NEW 29gal Tank - Stocking Questions and Tips - Please Help :)

teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
you can always pick up the rock, get a rubbermaid tub from walmart. put the rock and some saltwater in the tub with a power head. It will stay live for ya until you get your tank ready.
 
db9181

db9181

Member
Alright I will get some dry aragonite probably next weekend and try to get the LR at some point in the next few days (waiting for the guy to email me back). Tank has been soaking/cleaning.
Just heard from the guy.... sand is dry/dead - still get new stuff or since its dead and there's no parasites pick it up?
Below is the "gear" im working with:
29gal tank
20W (T8) Power-Glo light - 24in bulb
150w Fluval Heater
Fluval 305 filter
I currently had the Fluval set up for FW... thoughts on media filling/placing? For FW i had crushed coral in the bottom tray, carbon & ammonia remover in the middle (obviously neither of those will be used now) along with lots filter floss, lately bio-rings in the top tray w/ some more filter floss on top. -Obviously the bio-sponges as well...... - Thoughts on stocking the fluval?
Thanks again all, I really appreciate it :)
DB
 
db9181

db9181

Member
Sounds good - I was probably planning on the new sand. Any other items i need? Thoughts on media for fluval 305?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
You will need powerheads and a heater
I run chemipure elite in my cascade canister...IDK anything about fluvals...LOL....BUT I am sure yo ucan put in anything you want
and eventually you will want to look into a protein skimmer
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
+1 on the protein skimmer...especially if ur going reef! You can save up for a couple months and than get one after the tank is set...you prob wont need one for 3-4 months!
+1 on the power heads....go with tunze or korillias
on my fluval i run the bottom tray with chemi-pure
2 trays of ceramic rings...
when doing a water change, rinse out one set of the sponges in ur old water from the change. Also replace one set every 3 months!
ur 20w t8 fixture ur gonna wanna upgrade some time! Idk much about t8s but ur gonna want at least 96w of t5s!
I ran a 24" t5 fixture over my 30" tank and it did okay! New thing is LEDs which can only get better as time goes on imo!
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
lol most people cant afford tunze powerheads, besides they would be too much for such a small tank. hahaha for a 30 gal I would go with a couple koralias.
Go with the new sand, you will be glad you did. The old stuff would have to be cleaned and cleaned and cleaned.
 
db9181

db9181

Member
Alright going with new sand for sure lol.
Tank is set up and running .... I currently dont have any Chem-pure and might not beable to pick it up till next weekend -long story short my girlfriend works for a petstore, is the little sister to a rather large Aquarium Store....thus I get an employee discount =D .
I can put in LR with just my fluval running on ceramic rings/sponges/filter floss, correct? I will get chem-pure in there as soon as the gf and I have time to run to the store (a bit of a hike).
I also have some small powerheads and air pumps going currently for more circulation, but I will get some Koralias if possible - How many???
I do have a fluval 150w heater going ... .say 80 degrees?
Lastly, Ive read that people have jump-started their tanks/gotten the ammonia to spike by leaving a piece of shrimp in the tank for a day or two - I have come frozen cocktail shrimp (for my cichlids), has anyone does this and/or thoughts....?
Let the cycling begin!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I would not put chemi pure in there yet...why waste it.....
what type of PH's do you currently own? They might be ok for now?
after you get your sand and rock in there, toss in a raw shrimp.....3 days you should have an ammonia spike
OH YEAH...I forgot ...you need test kits....for now the API SW basic will be fine, BUT you must be able to test your own water
 
db9181

db9181

Member
I have tests kits from FW that I can use for SW, ammonia/nitrate/nitrite/pH. Tested 0's and pH of say 8.4.
Umm its a penguin550 and then i have some aquaclear 1000s i have them in there for the circulation - let me know if i should get some Koralias.
Were at 1.023 (closer to 1.0235) - Most of what ive been reading states you want the "upper end" 1.023 - 1.024.
I will get the LR in the next day or so, then toss in the shrimp :)
Temp: 80 degrees ok?
 
db9181

db9181

Member
***Oh and I have another power head running (that also hooks up to an air pump for more kick) but it has absolutely no markings on it (got to from someone for free) I think its meant for a 20g tank bc thats the range the rest are for that I got from him.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I keep all my tanks at 1.025
IMO if the ph;s you have now are working....then use them.....when they need to be replaced, or become inefficient...then look into Koralias
you have a way to go before you have to worry about that...I'd only ru nthe filter and 1 PH for circulation right now anyway
IDK How accurate the FW test kits would be.....are they supposed to be for both types?
 
db9181

db9181

Member
Alright i can bump it up to 1.025.
As for the PH ... im guessing use the "best one" ... I have my return coming from one (back corner) angled at about 45 degrees.... put the PH at the other end of the tank mid-to-bottle angled 45 degrees? (creating flow from both ends toward the middle)
The tests I have are for both FW and SW - they use 2 different sets of charts.
 
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