dipman6969
New Member
When I first buy my tank, not even having bought the animals, what do I do. What substrate and what kind of water do I put in? One more question, how do you decide what filter to get?
preparing the tank
- Thread starter dipman6969
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tizzo
Guest
The best substrate is live sand.
You wanna fill it with ro/di water, but if you can't it's OK just dechlorinate tap. (You will prolly get an algae bloom but it will go away if you top off and perform water changes with ro or ro/di water).
The way to decide your filter depends largely on two things...what you want to keep and how much money you have. A protein skimmer (which is seperate from the filter) is another piece of equipment you'd wanna invest in.
You wanna fill it with ro/di water, but if you can't it's OK just dechlorinate tap. (You will prolly get an algae bloom but it will go away if you top off and perform water changes with ro or ro/di water).
The way to decide your filter depends largely on two things...what you want to keep and how much money you have. A protein skimmer (which is seperate from the filter) is another piece of equipment you'd wanna invest in.
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tizzo
Guest
Sorry, missed the "what do I do part" You...
put in live sand
fill tank with premixed salt water
get all equipment up and running (heater, filter powerheads etc...)
add a raw shrimp from the grocery store to start cycle
invest in test kits
and wait...
put in live sand
fill tank with premixed salt water
get all equipment up and running (heater, filter powerheads etc...)
add a raw shrimp from the grocery store to start cycle
invest in test kits
and wait...
dipman6969
New Member
If I put in fresh water, won't the animals die.
dipman6969
New Member
What equitement and how does the shrimp start a cycle. I'm confused
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tizzo
Guest
You wanna add premixed salt water but I was answering the "which kind of water" question. RO water with your salt added. h*
dipman6969
New Member
what is a powerhead? Please list all equitement needed for say a 20 or 30 gallon tank? For that sized tank, could I put lobsters in? Are certain things not suitable for a 30 gallon tank? When you say heater, is that a light or is that different?
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tizzo
Guest
Originally Posted by dipman6969
What equitement and how does the shrimp start a cycle. I'm confused
Equipment being your powerheads, filter, heater, protein skimmer etc...
A raw shrimp breaks down and rots causing an ammonia spike. The ammonia breaks down causing a nitrite spike nd the nitrites break down causing nitrates which form the neccesary beneficial bacteria your tank will need to thrive. And all you hafta do is throw in that raw shrimp. Can't add...(sorry...SHOULDN'T ADD) fish til the cycle is complete.
Easy to understand, easy to find book that explains it all is this one...
What equitement and how does the shrimp start a cycle. I'm confused
Equipment being your powerheads, filter, heater, protein skimmer etc...
A raw shrimp breaks down and rots causing an ammonia spike. The ammonia breaks down causing a nitrite spike nd the nitrites break down causing nitrates which form the neccesary beneficial bacteria your tank will need to thrive. And all you hafta do is throw in that raw shrimp. Can't add...(sorry...SHOULDN'T ADD) fish til the cycle is complete.
Easy to understand, easy to find book that explains it all is this one...
T
tizzo
Guest
I will list the stuff and you can get detailed descriptions of what the stuff is if you look in this sights "dry goods" section. And what you can't find there, other online vendors will have.
30 gallon fish only tank with maybe live rock will need...
Protein skimmer...aquaC Remora or Bak pak brand
heater
powerheads maxijets are the best and cheapest IMO.
filter. Canister should suffice
ground probe will eliminate stray voltage
That's all I can think of right now as far as equipment.
30 gallon fish only tank with maybe live rock will need...
Protein skimmer...aquaC Remora or Bak pak brand
heater
powerheads maxijets are the best and cheapest IMO.
filter. Canister should suffice
ground probe will eliminate stray voltage
That's all I can think of right now as far as equipment.