SW n00b with setup questions

[MitchSchaft]

Alright, folks, I'm looking to convert one of my tanks for a couple of clownfish and anamone.
Coming from the freshwater side of thing, I need some suggestions and tips.
I got into the aquarium hobby 1 year ago and I'm used to dealing with Goldfish, one of the more difficult freshwater fish to deal with. I understand the nitrogen cycle, tank maintenance, etc. I thought I'd mention that since most freshwater folks don't have a clue.

My current setup for the clowns is a 20 gallon, 2 AC-50 HOB filters, 3.25 watts/gallon compact flour fixture, and an 18watt UV filter.
Start from scratch and tell me what else I need. Any little details will help. From what I've read I need a sand bed and live rock?
I don't have a sump or any of that stuff to handle nitrAtes. I handle nitrAtes with plants and weekly water changes.
Are there any tutorials around for setting up a saltwater tank? I think I read I need a cup of salt per gallon of water.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[dixonba]

I guess the first bit of advice I can offer is to have patience. Most will tell you that you should let your system mature at LEAST 6 months before you add the anemone. Also, 64W of PC isn't going to keep the nem happy either (I'm assuming you meant 64W...3.25X20...).

You should measure your salinity with a refractometer or a hydrometer (refractometer is more accurate). The half cup rule is for getting the salinity close, you'll need way more accuracy than that. Close only counts with handgrenades!

You should research as much as you can and remember that SW can get pretty pricey $$. Gotta take it slow and remember that its a learning process.

All the better if you can get all the goodies...skimmer, sump, etc...

 

[MitchSchaft]

Awesome, thanks.
Right now I'm wondering about sand and live rock concerning clowns. I assume I'll get a BTA eventually.
I can't find specific info pertaining to these little guys. How much sand and live rock would you start out with? I wish the search feature worked .
Yes, I have a 64W fixture. What other would you recommend? I was hoping I had enough, oops .
I'll look in to refractometers soon.

 

[ackoi]

Hi, welcome to SW,
Karen's Rose Anemones is a great resource for info on BTAS/RBTAs
http://www.karensroseanemones.com/index.htm

And although the search feature doesn't normally work you can use any other search engine to search reef central.
Many search engines have a "advanced search" feature that will let you search a particular website for a certain phrase.

there is a calculator for determining how much sand you will need in this forum.

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/SandBed.php

 

[MitchSchaft]

You guys are great, thanks.
From what I understand, live rock is for the BTA? If that's the case, can I get the tank set up with the sand bed and my 64W lamp fixture, upgrading down the road when I'm ready for the LR and BTA?
I'm about to head home from work and will research further .

 

[ackoi]

LR is the filter, it is very porous, which as you kno from FW allows lots of surface area for bacteria to colonize.

If you have the correct amount of LR and LS than you probably won't need the AC filter. You could turn that into a mini refugium.

 

[Foster]

Welcome Mitch - Doing your research before setting up your tank will pay-off in reefkeeping (as Im sure you probably are aware off from FW)

There are a couple of options when it comes to sand, some people go Bare Botton (BB) with LR, others Go Deep Sand Bed (DSB) (Around 2-3" deep or 1.5 - 2 lbs per gallon) to help with filtration, and yet others go with just and inch or so of sand for aestetics and clean it regularly. You should research the pros - and cons of each before you decide. They all seem to work.

For Live Rock if your not sure how much, a pound per gallon is a good place to start. The more LR, the better filtration, but in a 20g, your taking away from you total water volume with alot of LR and no sump. When you set the tank up, add you sand and LR at the same time, then let it cycle. IME cycling with LR/LS it should level out in 12 - 14 days.

As far as the anemone, I dont think they are a good choice for a beginner, but most go for it anyway (I know I did ) and it melted in a week. If you are going to go for it, a healthy GBTA or RBTA is a great choice. If you can find a captive breed one, you will have better odds at keeping it alive. Im not sure if you know, but there are some general guildlines when picking an anemone out that will be helpful in obtain a healthy specimen. Search this forum.

....a book would be helpful too, there are lots to choose from.

HTH, and good luck.

 

[55semireef]

Anemone is for no beginner. Sorry. Many end up killing them and wonder what they did wrong regardless of how much freshwater experience you have. Saltwater is just more complex. Additionally, a 20 gallon isn't sufficient enough for anemones unless you plan on upgrading to a 40 gallon after 6 months keeping the anemone.

 

[MitchSchaft]

Oh, sweet! That's even better. I have an article bookmarked that shows how to convert an AC-110 into a refugium.
My first goal will be learning about LR and LS, thanks!

 

[MitchSchaft]

Anemone is an option I'm not too concerned with at the moment.
Really, I'm just looking for something more complex than FW systems. I figured this would be a great place to start.

 

[Foster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7938914#post7938914 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MitchSchaft
Anemone is an option I'm not too concerned with at the moment.
Really, I'm just looking for something more complex than FW systems. I figured this would be a great place to start.

Well then, you found it.