How do you set up a SW tank?

[cwillcutt]

I have been keeping FW fish since I was 6 years old. It all started with a Goldfish. I have just inherited a 55 Gallon tank and a 30 Gallon tank. I've turned the 55 into a single Oscar tank, and want to make the 30 gallon a SW tank. I have no idea what I am doing.
First a few questions, I hope someone can please help me. I will be very gratefull.
1) I'm planning on buying these things. Tell me if I need or don't need any of these.
a) Emperor 280 biowheel
b) PC lighting 2x92
c) 30 gallons of filtered water (for initial fill up)
d) Salt mixture? (any recomendations)
e) 1/2 Live sand 1/2 dead sand (arogonite)
f) 30-45lbs of Live Rock
I have a heater. Does it matter if this tank was used for FW in the past? If so I might just set up a community tank full of gupies, and use them to feed my Oscar, who I have named Jesus. Please if you can give me any tips or advice that would be great. Thanx
Chuck

 

[reefman22]

hey im pretty new at the hobby but i know how much it helps when people talk in ur message boards. so ill give u a try. as for the size of ur tank. thats a good starter. i have a 24 nano cube and im adding water rock and sand tomorrow. the rock should be a good amount. i will probably put in 45 theres a popular fish web site (Dr. Fost.....) i dont want to say the name incase of copyright or anything but if u know waht im talkin about it has a sale of 45 pounds of rock for 99.99. tahts a really good deal but dont jump to it cause u need patience. as for the filter, im not sure. my tank came with filter so i dont know bout emporers. sand should be good. i dont know about mixing (could be good could be bad) i dont know and lights. are they 2 strips of 92 watt bulbs? if so thats a lot of lighting you should be good and for the water. definately not 30 gallons. rock takes up space. and u may want to try buyin water mixed from ur LFS thats what im doin its usually about .50 per gallon at all mine. before you do anything, research, research, research, ive wanted a SW for about 2 years and ive read read read and im just now starting so before you do anything, read as much as you can about it. I hope others will chime in to fill in the answers that i didnt know. i hope i helped you out. ill be here for as many questions as I can answer

 

[tangey]

I hope I can help. You need to get a decent powerhead for some more current. You dont need to buy anylive sand . When you put your live rock in some little pieces will fall of therfore ur sand will become alive and the live rock touchign the sand will also. I would advise you to mix up your own saltwater then you'll know exactly what your putting in the water. I have a 55 gallon and whenever I run out of salt I go out and buy 50 gallons worth of it and it only costs me about 22-23 dollars so it will save you money.

 

[reefman22]

sounds like he knows more than me. haha hang tang, i live right by the ocean in south florida, could i go to the ocean and get sand or will that mess up a tank

 

[cwillcutt]

Thank you both. I have an extra penguin 550 that I could put in the tank. That would add 145 gph to the water. Do you think that I would need a protein skimmer?

 

[puffer32]

If you used this tank for FWF, then make sure if you ever used copper in the tank its washed out well. Even alittle bleach would be fine. Just make sure you rinse it very throughly to get any bleach out.

 

[jayc]

The first step is to read everything you can about saltwater aquariums. It looks like you have a good list of what you need, except maybe a PH (power head) or two. For salt I use Instant ocean. Also like puffer32 said, be sure if the tank was ever treated with any type of copper that it is rinsed out with bleach. Copper is not a good thing in SWA (saltwater aquariums). Hope this helps you.
JayC

 

[cwillcutt]

The tank has never had copper treatment and I don't think I've ever even had a sick fish in the tank. The only fish I've had in that tank are goldfish. Which they were only in there during October to March during winter. Then they go out into the pond.

 

[wax32]

Originally Posted by Reefman22
sounds like he knows more than me. haha hang tang, i live right by the ocean in south florida, could i go to the ocean and get sand or will that mess up a tank

Don't use beach sand... pollutants.