Starting a new SW tank

[EvilE]

Hi I am new here! I have been doing the freshwater thing for a while, and want to try saltwater--so I have a 30 gallon tank, that I just got up and running--I used crushed coral as the substrate, and used all RO water, and added a bit of stress coat just to be sure, and have it running, getting the temp right (about 78 degrees) and the salinity right. tomorrow I will add a couple of hardy fish --like damsels to start the cycling process. Any tips/ideas???

 

[ionredline0260]

Your about to get alot of information and varried opinions from the people on ReefCentral. Don't let it discourage you.
AND WELCOME TO REEF CENTRAL!
*I don't have the flashy graphic that some one will post soon*

 

[sunfish11]

I would skip the crushed coral and cycle without fish. You didn't mention live rock. Are you planning a reef or just some fish?

Read the top post in this forum for the answers to your questions.

Lisa

 

[drummereef]

Here you go!
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1031074

 

[zoomfish1]

Well Mr. EvilE: fresh meat. lol!! Kidding. Welcome to RC and this addiction we humorously call a hobby.

Read, Read, and read some more. The sticky threads at the top of this forum (Waterkeeper's) and yes he really does exist, at least I am told he is real, are a wealth of useful information. Heck, it may even answer questions you haven't even thought to ask yet. Good luck and good reading.

 

[jdm01]

I would avoid the damsel initially. They can be very aggressive. They might try to kill anything else you put in the tank. Kind of like raising cichlids. I would think through the fish load you ultimately want and whether or not you will add coral as you go before choosing the fish. I also agree, you should probably get rid of the crushed coral now. i used it and wish I had not.

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9404251#post9404251 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sunfish11
I would skip the crushed coral and cycle without fish. You didn't mention live rock. Are you planning a reef or just some fish?

Read the top post in this forum for the answers to your questions.

Lisa

Just some fish to start--I don't think I am ready for a reef at this point..... my buddy that has maintained saltwater tanks for years told me to use the crushed coral. I went with what he said. Cycle without fish huh? Using straight ammonia or what?

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9404565#post9404565 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdm01
I would avoid the damsel initially. They can be very aggressive. They might try to kill anything else you put in the tank. Kind of like raising cichlids. I would think through the fish load you ultimately want and whether or not you will add coral as you go before choosing the fish. I also agree, you should probably get rid of the crushed coral now. i used it and wish I had not.

why not crushed coral?--just curious--I am new here, and learning as much as possible!!

 

[PatMayo]

[welcome]

Evile.

Most folks avoide crushed coral because it catches the fish poo old food etc and it's difficult to clean. Some say that it also creates more algae. I don't recommend it either although if you really are frugal with your feeding, bio load, and vacuum the substrate frequently you can make it work. I find it more work and it does also contribute to nitrates as well. Nitrates typically are not great for corals.

Most folks now use live rock for the filtration system. They do not use filters per se any longer. The live rock is the filter.

I personally would read the following links and get some more detailed information before taking the plunge It will save a lot of heartaches in the long run.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239848

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=550860

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1031074

I would recommend live rock for a fish only tank as well.

Good luck.

Regards,

Pat

 

[AZDesertRat]

Crushed coral has a lot of voids that trap waste (detritus) and causes water quality problems. You really need a finer sand if yu want to be sucessful and have less maintanance. Where are you located? There is a meeting on Saturday where most of the saltwater nuts in the Valley, acyually lots of people come from Flagstaff, Prescott. Sedona, Sierra Vista and Tucson even. Look down at the bottom of the forums section for "More Forums- Reef Club Forums and then Arizona Fish and Reef Aquarium Group for the location and time. They meet every month and you can gain lots of good knowledge and even get some freebies lots of times.

 

[EvilE]

thanks everyone--I appreciate it!!

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9404861#post9404861 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
Crushed coral has a lot of voids that trap waste (detritus) and causes water quality problems. You really need a finer sand if yu want to be sucessful and have less maintanance. Where are you located? There is a meeting on Saturday where most of the saltwater nuts in the Valley, acyually lots of people come from Flagstaff, Prescott. Sedona, Sierra Vista and Tucson even. Look down at the bottom of the forums section for "More Forums- Reef Club Forums and then Arizona Fish and Reef Aquarium Group for the location and time. They meet every month and you can gain lots of good knowledge and even get some freebies lots of times.

I am in East Mesa--far east!! LOL!!! Almost Apache Junction.

 

[magdelan]

Crushed coral has a lot of surface area to grow bacteria. Due to it not being as compact as a sand bed, it will not anaerobically denitrify the bacteria but instead will release nitrates back into the water colum=no good. Instead of using crushed coral, use some aragonite sand or even beter, go to the local hardware store and get some "play sand" then use a couple cups of your friends livesand to seed yours. Yours will be live in no time!!

A great way to begin your "cycle" would be to go to the grocery store and buy two 26/30 (the size) shrimp and toss them into the tank. They will begin to decay and break down thus, starting a cycle. You will want to to let this go for 4 weeks or so. the shrimp will produce amonia which will then convert to nitrite, and last turn to nitrate. Before adding ANY fish, you will want to test the water and be sure that you have zero amonia and zero nitrites. You can have a bit of nitrate (5ppm) but zero is obviously best. After you reach zero on those three, you can add your fish. But add the inhabitants SLOWLY. You won't want more than four fish in your 29g. So, I would wait at least two weeks between adding fish. If you add too many at once, it was cause a mini amonia spike do to the fish waste. You need to give the good bacteria in your filter (since there won't be live rock) a chance to build itself up enough to be able to break down the new waste load.

I hope this helps.

 

[EvilE]

what I eventually want is either a dwarf lionfish or a anglerfish

 

[jim48]

Re: Starting a new SW tank

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9404209#post9404209 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilE
Hi I am new here! I have been doing the freshwater thing for a while, and want to try saltwater--so I have a 30 gallon tank, that I just got up and running--I used crushed coral as the substrate, and used all RO water, and added a bit of stress coat just to be sure, and have it running, getting the temp right (about 78 degrees) and the salinity right. tomorrow I will add a couple of hardy fish --like damsels to start the cycling process. Any tips/ideas???

EvilE,

I would not put damsels in the tank to seed the tank. These little buggers, once established, will not take kindly to any other fish even coming close to their territory. You will have problems adding any other fish to your tank after they have been there for any length of time and to catch them with anything in the tank they can hide in is going to be a problem.

Instead, use some live rock and maybe a small amount of fish food to get your tank going. Being in the freshwater end of things for quite a while you are going to have to take things slower in saltwater fish. When your tank reads ok for all of the critical water paramters, you should add the fish in order of the least agressive first and the most agressive last. This way the least agressive fish get to stake claim to territory before the more agressive fish are in the mix.

I've been there with the damsel fish seeding the tank and it isn't pleasant when you have to tear your tank apart to get them out or watch them beat up on anything you try to add afterwards. Using these fish this way is the old way of doing things and is not necessary.

Good luck!

 

[jdjeff58]

Re: Re: Starting a new SW tank

Re: Re: Starting a new SW tank

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9407816#post9407816 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilE
..... my buddy that has maintained saltwater tanks for years told me to use the crushed coral. I went with what he said. Cycle without fish huh? Using straight ammonia or what?

Is straight ammonia something old or something new??

 

[EvilE]

Re: Re: Re: Starting a new SW tank

Re: Re: Re: Starting a new SW tank

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9407940#post9407940 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdjeff58
Is straight ammonia something old or something new??

relatively new--you add 1 teaspoon of straight ammonia per 40 gallons of water--usually gets the cyle going. I have never tried this method with my freshwater tanks, but I know people who swear by it.

 

[EvilE]

Re: Re: Starting a new SW tank

Re: Re: Starting a new SW tank

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9407816#post9407816 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jim48
EvilE,

I would not put damsels in the tank to seed the tank. These little buggers, once established, will not take kindly to any other fish even coming close to their territory. You will have problems adding any other fish to your tank after they have been there for any length of time and to catch them with anything in the tank they can hide in is going to be a problem.

Instead, use some live rock and maybe a small amount of fish food to get your tank going. Being in the freshwater end of things for quite a while you are going to have to take things slower in saltwater fish. When your tank reads ok for all of the critical water paramters, you should add the fish in order of the least agressive first and the most agressive last. This way the least agressive fish get to stake claim to territory before the more agressive fish are in the mix.

I've been there with the damsel fish seeding the tank and it isn't pleasant when you have to tear your tank apart to get them out or watch them beat up on anything you try to add afterwards. Using these fish this way is the old way of doing things and is not necessary.

Good luck!

Great info thank you very much!!

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9404892#post9404892 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by magdelan
Crushed coral has a lot of surface area to grow bacteria. Due to it not being as compact as a sand bed, it will not anaerobically denitrify the bacteria but instead will release nitrates back into the water colum=no good. Instead of using crushed coral, use some aragonite sand or even beter, go to the local hardware store and get some "play sand" then use a couple cups of your friends livesand to seed yours. Yours will be live in no time!!

A great way to begin your "cycle" would be to go to the grocery store and buy two 26/30 (the size) shrimp and toss them into the tank. They will begin to decay and break down thus, starting a cycle. You will want to to let this go for 4 weeks or so. the shrimp will produce amonia which will then convert to nitrite, and last turn to nitrate. Before adding ANY fish, you will want to test the water and be sure that you have zero amonia and zero nitrites. You can have a bit of nitrate (5ppm) but zero is obviously best. After you reach zero on those three, you can add your fish. But add the inhabitants SLOWLY. You won't want more than four fish in your 29g. So, I would wait at least two weeks between adding fish. If you add too many at once, it was cause a mini amonia spike do to the fish waste. You need to give the good bacteria in your filter (since there won't be live rock) a chance to build itself up enough to be able to break down the new waste load.

I hope this helps.

Ok the substrate I am referring to is called "Nature's Ocean" premium marine substrate--100% natural straight from the ocean to you!" It is pretty fine, not big chunks--pacific coral gravel.

 

[EvilE]

and the Marine salt I have is Aquatic Gardens Premium Marine Salt Mix--is that a good one?