new to salt...

[busted]

55 gal.
hob filter for now.
crushed coral and marine sand, wish i went with all marine sand but o well for now.
just added an 8 pound live rock.
also added 2 hermit crabs, a yellow tail dan and a 3 stripe.
salt is at .022 right now.
temp is 74*f. no heater at the time being.

first off i know nothing about saltwater, something i wanted for a long time, so i just took the plunge but i have no clue.
ive had fresh water set ups for a few years now so im somewhat familiar with tank care.


what does the live rock do for me?
anybody have any idea what kind of fish im talking about (yellow tail dan and 3 stripe) if so any info would be greatful. ill take some pics once the water clears.
what do i need for food?
what is the benifit of corrals (besides looking awesome!!)
what is some overall general info for a salt tank.



what i do know (the basics :/ or should i saw what i think i know) corrals need more light, my guy told me about 4 watts per gallon. corrals also need a higher saltunity or whatever it is. that live rock cost 6$ a pound from my guy. and saltwater fish look amazing!!!

so i need a huge crash course!! any and all info is welcomed.

 

[busted]

figured out the fish are damsels. know to go do research.

 

[jwalkerafc7]

i dont know much either but i do know your going to need alot more live rock, and if your going to keep corals your going to need a protein skimmer and some kind of high output lighting. be careful with the damsels, they are good starter fish but they can be very aggressive when new fish are added. depending on the size of your hob filter, from what i hear a sump is much better to use with saltwater, and any tank for that matter. thats some knowledge from some of my personal research, im also about to dive in but ive been researching it for years before im going to get into it. also marine NLS or "new life spectrum" is a great food for most any fish. good luck!

 

[busted]

thanks!

ill probably sump it eventually. thats what i have on my 75gal freshwater. works wonders.

i plan on building up live rock each week. wish i had enough to buy it all out right :/ but i deff want some corrals.

ive noticed marine fish food, but ive also never looked. thanks.

 

[jwalkerafc7]

yeah i wish i had enough to buy the whole setup too but its definitely a long process because marine gets pricey! i use NLS for my freshwater fish now and i assume their marine food is just as good so id use it well if you are interested in corals im pretty sure you need a protein skimmer and the lights, and some powerheads because alot of corals like water flow over them.

 

[busted]

yea ive been scooping out some powerheads on ebay for a decent prices.

the oscars get hikari, but i did not even know there was a marine food. something i will need to go and check out.

ill bump up to another light fixture when i go for corrals.........one day. that might be a far off day tho, ha.

what light spectrum is good for bringing out colors? i have two 6000k (i think) 4 foot bulbs right now, hopefully the water will clear up t/m to really see how it looks.

 

[busted]

haha and my 2nd post was supposed to say ive never noticed marine food. goes to show how noob i am at saltwater.

 

[Otherone]

You need more "basics" - salwater life needs stability - ph of 8-8.5 - salt doesn't evaporate, freshwater top off to keep stable salinity - w/c's of at least 10% weekly for stable buffering capacity - increased water circulation as calcium, magnesium, and salt can fall from solution - lighting for corals , LED or 10,000K as they generate some of their own food (photoplankton) - A heater is a must, salinty fluxates with tempature changes, Benifical Bacteria(BB) grows faster in temps of 78-80. More surface area for BB, your tank should have at least 1/3 it's total volume as pourous calcium rock either live or base. A test kit is a must as cycling saltwater tanks takes 4-8 weeks after that corals and inverts need specific calcium, magnesium, alkaline, and super low phosphate parameters. Some corals and inverts cannot survive in water with alot of dissolved protiens - hence for corals a good potien skimmer is a must.

With 1 Live rock - 2 fish and 2 hermits ,uncycled tank, inadaquet BB filtration, poor water circulation, sub-standard lighting, and no heater your "basically" lookin' at an Algae, Parasite, Harmful Bacterial, and Poisonous gas breeding ground that cannot support marine life. Maybe take the fish and hermits back and start over - sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear but I call'm like I see'm.

 

[busted]

im in it to hear all opinions. thanks for the info.


so protien skimmers removes dissolved protiens in the water from food or what not that are to much to corrals. okay a protien skimmer is starting to make more sence on what it does. do corrals eat particals that are floating thru the water??

whats the theory behind a refugium (sorry if i butchered that spelling really bad)

where does the calcium and magnesium come from?? what do they contribute to??

thats all i can think of for now. if i know why things work it makes it easier to understand how i need to go about things.

 

[BIGgourami]

what does the live rock do for me? It acts as a biological filter, structural habitat for the fish, anchoring points for corals, algae, tube worms, clams etc, and gives the tank a natural aesthetic
what do i need for food? Basic marine flake or pellet foods, some frozen foods like mysis shrimp, chopped seafood or krill, enriched brine shrimp, prepared marine mix, etc
what is the benifit of corrals (besides looking awesome!!) You nailed it...
what is some overall general info for a salt tank. One can go on for days... anything more specific you want to know?
what i do know (the basics :/ or should i saw what i think i know) corrals need more light, my guy told me about 4 watts per gallon. That's just a rule of thumb, the specifics are much more... in depth... that that. corrals also need a higher saltunity or whatever it is. No. Not really, but the DO require a much more stable environment than a newly set up tank. that live rock cost 6$ a pound from my guy. Lucky. Anything half-decent around is at least $10 and saltwater fish look amazing!!!

RED