28gal nano on is way. little advise for first salt tank.

mos90

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
i just purchased a 28 gal jbj nano tank with a protein skimmer and 110watt cf lighting. i really havent decided if i plan to do coral but i am definately doing live rock,fish,inverts.

i already have a 75gpd ro/di system in place. i have a test kit and salt.

the only thing i will need is sand and live rock.

i was thinking 20lbs of live rock should be enough. the question is should it cured or uncured? what kind of rock is the best to use?

should i use live sand or just argonite? and how much?

im familiar with the cycling process and have done mostly fishless cycles on freshwater tanks using the ammonia method.
will this method be ok with the live rock in the tank?
or do u recommend the prawn method?

i heard i should keep the lights off during cycling. true or false.

after the tank is cycled how much water should i change per week?
premixed salt water?

i know i forgot some things.

thanks in advance...
 

FLESHY

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2006
5,542
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Central Wisconsin
Okay...lots of questions. Will try to answer these and then hopefully you will remember your other ones.

I would recommend aragonite over live sand...its cheaper...and there really is nothing live about live sand. Its just a gimmick. I recommend caribsea's reef-grade aragonite.

20# or rock should be fine...I would just buy un-cured. This is for several reasons...one, the un-cured rock will cycle your tank for you (this is how I would recommend you cycle your tank) and two, I just think that getting the new "raw" rock is exciting. I would recommend leaving your lights off during they cycling/die-off period, as this will prevent you from getting algal blooms.
-Astea and turbo snails should be purchased before the lights go on so that when you get filamentous and diatom outbreaks (which you will in every new tank) they will be controlled.

How big of a water change you do depends on how dirty your water is. My 75g reef can go over 2 weeks without any signs of ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. I do changes every other week to keep nutrients up for my corals. You will just have to see once things get settled how they do. I mix my saltwater using tap water (our well is very pure and I have had no issues in 8 years) and I let it sit with an aerator and powerhead for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the tank.
 

mos90

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
i did purchase the carib sea argonite. 20lbs should be enough i think. once i get the aquarium setup i will get the live rock asap.

dr fosters has a "recommened" deluxe algea attack pack i could purchase when the time is right.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=420+2732+494&pcatid=494

i have a 20gal container i could use to mix the salt water. thats the easy part.

i also purchased a corala nano powerhead(420gph) to help with current. if needed.

also i think i will add a small uv after everything is cycled. i have had freshwater tanks for some years now and i think the uv helps control disease. i have had no outbreaks since ive added them to my tanks.

i think im good with most issues for now. im sure once i get close to the end of the cycle questions will pop up.

the only problem i for see is my lack of knowledge of salt water fish/coral/invert compatability.
 

mos90

Feeder Fish
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Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
i did think of 1 thing. ph needs to be 8.1-8.4. my tap water so around 7.2. will the arogonite buffer the ph to an acceptable level after time or will i need a buffer?

if i do need a buffer what is recommended?
 

FLESHY

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2006
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Everything sounds good. I like your choices on pretty much everything.

My water comes out of the tap at about 7.6-7.8, what really matters is what the pH is in your tank. Check the pH after you mix your salt and let it aerate for 24 hours (or however long you plan on letting your salt sit before adding it to your tank. I would recommend at least till everything has been dissolved for awhile just so that results are accurate.) I would be willing to bet its higher.

Also...consistency is more important than actual numbers. A lot of great reef tanks have pH's of 7.8 or 7.9. Some variance wont hurt. Good acclimation will adjust the animals as long as its nothing major, and once acclimated, keeping those parameters will allow them to flourish. If using a buffer just gives you a pH rollercoaster, you are adding to your problems not fixing them. And throwing a lot of money down the drain as well.

Finally, test kits. Good ones are essential. A salifert pH kit is going to set you back about $15 online, but its easy to read, convenient to use, and has accurate results. I battled a pH problem for half a year before I discovered that my REAL problem was crappy test kits. (Instant Ocean in this case)

Best of luck to you, and get some pictures up here.
 

mos90

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
Normally for all my freshwater tanks I use aph meter that I recalibrate every month or so. They seem to be accurate. Another thing I didn't consider is the ph after I filter it threw the ro/di system. It could change, hopefully it will be higher. I will get a container that will hold enough water to fill the whole tank,mix the salt in that container and move it 5 gallons at a time to the tank. I'll see what the ph
at is at and go from there.

Would a starting point of 1.023sg be ok? If I add to much salt I could dilute it with some more di water.
 

FLESHY

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2006
5,542
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92
Central Wisconsin
1.023 is fine. I keep my tank at 1.024, but reefs generally run a little higher even upwards of 1.026 in some cases.

Water coming out of your RO/DI is going to be VERY soft. You may need to add "salts" before even adding your salt mix. Its going to be trial, testing, errors, and adjustments from here on out.
 

fishy12

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Mar 12, 2009
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ohio
FLESHY;4238590; said:
1.023 is fine. I keep my tank at 1.024, but reefs generally run a little higher even upwards of 1.026 in some cases.

Water coming out of your RO/DI is going to be VERY soft. You may need to add "salts" before even adding your salt mix. Its going to be trial, testing, errors, and adjustments from here on out.
+1
 
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