Some questions on tank setup

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A

Aneno312

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 4, 2010
10
0
0
seattle, WA
Basically this is my current setup for the tank.
20 gallon high
2x Heaters (In case 1 goes out)
2x Aqua Clear 20 Powerhead
10 Lbs live sand. (Picking up 10 more pounds when i get some money)
2.25 Lbs Live Rock (It is cured and I will be getting at least 10 lbs more from an established tank)

I plan to eventually have some nassaurius snails, a few cleanup hermit crabs, probably a skunk cleaner shrimp/or peppermint shrimps and maybe a bicolor blenny along with an upper column swimming fish.

My questions at the moment are:
1. Can i put an algae wafer in the tank for the crab?
2. If i get more live sand and live rock how long will the cycle generally take? Can i put some more hermit crabs/snails in during this mini cycle?
3. Should i have both powerheads on? Seems a bit much?
4. Got a lot of random speckles floatin round in the water column, would buyin a small HOB filter without carbon inside be a good idea to filter the particles out into the filter floss and replace it when it gets dirty?
5. Lastly, after the tank has been setup for a few months, would my current 15W Flourescent 50/50 Actinic bulb be strong enough to grow some low light Zoas/Leathers/Polyps/or mushrooms?
 
Aneno312;3959907; said:
Basically this is my current setup for the tank.
20 gallon high
2x Heaters (In case 1 goes out)
2x Aqua Clear 20 Powerhead
10 Lbs live sand. (Picking up 10 more pounds when i get some money)
2.25 Lbs Live Rock (It is cured and I will be getting at least 10 lbs more from an established tank)

I plan to eventually have some nassaurius snails, a few cleanup hermit crabs, probably a skunk cleaner shrimp/or peppermint shrimps and maybe a bicolor blenny along with an upper column swimming fish.

My questions at the moment are:
1. Can i put an algae wafer in the tank for the crab?
Yes
2. If i get more live sand and live rock how long will the cycle generally take? Can i put some more hermit crabs/snails in during this mini cycle?
As long as it takes. Adding more while it's currently cycling will make it take longer. You can add more crabs and such as the cycle comes to an end and you start getting a Diatom bloom.
3. Should i have both powerheads on? Seems a bit much?
It's fine with two. Just make sure you have them pointing in the best way to assure you have no "dead zones". You want all your water to be flowing.
4. Got a lot of random speckles floatin round in the water column, would buyin a small HOB filter without carbon inside be a good idea to filter the particles out into the filter floss and replace it when it gets dirty?
What kind of filter do you have on it already? What do the speckles look like? They could be undissolved salts.
5. Lastly, after the tank has been setup for a few months, would my current 15W Flourescent 50/50 Actinic bulb be strong enough to grow some low light Zoas/Leathers/Polyps/or mushrooms?
Probably. Stronger lights wouldn't hurt though.
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:headbang2
 
Thx for the help. Currently i have no filter on it. I know the downsides of not using a skimmer but im really just going to avoid it, i dont have the money to spend on that. They might just be undissolved salts, seems to be clearing up.
 
You should do some more research on marine fish keeping. You need to understand the importance of a skimmer, and they are only 30$.... Also adding LIVE ROCK (its alive) wont cause your tank to cycle.... if the tank is already cycled your tank will be better filtered because of more live rock.... You dont even have a filter on the tank? In order for this to work you need more than 30lbs of rock. You should purchase a book.

How did you ever come up with adding live sand and live rock will cause a cycle? lol if you add enough live sand and live rock to a tank you wont even have a cycle...You have particles cause you dont have the most important thing on a tank.... a filter...
 
Ok before you just blow up and start callin people a newb and everything.......... First of all, i have done quite a bit of research. Second of all, both forums i am a part of have said dont waste ur money on cheap skimmers, they are worthless, if ur going to get one go expensive (something im not willing to do right now). Next, in my personal research all that i have seen is that people add live sand + rock to a tank and claim that it is cycling. Yes, i have noticed that some people may put a piece of prawn in the tank to get it going, but i do not feel like i deserve ur what seems to be harsh judgement on a person who is just asking questions on a forum for its purpose.
 
if all you add is live rock and live sand and have nothing to produce ammonia you will have a die off of your beneficial bacteria which will create ammonia and feed whatever bacteria is still alive but only for a short period because it doesnt continue to produce ammonia. you need some source of ammonia for the bacteria to eat or it will starve.
 
Aneno312;3960163; said:
Ok before you just blow up and start callin people a newb and everything.......... First of all, i have done quite a bit of research. Second of all, both forums i am a part of have said dont waste ur money on cheap skimmers, they are worthless, if ur going to get one go expensive (something im not willing to do right now). Next, in my personal research all that i have seen is that people add live sand + rock to a tank and claim that it is cycling. Yes, i have noticed that some people may put a piece of prawn in the tank to get it going, but i do not feel like i deserve ur what seems to be harsh judgement on a person who is just asking questions on a forum for its purpose.
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I didnt call you a newb at all..... Your information and points you thought pointed to the fact that you where almost brand new and this is your first fish tank. I mean you dont have a filter....cheap skimmers are not useless they work but for a certain bio load you need more productive skimmer. A skimmer for your tank would cost like 40$.... If you add the recomened amount of liverock and livesand you wont even have to cycle the tank most likely. The live rock is like a filter and if you have enough of it , that will be your bio load eaters. So that means you dont have to cycle your tank, but if you put live rock in the tank and dont feed it , the rock will die. Your cycle will be pointless and you need a filter to cover for you only have 2 pounds of live rock which is not doing anything... A power head is not a filter.

Sorry but i must say you are a newb lol, enjoy the learning.

I would do a google search on how to cycle a SW tank and the importance of a protein skimmer. Also what live rock does for a tank. The bio load is another good thing to read up. Also before purchasing a SW tank or anything for that matter money managing is great, and always help your % of having a successfull fish tank. Instead of using false information to set your self at ease.


So if you would like to know how to cycle your tank and really dont know that much about it, just say that. If you dont know if you need a protein skimmer or what brand to buy, ASK. If you don't know a good filter ask, don't think you dont need one, especially when you dont have a protien skimmer or enough live rock. People are here to help, but when you ask a question then tell people how you think it is then turn down their opinion you wont get anywhere.

I still consider myself a newb. I am 18 and till learn something new every day. There are people that are far more experienced than me. Don't take my posts offensive or that i am saying your doing everything wrong. Everyone does different things and sometimes doing something different than you know can work out better than you expected. I constantly improve on my set up because of this site, whether its negative or positive, and make adjustments accordingly. Please don't take it as harsh, i just don't sugar coat things with typing online, i should work on that.
 
Alright. BTW i already knew everything u just stated. When did i ever say a powerhead was a filter? Anyways i dont need anything else. Thanks. hf
 
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