Newbie looking fo a good place to chat.
- Thread starter mmync
- Start date
ocellaris_keeper
Active Member
Welcome and I have learned so much from all the folks (of course from the Sharks - but lots of good information from just about everyone) that whenever I have a question I post it here and do some reading.
What kind of tank do you plan on owning? Reef - Fish Only?
What kind of tank do you plan on owning? Reef - Fish Only?
mmync
Member
Right now fish only or fish and live rock. What I need help with the most is 1. do I need a protein skimmer, 2. Do I need live sand, 3. How do I cycle my tank, I hear all sorts of things like put shrimp in and dont put shrimp in. Put damsels or clowns in or dont put any fish in. I am just realy confused. Thanks in advance.
ocellaris_keeper
Active Member
OK - Fish only - It's OK if you use Live Sand:
1" Home Depot Sand covered by a window nylon screen (not metal) covered by 3" of Live Sand (from this site)
You need a Protien Skimmer(Cleans the water), two Power Heads(continued water movement like waves), a cheap filter (a hang on for a 30 gal fresh water tank(about $30.00) and remove the filter media and add Chemi-pure (for crystal clear water)
The Live and will cycle your tank. You then need to add some fishes to feed the critters in the Live Sand and these should be clown fish (damsels are too annoying when they grow up)
After about two weeks with your clown fish successfully established you will want to get hermit crabs and snails (cleaning crew) about 1 per gallon (this site has good crew packages)
Another month and your ready for other fishes. Go slow, and be patient - you will be with your fish for the rest of their life.
this setup will run until you decide to buy some Live Rock - or it works without LR but LR with critters is neat, give the fish placesw ti hide and helps the bio filter!!
Hope this helps
1" Home Depot Sand covered by a window nylon screen (not metal) covered by 3" of Live Sand (from this site)
You need a Protien Skimmer(Cleans the water), two Power Heads(continued water movement like waves), a cheap filter (a hang on for a 30 gal fresh water tank(about $30.00) and remove the filter media and add Chemi-pure (for crystal clear water)
The Live and will cycle your tank. You then need to add some fishes to feed the critters in the Live Sand and these should be clown fish (damsels are too annoying when they grow up)
After about two weeks with your clown fish successfully established you will want to get hermit crabs and snails (cleaning crew) about 1 per gallon (this site has good crew packages)
Another month and your ready for other fishes. Go slow, and be patient - you will be with your fish for the rest of their life.
this setup will run until you decide to buy some Live Rock - or it works without LR but LR with critters is neat, give the fish placesw ti hide and helps the bio filter!!
Hope this helps
T
thomas712
Guest
MMYNC Your probably also going to go to your LFS and the person there will give you advice but before you take that advice check it here to see who agrees, most of us have heard some real tall tails at our lfs as to what we need or do not need.
FO or FOWLR = Fish Only or Fish only with live rock.
If you do a fish only or use live rock you do not need live sand or live rock to begin with. You can use dry base rock and some types of sand. The term LIVE on sand or rock only means that it has the benificial bacteria living on it, may also contain the diverse life or "critters" living on or in it. If you do choose to go with sand you will hear lots about southdown or yardright tropical playsand, some of the rest of us from michigan can tell you where to get this but you may have to go for a drive. So if you go with base rock and dead sand you can cycle with these and in time they will be just as LIVE as any $6-$8 dollar a pound live rock or whatever the cost of live sand. One note here though is that if you do use Live sand or Live rock to start with, your cycle time will be shorter.
I would recommend a protien skimmer on most tanks and deffinatly for a beginer. The method you choose to cycle your tank is your choice. I prefer to add the raw dead shrimp from the store to my tank to cycle with.
Good tip on the Chemi-pure, its a carbon and resin filter media that truly helps to keep the water clean. I use it 24/7.
The rest is pretty much what ocellaris keeper said to cycle. And I would also like to recommend you start with a book to give you the basics of saltwater if you do not know them already.
Good luck
Thomas
FO or FOWLR = Fish Only or Fish only with live rock.
If you do a fish only or use live rock you do not need live sand or live rock to begin with. You can use dry base rock and some types of sand. The term LIVE on sand or rock only means that it has the benificial bacteria living on it, may also contain the diverse life or "critters" living on or in it. If you do choose to go with sand you will hear lots about southdown or yardright tropical playsand, some of the rest of us from michigan can tell you where to get this but you may have to go for a drive. So if you go with base rock and dead sand you can cycle with these and in time they will be just as LIVE as any $6-$8 dollar a pound live rock or whatever the cost of live sand. One note here though is that if you do use Live sand or Live rock to start with, your cycle time will be shorter.
I would recommend a protien skimmer on most tanks and deffinatly for a beginer. The method you choose to cycle your tank is your choice. I prefer to add the raw dead shrimp from the store to my tank to cycle with.
Good tip on the Chemi-pure, its a carbon and resin filter media that truly helps to keep the water clean. I use it 24/7.
The rest is pretty much what ocellaris keeper said to cycle. And I would also like to recommend you start with a book to give you the basics of saltwater if you do not know them already.
Good luck
Thomas
leboeuf
Member
you can invest a lot of money real quick in this hobby. I would strongley recommend getting a couple of books to do some research. You have recieved good advice so far, but the decisions are ultimately yours.
You don't need a DSB and protein skimmer........ there are other options.
Take your time or you WILL regret some decisions..........IMO
You don't need a DSB and protein skimmer........ there are other options.
Take your time or you WILL regret some decisions..........IMO