Another new guy to the hobby. Need suggesstions.

mmyuki

mmyuki

Member
Alright I am just another new guy to the hobby and had a few questions for you guys / gals. I just got a 30 gallon tank, an aquaclear filter, and a heater to start out with. I rinsed my C.C and added it to the tank. I know you guys all hate C.C but since my LFS did not have any I got the C.C.... Went to my LFS and purchased 30 gallons of RO/DI water and some salt mix. Went home mixed it up and put that in the tank as well with some plants and some fake rock thing. Now this is where I am stumped. I could go out and buy some live rock but is it ok to add that to the tank now? and I am confused on the whole cycling thing, I know how it works but do not know how to get it started. Ive read some people used fish food, and some used pieces of fish or crab, not sure there. I tested my water for nitrites, nitrates, amonia and ph this afternoon, amonia was 0, nitrite was 0, nitrate was 0 and ph was 8.2 i think. water to salt ratio was 1.022.
This is my first tank here with saltwater and I just started the tank yesterday. I know i cannot add fish for a few weeks or even longer but is it ok to add live rock and how to get my cycle started.
Thanks for reading. Jeff.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Welcome to SWF and to the SW hobby
This is the time that is best to add your rock.....this way everything will cycle together.
ALSO...take out the fake deco's....they are for FW tanks....you also will need a powerhead. Are you familiar with Koralias?
You can use fish food or a raw shrimp....but get your rock first. Read the top 2 threads in the new hobbyist section also. There is a lot of great advice there
and ask ask ask, if you have any questions
 
slice

slice

Active Member
Welcome to the site!
Most of your questions can be answered by reading here: (a stickie at the top of this forum New Hobbyists).
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/forum/thread/116184/saltwater-aquariums-101-the-cycle
After you read that, come back with the new list of questions you are sure to have.
Again, Welcome!!
edit:
dang it Meow, beat me again
 
mmyuki

mmyuki

Member
They are fake deco's but they are the silk ones I was told to buy for salt water. Also I don't know how much rock to buy, I know I will need 30 or more pounds but for now to start the cycle would say 8 or 10 pounds be ok?
 
mrdc

mrdc

Active Member
I've heard to have at least a 1lb a gallon if you want to ge the benefit of using the filter mechanism of live rock.
 
slice

slice

Active Member
I have about 55 lbs of rock in my 47g tank, but only about 20 lbs or so of it was originally live rock, the rest was dry base rock.
 
mrdc

mrdc

Active Member
I forget how much I have in my 120 but more of it was base rock than live rock for sure. You don't need to start will all live rock because it will get expensive. The live rock will seed the tank and base rock will eventually turn live. I put all base rock in my 29g a few months ago and one piece of live rock and now all the rocks are showing signs of corraline algae.
 
mmyuki

mmyuki

Member
Im not sure what base rock is. When I find some would it be ok to put in say 8 pounds of Live rock and another 10 of base rock then add in a piece of shrimp to get it cycling?
 
mrdc

mrdc

Active Member
Yep. Doesn't take much live rock. Also, spend some time on your aquascaping. I would put the rock in first and then your substrate. I would also go with larger pieces on the bottom for better support.
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/382927/another-new-guy-to-the-hobby-need-suggesstions#post_3345420
Quote:
Originally Posted by MMyuki http:///forum/thread/382927/another-new-guy-to-the-hobby-need-suggesstions#post_3345407
Im not sure what base rock is. When I find some would it be ok to put in say 8 pounds of Live rock and another 10 of base rock then add in a piece of shrimp to get it cycling?
base rock is basically dry rock....has no life on it.....You could get 20 lbs of that and 5-10 lbs of live rock and be just fine
 
mmyuki

mmyuki

Member
Alright my LFS has Live and base rock avail. Im going to pick up 10 pounds of base and 7 pounds of Live to get in there and buy some more Live and base in a week or so to put in. Then I'll swing by the grocery store to get a piece of shrimp to put in there correct? Are you talking about shrimp cocktail type shrimp or what ?
 
slice

slice

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by MMyuki http:///forum/thread/382927/another-new-guy-to-the-hobby-need-suggesstions#post_3345428
Alright my LFS has Live and base rock avail. Im going to pick up 10 pounds of base and 7 pounds of Live to get in there and buy some more Live and base in a week or so to put in. Then I'll swing by the grocery store to get a piece of shrimp to put in there correct? Are you talking about shrimp cocktail type shrimp or what ?
Yep, you are on the right track there. Some folks put the shrimp in a filter sock or similar so it can be easily removed when it has done its job.
If you don't have a saltwater test kit, NOW is the time to get one. You should monitor the progress of the cycle. You would also serve yourself well
if you got a notebook to record your readings.
 
mmyuki

mmyuki

Member
Now I also had a question about powerheads. Do you need them? and if so what would be the right rating or whatever for my 30. And I also bought a heater for the tank but its been running for just about 24 hours now and I have not seen a huge change in the water temp.
Here is also a list of the exact specs I am running right now.
I have the 30 gallon tank
AquaClear filter rated for 20-50 gallons
ViaAqua Glass heater rated at 200W- good for 50 gallon tank
40 pounds of CoraLite Crushed Coral
For testing I have an API Saltwater master test kit
Looking into getting a power head.
 
mmyuki

mmyuki

Member
Isnt a frozen piece of shrimp cocktail raw? is so I can go buy a small bag of those and eat the rest =-)
 
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