First post: Newbie questions

[ericw381]

Greetings:

I have been keeping freshwater fish for about 6 years and would like to try a saltwater tank.

The equipment that I have on hand consists of:
25 gal tank with 20w fluorescent canopy
Ego Jaeger heater (50w?)
Fluval 103 canister filter
Couple of old powerheads (brand unknown)

I would like to go with live rock and set up a tank for smaller fish (clowns etc) and some inverts (shrimp, starfish etc). I'd like to add an anemone eventually as well.

I have been reading the posts on the board but I still have a few questions:

- I gather that I won't really be needing the Fluval but do I need a protein skimmer? I have seen a really nice tank (~15 gal) at my lfs running with only a Millennium 2000 hang on back filter. What model skimmer is recommended for a 25gal tank?

- How much lighting will I need? 20w? 40w? 80w? Can I cycle and have a few fish without a huge amount of light?

- What is "lace rock"? I gather it is for creating a firm base for the live rock to sit on but what is it exactly?

- Are there ways to cycle without using shrimp? I think my wife would object to the smell... Will products like Cycle do the trick?

Thanks for the help!

Eric

[Walrus]

First off, welcome aboard!

The tank is a little small but will still work for what you want. Heater looks good. You wont need the Fluval canister filter but you will need the powerheads.

Whether to have a protein skimmer or not to have one is a personal choice. I personally skim my tanks and have had great results but i also know a lot of people who dont skim who have great results as well. For a fish only tank i probably wouldnt put one on there now but maybe later down the road if you decide to switch to a reef tank.

Lighting really doesnt matter in a fish only tank so you should be ok. If you want anemones or some other corals you better be prepared to spend some $'s though.

Lace rock is just a very porus type of rock. It is used a lot in FW tanks. The reason we use it for our tanks is that it is very porus and the bacteria can cover it very well. Also it tends to look more like live rock out of the ocean due to the large pores.

There are other ways to cycle besides shrimp but the shrimp method is the best and cheapest!

[OrionGirl]

Also, anemones should never be added to a raw tank--it should be a mature, stable tank of at least 6 months age. Even then, survival is not the best for these creatures. Many of the hardier vareities will outgrow your tank--and, clowns will not host in just any anemone, if they host at all--captive bred fish often won't host at all.

"Cycle" is snake oil--don't bother. You can use uncured live rock, or the shrimp. I've heard of using Bio-Spira as well--it's a refridgerated bacteria in a bottle product that has gotten positive reviews from hobbyists.

[BrianH]

Orion,

Are you sure about the biro-spira? I'm pretty sure I saw an add at a LFS that said for FW only.

Brian

[OrionGirl]

Yeah--they're marketing it to FW, but I've talked to 2 people who used in in SW with apparent success. If I could find the stuff locally, I would love to try it out! Might be my next mission on a trip to CO--find Bio-Spira!

[DeltaUguy]

I have a 25 gallon tank currently.

I have about 25 LBS of LR and about 2 inches of sand. And a normal output flourescent bulb. I have a penguin 125 (without biowheel) and a Maxi-jet 600 powerhead for circulation.

Stocking:
4" O clown
1 1/2" O clown
peppermint shrimp
assorted hermit crabs (5 or so)
Nassarious snails (4)

This set up has worked very well. I do a 5 gallon water change every month. The tank is about to be broken down and everything is going into my new 75 gallon reef tank.

I hope that gives some ideas.:)

[ericw381]

Thanks for the prompt replies!

Another question: how important is it to have RO/DI water to start off? Water quality in my area seems pretty good -- I have been able to keep cardinal and rummynose tetras in my freshwater tank using dechlorinated tapwater and peat filtering.

Thanks again!

[OrionGirl]

For your water, you'll want to check the phosphates, and the nitrates. If these counts are low, you should be okay, but only time will tell. SW runs in the higher pH--8.3, with higher hardness (GH and KH), but the salt mix comes with buffer, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[JH]

I too have been thinking of starting a SW tank. I have been keeping FW tanks and ponds for about 10 years now, so that is nothing new. I have never kept a SW tank so I have absolutely no idea as to where to start.

Does anyone know of any good books or even websites that tell step by step how to go about setting up the tank ,and maybe even fish descriptions?

If I would set up a SW tank I don't want anything big and fancy to start with. I want at least 2 clowns and maybe a couple shrimp.

thanks

[Ray Pollett]

JH,

Best books: "The Conscientous Marine Aquarist" By Robert Fenner

"The Natural Reef Aquarium" by John Tullock

"Reef Invertebrates" by Anthony Calfo and Robert Fenner

Ray

[MonoSebaelover]

Hey Orion, who makes the Bio-Spira? I can look around for ya! It isn't Marineland is it? If so we have it at our local PetsMart. Anyway, let me know and I can even send it to ya if ya want.

[jderuiter]

I'm wanting to start a 25 gal SW tank too. I see lots of people use lace rock but can lava rock be used instead?
Also what do you run for filter media if anything, I'm thinking of using an AC 200 as a filter/skimmer, just going to remove the inlet tube. I was going to run it empty and was thinking the return would just add turbulence to the water.
Oriongirl your posts here and in other threads have been very informative. Good to see someone with experience sharing it with us "sw newbies" Thanks.

[latazyo]

since your tanks are so small, do not bother with lace or lava rock, just buy all live rock, and the smell is part of the game, you'll just have to put up with it for a few weeks (with such a small tank it shouldn't be too bad anyways)

as far as a skimmer, I think that any tank about 20g should probably get a skimmer

and as far as RO wate,r I think it's 100% necessary, you will have a big algae bloom after your cycle, there is no reason to fuel it even more, if you end up screwing up this may turn you off of the hobby, I think that these pieces of equipment will help you dramatically

I would also do some shopping at www.ahsupply.com and www.hellolights.com and look for some lighting for your tank, it may seem expensive at first, but PC lighting really isnt that expensive and it'll give you options of keeping corals and your tank will look better IMO

I can guarantee with 99% confidence that you will want to keep corals after seeing them and looking at pictures and you will kick yourself for not getting appropriate lighting right off the bat

good luck, keep the questions coming

[tmace64]

i'm a newby who wants to put a black smoker in my tank,,,, can this be done? lol


sorry,,,, just struck me as funny to see this asked here... lol

hope its not an old joke.........

[tmace64]

i think thatd be kinda cool,,,, actually having a self contained, pressurized environment with an actual black smoker, all the tube worms, shrinp and crabs.... How the heck you'd power the black smoker chimney is beyond me - you figure it out...

Could you actually fry an egg on top of the aquarium structure???


sorry,,,,, waiting on a forever cycle,,,,,, and i need to get some rest from it........

tod