Salt people i need your help

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studd muffin

studd muffin

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Nov 16, 2009
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'MERICA
Hi I am very interested in doing a 20g long reef tank. I never had experience with salt so i have some questions.

Questions
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~What do I need to start a salt water aquarium?
~Do different types of fish need different levels of salinity?
~Why do salt aquariums need protein skimmers?
~Can live rocks be used to cycle the tank?
~What fish are good starter fish? damsels?
~How can I check salinity?
~How would I know how much salt to put into the water?
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I hope I get some good feed back from you guys!

Thank You!
 
I forgot this one!

~When I do water changes, do I need to use a bucket, pour water then salt to make it the same salinity as the tank before I add the water in?
 
Questions
-----------------------------------------------------------
-What do I need to start a salt water aquarium? A tank, a lid, lights, substrate (crushed coral or sand would be my reccomendation) a filter, a protein skimmer, a bin to mix salt water in, a power head to mix that salt water, a hygrometer or refractomter, sea salt mix, an instructional book, a salt water test kit, etc....
-Do different types of fish need different levels of salinity? YES
-Why do salt aquariums need protein skimmers? To collect nitrogenous waste from the water. Salt water is much denser than fresh water and allows for this method of removing DOC's. Protein skimmers don't work properly on fresh water tanks or we would use them there too. They go a long ways torwards helping to keep the water clean.
-Can live rocks be used to cycle the tank? Sort of, not really. Lots of people try it, it rarely works.
-What fish are good starter fish? damsels? In a 20 gallon tank, make that damsel...singular.
-How can I check salinity? Refractomoeter, salanometer, or hygrometer
-How would I know how much salt to put into the water? Add some salt to the water you plan to add and measure the salinity, adjust by adding more salt or more water.
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studd muffin;4470249; said:
-What do I need to start a salt water aquarium?
All the stuff youd need for a FW aquarium, plus a protein skimmer (hopefully), and salt. A lot of SW keepers also use UV sterilizers.
-Do different types of fish need different levels of salinity?
Nope, pretty much any SW fish can be kept in the standard 1.020 to 1.025.
-Why do salt aquariums need protein skimmers?
In saltwater the proteins build up and can be removed easily via a protein skimmer. A skimmer will hugely help you with filtration and maintanace, but you don't need one.
-Can live rocks be used to cycle the tank?
As far as I know thats how most people do it?
-What fish are good starter fish? damsels?
Damsels are probably one of the hardiest saltwater fish out there. Tomato clowns, snowflake eels and yellow tangs are just a few more easy to keep SW fish.
-How can I check salinity?
Refractometer, or you can be cool like me and use dual hydrometers.
-How would I know how much salt to put into the water?
It'll say on the bucket when you buy it how much you need per gallon or something.
Click to expand...

Answers in LIME green. :)
 
How can you tell if a live rock is dead?

Sorry for the dumb question im a noob at saltwater :screwy: :grinno:
 
I noticed that in salt water the pH is pretty high. Around 8.1-8.4. Is raising the pH in salt as easy as raising it in fresh?
 
Originally Posted by studd muffin
-What do I need to start a salt water aquarium?
All the stuff youd need for a FW aquarium, plus a protein skimmer (hopefully), and salt. A lot of SW keepers also use UV sterilizers.

A tank, a lid, lights, substrate (crushed coral or sand would be my reccomendation) a filter, a protein skimmer, a bin to mix salt water in, a power head to mix that salt water, a hygrometer or refractomter, sea salt mix, an instructional book, a salt water test kit, etc....


*tank,lighting,live rock,substrate(if you want substrate),skimmer,powerhead(s),some type of filteration,test kit, bucket of salt, measureing cups, refractometer ( i recomend ), heater, a way to measure tempature


-Do different types of fish need different levels of salinity?
Nope, pretty much any SW fish can be kept in the standard 1.020 to 1.025.

YES

i think all are pretty much the same. recomended for a reef tank 1.026

-Why do salt aquariums need protein skimmers?
In saltwater the proteins build up and can be removed easily via a protein skimmer. A skimmer will hugely help you with filtration and maintanace, but you don't need one.

To collect nitrogenous waste from the water. Salt water is much denser than fresh water and allows for this method of removing DOC's. Protein skimmers don't work properly on fresh water tanks or we would use them there too. They go a long ways torwards helping to keep the water clean.

they dont need them, but it removes organic waste from the water colum. Also i highly recomend TUNZE 9002 skimmer

-Can live rocks be used to cycle the tank?
As far as I know thats how most people do it?

Sort of, not really. Lots of people try it, it rarely works.

its a big part of cycleing and filteration in a saltwater tank, doesnt do all the cycleing but greatly helps

-What fish are good starter fish? damsels?
Damsels are probably one of the hardiest saltwater fish out there. Tomato clowns, snowflake eels and yellow tangs are just a few more easy to keep SW fish.

In a 20 gallon tank, make that damsel...singular.

dont get a samsel. it will nip at any other fist you plan to add later on. competly cycle your tank and get a firefish, or clown.Cycle your tank first

-How can I check salinity?
Refractometer, or you can be cool like me and use dual hydrometers.

Refractomoeter, salanometer, or hygrometer

+1 to refractometer. get the one with the screw adjestment, not the twist. the twist ones are cheal and come uncalobrated easiy

-How would I know how much salt to put into the water?
It'll say on the bucket when you buy it how much you need per gallon or something.

Add some salt to the water you plan to add and measure the salinity, adjust by adding more salt or more water.

typically 1/2 cup per gallon, but you will need to measure salinity after that because i still find my self adding alittle more after recomended mixing

~When I do water changes, do I need to use a bucket, pour water then salt to make it the same salinity as the tank before I add the water in?

when you do water changes:
*make sure you get RO/DI water or you'll have alot of prolems
*mix the water in a bucket (i use a trash can) CLEAN never used for trash decicated to mix salt water
*put desired amout of water to be mixed, add salt and mix with a pump or something ( i use maxijet 1200)
*MIX COMPETLY. i mix for a few hours to make sure its fully mixed.
*then test salianity
*add salt if needed or add RO/DI water if the salanity is to high
*mix for awhile untill competly mixed. test salnity. if needed to be adjusted adjust again.
if its ok:
*put the mixed water aside
*blow off rocks to get debree off, siphon out water into a seprate bucket
*add newly mixed water into tank when the temp is the same or very close to the temp in the display tank. also check PH use PH buffer if needed







Questions in WHITE
BlackShark11k Answers in LIME GREEN
kdrun76 Answers in RED
My (Pevine11) answers In PINK
Click to expand...
 
studd muffin;4470348; said:
I noticed that in salt water the pH is pretty high. Around 8.1-8.4. Is raising the pH in salt as easy as raising it in fresh?
Click to expand...

with water changes i use PH buffer. yes very easy to raise or lower if needed and matain
 
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