Just Started Salt Water Experience Today!

texanboy81

New Member
I have a 20 gallon tank. Mixed slat and water and the water chemicals to take chemicals out of tap water. I put one big bag of live sand I bought at ***** into bottom of tank. I have my heater on and running along with my overflowing filter. Is there anything I have forgotten? Someone told me to speed up the time to add fish I should buy two uncooked shrimp from a store and drop them in to the tank???
any Help is Greatly Appreciated!! Excited about starting my saltwater tank!!
 

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Several questions: What organisms do you plan to keep? You didn't mention any live rock - do you have any? If so, how much? Do you have an ammonium test kit? If not, get one. Take a look at the sticky at the top of this forum for detailed directions on how to start a salt tank. It sounds like you are just beginning to ask the important questions. It is a little bit late, but you haven't yet made any mistakes that can't be fixed, and you haven't killed any organisms yet, so good for you. Keep asking questions, and most important of all - be patient! You can't rush this hobby.
 

apycat

Member
i am new to the hobbie
all i will say is take your time, enjoy and watch your tank develope. also i used fish food to cycle my tank worked ok for me
 

who dey

Active Member
Originally Posted by texanboy81
if i gave someone that has experience with a salt water my phone number could you call me for help??
kinda defeats the purpose of these message boards?? :thinking:
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by texanboy81
if i gave someone that has experience with a salt water my phone number could you call me for help??

You can get plenty of help right here on the board, and have it to read at any time. Also it will help others.
I would NOT recommend giving out your phone number.
 

apycat

Member
Originally Posted by texanboy81
if i gave someone that has experience with a salt water my phone number could you call me for help??

i have found this forum the best for addvice. ask and it will be answered
 

texanboy81

New Member
Ok since its been only an hour since i i put everything together in the tank my tank is really cloudy which is to be expected right?? Would buying two shrimp from the store to put in the tank help?? What temp should i set heater at and what do i do now???
 

jimmy 4

Member
I dont know about the whole uncooked shrimp thing. Just be patient and add things slowly to your tank. An easy way to get your tank going is too get a molly from a fish store. Make sure hes acclimated to salt water and keep him for a few weeks. Then return him and buy a fish that is hardy in his place.
 

texanboy81

New Member
I have 1 20 gallon tank
stand
light and cover
heater,
one bag of live sand already in tank
water mixed with salt and chemical for tap water
no rock at all
plastic plants
overflowing filter that hang on back of the tank that works for up to 50 gallon tanks
my tank is really cloudy right now from adding everything i guess
my heater and pump are ruinng right now and i image it will take a day at least to heat the water up
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by Jimmy 4
I dont know about the whole uncooked shrimp thing. Just be patient and add things slowly to your tank. An easy way to get your tank going is too get a molly from a fish store. Make sure hes acclimated to salt water and keep him for a few weeks. Then return him and buy a fish that is hardy in his place.

I have to strongly disagree with using a live fish personally.
You can use any sort of ammonia source - and some are far far better.
A fish is the worst, IMO.,
You can use a bunch of fish food. Some dead shrimp. The best would be live rock.
All you need this for is ammonia. This is HIGHLY toxic, and regardless of how hardy a fish is, it is still cruel...and many are not THAT hardy. Plus, what if you get lots of babies? Not good. Not to mention you would, or should, acclimate that fish from freshwater to salt.
What kits do you have...and equipment? What is your specific gravity? It is not a problem to get some raw shrimp and put them in there (or fish food, etc).
 

texanboy81

New Member
anyone have yahoo mesenger or aim? i could talk with want help from one perosn rather thna wait for many different answers please!
 

doahh

Member
Cruel?
IT'S A FISH
And don't you dare compare it to a person... I cycle all of my tanks with live fish
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by Doahh
Cruel?
IT'S A FISH
And don't you dare compare it to a person... I cycle all of my tanks with live fish

I'm pleased for you.
But this does not make it the best way to do it. I sold loads of fish to cycle tanks with, BTW, but I no longer feel it is a good way. (GREAT for an LFS though)
It is no comparison to humans. It is a measure of what happens physiologically.
Look, if it is good with you, FINE but it is NOT the only - or best way - to do this.
Why do you imply I am comparing this to a human? But why do we have agencies that consider animal abuse?
As an aside, I made A LOT Of mistakes...and I do not feel that others must do the same in order to learn.
 

doahh

Member
Animal abuse is for dogs and cats...
I said don't compare it to a person because people keep saying that if someone puts a little kitten down to sleep rather than performing a $900 surgery (they say "would you do that to your kid?") it is also a bad thing to do
 

jimmy 4

Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
I have to strongly disagree with using a live fish personally.
You can use any sort of ammonia source - and some are far far better.
A fish is the worst, IMO.,
You can use a bunch of fish food. Some dead shrimp. The best would be live rock.
All you need this for is ammonia. This is HIGHLY toxic, and regardless of how hardy a fish is, it is still cruel...and many are not THAT hardy. Plus, what if you get lots of babies? Not good. Not to mention you would, or should, acclimate that fish from freshwater to salt.
What kits do you have...and equipment? What is your specific gravity? It is not a problem to get some raw shrimp and put them in there (or fish food, etc).
My LFS had saltwater mollies and when i used them to get my tank going they didnt seem to have any problems, infact they did great.... and I eventually retured them because they were reproducing like mad. Had i known the dead shrimp routine I would have definatly done that.
 

spanko

Active Member
Texanboy81,
Seems like you want to start a saltwater tank, but have not done much in the way of up front information gathering.
This post is one of the best I have read from the standpoint of starting a new marine aquarium.
{EDIT LINK - out of respect to the owner and operator of this board, please do not post links to other sites, thanks. Note that many similar threads are also found in our Archive forum}
Please read it in it's entirety. This should generate some additional questions, but will answer most everything you need to know about starting.
Welcome and don't hesitate to continue to ask questions. Most improtanatly post pictures of your progress.
 

puffer32

Active Member
Originally Posted by Jimmy 4
I dont know about the whole uncooked shrimp thing. Just be patient and add things slowly to your tank. An easy way to get your tank going is too get a molly from a fish store. Make sure hes acclimated to salt water and keep him for a few weeks. Then return him and buy a fish that is hardy in his place.
Why make a fish suffer from burning gills when an uncooked already dead shrimp will do the trick!
 

bs21

Member
In all respect to the original poster i think we are getting a little off topic.
Texanboy, as far as your tank being cloudy that happens when you add sand and its no big deal it will clear up. As far as starting the nitrogen cycle in your tank you can add a raw uncooked shrimp, fish food, live rock (this was my method for my tank), and as above some add fish. Besides the debate over whether or not its cruel to add fish another point is because ammonia is toxic to fish it can kill the fish you put in there so why waste the money and trouble of catching that fish and having to return it if it is one you don't want anyways. As far as alot of other questions you may have while waiting for replies read through the archives forum where you will find alot of answers. Also research and patience are key so two great books i can recommend are "the Conscientious Marine Aquariest" by Robert M. Fenner and "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael S. Paletta. These books cover almost everything from tanks, equipment, fish, corals, maintenance, and alot more. They also have step by step guides on setting up a new aquarium. So by reading one or both books and then asking here about certain questions you have, about what you've learned, here it will make your life a lot easier with your initial setup. I hope this helps and remember the only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. reasearch and patience!!!
 
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