Newbie wanting to go SW

[diesel359]

hello all, I just want to get a few opinions about going to SW. I have had many FW systems in the past and matter of fact my current tank is almost through cycling. I want to do this in the summer and for right now keep my FW tank. In the summer I will give my water and creatures to my sister and she will already have a mature tank. My tank is called a 25 gallon, but my volume calculations see it al 28 gallons. Questions:
1. Crused coral or live sand?
2. How much live rock to just get started? will add more later.
3. How much circulation (pump gallons per hour)?
4. One or two damsels to cycle the tank?
5. Use around 1/2 cup salt per gallon for aproximate salinity?
6. What kind of bacteria booster for SW to use?
7. How many total fish can I have in this 28 gallon tank when cycled? with 1 shrimp and 1 serpent star?
Anything else you guys want to add would be great, thanks greg :help:

 

[sdsheeks]

see replies in the quote.
Originally Posted by diesel359
hello all, I just want to get a few opinions about going to SW. I have had many FW systems in the past and matter of fact my current tank is almost through cycling. I want to do this in the summer and for right now keep my FW tank. In the summer I will give my water and creatures to my sister and she will already have a mature tank. My tank is called a 25 gallon, but my volume calculations see it al 28 gallons. Questions:
1. Crused coral or live sand?
I like the live sand....but don't pay to much because I have never recieved "live" sand.
2. How much live rock to just get started? will add more later.
Live rock? I usually add 2 lbs per gallon.
3. How much circulation (pump gallons per hour)?
If I read this right you have a 28 gallon. A 200gph should be fine.
4. One or two damsels to cycle the tank?
One, don't kill two.
5. Use around 1/2 cup salt per gallon for aproximate salinity?
Depends on the brand. I use instant ocean and use 1/2 cup and get about 1.022.
6. What kind of bacteria booster for SW to use?
cycle it
7. How many total fish can I have in this 28 gallon tank when cycled? with 1 shrimp and 1 serpent star?
I'm not really sure. I've never owned that size of tank.
Anything else you guys want to add would be great, thanks greg :help:

 

[diesel359]

thanks for the help

 

[alyssia]

Definitely live sand.
Don't cycle with fish, just use a piece of raw shrimp to jumpstart the cycle.
1 to 1 1/2 lbs of LR per gallon.

 

[ecoman]

the reasoning for the live rock is for more room for things to grow and help with the biological filtration of your tank, easing the maintanence.. From what I have read, the "live" sand is not live when you get it, although it probably is when they bag it. The info I read on it, is basically that if water movement stops for over an hour, the bacteria begin to die.. Im sure its been on a shelf, in a truck (probably frozen outside) then sitting on the counter of the store for who knows how long.. Chances are it is not live, I went with the cheaper sand.
Dont waste money buying a hydrometer, and if u did, dont open it and take it back and get a refractometer. When I looked into how inaccurate the hydrometer is, I cant see myself doing my water changes using anything less (the lives of your fish may depend on it!) Use the 12.99 that a hydrometer costs and invest 37 more and you have an accurate system for doing water changes and can match the salinity of the water that is in your tank alot better! Add too much salt and your fish could die as a result.
Some people cycle damsels. Good luck catchin em! Some people acclimate guppies into their salt water tank and let the fish they buy eat em (sounds easier then removing things from tank to try and catch a damsel). Others will argue that it is MEAN to the fish to cycle them with tank as it will go through many chemical changes! This is mostly info from this board, all summed up so u can do a little less reading - trust me there is tons to read..
Dont buy a book.. Go to the library, invest the $ towards supplies! I bought a few before I remembered books are free there! Also do searches on everything b4 you buy it, so you can expect what to pay and what to expect out of the product. Read reviews on it! Get several opinions, do research, and you will have success with minimal cost.