wanna be saltwater tank owner

[RHAPALA]

Greeting everyone
i'm a wanna be salt water tank owner much to the dismay of my wife who feels i'm about to embark on a very costly hobby i have had fresh water tanks in the past and have 2 tanks at this time a 55 gal tank and a 30 gal tank i'm gonna start small going with the 30 just to try to keep cost down (i hope) at this time the things i have done to this tank are as follows 1 bag of marine salt as per the instructions 1/2 cup per gal so is my math was right that would be 15 cups total of salt. as for filters i have a undergravel with 1 power head ,i have 1 intank filter also with a power head, then i also have a over the side filter which i think was made for a 40 gal tanknot really sure seeing i;m at work right now and cant remember the names of everything . i do have a skimmer on order will be here next week somtime . other items in the tank sofar crushed coral and 2 black mollys because i was told they would help cycle the tank i was also told to add a few more next week .further more was told if any died i should leave them in there due to they will help to build good bactriea (sp) i am total new to salt i have always had fresh water fish in my 55 gal i have ciclids i love these fish. but the salt water tank i want to do is really for my daughter who in her words wants a nemo fish any help advice simple instructions would be great some say in amonth i need to get live rock and throw in it then add fish others say forget the live rock and get the fake stuff ifs just as good. and is the molly thing a good plan?? or am i getting aton of bad info PLZ help me

[perpetual98]

Deep breath. Slow down. Welcome to the board! :)

Let me get this straight. You've got a 30G tank that was fresh that you've just put 15 cups of salt in? You're going to want to get rid of the gravel and undergravel filter if you're going to be putting crushed coral into the tank. If you're not going to be using live rock for filtration, you could get a hang-on-back filter (not too expensive at Walmart) for filtration, you just have to be on top of cleaning it.

Are the mollies from a saltwater system now? While it is true that mollies can live in saltwater, if they're freshwater mollies right now, you can't just throw them into saltwater or they'll die in a short period of time. They have to be acclimated to saltwater. If the ones that you have coming are from a freshwater tank, you'd be best off putting them into another freshwater tank.

Ok, what kind of lighting do you have? What skimmer do you have coming? You're just going to have a fish-only tank?

Let us know what questions you have!

Eric

[graphixx]

SSLLOOOWWWWW DDDOOOWWWNNNN!!!! The enthusiasm is great but you want to do some homework first. I would go and get a good saltwater book and read that puppy front to back. and this forum is a great place for info too. we are all more than willing to answer the questions you will have along the way (and you will have alot) but the best piece of advice I can give and I think everyone will agree is just to slow down and take your time. the quicker you go the more problems you will have in the future. Like perpetual said, give us a run down of your lights and what you want to accomplish with this tank.
AND WELCOME ABOARD!!!

greg

[Sweetpea]

Welcome to Captive Reefing! You have made the most important step... asking FIRST. Once you are sure about the kind of system you want (fish only, etc), the folks here can help you better!

[MedicMike]

Rhapala, Runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!! while you still can j/k. Welcome aboard

[RHAPALA]

well i want a good tank with a system that takes care of its self (HAHAHA yeah right ) i wish that was a possable feat. in any case for real i just wanna get my feet wet on this new hobby which i hope will bloom into a bigger hobby .

1 as for the mollys yes they were in a fresh water tank they have now been in the salt for i think 3 to 4 days and seem to be enjoying it.... then again what do i know they could be really gagging for a breath.

2 after a lil talking to from a friend i havent seen in a very long time i have decided to purge the tank (meaning start all over again remove the undergravel ,crush coral and prolly the mollys.) and put a sand bottem in whith what he sugest a few pounds of live rock. to help get the tank started

3 as for the lighting its just a normal light that came with the tank

4 and the skimmer i'm a dumb *** i forgot the name of it but should have it sometime next week

5 and as for the type of tank i want to run i want simple( yet colorful and pleasing to look at) i'm really doing this for my 5 yearold daughter who after watching finding nemo for the 10,000th time is begging on a daily basis for one (clown fish) i really dont have the money most people do i get paid twice a month and its a lil bit . most people thing paramedics get paid like 20 a hour that being said cheap on my pocket book would be wonderful. i have seen may pics of tanks on this site and many other sites as well they are just mind blowing . i understand that a ton of work goes into the making of a salt tank i only hope i'm up to the task

6 almost forgot i do have a over the side filter thats made for a 40 gal tank. also inside the tank i have a filter called a fluval2plus made for i think a 20 to 30 gal tank so i think if anything i may be over filtering if there is such a thing

[graphixx]

your off to the right start by scrapping that set up you have now and starting fresh, yes you want a good sand bed that is where your biological filtration will begin. Once again I would suggest buying or I am sure you might be able to find one at the library on the hobby and read. and I would suggest looking into some better lighting. I can tell you this hobby is more addicting than crack!!!! and the better lighting will give you a better range of critters you can keep. but right now just take it slow and research,research and when your done with that research a little more. right now you need to focus on CYCLING your tank. but just take it slow and dont be afraid to ask questions.

[lReef lKeeper]

as usual i agree with Graphixx, scrap the old setup and start fresh. AND research, research, research, and more research. as for the book ... i would buy one the next time you are at the LFS, or make a special trip TO the LFS to get a book. there are a lot of books out there, so i am sure you will find one that is easy for you to understand.

you could always just throw a raw shrimp (the kind you eat) in the tank to start the cycle process. a lot of people do that around here, and have had great success with it.

Lighting is a key factor in ANY saltwater set-up. i am sure some people will not agree with this but even in a fish only system ... lighting is important. in a reef ... it is one of the major factors for success (IMO). but this is a topic for later on down the road.

and to end this ... if you have ANY questions ... ASK never assume !!

[AuntKaren]

Welcome to CR you have fallen into the right spot! I think you are off to a good start by asking questions first then "diving in" (lol). One thing you and your daughter will need will cost you nothing but will be immesurable in your success...... that is Patience! When you get your live rock and are doing the curing cycle (Which takes a MINIMUM of 2 weeks, 3-4 weeks is probably closer to the truth.) While you are in the curing cycle get yourself a magnifying glass and inspect your rock often. You and your daughter will be totally amazed at what is going on even during the curing time! Meanwhile as everyone above said keep researching and asking lots of questions in forums. Patience, Patience, Patience will pay off many fold! Welcome aboard!

[MedicMike]

Hey move to portland and you start at 18 an hour ... but i'm just a lowely Basic so i only make 12. But as far as takeing your time i've been working on getting my 75gal up and running for close to 7 months now. So keep your eyes peeled on this site, and other sites as well for good quality used equipment for the right price.

[RHAPALA]

KK LOTS OF INFO TO TAKE IN AND WILL TAKE TIME TO REALLY SOAK IT UP AND MAKE THIS SYSTEM TO WORK I JUST SOPKE WITH A PERSON FROM NJ WHO GAVE ME A GOOD BASE START STATING THAT I SHOULD PROLLY PUT IN A SAND BASE OF ARAGAMAX OR GO TO MY LOCAL LOWS AND GET A SAND CALLED SOUTH DOWN WHICH IS A GOOD SUB FOR THIS PROJECT. HE ALSO STATED I SHOULD MAYBE THINK ABOUT LIVE ROCK SUCH AS FIJI OR TUNGA OR A MIX OF BOTH AND CALLING A FEW LOCAL PET STORES IT ISENT CHEAP ABOUT 8.99 A LBS FOR FIJI AND 9.99 LBS FOR THE TUNGA THEY ALSO SAY I NEED LIKE 50 LBS OF THIS THATS GONNA LEAVE A DENT IN THE WALLET BUT WAS TOLD TO TRY TO ORDER FROM thatpetplace.com PRICE IS WAY CHEAPER $80 FOR 20LBS OF FIJI AND $124 FOR TONGA ROCK
BUT DO I REALLY NEED THAT MUCH??

AS FAR AS MY PLAN FOR NOW HERE IS WHAT I'M GONNA DO PIPE IN IF I'M MAKING A MISTAKE ON MONDAY MOSTLY BECAUSE THIS IS MY WEEKEND TO WORK I WILL EMTY THE TANK CLEAN IT MIX A FRESH BATCH OF SALT WATER CLEAN MY FILTERS REPLACE THE MEDIA IF NEEDED OR JUST RINCE THE LIVING HECK OUT IF IT PLACE THE SAND IN THE TANK WITH A POWER HEAD PUT THE FILTERS BACK IN BUT LEAVE THEM OFF NOT WANTING THEM TO BE CLOGED WITH THE SAND TURN THE HEATER UP TO ABOUT 79 OR 80 AND LET STAND ABOUT A WEEK I'LL ALSO PROLLY ADD SOME AIR LINES AT ABOUT AWEEK I'LL TRY TO ADD LIVE ROCK DEPENDS ON MY CASH FLOW MY WIFE IS A LIL TOUCHY ABOUT THE TANK RIGHT NOW BUT ONCE THE LIVE ROCK GETS IN I PLAN TO MAKE A SHELF FOR THE ROCK TO SIT ON ABOUT 1 INCH OFF THE SAND IN MY MIND THIS MIGHT HELP MAKE A HIDING PLACE FOR THE CRITTERS I'LL ALSO ADD THE SKIMMER AND SOME BETTER LIGHTING THEN IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL I'LL TRY FOR FISH????? IN ANY CASE I'LL KEEP CHECKING BACK HERE AND WISH ME LUCK

[AuntKaren]

I don't have the expertise to know how to communicate why but (Help me out here guys) Please don't put sand from Lowes! Help guys please explain to him why!

[perpetual98]

Southdown hasn't been available for a couple years now. For a while, they were selling the same sand under the Old Castle brand. There's varying arguments about using "play" sand in your tanks. One of the checks you can do with the sand is see if it reacts with vinegar. If it foams, it's likely aragonite based and will be fine for your tank. If it doesn't it's probably silica based and some people will say it will do more harm than good.

Personally, since your tank is so small, just shop around for Live Sand on ebay or online and just go that route.

Or I don't know what I'm talking about. :)

Eric

[MedicMike]

I would stay away from so called "live sand" packed in "sea water" but just my two cents. I think all your buying is just a bag of nitrates! I used aragamax but it was the dry stuff so good luck i hope were confusing you enough

[RHAPALA]

SOFAR I WENT DOWN TO THE LFS BOUGHT THE FOLLOWING THE ARAGAMAX 40 LBS I GOT 5 LBS OF FIGI AND ABOUT 5 LBS OF TONGA NOT CHEAP!! OK THAT BEING SAID HERE IS WHAT I HAVE DONE THUS FAR

1 DRAINED , CLEANED ,EVERYTHING WITH HOT WATER FILTERS POWER HEADS THAT SORT OF STUFF AND TANK

2 DUMPED 40 LBS OF SAND INTO THE NOW CLEAN TANK PLACED SOME BASE ROCK IN THE BOTTEM ABOUT 5 TO 10 LBS OF THAT I CANT RECALL THE NAME OF IT THO ONCE THAT WAS DONE I PLACED THE LIVE ROCK ON TOP OF THAT

3 I THEN TOOK A 5 GAL PAIL THAT I USE ONLY FOR FISH AND STARTED TO MIX 1/2 CUP SALT (MARINE SALT) PER GAL

4 MEANWHILE MY WIFE IS CUSSING ME OUT BECAUSE I SPENT ALOT OF CASH AND MADE A BIG MESS ON THE DECK OUTSIDE WITH THE OLD CRUSHED CORAL I DUMPED.

5 BUT BACK TO THE TANK I ADDED MY POWERHEAD AND BOTH FILTERS AND A HEATER SET AT ABOUT 81 DEG ALL ALONG THE BACK OF THE TANK THE POWER HEADS I HOPE WILL CAUSE A GOOD CURRENT.

LAST I STARTED TO FILL THE TANK THIS SEEMED TO TAKE FOREVER BECAUSE OF THE MIXING OF THE SALT AND ALL.........I THINK I WILL KNOW WHAT I HAVE IN A FEW DAYS ONCE THE WATER CLEARS.

I JUST CANT WAIT TILL THIS HAPPENS I FEEL LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE RIGHT NOW ..............I ALSO KNOW I NEED TO GET MORE LIVE ROCK BUT AS I POSTED BEFOR THE LFS WANTS A ARM AND A LEG FOR THE STUFF I'M GONNA CHECK OUT SOME OTHER WEBSITES AND EBAY. MY ONLY FEAR OF EBAY IS THAT I WILL GET JUNK ....ALSO MY SKIMMER SHOULD BE IN THIS WEEK BUT AM TOLD I DONT NEED IT TILL I GET FISH.... ANY ADVICE ON THAT?

[jojo22]

First let me say you are off to a good start, and that being here will definatly help. Just a few things I see that I might do different. I would mix the LR and base to allow them to touch on more surfaces, This will allow criters and eventualy coraline alage to spread quicker. Second I would point the powerheads in mulitipul directions to create a better flow pattern. And last but not least DO NOT fire up the skimmer untill after or very close to the end of your cycle. It will only take out the nasties ( protiens that cause ammonia/nitrite/nitrate) that are needed for the tank to cycle, and won't pull anything at all in the very begining

[RHAPALA]

KK WILL DO I'LL MOVE THE POWER HEADS SO THEY ARE IN A CIRCLE TYPE PATTERN AND WONT WORRY ABOUT THE SKIMMER TILL LATER

[jojo22]

Sound great. Depending on your poewr heads it may be even better to put one on each end and just point them at eachother through the rock work. This way the deflection would create a more disburst pattern and it may also help eliminate dead spots in your rocks. If you don't understand let me know and we can hook up in the chat room.

[perpetual98]

We had a decent chat last night while he was at work. I apologized ahead of time because I told him that I was going to give him grief about his caps lock deal at work...

http://www.wap.org/info/techstuff/capslock.gif

[john007]

Are you using RO water or better yet RO/DI one of the best investments you can make...In my eyes.......If not here comes the algae!!!!!

[RHAPALA]

FIRST AS PER REQUEST OF MY FRIEND JOE WHEN AT WORK JUST TO SAYY FOR THE CAPS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT ITS OUR COMPUTER SYSTEM HERE... NO THAT BEING OUT OF THE WAY

AT THIS TIME JUST TAP WATER I WAS LOOKING AT A RO SYSTEM FOR MY HOUSE AT A COST OF ABOUT 150.00 BUT FOR RIGHT NOW JUST REG TAP WATER . I HAVE HAD IT TESTED BYMYSELF USEING CHEM STRIPS ..... MY BROTHER INLAW AND THE LFS ALL HAVE SAID ITS ALL GOOD.

[john007]

Tapwater will work. No expert here,3rd attempt at a reef 1st 2x tapwater algae was considerable,probably controllable. This time RO/DI working good algae starting coming and I replaced my DI cartridge and its all good now I think its been a great investment...it was about $185