new to salt

[professorbadnew]

hello all. i have been given a 30 gallon jebo r362 all in one tank set up. i want to turn this into a FOLR set up. i have a few questions:
1. what test kit do you recommend?
2. can i just use this set up without any additional equipment?
3. what type of fish can i put in here? How many?
4. what salt do you use?
5. how much live rock? how long to let the tank cycle with the rock before adding fish?

thank you

joe

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

1. for ammonia and nitrite i use API, for nitrate, alk, cal, and mag i use salifert.

2. not familuar with this setup could you post a site that has some details on it.

3. for a 30 gal. you will be limited to clown size fish and maybe a dawrf angel i would say around 4-5 fish would be safe depending on the fish.

4. for salt i use Instant Ocean

5. for rock use 1.5 - 2lbs per gal and that is a good start. let it fully cycle so you don't have any more ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings then wait another week after to make sure then add your cleanup crew

 

[kevin2000]

Seachem basic marine test is one of the better basic test kits for the money. You don't need to test for mag or calcium at this point.

Equipment issues depend on what your trying to keep. The link below may help. In general many SW aquarist have a skimmer and would argue its an important part of the setup.

A 30 gallon tank is small by SW standards and fish capacity in SW is dramatically different/smaller than FW tanks. I would limit to 3-4 smaller fish (3 better than 4) which should be added very slowly to the tank. I think a clown fish, dwarf angel, and one other small fish combined with a cleaner shrimp makes for a nice tank.

Any of the common salt brands will work just fine for a FOWL tank.

The amt of live rock is optional for a FOWL tank ... reef tanks tend to have 1+ lb of LR per gallon but that rock provides home for corals and less space for fish.

Do some research on quarantine ... SW fish are wild caught and go through a distribution system that exposes them to many diseases which are often both contagious and lethal and you can't treat them in your display tank. If you QT all of your fish in an inexpensive 10 gallon tank before introducing them to your display tank you can save alot of grief and money.

Heres a link for newbies that may help.

http://reefcentral.com/modules.php?s=&name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=1

 

[Wett Hands]

professorbadnew

To Reef Central

1. I use sailfert for all my tests except for Alk whigh I use API.

2. From what I can tell, as long as you are only doin FOWLR and keep the bioload to 3-4 small fish you should be OK. Using ro/di water might be a big factor so i suggest getting one.

3. Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. I use IO

4. I would use 2lbs of rock for every gallon of water. I couldnt find any specs on that tank's pump/filter so you might want to look adding a power head(s)

As far as the tank cycle:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1031074

Good luck and welcome to the addiction! There's no hope for you now! :lolspin:

 

[loosecannon]

Hi and wellcome Professorbad: test ammonia, and nitite. When they read o for a week or so add first fish. I have a 30 gal. to. I have two Chrysiptera parasema, two Amphiprion melanopus, one Pseudochomis porphyreus, snall`s hermy`s .