New to Saltwater, few questions

insomnia9669

insomnia9669

New Member
Hey everyone, just joined these forums :)
Anyway..
Well we used to have a fresh water tank, but we wanted to have some fun and try something new and more dedicating with some nice looking fish so we decided to go Saltwater (FOWLR).
We found what seemed like a deal off craigslist, he said it was about 200lbs of live rock, a Tunze Comline 9010 Protein Skimmer, and 2 powerheads, which im not too sure on what brand or model they are. And he had this all in a 110gallon tank. We will be moving this into a 90 Gallon Tank.
He had some of the rock in i guess a sump he made out of a rubbermaid tub, but there was no lights or filtration in the tub, just like maybe like 20lbs of live rock, and the tunze 9010. It didn't have a heater, or any lights.
I was recently told that live rock can die, without lighting, but it was kind of too late, considering we kind of mixed some of the rock from the tub and some of the rock already in the tank, and found the nicer looking ones and placed them in our 90 gallon tank. How would i know if the rock is dead or not?
I guess if i test the water and everything is matching the correct colours it should be fine. But when i tried this, i found nitrate to be a bit high, and nitrite even a little bit high. pH seemed fine, alkalinity seemed fine, chlorine seemed fine. Is there a way we can reduce these numbers? and if the live rock is dead how can we tell? and should we remove it?
Also we aren't in any hurry to get a sump up and running, and i would perfer it if we used a 40gallon tank or something instead of a rubbermaid container. How should we go about setting this up. My initial plan is to split the 40gallon into 4 sections. In the first section have the water running from the main tank into this, also in this section have some Live Rock, and Bio Balls, and Live sand or something. And in the other sections have a heater and the protein skimmer, and the last section to move the water back to the tank. Im not sure if im approaching this correctly, i would appreciate some help with this suggestions and tips on this.
Thanks for your time
 
speg

speg

Active Member
Lets see if I can help..
Live rock doesn't need light to be 'live'... BUT there may be some critters on the liverock that requires light in order to stay alive.. but the bacteria that makes 'live rock' live doesn't require light.
The best thing for you to do is to get all of it set up in your place and let it cycle (if it needs to). Sometimes when you move tanks you end up stirring things up and throw yourself into a small 'mini-cycle'. Could add a damsel while it's cycling to build the biological filter.
If the 'live rock' isn't 'live' then the cycle process will turn 'dead rock' or 'rock' into 'live rock'.
Ammonia should be zero once you're out of the cycle, as well as nitrites.
As for the sump.. I would personally look online for a sump that has a section that the water comes down from the tank into it... then a section for a refugium (for plants, you'll need a light for this), and then a pump that returns the water to the tank. The heater would probably do better if you added it right to the tank itself rather than the sump, but you can add it to the sump if you'd like.
Oh, and don't bother using bioballs. Sand/Rock is all the filter you'll be needing in saltwater. I personally like the 'sheets' of filter to catch some of the big debris that goes through the sump.
 
subie41ife

subie41ife

Member
^^^I agree.
As long as you have more lbs of rock vs gallons of water you dont need bioballs. the live rock will do everything the bioballs would do and more, and much better.
I know many people put all their equipment in their sump. such as protien skimmer, heaters, even more live rock ect. the beauty about sumps is you can make them how you want, put what you want in them.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Oh, and don't bother using bioballs. Sand/Rock is all the filter you'll be needing in saltwater
a blanket statement not necessarily true
Ammonia should be zero once you're out of the cycle, as well as nitrites.
what does out of the cycle mean
Could add a damsel while it's cycling to build the biological filter.
I wonder how the damsel would feel about this
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
WELL...since no one else said it WELCOME TO SWF
Please do not use live fish to TEST your water...IMO that is cruel....get some test kits, and test the right way
So what do you have in your tank right now.....just rock? Do you have any Sand?
At this point it does not matter whether it is dead, live, or in between(LOL) you are going to get your tank ready with this, HOPEFULLY you will not add anything live to the tank until you are sure your beginning cycle has started, and your life cycle has begun (like that JOE)
I'm not sure about live rock needing light though....I had none on mine, and a lot of people start their initial cycles w/o lighting
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure about live rock needing light though....I had none on mine, and a lot of people start their initial cycles w/o lighting
depends if you want algae growth on your live rock
 
speg

speg

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3250157
a blanket statement not necessarily true
what does out of the cycle meanI wonder how the damsel would feel about this
Ok.. if you want to use bioballs and have them collect crap without beneficial scavengers like worms and brittle stars cleaning them.. then use bioballs.
Out of the cycle would mean that the cycle is over.. i.e. no more ammonia/nitrites due to a correct buildup of a biological filter.
If you don't like the one damsel idea because you think he'll be harmed in such a large tank with a somewhat-already-established biological filter then use a dead shrimp.
Anything else Joe?
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
if you are using uncured live rock to start your cycle you are looking for some die off so light is not a factor
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Ok.. if you want to use bioballs and have them collect crap without beneficial scavengers like worms and brittle stars cleaning them.. then use bioballs.
Do not blame the bio-balls for doing the job they are intended to do, blame the hobbyist for their lacks maintenance habits for the collected crap
Out of the cycle would mean that the cycle is over.
If your cycle is over you have crashed your tank
Anything else Joe?
I don't know what else do you have to add
 
speg

speg

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3250194
Do not blame the bio-balls for doing the job they are intended to do, blame the hobbyist for their lacks maintenance habits for the collected crapIf your cycle is over you have crashed your tankI don't know what else do you have to add
You're absolutely whacked my friend.
 
speg

speg

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3250274
please enlighten me, this should really be fun
I suppose what you're wanting people to do is clean the bioballs.. rinse them? By moving bioballs you're potentially dislodging some of the crap that builds up in there, which may cause the tank to go into a cycle again.
Apparently you have bioballs and you love them, but I've had two bad experiences with them and I've heard others have as well.
Regardless, there is no use arguing because it makes us both looks stupid when a new person joins the forums.
I would recommend that you give out information (your point of view) and let them do further research on the subject.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I suppose what you're wanting people to do is clean the bioballs.. rinse them?
Periodically that is part of maintenance is it not ? Not any different then blowing off your live rock or vacuuming your substratum
Regardless, there is no use arguing because it makes us both looks stupid when a new person joins the forums.
I think its just the opposite, we are not arguing we are airing apposing view points which is always helpful. Can you talk about your cycle over point of view
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
I have bioballs, and they need to be cleaned and maintained just like the rest of the tank. Food gets lodged in them and you should be cleaning a small portion of them monthly or a handful a week, etc.
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
Originally Posted by Speg
http:///forum/post/3250298
I suppose what you're wanting people to do is clean the bioballs.. rinse them? By moving bioballs you're potentially dislodging some of the crap that builds up in there, which may cause the tank to go into a cycle again.
Keep some clean floss before the bioballs and you don't get much crap in the balls. I change my floss when I do my weekly water change or any time I see water flowing over the floss instead of through it. Once a month I float my balls in the 20 gallon rubbermaid tub that I siphon tank water into during the water change. I stir them around in the "dirty" water.
I'm not saying bioballs are better then all rock. I honestly don't know which is better. I just like to talk about my floating balls.
 
insomnia9669

insomnia9669

New Member
Thanks for all the replies, i dont feel like i got scammed anymore :).
Sorry i didn't reply back earlier.
Anyway, i just checked my water again with test strips, i read somewhere these aren't good tested, but its all i have at the moment to use. And my nitrate level is around the 40 mark. Is there anyway to lower this? Should i just leave it be for a few more days? My nitrite level is at 0 though, and same with ammonia, so i guess that is good :).
I dont think im going to get a damsel to help with the process.. i dont want to hurt the poor thing.
Thanks for the suggestions on the sump, thats probably going to be something i set up this summer though (after buying some cheap tank).
Also, the skimmer i got from him, has like build up of what seems to be salt, I cant seem to scrub it off with hot water. Is there anything i can use to remove this that wont hurt the tank? (I really dont think the guy cleaned anything he used for a while..)
Thanks again :)
 
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