29g Saltwater information

[Ashes]

I'm considering changing my 29g fresh to a sw at some point in the not-too-near future.

I'm really interested in a fuzzy dwarf lionfish, and am wondering if that would be ok in a 29g. If so, how many (I'm guessing just one), or what else could be kept with it, if anything? If the lionfish isn't a good idea, do you have any recommendations for one or two fish, as large as can be kept in a tank of this size, or some smaller fish and inverts that can be kept? I like clowns and cardinalfish, too.

I'm on a limited budget and don't want to spend anymore than $50-60 total on livestock (I know a place where I can get the lionfish for under $20). My water is kind of soft and usually a perfect 7.0 out of the tap.

And, on the invert line - I used a copper medication in the tank once. I know that copper can kill inverts - is there any way to make the tank safe for inverts? If not, I do have another tank that I can swap this one with, but it would be a lot of trouble that I'd like to avoid if possible.

The tank is currently equipped with an Aquaclear 200, a 50 watt Hagen heater (which I've found is all that I need to keep my tank at 78*), and 20 watts of light with an additional 33 that can be added. And, of course, a thermometer, plus the freshwater decorations that will be removed. I know I'll need the thing to measure salinity, plus salt, probably live rock, and either sand or crushed coral gravel (any recommendations? I'm leaning toward gravel). Is a protein skimmer necessary? Are there any other pieces of equipment that I'll need, or any other issues I should take into consideration?

Thanks for your help!

[OrionGirl]

A 29 is on the small side, which means you'll need to monitor is carefully for a while until you get into the routine for adding top off water and such.

For fish--a dwarf lion would be okay, but that would be it. In a tank that size, you don't want to cramp him, and any small fish would likely be eaten. Or, you could go with a pygmy angel (one of the hardier variety), and a pair of clown or a pair of cardinals. I wouldn't go with more than that.

You'll need to mix up some salt water and run some tests. SW tanks usually have a pH of about 8.3 or above, so you'll need to make sure you can buffer it correctly.

I wouldn't trust a tank that had been treated with copper. You can get copper tests--I would do so, and then make a decision based on the results. Rinsing many times might help, but no gaurantee. Stripping the silicone and re-sealing might help, but would be a pain.

For equipment: ditch the AC, unless you want to use it for water movement with no media. The sponges will be a pain to keep clean, and aren't the best media for a SW system. You're going to need to upgrade your lighting if you want to add corals, for Fish Only With Live Rock, you're fine. You'll want about 40-50 lbs of live rock, and 4-6 inches of sand--smallest grain size you can get. If you're getting uncured rock, use it to cycle, otherwise, setup the tank with sand and water, add a shrimp or two (frozen, from the grocery store) to cycle the tank, then add the live rock and fish and such.

Protien skimmers aren't required, but they are very good at maintaining water quality. I wouldn't setup a tank without one.

One thing to consider will be your water source. You don't want nitrates, metals, ect coming in with each water change. Get a summary analysis of your water (free, from the water co on request). You might need to look into additional filtration.

[Ashes]

Thanks for the info!

Question about cycling - will adding live rock to an "uncycled tank" about the same as the whole fishless cycling process for freshwater?

Also, do I replace the AC with another mechanical filter? If so, what kind would you recommend?

[Elmo]

Nope, you don't need any mech filtration if you are going with the LR/DSB method. You can keep your AC running without any media for circulation if you want.