Need help with tank set up

Seriously??

Anything added to an established system can run the risk of a mini cycle and that is fact. Rock, sand, or equipment the risk is there and is often overlooked since we hardly notice it, especially on larger systems. On smaller tanks, it is much greater.

Sent from my HTC EVO 3D using Tapatalk

 

Hello my friend. My first saltwater tank was a 29gal that I had setup as a freshwater system. Then decided after 3 years I wanted a saltwater system since my buddy had one and loved the color of the fish I could get.

Unlike yourself I didn't have this forum for help and relied on LFS (local fish stores). Like others on here, learn the hard way the do and don'ts.

I would rather see you start with a smaller system and see if this is truly a hobby you want to get into, then spend hundreds and kill needless live stock to figure out it is not.

If there is one thing that was taught to me when I first started, your three main components that you must have is live rock, live sand, and a protein skimmer that is larger than what you need. That will lay your system's foundation.

Lighting you need, but configuration depends on what you are going to have (fish only, reef, or mix). For now I would go with fish only with live rock and sand.

That will be the simple, most cost affective, and safest setup for you. From there you can decide if you like the hobby to invest for time and money for one and the other if you want to stay with just fish or perhaps mix it up with coral.

That way you are doing it in stages. Our motto here is, Take it slow and let it grow. That is not just in live stock, that refers to the whole system. Best of luck and welcome.

Sent from my HTC EVO 3D using Tapatalk

 

I don't get it.... why wouldn't u get ocean water if u live right on the beach? It will save u money and it is the best u can get.
A salt mix will cost u money. Unfortunately u will need some RO/DI water for top-offs, but to fill the tank and do water changes, ocean water is the best. It is what all the salt mix companies try to duplicate after all.

If I was near the beach, that's what I would do.

Sent from my phone using my two opposable digits

 

Funny you say this. When I used to build & maint large holding tanks for lobsters, this is what we did. It had to of been at high tide and that it didn't rain in the last 3-4 days. We did this once ever 2 weeks.

I know in large aquariums they pump sea water, but their pipelines often go 1, 2, or greater miles out and they do treat it. In a small aquarium setup that can be questioned. The ocean does have organisms that you may not want in your system.

Plus lets say someone lives near Boston, New York, or any major city, I would NEVER use that water! Unless I lived in Aruba or another pristine area. Another idea is getting on a boat & getting your water offshore, but that's a bit extreme.

 

Lol, nobody should EVER take anything that is said on a forum to heart and think its "golden" information. The smart thing to do would be to read hundreds of posts and use all the information to make your own decsion.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

Once again I completely disagree. I have 2 tanks running without a skimmer and have no problems. My girlfriend has 5 tanks, and has NEVER owned a skimmer, she keeps corals and anemones in one of them and they do just fine. This guy is wanting to do it on a budget, therefore telling him he NEEDS a skimmer pretty much shoots his budget down the drain.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

Remeber, you were talking to someone that is new to the hobby. I have seen a lot of things in the past that have gone wrong, due to "things being explained vaguely" including system crashes. I do agree someone should read other posts & get their "own" idea, but things should be explained properly.

 

Very true. Look at Corailline's 28 nano reef thread, and it all without a skimmer.

As far as the water goes, I think lobster are hard to keep happy and may be more picky than corals and fish.

What kind of bad thing can ocean water have ? Earlier, somebody mentioned that the surf is the biggest skimmer in the world and I agree. So u make a good point about this.

I still have read of plenty of people who get their water from the ocean and they have beautiful reefs.

I say get a sample and test it. Wait for high tide if u want to reduce any contaminants as suggested by John, test it and see if all the parameters are up to par. If so, I don't see a reason why not.

John, can u explain why not to get water when it rained and other cons about sea water, please? I want to understand the reasons or chemistry behind it, please.


EDIT: I mixed up the posts and quoted the wrong name... its all fixed now ;-)

Sent from my phone using my two opposable digits

 

What I see is that this is a very low budget thing. I dont see how that could work well because of the really low low budget. It could but prob not likely. I think a few posters said in this thread and I have to agree that maybe smaller is better. But I heard $130 and told my wife about this and I think she about fell out of her chair. Maybe a fowlr but never a reef.

My suggestion is a few months of reading before you get too into making up your mind on what you want. I have noticed in this hobby the better equipment and more money you spend the easier it is. Also research research research. This may not always be true but it is somewhat true for some. like me

Forums are great to find info but not always the best reasearch tool. Not to hate of this forum but this goes for all of them. Of course it never hurts to ask you must understand that everyone has there own way of doing things and this is something that makes conflicting statements. So my advise to you get a few books. Gather some knowledge of the hobby from them use the forums as a tool to see what others are doing or have done and then decide what you would do and go from there.

 

I'm on a very tight budget myself. A skimmer isn't absolutely necessary but you will need to be religious with your water changes. I suggest that you research ats (algae turf scrubbers). Something like this is very cheap to setup. I've heard good things about them and I'm planning to set one up myself.

Money itself doesn't make or break a tank. It just makes it easier. The trade off for spending less is that it's going to take more of your time and a lot more effort to do the same things.

Rock is expensive and a lot of people DIY rocks. It's much cheaper this way but it has to be cured for several weeks before you can use it. Skimmers and reactors aren't that complex but you can def make them yourself. Anything is possible you just might have to work a little harder and there's nothing wrong with going slow and picking things up over time.

Research and asking questions are your best tools. There are always cheaper options but sometimes you have to really look for them.