New to site and question

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Wendall Winn

New Member
Hello. My name is wendall and I am new to the site. I am looking forward to talking about saltwater fish with yall on this site. I currently am cycling my 55 gallon wet/dry system now and how to have it up and running in a few weeks. I have had it running on and off the last 15 years. I live on the coast of virginia and really enjoy having a saltwater tank, especially off fish that i can catch myself in the river.
I am setting up a simple 20 gallon saltwater tank as a quarantine and possibly later as a feeder tank with an undergravel filter. Should i use an air pump or a powerhead for the setup?? I havent read an advantage for using one or the other in this setup. Thanks.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
UGF and air pumps are a thing of the distant past and you simply can not use them in this hobby. Have you ever set up a saltwater tank before? Sounds like you've been doing fresh water in the past?
 
W

Wendall Winn

New Member
I have done saltwater on and off since I was 13. I currently have a 55 gal wet dry system running. I want to do a small 20 gallon as well. would a hob whisper filter be fine?? Could that work? Would the standard whisper filters work or should I use a different filter?? I have all this stuff already so that's why I ask. Thanks
 
Bryce E

Bryce E

Active Member
Lol. Lets not chastise the guy or make him feel unwelcome. I successfully ran an under gravel filter in my 90 gallon for years. Using crushed coral as the substrate in a fish only with live rock tank. Although I must add that I also used a protein skimmer, a canister filter and a UV sterilizer on the tank and I vacuumed the substrate regularly. But yes the hobby has advanced and I no longer use this method. Can you? Yes. Should you? Probably not. But I have to say there are still reasons that I liked that setup over my current live sand with a hang on the back filter I have on my small tank now. But to my point, and to Wendall's question. What I run on my 15 gallon Wendall is an emperor 280 (I believe) they're not expensive. They're rated for like 50 gallons and they seem to do just fine. (I've even got some coral in the tank) So if you're looking for a HOB filter then I'd say that one's decent. They have a bio wheel to create that "wet dry" environment, as well as a plastic shell you put activated carbon in and a filter pad with additional carbon in it. If you already have a "whisper filter" I'm assuming that's a brand? Not really sure you'd have to post exactly what kind of filter you have or are trying to use. The main thing to look for is the amount of flow. Saltwater requires higher flow rates do to lower oxygen levels. I always try to go at least double what somethings recommended for on everything I use.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Actually a reverse flow under gravel filter is actually pretty good. One guy has a reef tank with one that has been running for over 40 years for instance.

I would recommend another really really old school technique and that is starting the tank with macro algaes (best protected in a refugium).

But welcome back and hope you enjoy your "new" tank.

my .02
 
Kristin1234

Kristin1234

Active Member
beaslbob said:
Actually a reverse flow under gravel filter is actually pretty good. One guy has a reef tank with one that has been running for over 40 years for instance.

I would recommend another really really old school technique and that is starting the tank with macro algaes (best protected in a refugium).

But welcome back and hope you enjoy your "new" tank.

my .02
Click to expand...

I just wanna call you Mr. Macro Algae!! Lol
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Bryce E said:
I successfully ran an under gravel filter in my 90 gallon for years. Using crushed coral as the substrate in a fish only with live rock tank. .
Click to expand...
Hi,

The only reason I ever found for not using an under gravel filter, is the sheer weight of the rock... I just have to ask, how did you manage to keep it in tact?
 
Bryce E

Bryce E

Active Member
flower said:
Hi,

The only reason I ever found for not using an under gravel filter, is the sheer weight of the rock... I just have to ask, how did you manage to keep it in tact?
Click to expand...
Ya know... maybe it was just the depth of the gravel. And the even weight distribution across the tank because when I shut it down and pulled everything out it wasn't broken at all... and I have always been overly heavy on live rock in almost all of my tanks. On that one I had rock almost up to the surface.
 
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flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Bryce E said:
Ya know... maybe it was just the depth of the gravel. And the even wight distribution across the tank because when I shut it down and pulled everything out it wasn't broken at all... and I have always been overly heavy on live rock in almost all of my tanks. On that one I had rock almost up to the surface.
Click to expand...
Wow... I must admit I'm surprised by this. I won't tell anymore people they can't have UG filters because of the weight of the rocks.
 
Bryce E

Bryce E

Active Member
It probably helped that I had about 3 inches of crushed coral. But the nice thing about that setup was the copepod/amhipod population. The crushed coral with the detritus in it fed them all and kept them safe. It was littered with pods in the bed. Perfect for the Green Mandarin I had back then. The only reason that I shut it down was because I moved.
 
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