Guess what I was looking around one some local buy sell sites. I came across a SUPPER SKIMMER 220 for only $100! 2 months old, comes with everything even the box. Going to go get it tomorrow. It will sit around for a few weeks until I start to get things going but I don't think I'll find a deal like this again so I went for it.
Setting up a predator salt tank
- Thread starter snow
- Start date
+1 on the remora. These are the best skimmers for the price. Remoras are going to be a little small for the tank size you have...but anything by aquaC will do great.TheCanuck;4209256; said:
Okay guys I got that skimmer today, looks to be pretty good. Hope in runs well to when the times comes. I'm going to list a check list of all the stuff I think I need all the way until setting up the fish. Feel free to tell me if I'm missing anything.
1) tank
2)stand
3) glass tops
4)T5 lights
5) Water conditioner
6) The salt
7) Dead live rock, I think I'm going to get something like this:
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/brs-reef-saver-dry-aquarium-eco-rock.html
8) skimmer
9) Fine white sand, (might not get live)
10) FX5 w/ rubble rock
11) Salinity Refractometer
AND????
1) tank
2)stand
3) glass tops
4)T5 lights
5) Water conditioner
6) The salt
7) Dead live rock, I think I'm going to get something like this:
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/brs-reef-saver-dry-aquarium-eco-rock.html
8) skimmer
9) Fine white sand, (might not get live)
10) FX5 w/ rubble rock
11) Salinity Refractometer
AND????
I've been told that live sand is not a must, that it will not really do anything for the type of set-up I'm going for. Also maybe you can help me out here to. I've been also told that I should get around 70LBS of live rock for my tank and the rest if I need it to be dead live rock. I don't really want live rock though but I was told this would give me an instant cycled tank. Someone told me that lace rock doesn't have a lot of bacteria on it and that it would just be there to fill up space in the tank. I wanted to go with maybe 50LBS of lace rock and 40LBS of the dead live rock. How long do you think it would take to cycle my tank if I went this route?
maybe a week.snow;4214098; said:
The lace rock will eventually act as a bio filter just like live rock. I would really get the sand though, it really helps with dropping nitrates. Will also super speed up your cycle.
No such thing as an instant cycle. They mean that the dieoff that will occur from the new LR will cause a cycle, and a good one. I usually recommend this method.
I would say you should have some high quality LR in the tank...it always helps. Theres something about the real thing that you cant make or aquaculture. But...for the preds as long as you are cleaning and have the right equipment its probably not necessary.
Im going to leave this last point up to Canuck...and live sand is by no means necessary (already explained why I WOULDNT get it) but...I would steer clear of fine sand. Fine sand beds are extremely hard to maintain, often get anaerobic...its just a mess. I would pick crushed coral esp with the way canuck says the big fish mix stuff up. I dont know. Never kept sharks only groupers, lions and triggers.
I would say you should have some high quality LR in the tank...it always helps. Theres something about the real thing that you cant make or aquaculture. But...for the preds as long as you are cleaning and have the right equipment its probably not necessary.
Im going to leave this last point up to Canuck...and live sand is by no means necessary (already explained why I WOULDNT get it) but...I would steer clear of fine sand. Fine sand beds are extremely hard to maintain, often get anaerobic...its just a mess. I would pick crushed coral esp with the way canuck says the big fish mix stuff up. I dont know. Never kept sharks only groupers, lions and triggers.
crushed coral bad idea. But the fine sand isn't the problem. Its that it kicks up.
There is such thing as instant cycle. But you would have a better chance of sand doing that than live rock. Sand will out filter live rock any day. Which is why i am preaching to make sure you get some good sand. They use caribesea in aquariums all over the world for a reason.
I cycled my 90 gallon in 1 day and my 72 bowfront that i set up last night is cycled. Like fleshy said though, its impossible for you to do with LR, you have to really know what your doing...
There is such thing as instant cycle. But you would have a better chance of sand doing that than live rock. Sand will out filter live rock any day. Which is why i am preaching to make sure you get some good sand. They use caribesea in aquariums all over the world for a reason.
I cycled my 90 gallon in 1 day and my 72 bowfront that i set up last night is cycled. Like fleshy said though, its impossible for you to do with LR, you have to really know what your doing...
Okay guys thanks so much for the help, I will get some live sand then, Some say it good and some say it bad, but for only $14 more a bag I'll just go with the live stuff. I'll buy some lace rock at first and then buy some live rock later on. I want to have more lace than live though b/c in my opinion I want a clean modern look to my tank, lace rock looks better.
