Do I need ?

[DREW]

Hi all, great site .

been doing a lot of reading on the net for about 3 months before I finally got the courage to try my hand @ saltwater. I've had freshwater tanks for 2 years now, down to just a 10 gal though , still trying to talk the wife into something bigger ( 55 & up).

I posted tank specs. earlier, put a link to pix , its a bit blurry , vid cam, til I can scan a better 1. & yes that is Sponge Bob in the corner , I know it's cheezy but kids like it. Tank a bit cloudy now & in pix cuz I just did water change & moved rock around.

My ? is :
From what I've been reading U do not need media in the filters as long as U have enuff live rock ?
Also is my skilter enuff to areate the tank? , can I ditch the air pump ?
would have love to get a real skimmer but skilter was less than half the price. $ 30.00

oh, tank is still under construction , plan to put something on back glass but can't find nothing I like. want get a power head to replace Aquaclear 150 or Fluval, not sure which. want to better lighting & at least 10 more lbs. of live rock.
Was going to take Damsels back to pet store but wife threw a fit when i mentioned it.

thanks for any suggestions.
DREW

[ben72227]

okay....(genearally) you only use media (mainly carbon) in SW tanks to clear up the water if it gets cloudy and to , for lack of a better word, deactivate medicines.

i probably wouldn't get rid of the air pump right now. sw doesn't hold air as well as fresh water. as for powerheads get a maxijet. and i don't intend to sound mean, but you really can't go cheap on saltwater. it's an expensive hobby. get rid of the skilter and get at least a red sea prizm and if you can go for one of the more expensive models (cpr bak pak or aquac remora) keep the aquaclear for water circulation.HTH

[BrianH]

I wouldn't worry about the oxygen level(I am surprised how often this subject comes up). This is usually only a concern during the use of certain medications. I would not recommend using an air pump. The pump does not directly add to the tanks oxygen level. The only benefit you get is the bubbles breaking the surface help with the release of CO2. The problem is that bubbles breaking the surface create a lot of salt creep. You will actually see much more improvement from the skilter. Even though IMHO it does not skim very well, it does inject oxygen (at the level of oxygen in the air in the room)into the water running through the skimmer. Usually any surface agitation caused by water movement within the tank is enough to gas off the CO2 in the tank.

JMHO
Brian

[DREW]

Okay 2 conflicting post about air pump. ???

I know w/ the Skilter , ya get what U pay for. I do plan on getting a better skimmer in the future. The skilter will fill the tank with bubbles if I open the valve enuff. The fluval 104 & the Aquaclear are both just for water movement. Fluval has no media, aquaclear has carbon , that I just put in after water change to help clear tank up. Outlet 4 Fluval is in a bottom corner blowing directly on live rock.

Fluval = 125 gph.

Skilter = 250 gph

Aqua Clear 150 = 150 gph I think.

Is this enuff water movement ? Still plan on power head or 2 to replace Fluval

I want to remove air pump cuz I do get a lot of salt creep.

Thanks a lot guyz for your replys , both R very helpful.

[JasonA]

well, I'll just add my .02 here...

for both my 40 and my new 80... all I had for oxy was a small maxi-jet who's sole purpose was to shoot towards and disrupt the surface of the water... sure I have a bit more salt-creep... but so what:confused: ... gonna happen anyways..... you think a SW setup is not gonna have that:rolleyes:

and then my small skimmer... any that's it...

no need for air pumps or anything eles... that was it..

and if you look at my post in this forum which is stickied BY ME, you'll notice how many people and experts on here told me to do it this way, and for a solid 8 months, I never lost a single fish and NEVER once did any of them ever strain for breathing...

the only reason I went to the 80 cause the 40 started to leak... but that small Maxi-jet is still working it's magic and all is well in the new tank...

pics to come tonight !!!

[plantman1028]

You could pick up the amiracle sl-5 hob filter.It has a good skimmer plus the wet dry.I have mine on a 30 and it is crystal clear, and by far worth the 150 bucks.

[DREW]

Thanks plantman1028 ,
I'll look into the amiracle sl-5 hob filter & consider it.
right now $150 is it a lot of dough, but hopefully soon. Tax refund coming but most of it already spent. :(