Getting back into the hobby and looking for advice

[jnocerin]

Hi All ,
I have had a 45 G Salt water tank for many years (it is to the point that is practically self sustaining aside from food).
The tank has live rock , and live sand. Runs a single Aquaclear 500 filter, and 2 20" JBL Aqualights.

Right now the only things in the tank are 3 crabs (from the CT beaches) and a Damsel.

Side note: I did not go and collect the crabs, but rescued them when I found out my 6 yr old niece had smuggled them home in her beach toys.

I also have a 75 G freshwater tank with two very large Pleco's that are moving to the Mystic Aquarium this weekend.

So here is where I am looking for advice:
I will be draining the freshwater tank and cleaning it and its filters (two Biowheel 350's) and converting the tank to salt. I will be cleaning the tank and replacing the biowheels and filtration media, etc, and moving the lights from the existing salt tank.

Its been so long since I setup a salt talk and cycled it I was hoping for some help. Here is my plan , please let me know what I may be missing.

Thanks

1) Clean tank and filters throughly
2) fill tank with fresh water and treat it for any possible chlorine , etc (product recommendations requested)
3) mount filters and heater and allow to a climate for a day.
4) plug in heater and allow water to reach appropriate temp (75-80)
5) Salt the water ( I usually use instant ocean, but recommendations would be good)
6) Add new live sand possibly some of my existing live rock
7) wait.........test.....wait

A few questions .......
1) I have never used a protein skimmer, do I need it, and if so is there an inexpensive option that is easy to use?
2) How long should I expect the cycle to last (figuring ~ 1 month)
3) Is there anything I should worry about when I finally move the fish over, and or should / can I re-use the live rock and sand I have. It is probably not all that live anymore :rolleye1:
4) Are there any test kits that are good, but also reasonably priced. I haven't tested my salt tank in a very long time, since it stabilized over a year ago and the test never changed.

Anything else...dunno.

Also on a side note I will be selling the 45 G setup once this is all done so if anyone knows anyone in CT thats interested ping me.

 

[papagimp]

1: good idea
2: Ro/Di water is the only product I would recommend, does not rquire dechlorinators, just add salt.
3: good
4: good
5: IO is a good brand, I hear IO's Reefcrystals are good too, if not better.
6: very good idea with the rock, will help to seed the tank. I would also add more from the current system to the new after cycle is complete. In case the good critters/micro life dies off during cycle.

Question:
1: Not needed if you are willing to do enough water changes. But give that a year and you'll be saying "should've gotten a skimmer" ASM are reasonably priced skimmers, for a 75g I would go for one of them, maybe one of those super needle wheel thingies from coralife. I hear okay results on them for the price.
2: cycle will last from 1 day upwards of 2 months, depending on a few variables. Check water quality often, nitrite and ammonia in particular, just like you would with any cycle. 4 weeks seems about the average.
3: You can move all the live rock and sand over to the new tank, but i would wait for a cycle to complete and probably give the rock and sand added later on some time, a day or so to settle and perform another water change prior to adding the fish over. Once the rock has bacteria colonized on it for filtering purpose it is alive and will remain that way as long as its in a working system. The rock in your current system will still be alive, maybe not as full of bacteria as it would had you not used any biowheel filters on the tank, but still enough to help alot.
4: Salifert are the best from what I hear, I use the cheap AP brand from petsmart myself. It works close enough for this poor reefer. But I would recommend more than a yearly testing

Now, as for that 45g for sell, , check here on reefcentral for a fish club located in CT near you. I would probably ask around there first.

 

[alexb518]

1) clean tank is good, but filter is addressed on number 1 below
2) tap water is really not reccomended b/c of all of the impurities. if you don't have or don't want an ro/di filter, you can typically fill up just RO water from many grocery stores (those machinces that they will have outside that you can fill up your own water. RO water has 98% of the impurities removed. i think the grocery store water is around 40 cents per gallon. not bad.
3) you can add salt the same time you hook up heater/filter
4) instant ocean is just fine when you're starting out. only used it once or twice but it think it's ok. Personally, i swear by ocean water.
5) when adding your live sand, don't just dump it in. put it in a bag and put the whole bag in the bottom of the tank. the more gently you let the sand fall out of the bag, the less clouding you will have. add live rock once it clears up so you can actually see where you're putting it. Note: it may take a few days to clear up.
6) monitor ammonia and trites. once the ammonia spikes, you will know that your cycle has started.


1) if you're adding live rock, then i would get rid of the bio wheel filters and get a skimmer. the rock and skimmer will do all the work. A good inexpensive/starter skimmer is the coralife one that i believe has a needle wheel pump that comes with it. It's about $100.
2) expect the cycle to last 4-6 weeks, but monitor. no need to add damsels or any other "starter" fish during this time.
3) you can use those rocks, at least as base rock, but i would reccomend introducing some "live" cured rock to recolonize your "dead" rock with all the pods/worms etc. that once lived on it.
4) what papagimp said

 

[jim48]

Move your existing rock and sand over to the new tank after you've gotten the salinity in the correct range. More live rock and a skimmer will be necessary if your bioload will be heavy or you will be keeping some more delicate fish in the new tank.

Cycling is variable depending on many things, basically your still cycling if you show any amount of ammonia. When the ammonia and nitrite read 0 ppm your cycled and ready to go.

 

[jnocerin]

So it looks like I will be getting a protein skimmer from a friend who bought it for his tank and never even opened the box. Yeah!

 

[Scuba_Steve]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

Waterkeeper I hope you see this! :lol:

Sorry that is a side conversation from another post, nothing to do with you. But welcome! This site is packed full of info, and dis spells many old techniques, and lots of garbage sold by local fish stores "lfs". First your aquaclear. I just had to jump on this one first as I love a good simple DIY project. In a reef tank, or even fish only with live rock "fowlr" you dont need filters, or want them. They are just a place for nitrates to collect. Your live rock will do all the filtration you need. But aquaclear filters do have an awesome function, especially if you dont have a drilled tank with a sump. You can modify this filter into a simple refugium very easily, which is a great addon to any reef tank! I have to look up that article, but will follow with it shortly. Other suggestions..... As said, go with ro/di water for everything! You can use your old rock, but if its dead give it a good cleaning with a toothbrush. Then "seed it" with some new live rock and in a few months it will all be live again. I see no reason its not live anymore though if it was in a stable tank.

 

[WaterKeeper]

You found the secret code. Now I'll need to ban or kill you.

BTW, a skimmer will help reduce the nutrient load on any tank and is always a good idea. One month is probably right but if that rock is in fairly good shape it may be much shorter. Use the test kit to check where you are at.. Salifert is the most popular brand.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=601201&highlight=ac110+fuge

There you go. This will work the exact same with the AC500, or as its now called the AC110.

Now I must go hide for a while from waterkeeper, I figure he is getting pretty old, so he should forget all about this in let say 10-20 minutes.