New to saltwater, getting ready to add water

xxjt2oxx

xxjt2oxx

New Member
Hey all, I've spent countless hours (and I'm only about 10% through the stickies here) reading and trying to get the best understanding possible regarding setting up a saltwater tank. I've done numerous freshwater tanks in the past up to 90g, however I always drool at what you can keep in a reef tank.

So here I am, currently putting the finishing touches on the stand for a 60g tank that I got from a buddy, basically its a 55g with a couple extra inches of height. I'll probably do one last tap water fill when the stand is done and let is sit for a couple days, however I tend to get scared and over-engineer the crap out of them.

I figure it's probably better to go through what I want in the tank, and then what I plan on running the tank with, so here goes.

I'm looking to do corals and fish, I haven't spent a ton of time looking into what's compatible on the fish side yet since they all look amazing compared to my freshwater fish, I won't be picky for my first saltwater tank. I put the whole name in from ***********, I'm not sure if there are nicknames etc.

(2-4) Black Axil Chromis (Chromis atripectoralis)
(1) Sleeper Gold Head Goby (Valenciennea strigata)
(2) Ocellaris Clownfish, Tank Bred (Amphiprion ocellaris)
(1) Zebra Barred Dartfish (Ptereleotris zebra)

maybe (1) Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis) or (1) Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis)

From a coral standpoint, I really have no idea what I want to do, and I figure I'll add them one every few weeks based on what colors seem to be missing and how what I currently have is doing/where I have room. These are the ones that caught my eye, like above I put the whole name in from ***********

Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei)
Torch Coral (Euphyllia glabrescens)
Tube Coral, Yellow (Tubastrea sp.)
Colony Polyp, "Flaming Sun" (Zoanthus sp.)
Colony Polyp, "Green Bay Packer"
Duncanopsammia Coral (Duncanopsammia axifuga)
Plate Coral, Pinwheel (Fungia sp.)
Carnation Tree Coral (Dendronephthya sp.)
Red Finger Gorgonian (Diodogorgia nodulifera)

Coming from freshwater I have a ton of stuff for that, so I'd like to use as much stuff as possible from what I currently have. I know this tank is going to take a couple months before it's really kicked off. For lightning I picked up a Coralife Lunar Aqualight HO, 4x54w with 2 10k and 2 Actinic bulbs, as well as the lunar lights. I have 2 Hydor Koralia Nano 425's, which will run constantly at each end of the tank, towards the back to move settlement behind the rock. I'm also going to pick up 2 Koralia 850s, which will be on each side of the tank alternating on the wave maker controller. I was told that the a basic Hydrometer was fine, but I read elsewhere that I should get a refractometer, what are everybody's thoughts? I have the basic water test drops for saltwater, other than the regular cycle what do I need to check for based on what I'm keeping? I ordered 150lbs of dry rock, knowing that it's way more than I need but I wanted to have a nice choice of rock to work with, and I do plan on putting as much as possible in without going overboard. I'll seed the rock with live rock from a local store. I haven't ordered yet, but plan on doing a 3" sand bed as well - I may just pick this up locally. For mechanical filtration, I have an Eheim canister that I want to use, and it definitely seems like a sore topic. I plan on running it more like a carbon reactor, from the bottom it's filled with carbon bio balls, with 2" of course and 1" of fine filter media to catch larger particles. I also have the tank/stand plumbed for an eventual sump/refugium, although I'd like to add that after established the tank right before I start stocking, I was looking at the Aqueon ProFlex Model 2, since it will fit perfectly under my stand. When that goes in I'll also add a Coralife needle wheel skimmer. All the other basics I have, heater, thermometer etc.

I'm sure there's more but I feel like I've gone long enough for now.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Sounds like the hobby has got ya hooked lol. But you sound like you're on the right path. If you want accuracy definitely go with a refractometer over the hydrometer. There isn't anything wrong with running the canister filter on there. Just need to keep them maintained as with anything. Sump is definitely a bonus to have.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Just a add on. It will help if u add a bit of live rock w ur base. Base will turn into lr over time but adding 5-10lbs would help jump start it.
 
xxjt2oxx

xxjt2oxx

New Member
Thanks for the advice on the refractometer, I'll put one on my list next time I order stuff for the tank.

I was planning on adding a few pounds of live rock to the tank, the one thing that concerns me is I have no idea what is on the rock, and I don't think I'm familiar enough with what's good and what's bad.I kind of made the assumption that seeding dry rock gives me a better shot of only getting beneficial life, especially if I get it from somebody who has a long established tank.

Any takers on Long Island that want to trade a few pounds of live rock? :)
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
lol apatasia is really the only bad thing you'll find on some lr. I've gotten an urchin,star fish, bristle worms,varies good alage,ECT. If you can find a lfs that carries good rock examine it and get a piece or so. Iam lucky I have a lfs here in buffalo that carries great rock. Worse case tho its fairly easy to get rid of any bad hitch hikers if found early
 
xxjt2oxx

xxjt2oxx

New Member
I'm also reading about quarantine tanks and the issues with treating fish inside a coral tank. Could I in theory use my display tank as a quarantine tank, add the fish as the water quality permits, and when I'm done move on to the coral? Since I'm new to saltwater I have my reservations about keeping 2 tanks at the same time right now, especially when one is on the very small side.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
The issue w that is the fact ud need all your fish in it and qt before u add your coral. Qt generally takes 4-6 weeks keeping in mind u can't add alot of fish all at once.my qt is a simple 20 gal
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Lol why I shouldn't update this while iam at wrk lol. Ok yes if u have all healthy fish in ur display after using it as the qt. Your corals will be fine to add. If your careful picking your fish all should be fine. Iam anal w it. Most lfs run sumps for filtration. Filtering more than one tank w it. I not only examine the fish in the tank I want but all other tanks running threw the same sump. Any ill fish and i won't buy even a healthy looking one in a diff tank
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
You can go with what you're planning. It's just easier dealing with illness or disease in a separate system. Treatments can and do crash people's tanks all the time, even the so called reef safe ones. They can wipe out all beneficial life in that system. When I purchase a fish these days I do so with the understanding that the fish has almost certainly been in a tank or a system that's had other infected individuals in it. So you never know what kind of nasty stuff you could be introducing into your expensive display tank when bypassing the quarantine process.
Some fish stores pre treat their fish before they sell them. But unless you're familiar with their process then I wouldn't count on it.
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Listen to almost 40 years of experience - never add anything to your display that hasn't been quarantined first. If you try to use the display as a quarantine you will have one of two options open to you: 1) When (not if, when) disease breaks out you can treat with "reef safe" meds, which will result in your sick fish dying since they are ineffective, or 2) treat with effective anti-parasite or antibiotic meds, which will probably kill the infection, along with all of your invertebrates (corals, hermits, etc.). There is a third choice, which is to have a small quarantine tank and treat ill or new individuals there. Go with door #3!
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Agreed.the ocean has lots of nasty things in it. Its well worth the time to not let them in your display
 
xxjt2oxx

xxjt2oxx

New Member
Just an update on how things are going, I found an old 29g tank for a quarantine, with a decent light set up so that was a nice freebie.It's scratched to shit but it holds water.
I filled the display tank with RO and mixed in my salt, put the rock in, as well as the sand. Everything is running.
Of course, now is when I decide I don't like the look of the coarse sand that the LFS recommended to me. So I spent several hours vacuuming it out.
Of course, after I finished vacuuming it out, I decided that the couple scratches on the used tank I got were annoying me, So after several hours of vacuuming, I made a few calls and I got a 65g tall tank new from the LFS for $139.
New tank comes in Friday, looking forward to resetting everything up - I figured if I don't do it now, I'm not going to be tearing down in 6 months to do these things.
 
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