Very very new to salt.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Every where I've read says oversize skimmer is the key, so I'm definitely not going to.
Damn I'm crazy excited, so the canister full of rubble, big skimmer and some live rock maybe in the tank, and I'm set?.
Also another question, I've read that you shouldn't do big 50% water changes on s/w like you do fresh, is that true?.
AND, when I do a water change, I put in enough salt to get it level the the salinity in the main tank, right?.
Sorry for all the questions.


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On that sized tank you will want 80-100lbs of Live rock in the tank minimum, but the canister is a good aid to keeping the water clean. It doesn't completely take away the need for LR in the tank. That is correct you shouldn't do huge WC on salt, too many things can go wrong with salinity, shock to the fish, etc. When you do a water change you will need a big trash can or something to mix the new water in to get the salinity equal to that of the main tank, you would never dump salt directly in to the tank (if i read that correctly)
 
NCStateFisher said:
That is correct you shouldn't do huge WC on salt, too many things can go wrong with salinity, shock to the fish, etc. When you do a water change you will need a big trash can or something to mix the new water in to get the salinity equal to that of the main tank, you would never dump salt directly in to the tank (if i read that correctly)
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Yeah. You want to premix your salt. Most people say to get like a 10 gal tank or whatever 10% of your volume is and have that mixed, circulating, and heated 24 hours before your change so it matches the display tank as much as possible. I use a 5 gal bucket and just mix it before I dump it in the tank. I've learned that if you're using room temp RO water, you will want to mix it to a SG of 1.023 in the bucket. Then when it settles in the tank, and the salt's completely dissolved, it will raise to 1.025. You will have to experiment and see what works for you.

As far as canisters go, everyone on this forum says to avoid them like the plauge because of possible nitrate problems. But, like any other rule, I guess its there to be broken, lol. If you're going FOWLR, a skimmer isn't necessary. I have heard of people passing on the skimmers in reefs, but you really have to know what you're doing... UV sterilizers are there to kill off algae blooms right? (I forget what they're for) If so, skip it. Algae will only add to your filtration and give your snails and dwarf hermits something to peck at. 3 of my 4 panes of glass are covered in algae. I only clean the front pane.

Go with as much biological filtration as possible (IE: algae, LR, inverts) and try to avoid mechanical filtration. That's what the pros here emphasize. You're trying to imitate the ocean as much as possible. That said, I'm new to this like the rest of you and pretty much am parroting what I've read here. Good luck! ;)
 
fishman112 said:
300$ per 44lbs of live rock, i'm going to be very poor
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Check online. several threads here have links to good websites where you can get cheap rock (dry or live, I can't say) And you can go with dry rock and just seed that with live rock to kick-start the cycle. It will be cheaper that way. Oh and get aragonite sand, not crushed coral. And skip live sand. Popular opinion is that its a waste of money. Everything's dead anyway.
 
I have been doing salt water since college. Started with native Florida fish. I have recemtly got back into it over the last year. The goal for the tank should be 1 lb/gal of live rock, but live rock is expensive. Start with about 10- 20 lbs and then the same amount of clean rock and let it grow. Start with smaller, lower cost fish to get the nitrogen cycle started and start with standard filtration. If the tank is drilled, that is half the battle for using a sump. If not, you need to get the tank drilled or build or buy a weir siphon. The sump should handle an overflow of 2" drop in the main tank (1 gal=231 cubic inches). Calculate the 2" drop and triple the value, that is the minimun size for the sump. Remember, bigger is better, more water, more flow, less salinity drop. I have build a sump and a weir siphon for a 55 gal tank we got at a garage sale for $5.00. We have rebuilt the tank, new frames, new silicone, etc. The total cost so far is about $100.00. There is alot of information about sumps, weir siphons, and skimmers online. You can also build a down and dirty skimmer out of PVC and a limewood airstone for around $10.00.
Good luck with the tank and enjoy the tanks. Remember, if you go slow it is not as painful on the wallet.
 
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