Super NOOB needs help

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Chago09

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 8, 2006
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Ontario
OK I have been reading about saltwater and asking store owners questions for over a year now and still haven't jumped into the saltwater hobby. Store owners are all full of $hit and I don't know what to do. I want to set up a 65 gallon tank with a footprint of 36" by 18". So I want to ask some of you people some question because I figure none of you will lie to me lol

1.) Ok I know the difference between reef tank and fish only and all that stuff but i'm not 100% sure which I want. I know for sure I'm not gonna do reef because I don't want to invest so much into lighting and all that stuff. I am deciding between fish only and fish with live rock. What is the real difference???? I know one has live rock and the other doesn't but whats the difference between having the live rock and not having it????

2.) I understand live rock adds some filtering to the tank but does that mean if I have all fake rock that I need to do more water changes??? or have less fish???? like is it really that big of a difference having live rock or not????

3.) I will be running a Aqua Clear 110 and a 70.... this is enough right???

4.) Is a protein skimmer 100% requirement???? or is it only required for reef tanks??

5.) I read a lot about deep sand beds creating nitrate removers, is this true????

6.) substrate is sooooooo expensive... it's like $45 a bag for live sand and like $38 for crushed coral. Is this 100% needed???? like in FW I use decor sand or sandblasting sand. Can I use a deep sand bed of sandblasting sand and then add one bag of the live stuff on top to help get it started??? will it have the same effect???

Please and thank you to anyone who can answer these
 
Chago09;730045; said:
OK I have been reading about saltwater and asking store owners questions for over a year now and still haven't jumped into the saltwater hobby. Store owners are all full of $hit and I don't know what to do. I want to set up a 65 gallon tank with a footprint of 36" by 18". So I want to ask some of you people some question because I figure none of you will lie to me lol

1.) Ok I know the difference between reef tank and fish only and all that stuff but i'm not 100% sure which I want. I know for sure I'm not gonna do reef because I don't want to invest so much into lighting and all that stuff. I am deciding between fish only and fish with live rock. What is the real difference???? I know one has live rock and the other doesn't but whats the difference between having the live rock and not having it????

2.) I understand live rock adds some filtering to the tank but does that mean if I have all fake rock that I need to do more water changes??? or have less fish???? like is it really that big of a difference having live rock or not????

3.) I will be running a Aqua Clear 110 and a 70.... this is enough right???

4.) Is a protein skimmer 100% requirement???? or is it only required for reef tanks??

5.) I read a lot about deep sand beds creating nitrate removers, is this true????

6.) substrate is sooooooo expensive... it's like $45 a bag for live sand and like $38 for crushed coral. Is this 100% needed???? like in FW I use decor sand or sandblasting sand. Can I use a deep sand bed of sandblasting sand and then add one bag of the live stuff on top to help get it started??? will it have the same effect???

Please and thank you to anyone who can answer these
Click to expand...


1.) Live rock has bacteria on it already and is where bacteria is ment to host, giving you the biological filtration. It also gives your tank a more natural look to it. You really can use any type of rock you see fit and the bacteria will grow on it.

2.) Live rock gives you a faster way of cycling the tank due to the bacteria already on it. You can start off with "dead" rock and have the bacteria grown on that, which ends up being the same deal as live rock. but you have to wait possibly double the cycling time.

3.) You can convert your Aquaclears into refugiums by placing rubble rocks to allow bacteria to host. Or if you have enough rocks in your main tank then you can use the filters as mechanical and chemical filtrations

4.) Skimmers are always recommended because they take out the dissolved organics leaving your water cleaner. If you dont invest in the skimmer then your going to have to use that money in more frequent water changes.

5.) Deep sand beds just means more surface area in the tank for the bacteria to host. But in face they are nitrate traps. If you were to stir up any saltwater sand bed, you would cause a nitrate spike. I really is merly an anisthetical point of view.

6.) The sand that is sold in the pet stores contain Aragonite which helps buffer and maintain the required Ph. You can use playsand or any sand for that matter but your ph will drop, or you will have to dose Ph buffers.

My opinion.
I recommend going the extra mile and buying a lighting fixture that enables you to host corals. Sooner or later your going to find yourself wanting to buy corals as a test, and end up with a reef tank in your hands and you won't know how you got there. You can go with soft corals which require about 4-6 watts per gallon to survive. A simple power compact will be able to give you the wattage and is the most convienient.

Here are some links: (my recommendations)

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium...unar_aqualight_plus_deluxe_linear.asp?CartId=


http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium...super_needle_wheel_venturi_system.asp?CartId=
 
WeeNe858;730090; said:
1.) Live rock has bacteria on it already and is where bacteria is ment to host, giving you the biological filtration. It also gives your tank a more natural look to it. You really can use any type of rock you see fit and the bacteria will grow on it.

2.) Live rock gives you a faster way of cycling the tank due to the bacteria already on it. You can start off with "dead" rock and have the bacteria grown on that, which ends up being the same deal as live rock. but you have to wait possibly double the cycling time.

3.) You can convert your Aquaclears into refugiums by placing rubble rocks to allow bacteria to host. Or if you have enough rocks in your main tank then you can use the filters as mechanical and chemical filtrations

4.) Skimmers are always recommended because they take out the dissolved organics leaving your water cleaner. If you dont invest in the skimmer then your going to have to use that money in more frequent water changes.

5.) Deep sand beds just means more surface area in the tank for the bacteria to host. But in face they are nitrate traps. If you were to stir up any saltwater sand bed, you would cause a nitrate spike. I really is merly an anisthetical point of view.

6.) The sand that is sold in the pet stores contain Aragonite which helps buffer and maintain the required Ph. You can use playsand or any sand for that matter but your ph will drop, or you will have to dose Ph buffers.

My opinion.
I recommend going the extra mile and buying a lighting fixture that enables you to host corals. Sooner or later your going to find yourself wanting to buy corals as a test, and end up with a reef tank in your hands and you won't know how you got there. You can go with soft corals which require about 4-6 watts per gallon to survive. A simple power compact will be able to give you the wattage and is the most convienient.

Here are some links: (my recommendations)

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium...unar_aqualight_plus_deluxe_linear.asp?CartId=


http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium...super_needle_wheel_venturi_system.asp?CartId=
Click to expand...



I basically agree but may as well add some stuff.
1)With live rock you also get a huge amount of other life forms. Different sponges, random small corals if your lucky, worms, all sorts of pods which alot of small fish like to eat, different macro algaes and all sorts of other stuff alot of which can help with water quailty. Alot more interesting then a tank with fake rocks or plastic decorations which i think looks stupid in a SW tank.

2)Real live rock is very porous which is very good for bacteria and small animals to live in because there is alot of surface area inside them. Depending on where you live it might be just as expensive to buy rocks as porous as real live rock.

3)As was aid you should look into turning one into a refugium to help with nitrates.

4)Get a skimmer it will end up being worth it.

5)Wrong there. Deap sand beds. 5" and up get an anaerobic area down deep where bacteria live that Convert nitrates into something harmless although i cant remember what it is. He is right though if the sand bed is disturbed it will make a huge mess. I wouldnt bother with more then 1" unless its for looks on your particular tank.

6) Get real coral sand or arogonite, it will look better and save you money in the long run. Ph buffer isnt cheap.
 
sam as aboves but stay away from lava rock, def get impeller driven protein skimmer, you can get a deep sand bed at least in the refugium if you do those, and try to get a copy of the conscientious marine aquarist by fenner. the bible of marine tanks!
 
also it's aesthetic, not anisthetic. that's what knock you out at the doctor. lol
 
ive also hear of puttng downhalf inch peices of pvc pipe, and than filter floss, and egg crate over them (kinda like a shelf) and then putting youre substrate over them, and that creates a nitrifiying pocket. i think its called a fluval, or soemthing that sounds like that. if you can set up one of youre filters as a refugium, that will help out a lot in the long run. and definetly dont skimp on anything. take youre time, aquire the proper gear slowly if you have to, and set up all the live stuff right at the end.
 
i was going to say that but didn't know the name and didn't want to sound like some crack head (i would have had i tried to describe that.) haha
 
im sorry, the thing i was talking abot is called a plenum (spelling is probably wrong) i have been told it works well, but have no experince, i only have small "budget" tanks.
 
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