gobyinpeace
Member
Hello fellow salt keepers.
I am just starting my 1st SW tank and I am really enjoying it so far. I have been a FW keeper for 20 + years. I am also a collector and dealer of Florida FW fishes. About a month a go I decided to begin collecting native Florida SW fishes. I decided to start small and began setting up a 20 G. tank. This tank is still cycling and has been set up now for about 3 weeks. I am going use this tank to raise native fry. When the fry reach a certain size or exceed my bioload they are then released back into the wild. I enjoy raising these little guys and observing their behavior in captivity.
My current set up has the following:
-15W Marine-Glo by Hagen + 15W GE Warm White for lighting.
-Aquaclear Mini Filter.
-JBJ 1300 Powerhead for current.
-DSB substrate sprinkled with fossilized coral rock w/live green hair algae taken from the Gulf of Mexico.
-Various live seaweeds and plants taken from the Gulf.
-Several inverts including: 2 small "sand sifting" crabs (1"), 3 shrimp(1"), several small snails (Nassarius vibex), a little blue clam (1/2"), and a small crab (3/4").
-6 Puffer fry (1/4"), a Trigger fish (1/2") - [These fish were in a minnow bucket my nephews brought back from the beach on Mother's Day so I decided to save them], and 1 Dwarf Sole (3/4") - [began cycle with 4 Dwarf Sole and removed 3 after I added the fry] All the fry devoured live brine within an hour in captivity and are doing exceptionally well.
My tank looks great so far with the seaweed, plants and rocks w/hair algae (looks like a putting green) providing lots of color and cover for the little guys.
Over the next 6 months I want to gradually convert this tank to a reef setup and will be adding the following:
Upgrade lighting to a 2X65W 10,000K 50/50 Actinic from Aqualight.
Add another JBJ 1300 PH for more current.
Add a Prizm protein skimmer.
Add 20lbs Live Rock, 5 lbs at a time.
Add some corals, shrooms, etc..
Now for the questions.
What can I expect from LR rock (what grows on it etc.).? My LFS recommends his Fiji stuff @ $4.99 per lb.
I want to bring in corals but only after I cure my LR for several months with the hope of adding corals 6 months from now.
My last question has to do with the stocking of inverts with regard to bioload. How many inverts am I allowed per gallon?
Any help, comments or advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Spike
I am just starting my 1st SW tank and I am really enjoying it so far. I have been a FW keeper for 20 + years. I am also a collector and dealer of Florida FW fishes. About a month a go I decided to begin collecting native Florida SW fishes. I decided to start small and began setting up a 20 G. tank. This tank is still cycling and has been set up now for about 3 weeks. I am going use this tank to raise native fry. When the fry reach a certain size or exceed my bioload they are then released back into the wild. I enjoy raising these little guys and observing their behavior in captivity.
My current set up has the following:
-15W Marine-Glo by Hagen + 15W GE Warm White for lighting.
-Aquaclear Mini Filter.
-JBJ 1300 Powerhead for current.
-DSB substrate sprinkled with fossilized coral rock w/live green hair algae taken from the Gulf of Mexico.
-Various live seaweeds and plants taken from the Gulf.
-Several inverts including: 2 small "sand sifting" crabs (1"), 3 shrimp(1"), several small snails (Nassarius vibex), a little blue clam (1/2"), and a small crab (3/4").
-6 Puffer fry (1/4"), a Trigger fish (1/2") - [These fish were in a minnow bucket my nephews brought back from the beach on Mother's Day so I decided to save them], and 1 Dwarf Sole (3/4") - [began cycle with 4 Dwarf Sole and removed 3 after I added the fry] All the fry devoured live brine within an hour in captivity and are doing exceptionally well.
My tank looks great so far with the seaweed, plants and rocks w/hair algae (looks like a putting green) providing lots of color and cover for the little guys.
Over the next 6 months I want to gradually convert this tank to a reef setup and will be adding the following:
Upgrade lighting to a 2X65W 10,000K 50/50 Actinic from Aqualight.
Add another JBJ 1300 PH for more current.
Add a Prizm protein skimmer.
Add 20lbs Live Rock, 5 lbs at a time.
Add some corals, shrooms, etc..
Now for the questions.
What can I expect from LR rock (what grows on it etc.).? My LFS recommends his Fiji stuff @ $4.99 per lb.
I want to bring in corals but only after I cure my LR for several months with the hope of adding corals 6 months from now.
My last question has to do with the stocking of inverts with regard to bioload. How many inverts am I allowed per gallon?
Any help, comments or advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Spike