New to posting and Saltwater tanking...

[wade163]

Ok…so just FYI I am new to the forum, and I am type of person who wants it now. But first I have to say its like 3am, so I am sorry for any typos that may be out there…but on to my questions…
Let me setup up the scenario
I got this 30 gallon tank that was given to me with hood, lamp, and the whole shebang…its nice. I went and got a fluval 205, salt, some live sand, a hydrometer and a heater. The steps that took was this…I cleaned out the tank to make sure it was clean, waited a day…mixed the water and salt and it took me like 5 minutes to get the salinity right (NOT BAD FOR A FIRST TIMER). At this point I put the fluval in there so that it could cycle (I don’t know if that is the right word that I am looking for) but needless to say I put it in there so that I could start working. I also put the heater in as well. I waited a day or so and at this point put the live sand in. I was cloudy, but the pump did its job…because it is now clear and everything as settled. At the pet store they asked me what I wanted to put it. I want a FEW pieces of live rock…and from reading around you guys call it LR. I told them I eventually want some clowns, and a tang with some crabs or scavengers on the bottom. After asking around at the pet store and some other customers in the store, I was told that I could put some large rocks in the tank and mix it with live rock and the dead rock with turn to live rock as long as the 2 are touching. I didn’t by my DEAD rocks from the pet store, I went to a construction site and got some there…FOR FREE. I took it home scrubbed it, then boiled it in water and a little bit of bleach…then washed it off again. Now its in the tank. Every time I have added something or finished a setup step, I have taken the water to the pet store to have them test it….AND EVERYTIME…all is GOOD. I am going to take it later today to have it retested because I added the DEAD rock.
So now for the QUESTIONS…how long do I have to wait to add the fish? I have seen around on the internet a few days…to a few weeks.
Is it really true that my dead rock will turn into live rock? I know that this will take months to do. Just FYI. I have the rocks built up to form tunnels and arches.
Last question…it was stated that I should start with damsels…yellow tailed because they are REALLY hardy and will help speed up the “cycle” that I am looking for.
Thanks for any advise and help!

 

[1journeyman]

First off ,welcome to the forums.
Now, for the good and bad news.
The good news; You found us and started asking questions.

The bad news;
Nothing comes in this hobby in a hurry. If you aren't a patient person you will be...
Your setup sounds great. What kind of lights? Lighting for fish only tanks is not really important, but if you are planning on corals you will need special lights. Not just special spectrum bulbs (that some stores will try to sell you, but actual types of lights). Make sure you have good flow throughout your tank. Also start researching protein skimmers.
Hydrometers can be inaccurate. Consider buying a refractometer. Also buy test kits for ammonia nitrite and nitrate so you can track your cycle.
Research your fish selections carefully. Marine fish require much more room and much different feeding than freshwater. You cannot keep large fish, like Tangs, in your size aquarium. Don't worry thouh, there are plenty of beautiful fish you can keep.
Using rock from the local construction site was probably a very bad idea. You don't know what kind of minerals the rock is leeching into your tank.... they aren't testing for the wide variety of potentially detrimental things that could be seeping int oyour water. Remove it. If you want to go with some dead rock you can buy it from your lfs relatively cheap. As far as touching... No. My glass has coralline and algae growing on it all the time. The spores travel through the water.
Will dead rock ever become live rock? Yes and no. It will eventually get covered in algae and bacteria. True, fresh "live" rock, however comes with an assortment of micro critters, algaes, sponges, etc. In that sense you can't beat good fresh live rock.
Damsels are highly territorial and aggressive fish. They also are not needed. Years ago before the Nitrogen cycle in our tanks was fully understood cheap fish were used to cycle a tank. We now know that "ghost" feeding a tank for a few weeks will do the same thing. Damsels, contrary to what the fish store will tell you, are not immune to ammonia. It can/will kill them too. Don't use them. Just buy some fish food and feed your rocks for a few weeks. Do a search in the helpful hobbyist links for more on the "cycle".
Good luck!

 

[chano]

/l Good info right there. I would add never add anything that has come into contact with bleach into your tank even if you do feel like you scrubed it well afterwards. Even regular rocks are pourous and a chemical like that could prove disastrous and nobody would even think to check for it. Personally i do the raw shrimp to cycle my tank it just seems easier to me so i don't have to worry if i am ghost feeding to much or to little. Whatever way works for you is fine. (except for the damsel method that is horrible and cruel IMO)

 

[scotts]

Welcome!!!

Just wanted you to know that I completely agree with 1Journey.

 

[wade163]

Ok…thanks for the advice. I forgot to mention the lighting. The lighting that I have is a 20 Watt 24’’ lamp. It gives off that “cool” blue effect…(I don’t know if there is anything else that I need to include about the light). I don’t want to do a reef tank…just some fish with some live rock. So I think that I should be fine with what I have. I don’t know how long I should wait to get fish, and what this whole thing is about “ghosting”?????
thanks again!

 

[wade163]

here are some pics too!

 

[1journeyman]

Those lights will be fine for fish and rock.
Read this thread for more info about the cycle. Once it is over you can add a fish or two. Always add fish very slowly. Also, a QT tank is nice to set up.

 

[joncat24]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Those lights will be fine for fish and rock.
Read this thread for more info about the cycle. Once it is over you can add a fish or two. Always add fish very slowly. Also, a QT tank is nice to set up.
you have one of the best helping ya already, but I just wanted to empasize that the only things that happen fast in this hobby are bad ones. Take your time, read and then read some more and ask questions before you purchase instead of after. This board is the friendliest one out there and I have learned a ton from peeps on here.
Welcome and enjoy

 

[chano]

Originally Posted by joncat24
you have one of the best helping ya already, but I just wanted to empasize that the only things that happen fast in this hobby are bad ones. Take your time, read and then read some more and ask questions before you purchase instead of after. This board is the friendliest one out there and I have learned a ton from peeps on here.
Welcome and enjoy

amen to that many forums the people are rude and unhelpfull at best. This is a great place to get the info you need to do it the right way. Your fish and your wallet will thank you heh.

 

[wade163]

I think I am just going to go with some damsles...(not sure on the spelling)...any other thoughts...

 

[limitedslip]

damsels are known to be very aggressive, and personally, i have had aggression problems w/ them in my aggressive tank (go figure

). anyway, if you are thinkin of goin damsels, get some chromis instead, that way, you wont have to worry about them being territorial if you ever deicide to add new fish.

 

[wade163]

thanks...but things have changed in the last few hours. I went to a place in Columbus where I live...and this guy was GREAT...I explained to him my set up..he explained to me that I dont really need a canister filter...He siad that I could by-pass this by adding a LOT of live rock becuase they will get the job done with a protein skimmer. He mentioned some other things...I just forgot. I explained to him that all I want is 2 clowns, a tang with some critters on the bottom. Needless to say, I took the filter back, and will invest that money into live rock and a skimmer. I picked up about 4 pounds of live rock and a maxi-jet. I am going to get more live rock tomorrow or sometime this week....any thoughts on this NEW setup?????

 

[1journeyman]

Sounds good. Many of us go without cannister filters.
The store gave you some good advice, and some really really bad advice. There is not a single species of Tang that can survive for long in a small tank. Tangs are grazers, active swimmers, and grow too large.

 

[chano]

Sounds good to me. From what i understand canister filters are little but nitrate factorys anyhow. Not a big deal for fish but inverts and if you later decide to get a few corals wont be happy about it. Besides IMO LR looks really cool when its set up nice and gets some coraline growing on it. Go with 30-45 LBS" LR. It will look really cool and do the filtering for you.

 

[wade163]

ok...so I am on to something...can I ask how big your tank is...and how u set it up? I made a mistake...he didn’t give me ANY advice on the tang...its just what I want. But I told him I wanted 3 clowns...he stopped me and said NO...only do 2 and he gave me the reason why...in short, they take the weakest out. Once thats out the way...the dominate becomes the female, and the other becomes the male...thats the story in SHORT...I learned something new today. Let me know how you have yours set up…and since you did it that way, does it make it easier??

 

[wade163]

Ok…I have my live rock in the tank now…and I have realized that the mixi-jet is blowing stuff EVERYWHERE…on two of the live rocks I guess there are feather dusters…I THINK thats what they are called. But anyways, I don’t think that this can be too good that they are being blown every-which-a-way…so I am thinking about moving it to the other side of the tank so that its not getting hit as hard with the “hurricane” force waves…any thoughts???

 

[wade163]

and as you can see in the 3rd pic...one of them is "GONE WITH THE WIND" so to speak...

 

[schmidthouse]

I just wanted to tell you, Welcome

I'm new here too...I think your set up is coming right along

But as far as getting a Tang for that particular tank IMO would be very sad for the Tang. They just get so big and will need so much room. OK...it would be like living in an apartment and bringing home a baby Lion cub, It only works for a short while. Then it's just not fair to the animal no matter how much you love it. Like that other guy said... there are so many other beautiful fish that would be just perfect for your Tank. Good lock, you are gonna love this hobby

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by wade163
ok...so I am on to something...can I ask how big your tank is...and how u set it up? I made a mistake...he didn’t give me ANY advice on the tang...its just what I want. But I told him I wanted 3 clowns...he stopped me and said NO...only do 2 and he gave me the reason why...in short, they take the weakest out. Once thats out the way...the dominate becomes the female, and the other becomes the male...thats the story in SHORT...I learned something new today. Let me know how you have yours set up…and since you did it that way, does it make it easier??
I currently have a 180. About 700Lbs of sand (wanted a deep sand bed) and 200Lbs or rock. Wave2k for wavemaker. Refugium with Mag18 return.
That's it.

 

[mudplayerx]

Google "Reef Keeping 101" and click on the non-sponsored link that comes up. I found this guide to be invaluable when I was starting out. There is incredible info right here as well, especially in the archives forum.
ps - i think i see slate in your tank. Careful with that type of rock, it frequently has metal deposits in it.