your saltwater tank. It isn't the turnover of water but the movement, make the surface look like it's about to boil.... saltwater has less oxygen then freshwater so the gas exchange is super important.

 

[hotwingz]

A a aah that makes a whole mess of since! See 8 my planted tanks I keep the surface as calm as I can. But the plants make oxygen. I don't have that in a marine environment. I do have a small 40gpH power head I can take out of my sump for one of my other tanks to start. My filter should be ok though right?

 

[hotwingz]

Well the tank is now full of water and salt I have the filter and one small power head I had runinning and mixing everything up.it should be nice and mixed by tomorrow evening when I add my sand and rocks!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by hotwingz http:///t/397671/29g-first-salt-build#post_3545367
A a aah that makes a whole mess of since! See 8 my planted tanks I keep the surface as calm as I can. But the plants make oxygen. I don't have that in a marine environment. I do have a small 40gpH power head I can take out of my sump for one of my other tanks to start. My filter should be ok though right?

Hi,

Your filter is fine, plan on getting a couple of power heads before you add any fish, while the tank is cycling you are fine. There is more then just oxygen that the power heads take care of, they clear the rocks of debris and keep the nutrients from settling on the surfaces of the sand and rock causing cyanobacteria. The wave is literally the very life of the tank. You need at least two so you can aim the PHs where you need them to do their job, and one needs to be pointed high so the surface moves. In my 90g I had 4 Koralia PHs...The MP20 or MP10 are the new rage, but they are expensive.

Remove some of the water into buckets so you can work on the tank. Also remember.... rocks first, then sand. make sure the rocks are good and steady as you stack them so they won't fall. Twist and wiggle them into place until you feel them "lock" then give it a good wiggle to be sure it won't move.

 

[hotwingz]

All done! Time for fish!

 

[geridoc]

No, not time for fish yet. You need to cycle the tank. Get an ammonia test kit and suspend a piece of raw supermarket shrimp in the tank until the ammonia levels rise. Then remove the shrimp and continue to measure ammonia and nitrites (get that kit too). When both levels fall to zero, then it is time for fish.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by hotwingz http:///t/397671/29g-first-salt-build#post_3545538
All done! Time for fish!



Hi,

I like the way you stacked everything with caves and all...it looks nice.

It's hard to tell in a picture...but is that rockwork good and stable? I ask because the top rocks look like it is just sitting up there, ready to be knocked off super easy. Did you place the rocks on the bottom of the tank, and push the sand around it? I ask because it looks like the rocks are on top of the sand.

SW critters dig, and that means a rock slide if you build on shifting sand, which could crush the critter or break/crack the tank. Also the fish can knock over rocks that are not good and solidly built up, so you really need to make sure you can wiggle the rock and it not go anywhere.

 

[hotwingz]

Ya I reread and forgot to mention earlier on that all of the rock and sand came from a tank that was several years old. It was taken out and within a couple hours it was in my tank. It was transported wet too so. And while this is my first salt tank, in my intro thread it touches on all my other aquatic expirience.
Anyways the guys I helped take down the tank I got this stuff from said once the rock and sand are in place give it a day and I could add fish. The tank wouldn't need to cycle since I'm not starting from scratch on everything. I know that I do this same method in my FW tanks using gravel and or old filter media.
Current water perams: pH 7.8, ammonia 0, nitrate 0, nitrite 0
And the rock...Ya it is kinda hard in the picture to see it. But that rock is pretty secure. I didn't get a chance to say thanks before I did it but I did take your advice and did the rocks first! It made since after I thought about it. My cichlids knocked down their rocks with their daily digging! Then I got smart and glued them together

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by hotwingz http:///t/397671/29g-first-salt-build#post_3545661
Ya I reread and forgot to mention earlier on that all of the rock and sand came from a tank that was several years old. It was taken out and within a couple hours it was in my tank. It was transported wet too so. And while this is my first salt tank, in my intro thread it touches on all my other aquatic expirience.
Anyways the guys I helped take down the tank I got this stuff from said once the rock and sand are in place give it a day and I could add fish. The tank wouldn't need to cycle since I'm not starting from scratch on everything. I know that I do this same method in my FW tanks using gravel and or old filter media.
Current water perams: pH 7.8, ammonia 0, nitrate 0, nitrite 0
And the rock...Ya it is kinda hard in the picture to see it. But that rock is pretty secure. I didn't get a chance to say thanks before I did it but I did take your advice and did the rocks first! It made since after I thought about it. My cichlids knocked down their rocks with their daily digging! Then I got smart and glued them together

Hi,

Glad to hear it...The tank does look nice. The surface could use a little more movement I think, it looks very calm for a SW tank.

 

[hotwingz]

Thanks! I'm pretty happy with it. And ya in the picture the surface looks calm but it does turn pretty good. I do think I'm going to look into another power head though. The ones that's in there is a 400gph, but I'd like to have one to point more at the surface.

 

[flower]

Awesome...I hope you plan on using a quarantine tank, they are pretty easy to set up and will save you so much grief down the road. The filter material in the HOB is enough to have a 10g QT all set and ready for that first fish.

In case you don't know how to set up a quarantine:

• 10g tank
• Piece of PVC pipe, or plastic tank décor
• An air pump
• Air line
  Rubberband
  Thermometer (stick on the glass type is the easiest)
  Small HOB filter

Use the rubberband to attach the air line to the PVC to hold it down (that's the only water movement needed). Paint the outside bottom of the tank, a dark color or put a dark colored towel under the tank (something about reflection from the bottom causing problems). Keep your new fish in there for 4 weeks and if it's healthy, transfer it to the display, if it's sick you can easily treat it, and know the exact dose needed, water volume measure is a an easy 10g. have premixed water change water all set just in case it's needed, check you ammonia every day with one of those ammonia stick tests (the only time to use stick tests)...any sign of ammonia, do a water change (I have never had to, but always be prepared)

 

[hotwingz]

I do have a second 10g tank set up right now. It's only set up currently because I was given too much rock and sand. The rock fills the 10g tank!!! I'm not sure what Im going to do with it yet. Maybe a invert tank. I might sell it, trade it, I'm not sure yet.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by hotwingz http:///t/397671/29g-first-salt-build#post_3545690
I do have a second 10g tank set up right now. It's only set up currently because I was given too much rock and sand. The rock fills the 10g tank!!! I'm not sure what Im going to do with it yet. Maybe a invert tank. I might sell it, trade it, I'm not sure yet.

Hi,

The rock can go in a plastic tub with a power head., no need for light or heater... use the 10g for a QT

 

[hotwingz]

Well I have 3 more empty ones....no I'm sorry 4 =)