First timer - SW Nano FOWLR

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RobMac

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Jul 12, 2009
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Hi all.

This is my first official thread on Sea Water tanks and this is my first ever SW tank. I decided to start small first until I have gained some experiance with this new hobby.

The tank is 24 x 12 x 15 and holds 15 gallons. The plan is to have it as a FOWLR set up. At the moment the tank has live sand and has the salt water in it. I have one pump with built in filteration system that is circulating the water but is on the surface. I will be adding a second pump this weekend that I will direct the flow with in the opposite direction and pointing down so this will hopefully give it a more chaotic flow to help feed the live rock when I introduce it to the tank.

Now, take into consideration I am new to all of this so need to be treated as a complete thicko cause I really am taking it slow. I dont want to introduce any livestock until I know all the chemistry is spot on. So now its over to you guys.

What test kits do I need to test the water with, what is it I'm looking for perameters wise for each, i.e Ph, salinity etc etc, do the kits you buy to test these chemical properties come complete or are the sold seperately for each chemical test. Like I said I am taking this very slowly and want to get it right before any livestock is added.

Many thanks for any help received:bowing:

Rob

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RobMac

AC Members
Jul 12, 2009
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Oh by the way, the artificial rock and plant will be removed when I add the live rock. They are in there purely to keep the tank looks going until the real stuff arrives ;)
 

RobMac

AC Members
Jul 12, 2009
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Cheers for that. I know I need to get a Hydrometer but what about all the other elements, like Nitrite, Nitrate etc. I have a Ph test kit from my tropical days and the Ph is 8.6 and Nitrite is 0 but is that all I need to check? Like I said it is going to be a FOWLR. Fish types I'm looking at are Electric Blue Damsels, Clowns, Blue Tangs and the usual clean up crew of about 3 blue Hermits a couple of snails and a couple of Fire Shrimps.

Basically I'm looking at making a shopping list up for this weekend of all the stuff I need to get to sort out the water before intro to the livestock.....
 

caelcynndarr

AC Members
Jun 8, 2009
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You want to get the API saltwater master kit
it has everything

you don't want the damsels or more than one fire shrimp either

the damsels will pick the others apart
and the fire shrimp will kill each other

if you are going to get a damsel add it at the very last no sooner
otherwise it will establish more than minimal territory and attack eveything

and honestly i would rethink the tangs
they are known to be "cruisers" and they love love love long tanks

i was scolded seriously on another board for even thinking about putting a YELLOW tang in anything shorter than six feet long.
 

RobMac

AC Members
Jul 12, 2009
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A refractometer....ok. I take it these things can be used over and over again?.....told you I was a bit of a thicko:p:
 

caelcynndarr

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Jun 8, 2009
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forget the hydrometer, get a refractometer instead, theyre not as expensive as everyone makes them out to be, esp if you get it online, a 30 dollar refractometer is a million times better than a ten dollar hydrometer

+1

but if you are in a hurry to get everything up to (general) par then get the hydrometer and return it once you get the refractometer.

there is no limit on how often or how much these can be used
refractometers are way more accurate and use less water
 
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RobMac

AC Members
Jul 12, 2009
26
0
0
You want to get the API saltwater master kit
it has everything

you don't want the damsels or more than one fire shrimp either

the damsels will pick the others apart
and the fire shrimp will kill each other

if you are going to get a damsel add it at the very last no sooner
otherwise it will establish more than minimal territory and attack eveything

and honestly i would rethink the tangs
they are known to be "cruisers" and they love love love long tanks

i was scolded seriously on another board for even thinking about putting a YELLOW tang in anything shorter than six feet long.
Now this is the sort of advise I'm looking at. Thanks for that, you've just saved me a lot of cash.

I was thinking about the clean up crew. Am I right in thinking their is no point in adding the clean up crew first because in my opinion, with it being a new tank, their will not be much to clean up really and they might starv? Is that the right thing to be thinking?
 
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