Saltwater time...scared
- Thread starter y0bailey
- Start date
Alright so here I go. I have tank, and ignore the lack of a hood and bulbs. Is this all I will need?
-aragonite sand - 1 inch or so in bottom
-additional starter rock - lace or lava rock ~10lbs
-Instant Ocean
-Submersible Heater ~75-100 watts (this is an airconditioned and heated house, never gets too far away from 68degrees in winter).
-Visijet cheapo protein skimmer
-Test kit linked to above (although I don't know if it tests salinity...anyone can point me in the right direction for a test kit for that, because I'm guessing I will be battling that the most due to the small size of the tank).
-Powerhead (or will that visijet move enough water around and get enough air in? I will start without the powerhead while cycling and maybe see if it is needed later)
after cycling add some live rock, then a fish a little later down the road?
Did i get it all and what can i improve?
-aragonite sand - 1 inch or so in bottom
-additional starter rock - lace or lava rock ~10lbs
-Instant Ocean
-Submersible Heater ~75-100 watts (this is an airconditioned and heated house, never gets too far away from 68degrees in winter).
-Visijet cheapo protein skimmer
-Test kit linked to above (although I don't know if it tests salinity...anyone can point me in the right direction for a test kit for that, because I'm guessing I will be battling that the most due to the small size of the tank).
-Powerhead (or will that visijet move enough water around and get enough air in? I will start without the powerhead while cycling and maybe see if it is needed later)
after cycling add some live rock, then a fish a little later down the road?
Did i get it all and what can i improve?
You'll need a hydrometer or refractometer to measure salinity. I use a cheap Aquarium Systems swinging arm hydrometer for day-to-day testing, but double check occasionally with a refractometer. Most inexpensive hydrometers are fairly inaccurate, so it's worth either buying or borrowing a refractometer to calibrate it.
You will want at least one powerhead in addition to the skimmer.
You will want at least one powerhead in addition to the skimmer.
You'd want to split between base rock and live rock--the live rock will come with hitchhikers and cool things, the base rock will become live as things spread. You could go with all live rock, using some base rock is just cheaper. I'd start with about 5 pounds of base, add at least another 5 of live, and maybe boost that to 8 of live.
Testing salinity is done with a hydrometer (actually, you're testing specific gravity, you want to shoot for about 1.024-1.025). Little plastic jobby with a swing arm will work fine, though you may want to calibrate it off a spectrometer (LFS should be able to do this for you) for accuracy. Hydrometers tend to be off, but reliably so (example, it tests 1.023, but the water is actually 1.025--so you know it's always reading .002 low).
The powerhead will probably be needed to provide current in more than one location and reduce dead spots.
Testing salinity is done with a hydrometer (actually, you're testing specific gravity, you want to shoot for about 1.024-1.025). Little plastic jobby with a swing arm will work fine, though you may want to calibrate it off a spectrometer (LFS should be able to do this for you) for accuracy. Hydrometers tend to be off, but reliably so (example, it tests 1.023, but the water is actually 1.025--so you know it's always reading .002 low).
The powerhead will probably be needed to provide current in more than one location and reduce dead spots.
y0bailey, sounds like you're off to a great start! Nanos are so much fun. OG's right, they do take dedication - I have no idea how I'm ever going to take a vacation! If you haven't found www.nano-reef.com yet, check it out - great site, specific to small marine tanks.
If you do want to mod an AquaClear to make a mini-refugium now or in the future, there are lots of posts about it on n-r.com, many with pictures. I have an AC70 (300) on my tank - I like the circulation, and it adds nearly a gallon of water to the setup. The refugium compartment provides space for me to house some LR rubble & macroalgae where I can grow pods safely out of the fishes' reach.
I look forward to some pictures of your new tank!
If you do want to mod an AquaClear to make a mini-refugium now or in the future, there are lots of posts about it on n-r.com, many with pictures. I have an AC70 (300) on my tank - I like the circulation, and it adds nearly a gallon of water to the setup. The refugium compartment provides space for me to house some LR rubble & macroalgae where I can grow pods safely out of the fishes' reach.
I look forward to some pictures of your new tank!
Alright i went shopping today! 10gal tank and hood, $3 cheapo sand from lowes, a little bit of crushed coral sand to get some buffering in there (i think the lowes sand is silica 
), a heater and some instant ocean.
I ordered a powerhead, 2 nice 20watt bulbs, the protein skimmer and the testing equipment and it should be here next week.
I picked up a bunch of distilled water from walmart. I don't want to start putting things in there till i get the OK from some experts here!
Everything looking okay? I wont haev the powerhead and skimmer or lights for at least 4-5 days, so should i even bother putting the water in there and starting the cycle? Now that I am at this point what should i do next?
), a heater and some instant ocean.I ordered a powerhead, 2 nice 20watt bulbs, the protein skimmer and the testing equipment and it should be here next week.
I picked up a bunch of distilled water from walmart. I don't want to start putting things in there till i get the OK from some experts here!
Everything looking okay? I wont haev the powerhead and skimmer or lights for at least 4-5 days, so should i even bother putting the water in there and starting the cycle? Now that I am at this point what should i do next?
You dont need any crushed coral at all, calcium based substrate like Aragonite or Crushed Coral offer very little to any buffering, since the PH would have to be really low for any buffering to happen and most PH changes are fixed with water changes.
I have to laugh ... when I stared setting up my 29 gal I was so paranoid!! Should I do it now? Wait? What do I do???
I'd wait until you get something to move the water around a bit before putting it all together, but otherwise, go for it. Right now my sand and I are having a great time.
I'd wait until you get something to move the water around a bit before putting it all together, but otherwise, go for it. Right now my sand and I are having a great time.
