Just Beginning...

[very newbie]

Hello to all you! I've been lurking around listening to all of you for a few days and it sounds like you really know what you are doing, so before I place my first online order, I have a few questions I would love your input on. First of all, here is what I have so far: 60 gallon tank with about 65 lbs. of crush corral in the bottom, about 10 pounds of live rock and a hang on the back filter. I filled the tank with salt water and thew the crushed corral and few little piece of live rock in and that is all I've done so far. I think the next think I need to do is buy more live rock, but how much, what kind, and where is the best place online to buy it? My closest LFS is over an hour away, and it seems like the advice they have been giving me doesn't quite match up with what I am seeing on here. I think I probably shoud add to the order a test kit, but there again, I have no idea what kind to get, I need something that is very easy to operate and understand. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[flower]

Welcome to the site! I agree the LFS anywhere is not much help. You do need more rock, in a 60g tank you should have about 40 pounds of rock at least, leave room for the fish to swim ..LOL..
Me, I would drive the hour and hand pick my rock. Chose pieces with lots of nooks and crevices, FIJI is the best at $10.00 per pound, but you don’t need as much because it doesn’t weigh as much but takes up allot of space. It is also best for the tank because of the all the little nooks in it.
You can get some rock for $7.00 per pound, and or you can get some base rock that is very cheap and just a few pieces of live rock to seed it. If you can find it, get rock with purple coralline on it, the more the better.
Instant Ocean has a great marine test kit. The color code results are chips that are very easy to read, all the others have a chart and the color is iffy, because if the ink is thick, thin or their printer needs refilling…the result code is hard to read.
HOB isn’t really a good choice for a saltwater tank because of salt creep, every splash creates salt buildup. If you can’t run a sump, use a canister filter. Also you will need power heads to create a water current, it is the life of the ocean and your tank. A canister filter has a nice spray bar that will agitate the surface real nice.
Hope this helps!

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by Very Newbie
http:///forum/post/3259359
Hello to all you! I've been lurking around listening to all of you for a few days and it sounds like you really know what you are doing, so before I place my first online order, I have a few questions I would love your input on. First of all, here is what I have so far: 60 gallon tank with about 65 lbs. of crush corral in the bottomYou may end up hating this choice down the road. Crushed coral is not good for any sand dwelling type creatures you may want as it is too big and the edges are "sharp". Because it is large it will also take a fair amount of maintenance to keep it clean from accumulating detritus that will eventually end up as nitrates ., about 10 pounds of live rock and a hang on the back filter. Agree with flower here you may want to keep an eye here as this can be either a good method or not depending on the brand, the tank water level etc. I filled the tank with salt water and thew the crushed corral and few little piece of live rock in and that is all I've done so far. I think the next think I need to do is buy more live rock, but how much, what kind, and where is the best place online to buy it? Really depends on where you want to go with the tank as far as fish and coral and the aesthetics that please your eyes. My closest LFS is over an hour away, and it seems like the advice they have been giving me doesn't quite match up with what I am seeing on here. I think I probably shoud add to the order a test kit, but there again, I have no idea what kind to get, I need something that is very easy to operate and understand. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated!
Welcom to SWF.

 

[very newbie]

Thanks guys--another question--what is HOB? I'm still learning all these terms. What is a sump? I know it is a fitration of some sort. I used to run a canister on my freshwater, but was always having trouble with it.

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by Very Newbie
http:///forum/post/3259372
Thanks guys--another question--what is HOB? (Hang On Back) I'm still learning all these terms. What is a sump? Sump is an area of extra water, like another tank plumbed into the display, where people put things like heaters, skimmers etc. to keep them out of the display. I know it is a fitration of some sort. I used to run a canister on my freshwater, but was always having trouble with it.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...Board-Acronyms

 

[mrdc]

Originally Posted by Very Newbie
http:///forum/post/3259372
Thanks guys--another question--what is HOB? I'm still learning all these terms. What is a sump? I know it is a fitration of some sort. I used to run a canister on my freshwater, but was always having trouble with it.
HOB = Hang On Back
I don't word so well so I paraphrased this:
A sump is an extra water containment area (usually placed underneath aquarium) where you can place equipment, provide the aquarium with various types of water filtration, add top-off water to the tank and perform other maintenance tasks.
I use a wet/dry filter that is under my tank.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Very Newbie
http:///forum/post/3259372
Thanks guys--another question--what is HOB? I'm still learning all these terms. What is a sump? I know it is a fitration of some sort. I used to run a canister on my freshwater, but was always having trouble with it.

The new canisters are better nowadays. I use 2 on my 90g, I personally think the Fluval brand is the best, really easy to maintain.

 

[very newbie]

Is there a particular Instant Ocean that I should get? Does this test for ammonia too, or do I need something that floats in the tank that you just leave there? What about nitrites?

 

[handbanana]

Hey there, Welcome
A masters test kit should test for Nitrates, Nitrites, ammonia and PH at the least.
Steer clear of the test strips if you can. Their junk IMO. The good kits use little flasks and an added chemical.

 

[very newbie]

Thanks, that's what I will order. Another question. There is a really pretty rock that I found on a bidding site. It says it is limestone from the Texas Hill and is NOT live rock. Can you see any problem with putting this in my tack if I also add some live rock to it?

 

[pirates]

Originally Posted by Very Newbie
http:///forum/post/3259800
Thanks, that's what I will order. Another question. There is a really pretty rock that I found on a bidding site. It says it is limestone from the Texas Hill and is NOT live rock. Can you see any problem with putting this in my tack if I also add some live rock to it?

Welcome
I would not i would stay with live rock it helps with fitration and i do not know what limestone would do to your aquarium

i would say not good

 

[meowzer]

Yeah....I wouldn't put limstone in my tank either

 

[pirates]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3259818
Yeah....I wouldn't put limstone in my tank either
meowzer and flower have you seen my new 90 gallon tank its in share your aquarium

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Pirates
http:///forum/post/3259821
meowzer have you seen my new 90 gallon tank its in share your aquarium
NO, I'll go look now

 

[speg]

I think that you can save a lot of money buying cheap base rock since you already have live rock.. but if money is of no concern then buying liverock online is probably going to be cheaper than buying from a store. Why not buy right here from swf.com- I believe they still ship their liverock for free!
You can find test kits on this site as well. I prefer salifert test kits because I can never tell what exact color the vials are... with salifert you go buy numbers rather than colors.

 

[pirates]

[/U]
Originally Posted by Speg
http:///forum/post/3259824
I prefer salifert test kits because I can never tell what exact color the vials are... with salifert you go buy numbers rather than colors.
I like that better yes you are wright you can not tell diff. lighting changes the color makes it harder to tell

 

[pirates]

here is a tip whin you get your live rock and what live rock you have now look at the rock at knight when the moon lights are on see if there are Hitchhikers here are a pic of some
and these are bad you do not what them here is a web site that you can go to
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html
its called hitchhikers guide to the reef
great place

 

[very newbie]

Thanks--I'll do that. Do I need to go ahead and get bettter lighting before I start adding corral or wait til I need it?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Very Newbie
http:///forum/post/3259970
Thanks--I'll do that. Do I need to go ahead and get bettter lighting before I start adding corral or wait til I need it?

Lights first, then get the coral...without proper lighting coral can die in a few days, and once they start to die it is very hard to bring them back to health. If you want coral, get the very best lights you can afford. Upgrading cost more in the long run, so start with the best and save lots of money.
I speak from experience.

 

[very newbie]

Okay, I will start looking into lights--what about live rock, does it need the special lights too? I haven't even added my live or dry rock yet...I am moving very slow, so I don't make alot of expensive mistakes.