Getting a friend into saltwater... Need help

[mike22cha]

Ok well I'm selling my 10g and asked a friend if he would want it for 10$ and he said sure. So I'm going to go over and show him some stuff online and loan him some books.
I know this is bad, but what are the ideal parameters again? I don't realy test mine, if nothing dies I'm OK, LOL.
Ok here's what I'm thinking of showing him what to get.
-10g glass aquarium
-Marineland Penguin 150B Power Filter
-Current USA Fission Nano Skimmer
-Mag Floater glass cleaner medium
-Marineland Powerhead 550
-Jager Heater 50watt Submersible
-Penn Plax Therma-Temp Floating Thermoter w/ suction cups
-Marina Nylon Net 4"
-Instant Ocean Master Test Kits
-18" 40watt Nova Extreme T-5 Lighting
-20lbs of Carribean Live Sand
-And I may sell him lr 5$/lb or let him order some nano rock and give him a piece or two
I think the stock list fish wise will be two perc clownfish with inverts and corals. How does it sound? Oh the equipement not including Live Rock is
$232 that includes my tank for 10$. Cheap?

Trying to sell him into it, so the cheaper the better. Most of the equipement is coming from an online site which is known for their cheap prices.

 

[mike22cha]

bump

 

[surfinusa]

Can't really help you but I also got my friend into sw fish too. Good luck, and thats a really good price for him to get started.

 

[trippkid]

S.G.-1.021-1.026
PH- 7.8-8.4(8.2-8.3 ideal)
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate- less than 20mg/l, shooting for zero or as close as you can
Alk-3-5meq/l
DKH-8-12
Cal-350-450ppm(Natural Seawater is around 425ppm)
Magnesium- 1250-1350ppm
Strontium-8-14mg/l
Iodine-.06mg/l, can be slightly higer(Natural Seawater .06mg/l)
Phosphate-.01-.4(any more and usually algae problems) depends on what is
being kept.
Silicate-less than 1mg/l(Natural Seawater is roughly 10mg/l)
Temperature-74-82, 78 considered ideal
Hope this helps some, I don't think I'm forgetting anything, but let me know if you need anything else.
Matt

 

[mike22cha]

Thanks soo much. My tank is established and not facing any major problems sot that crap slipped my mind,LOL.

 

[trippkid]

No problem, I'll admit I had to look up silicate levels from a test kit, and wasn't positive about Magnesium, so I double checked to confirm. I hope your friend has a good experience in the hobby. Just preach patience, patience, patience.
Matt

 

[mike22cha]

Ya it also makes sure it balances the buget going slow too.
Honestly I don't think I'm going to worry about all the stuff listed, just PH, ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite, and salinity. The important stuff I forgot LOL

.

 

[lazypinoy]

dont get the fission skimmer its a waste, trust me. a filter wouldnt be necessary if u got a good skimmer. a cpr bak-pak can get the job done for a tank like that. just let the air valve open all the way.

 

[reef diver]

Ok, be nice start him off with the best he can get. No on the powerfilter, SW IMO has bad experiences w/ power filters, buy a cheapo, eheim basic canister, instead of a floating glass thermometer, get a digital for 1$ more. DONT buy a fission nano skimmer, theyre a piece of CRAP IMO microbubble city. Have him invest in a Sapphire nanoskimmer, google it, they can be used in reg tanks as well. Get him a sump, cheapie $20 tank, + overflow and return pump, allows you to congregate your equip away from teh main tank. Looks nicer, and its much better/easier to get someone involved w/ a nice lookin tank.

 

[mike22cha]

Ok I'll look at that skimmer. I have had great expierences with the Penguin Power filters as long as the compartments are filled with pads it seems to be doing it's job. As for the sump, it's only a 10g! I don't think I'm going to do that. HEy could I do a DIY skimmers for him and I?

Filtration wise, I have a Mag 350. Too much? Would it work? I also have a pump/skimmer that I was going to give to him but I don't know if I trust it 100% because I haven't seen it in full action yet.

 

[mike22cha]

Ok well that sapphire nano skimmer is out of the question. I'm trying to get him in the cheap way so he will actualy get into swf. Once he is in, then we can talk super expensive skimmers. I think I'm just stick with that skimmer/filter and show him how to get this thing called poly filter and cut it to fit into the filter. That's what I did. Also I'm going to make sure he has plenty of lr so that will help stabalize the tank. I wanted to make sure he has good filtration though because he will most likely have 2 fish in there.

 

[mike22cha]

How about this canister filter? Has 80gph and 3 stage filtration.

 

[coral keeper]

Originally Posted by MIKE22cha
Ok I'll look at that skimmer. I have had great expierences with the Penguin Power filters as long as the compartments are filled with pads it seems to be doing it's job. As for the sump, it's only a 10g! I don't think I'm going to do that. HEy could I do a DIY skimmers for him and I?

Filtration wise, I have a Mag 350. Too much? Would it work? I also have a pump/skimmer that I was going to give to him but I don't know if I trust it 100% because I haven't seen it in full action yet.

I actually am making my own skimmer, just for the fun of it, its going to be hooked up to a 250ghp pump, and its going to be for my 25 gallon FOWLR. Hope it works.

 

[nietzsche]

this is from a reef keeping issue from --. and for that price it sounds about right. mine is like 300 not including corals or fish. the 2 clownfish sound good to me, but thatll be his limit.

 

[mike22cha]

Ya. The buget is 400$ max. The cheaper the better. That includes livestock and corals. Here is a pic of the filter/skimmer I have except mine has another filter compartment on the side.

 

[mike22cha]

Would that worK?

 

[deltablack22]

Honestly the same equipment for a 20L or 28 bowfront wouldnt be much more expensive than outfitting a 10G... I would opt for more volume and go bigger.

 

[mike22cha]

So is the pump/filter in one I got ok?

 

[mike22cha]

Ok I'm just going to start him out with that filter/skimmer because you guys are confusing and not saying the same thing, LOL. Once he learns more he can upgrade or whatever.

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by MIKE22cha
Ok I'm just going to start him out with that filter/skimmer because you guys are confusing and not saying the same thing, LOL. Once he learns more he can upgrade or whatever.
yeah if were talking about the 10g then you can look in petsmart at the aquaclear filters they have and modify it for a refugium to add chaeto. you wont need it but its up to you. some people say they HAVE to have some sort of filtration on it. but i think for the 10 a good cleanup crew will help you a lot and making sure you do your weekly water changes. i always do a 20% water change on both of my tanks