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- Thread starter rez101
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clownfish2
Member
I second the motion on Paletta's book. That is just what I did and it is one of my most valuable tools. As you will find out as you go along taking your time will be one of the best things you can do. Good luck on your tank.
saltyj
Member
rez,
One thing I have learned for sure from this Board is that it is a great idea to return that crushed coral and get sand. You don't have to clean the sand, but things get trapped in the crushed coral and you have to vacuum it a lot. You can wait for a shark to give you the same advice, but I would return it quick and spend the $ on the sand. Just my .02
One thing I have learned for sure from this Board is that it is a great idea to return that crushed coral and get sand. You don't have to clean the sand, but things get trapped in the crushed coral and you have to vacuum it a lot. You can wait for a shark to give you the same advice, but I would return it quick and spend the $ on the sand. Just my .02
jrein40806
Member
crush corel what kinda filter do you recommed and under gravel perhaps>>
Wrong on both counts. Get rid of the crushed coral and replace it with a sand bed of 4-6 inches. Under gravel filters are a thing of the past. Don't waste your money on that garbage.
Depending on where you live you might be able to go to Home Depot and get sand for cheap. Ask if they carry Yardright,Old Castle, or Southdown. Check your local florists to see if they carry it. Take some sand and add it to a little vinegar. If the sand bubbles it is ok to use. Then get a bag of live sand from your local fish store,lfs, and seed the other sand with it.
The sand will help with your filtration and will definetly keep your nitrate level down. You never have to clean the sand.
Buy some live rock for your tank. 1-1.5 lbs / gallon is recommended. If you buy 29 - 43.5 lbs of live rock and enough sand for a 4-6 inch base no other filtration method is needed.
If you can't afford that much live rock buy about 10 lbs and then put in base rock. Buy a penguin filter and use that until the base turns live.
If you want a cheap place for base rock e-mail me at JRein40806@aol.com
I have a 125 gallon tank and have the 4-6 inch sand bed,which I was talked into from the people who post here,live rock mixed in with base,2 hang on Aquaclear and a wet/dry-only until the base turns live. At that point the hang ons will be gone and the wet/dry will be used only as a fuge/sump. Hope this helps you. It can seem like a lot of info at first. It did to me too. But before I made any decisons I always posted here first.
Wrong on both counts. Get rid of the crushed coral and replace it with a sand bed of 4-6 inches. Under gravel filters are a thing of the past. Don't waste your money on that garbage.
Depending on where you live you might be able to go to Home Depot and get sand for cheap. Ask if they carry Yardright,Old Castle, or Southdown. Check your local florists to see if they carry it. Take some sand and add it to a little vinegar. If the sand bubbles it is ok to use. Then get a bag of live sand from your local fish store,lfs, and seed the other sand with it.
The sand will help with your filtration and will definetly keep your nitrate level down. You never have to clean the sand.
Buy some live rock for your tank. 1-1.5 lbs / gallon is recommended. If you buy 29 - 43.5 lbs of live rock and enough sand for a 4-6 inch base no other filtration method is needed.
If you can't afford that much live rock buy about 10 lbs and then put in base rock. Buy a penguin filter and use that until the base turns live.
If you want a cheap place for base rock e-mail me at JRein40806@aol.com
I have a 125 gallon tank and have the 4-6 inch sand bed,which I was talked into from the people who post here,live rock mixed in with base,2 hang on Aquaclear and a wet/dry-only until the base turns live. At that point the hang ons will be gone and the wet/dry will be used only as a fuge/sump. Hope this helps you. It can seem like a lot of info at first. It did to me too. But before I made any decisons I always posted here first.
rez101
New Member
Ok you guys are great I have taken back the 29 gallon and have gotten a 55 gal instead so you all say that sand is better ok will do about how deep should the sand be in the tank also if I am not using a under gravel filter what kinda filter would you recommend I am only doing tropical fish going to start off simple I hope
T
thomas712
Guest
Rez - just checking.... by tropical fish do you mean freshwater fish, I might have missed it in all the above posts, but it almost sounds like you mean freshwater.
Thomas
Thomas
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by rez101
well thanlk you guys so far I have bought 2 power heads some instant ocean and I am using crush corel what kinda filter do you recommed and under gravel perhaps?
In the early 80's, I ran an UG for 8 years with dolomite. Had no problems after the first few months. I know UGs are not the in thing now but one thread told of a person who would not give up his reverse flow UG. Seems he went out to sea 6 months and during that time his wife just replaced the water that evaportated and fed the fish. When he returned his sand was still clean and white.
The Crushed Corral will buffer and add calcuim to the water. I found out (years later) the dolomite in my older tank also adds magnisium. In my my new 55g I have replaced the CC with sand, but that was because i wanted to add marine plants/macro algae.
Bottom line is that there are many different ways to setup tanks. Find the one that fits your budget and works for you.