New Tank

[lbg4life01]

Hello.
I am very new to the whole fish tank family! I have a 55 gallon tank that my husband went out and bought without me present. I always wanted saltwater but I want to do it right. I went to the pet store and let them know I was new and they advise me to purchase these things:
1 bag of marine salt to treat 50 gallons (that didnt make since to me since my tank was 55 gallons) $8.98
1 jar of buffer (I dont know what the name brand is at this time)
That you put 1 teaspoon for every 20-30 gallons ( I put 2 and a half in the water)
1 bottle of reef (that you put 1 scoop to every 4 gallons)
I have a filter, a heater, a air pump.
I want a fish only tank.
I have rocks will they harm the fish?
I have been checking the ph, temp. and salt every day for three days know and it was perfect (I guess) This morning the salt was high (top line of hydrometer) the ph was good, but the temp. was 80.
There are no fish in the tank.
Help please!!!!

 

[cordell]

Wow sounds like the pet store had fun with you ... The best thing to do before you do anything else with the tank is get a good book. Most people like The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Fenner. This will clear up a whole bunch of your questions and so much more. It's hard to jump into a saltwater aquarium so fast, especially going on some pet store's advice who may just be trying to make money. Take your time and do it right the first time like you said... you will be much happier!
Good luck, and don't forget to ask ANY questions here, even if you ask your pet store too. Most people here will give true advice because their living doesn't depend on it

 

[lbg4life01]

I requested a book and I got one from the pet store called Marine reef aquarist. ( I think but i read over it but it seems to me it was not for a fish only tank)
You stated that the pet store had fun with me but you didn't state what i did wrong. I spent a total fifty dollars at the pet store and to me that wasnt much. (including the thirteen dollar book) Like I said I have no fish in the tank so now is the time to learn.
Thanks for you reply though!

 

[lbg4life01]

Hello,
I feel better all ready!
Okay I used maine salt (does that mean anything?)
I have two thermometers (this morning one read 80, i didnt read the other one
My hydrometer read at the top line (which the pet store told me that it meant high) This was the first day it read that
Do the store one really work or dp I need a refractometer?
As far as the air pump it was given to me for free
Okay the rocks all that I know is that they came from a fresh water tank and that they are blue like stones ( I hope that helps)
The tank:
Its a emperor 280. All this stuff was used for saltwater tank (if it help it has something in the keeps rolling like a roll of toliet paper)lol?
I have a ph test kit that you drop drops into is that okay?

 

[lbg4life01]

Do i have to take them out of the tank right now or can it be done months down the road? Bascially would it affect the new fish?
How many powerheadsa do I need and what do I look for when purchasing them?
What is the purpose of the air pump and water pump?

 

[lbg4life01]

The hydrometer does give actual numeric reading but i dont have it with me and it is over 1.023 today (for the last two days it has been in the green which one mine mean good)

 

[lbg4life01]

What about the bio wheel? (rocks)
Do i have to take them out of the tank right now or can it be done months down the road? Bascially would it affect the new fish? Thanks you answered this question
When does the skimmer need to be put in?
So basically get 2-3 maxi jets 900s and remove the air pump from my tank and keep monitoring the ph, salt (with hydrometer) and temp. Do I need to have anything to do with a nitrate level test now?

 

[lbg4life01]

Devil Boy
would this be 4 different test
Thanks about the water I did that this morning!

 

[lbg4life01]

Why do you recommed uncured live rock over 1-2 raw shrimp? How much uncured rock do I need for a 55 gallon tank?
You stated:
ammonia and nitrtites are toxic to fish and they must be zero... nitrate is best kept at <10ppm with the use of a skimmer(what is it purpose, when do i need to put one on tank) deep sand bed, (is this the layer of sand on the botom of thank)refugium with macroalgaes, (do I have to have these now)and thru water changes
So from now on use ro/di water?
Where do I buy it from?

 

[rockies]

I'm new, but something I see lacking from the description of daily maintenance is water replacement for evaporation.
My tank requres like 36 ounces of water each morning. Use fresh water (no salt) since the water that evaporates leaves the salt behind.
This might also explain why your salinity was rising.

 

[lbg4life01]

Do both of you know that what point i am in my tank stage?
I have water and salt, heater, filter (emperor 280) and today I will remove air pump. theromother too.
Store list so far today:
1. 2-3 maxi jets 900s
2. ro/di water (never use tap water again?)
3. shrimp raw or uncured rock (how much for 55 gallon)
Do I add shrimp or uncured live rock now or do I make sure the hydrometer and temp and ph read right first?
4. Nitrate test, Nitrite test, and ammoinia test ( I have ph test)

 

[lbg4life01]

rockies
that would make since, you really add water everday
so i need to make a fill line on my tank to see when it has evaporated?

 

[brit0211]

LBG,
i'm new... but here is what people have told me about live rock
1-1.5 pounds per gallon.
it is going to be expensive so you can get base rock and then some live rock.
at first i wasnt going to do Live Rock because the guy at my LFS said it wasnt necessary, but people on here have told me differently.. so i had to save up some more money for it and i should be getting my tank and stuff by this weekend.
just my two cents
brit:happyfish :happyfish

 

[lbg4life01]

Devil Boy
You lost me on the rocks!
Okay I need 1.5 pounds per gallon of uncured rocks.
Then I need 1.5 pounds of uncured rocks
I am lost!

 

[lbg4life01]

Okay too the rocks
I can afford to buy them all at once so this is what i need to do:
I will have a fish only tank now:
Buy 1.5 pounds per gallon of uncured live rock
I want the easiser way to do this not fastest just easier

 

[lbg4life01]

Okay experists I thing I got it
I need:
1.5 pounds * 55 gals of UNCURED LIVE ROCK
But I have a fish only tanks so I need half of that which is 41.25 pounds of all UNCURED LIVE ROCK
As far as that sand I dont want to pull out the rock I have in there right this minute ( I know I will have a algae problem right or would it be just best to do pull them out)
I dont think live rock is cute at all so this really would be the better way to go rater then dropping 1-2 raw shrimp in the tank!

 

[brit0211]

kip..
so, it willbe okay if i only get about half of the LR now and then half later down the road?
when you bought yours did you buy all live rock or did you buy base rock too?
i'm sorry im getting confused now.
and earlier did you mean that LBG needed 50 pounds + 90 pounds of sand? (all aragonite sand?) and then just get a scoop or two of LS from the LFS?
sorry

 

[lbg4life01]

That is a beautiful tank!!
Do I have to have rocks in my tank at all. That sand is pretty too! (the the argonite sand right? You sugguested 90 pounds of that for my tank right) Right know I have pebbles or bio-wheel I guess that what you called it.

 

[lbg4life01]

kip
the kind of filter i have is emperor 280 is this okay?
Okay this is what i have so far ( im sorry for frustrating you)
Go home and take out blue rocks
add how arganite sand
can i then leave out live rock for right now? or not?

 

[lbg4life01]

devil boy
I think i am understanding that this whole hobby is expensive?
I dont want any live rock but if i need it i need it?
I dont mind paying for it if i need it.
Do I need it is the question?
The pet store i feel is giving me false hope and i wuld like to thank all of you guys you are helping me out a lot!