converting fresh to salt

[powerhead]

Well, it has been close to eleven years sice my last saltwater tank, and I got out of it because of starting a family and the expense involved.
Anyway, I am READY to get back into the enjoyment. I have been given a 29 gallon octagonal tank that I want to best utilize. From my memory, this would only be good for a reef tank, maybe angels?, but mostly reef. But I also know the smaller the tank, the harder to maintain.
Question?: In setting this up, what filters should I start out with?
Would I be able to successfully maintain clowns, a madarin, and my favorite, a redlip blennie, without maxing out the tank?
Is it okay to cycle a tank with TR clowns (I alway used dominoes before, hate them, but they are cheap)?

 

[slofish]

Originally posted by powerhead
Question?: In setting this up, what filters should I start out with?

Get a protein skimmer, they work wonders
Would I be able to successfully maintain clowns, a madarin, and my favorite, a redlip blennie, without maxing out the tank?
Seems like you have a pretty good selection of maintainable. Only one, the mandarin will be difficult. Need bout 100lbs LR and well established tank to do it.


Is it okay to cycle a tank with TR clowns (I alway used dominoes before, hate them, but they are cheap)?
I cycled my tank with a clown and a damsel. Both still alive, clown in my tank, damsel at LFS. There are better ways to cycle much quicker though. Do a search on cycling/ cycle, etc. There are a couple different ways to do it. Some choose fish, some LR, some raw shrimp. I havent tried anything other than fish. But when i did cycle with a clown. I had RO water, cured live sand, and cured LR from my LFS.

 

[powerhead]

I appreciate the reply!
Is a 29 tall going to work?

 

[karajay]

Originally posted by powerhead
Is it okay to cycle a tank with TR clowns ?
It is my opinion that it is completely unnecessary to subject any fish to the ammonia/nitrite levels of a cycle, cheap or not. If you are planning on having LR in your tank, start with uncured rock and cycle with that. Otherwise, throw a raw shrimp or two in there for a few days. Run some carbon filtration and it won't smell.
And, ditch the mandarin, for reasons stated above.
Most importantly, WELCOME to SWF.com
Stick around, lots of good stuff here!

 

[jp0379]

Get liverock, livesand, and a few damsels. We put in the liverock and the livesand for a few days, and then added a neon damsel, a zebra damsel, a yellow damsel, and a domino damsel. ALL are still in our tank today.
The redlip blenny will eat brine.........and its one of our fav's too.
A protein skimmer and a small biowheel filter is the way we go on our 55, and a few powerheads, too. On yours two should do the trick.
As for the mandarin, if you have around 40 lbs. of liverock, he'll do fine.
Good luck, and hope to hear from ya soon!

 

[nicky1.8t]

As for the mandarin, if you have around 40 lbs. of liverock, he'll do fine.
That is not true. A mandarin usually wil only eat pods, a critter that reproduces in a mature reef sytem. In MY opinion a healthy mandarin will out eat the supply of pods, and will eventually starve. This is just my opinion, but do a search, or ask around. THe mandarin is a beautiful fish, and I wouldnt want one to starve in my tank. Good luck

 

[karajay]

Damsels are a pain in the (well, you know) to catch. I wouldn't put 'em in there unless you plan to keep them.

 

[texag04]

I just started my cycle a week ago for my 26 g bowfront so I can relate to you. I'm using 50 lbs. of "precured" LR to start my cycle. For filtration get a protein skimmer (get a skilter they are inexpensive and get the job done). If you are not using LR then get a biowheel with the skimmer. Your tank should hold four small reef fish (clowns, damsels, blennies, pygmy angels, etc.). I too want a mandarian, but everyone is saying it needs at least double the LR I have. For circulation I use two maxijet 400's (one on each side).

 

[krowleey]

get a skilter they are inexpensive and get the job done
Dont get a SKilter they really dont get the job done, i recommend a bak pak r from CPR for your skimmer, as far as mandarians go, i agree with you need alot of LR and pods, but some ppl have got them to eat certain kinds of worms but i think that is prolly like 1-500 that can get that lucky. Good Luck!

 

[texag04]

What's wrong with the skilter? They work for a tank that size. Every LFS I've been to prefers them as an alternative to an expensive skimmer (why should someone pay $150 + for a skimmer for a small tank?). Most of the LFS in my city use them on there tanks.

 

[birdy]

I have heard nothing but bad things about skilters also, but I have never used one so I cannot comment personally, As far as a skimmer goes, The better cheaper skimmers seem to be the seaclone or the prizm (I had a prizm and it worked good for about a year after that it crapped out on me, I bought a bak-pak it is wonderful!).
This is my suggestions, take them or leave them.
If you have your heart set on using the 29gal then go ahead, but if you are open to a different tank I would highly suggest you go with a more tradition design. The 29oct is very tall with very little surface area, this decreases your gas exchange which is important in a salt tank, also you are very limited on fish in a 29oct. but if you really want to use the tank it can be done:
1. Put in a Live sand bed, and LR, these will be your primary biological filtration.
2. Get some type of skimmer.
3. you may want a HOB power filter or cannister but it is not entirely necessary IMO.
4. you will need one or two power heads to circulate the water in the lower part of your tank.
5. Cycle with the LR or a shrimp not with damsels, it is unecessary and damsels are mean and hard to get out of your tank.
6. As far as stocking, One or two small clowns (percs or false percs) and the blennie would be fine, and you will want a clean up crew and a cleaner shimp would be neat. I would say no no no to a mandarin even if you find one that eat brine it is not a healthy diet and it will perish they have to have lots of pods and the only way to have lots of pods is to have lots of LR (100+ lbs)
Good Luck and Welcome!!!

 

[powerhead]

Originally posted by karajay
It is my opinion that it is completely unnecessary to subject any fish to the ammonia/nitrite levels of a cycle, cheap or not. If you are planning on having LR in your tank, start with uncured rock and cycle with that. Otherwise, throw a raw shrimp or two in there for a few days. Run some carbon filtration and it won't smell.
And, ditch the mandarin, for reasons stated above.
Most importantly, WELCOME to SWF.com
Stick around, lots of good stuff here!

Raw shrimp...like from my grocers freezer? And Mandarin, now out of question, they are beautiful but I have no reason to starve one.
BTW--glad to be here!

 

[karajay]

Originally posted by powerhead
Raw shrimp...like from my grocers freezer?
Yup! Frozen or fresh works. I got mine from Walmart. Lady looked at me like I was nuts when I said I only needed one (no...not 1 lb. Just 1 shrimp ). Gave it to me for free.

 

[powerhead]

Originally posted by jp0379
Get liverock, livesand, and a few damsels. We put in the liverock and the livesand for a few days, and then added a neon damsel, a zebra damsel, a yellow damsel, and a domino damsel. ALL are still in our tank today.
No desire to use the Damsels, I am trying to get away from them as they tend to be a bit bossy.
The redlip blenny will eat brine.........and its one of our fav's too.
I had one, I called him Ernie, who would pop out and greet me every day and then proceed to play with me...My powerhead got him and I cried...literally cried cause I loved that fish!
A protein skimmer and a small biowheel filter is the way we go on our 55, and a few powerheads, too. On yours two should do the trick.
As for the mandarin, if you have around 40 lbs. of liverock, he'll do fine.
I think I skip him.
Good luck, and hope to hear from ya soon!
I'll be back.