So I don't have to make it a marine tank but I might want to, was just wondering if anyone knew how so it could help me decide.
Or if someone wants a pair of mated clownsfish.
Full Version: How Do You Take Care Of A Marine Tank
A friend of mine is selling me their tank and stand for $25! I've seen it a couple times in person and it's at least a 50 gallon! The thing is it's a marine tank, and while I don't have to keep it a marine tank for him to sell it to me, he sort of would like me to because he has two mated clowns he needs to get rid of.
So I don't have to make it a marine tank but I might want to, was just wondering if anyone knew how so it could help me decide. Or if someone wants a pair of mated clownsfish.
So I don't have to make it a marine tank but I might want to, was just wondering if anyone knew how so it could help me decide.
Or if someone wants a pair of mated clownsfish.
I had a 55 gallon saltwater fish only tank. I gave away the fish and switched to goldies, but that's just me. I still have a 5 gallon nano reef though.
Is he going to give you the equipment you need with the tank? You need a protein skimmer, filtration (same as for fresh, basically) and of course air stones and all.
Water chemistry is water chemistry, so if you can do fresh you can do salt in that respect, you just need different test kits. The reason I broke down my salt water and switched was the maintenance for water changes. Mixing salt water in buckets, heating the water to the right temp, etc. was a lot of work once a week. You can siphon out with a python but not fill, you have to mix and test for salinity and temp, etc.
The other thing I ran into problems with is compatible species. You have to be really careful about what you put in with what. Saltwater fish are much, much more territorial than freshwater, it seems. They will sometimes pick another fish to death, or a fish will get so upset about a new arrival that they will get sick. I've never had that problem with golds. It is probably due to the fact that fish in the ocean have so much space.
If you are planning on making a reef tank, that's a whole different ball game, setting up a 50 gallon reef tank is very expensive and requires a lot more equipment.
That said, many people do saltwater, and really enjoy the colors, shapes and personalities of the fish they keep.
If you decide to take the tank, and make it saltwater, let me know, I could give you some stuff.
Hope this helps!
Laura
Is he going to give you the equipment you need with the tank? You need a protein skimmer, filtration (same as for fresh, basically) and of course air stones and all.
Water chemistry is water chemistry, so if you can do fresh you can do salt in that respect, you just need different test kits. The reason I broke down my salt water and switched was the maintenance for water changes. Mixing salt water in buckets, heating the water to the right temp, etc. was a lot of work once a week. You can siphon out with a python but not fill, you have to mix and test for salinity and temp, etc.
The other thing I ran into problems with is compatible species. You have to be really careful about what you put in with what. Saltwater fish are much, much more territorial than freshwater, it seems. They will sometimes pick another fish to death, or a fish will get so upset about a new arrival that they will get sick. I've never had that problem with golds. It is probably due to the fact that fish in the ocean have so much space.
If you are planning on making a reef tank, that's a whole different ball game, setting up a 50 gallon reef tank is very expensive and requires a lot more equipment.
That said, many people do saltwater, and really enjoy the colors, shapes and personalities of the fish they keep.
If you decide to take the tank, and make it saltwater, let me know, I could give you some stuff.
Hope this helps!
Laura
Fishfelice, I am in the process of setting up a SW tank and lemme tell you, it's a whole different world than goldies. Starsmom has given you some really good information . . . what I'm finding is that it's WAY more expensive and way more time-consuming. I'm going to be $2000 into this tank (75 gal) before even adding fish! It looks like a great and rewarding hobby, but one that you really have to be willing to put a lot of effort into. Here are some sites to check out:
www.captivereefs.com
www.aquariumadvice.com
HTH!
www.captivereefs.com
www.aquariumadvice.com
HTH!
The thing with stocking saltwater that is different than fresh is that you usually do not want two fish of the same species in the same tank. For instance, you can have more than one tang as long as the color and shape are extremely different, such as a blue tang and a yellow tang. If your tank is less than 100 gallons thats a good rule to go by. You can get away with keeping more than one clown as long as they are introduced together. They usually will become a mated pair.
The main difference I have noticed too is in price. A lot of customers come to me saying, oh, saltwater is much harder than fresh, isnt it? I say no, as long as you know what youre doing with freshwater (a lot dont even do regular water changes) and that saltwater is much more expensive. Like Starsmom said you cant use the Python. You have to use bottled water to mix your saltwater in, not tapwater. Tap has a lot of phosphates in it which can lead to nasty algae problems down the road.
Another thing is making sure the tank is constantly topped off. The water will evaporate out but the salt will remain–therefore, as the water level drops the salinity increases. This can be dangerous to your fish so on a daily basis you will want to top off the tank with fresh water. You will have to make sure you always have some reverse osmosis (RO) water around.
BTW even if the tank is set up as a marine tank, you can still switch it over to freshwater. Does it have the overflow and sump on it? I have heard of people doing sumps with freshwater.
The main difference I have noticed too is in price. A lot of customers come to me saying, oh, saltwater is much harder than fresh, isnt it? I say no, as long as you know what youre doing with freshwater (a lot dont even do regular water changes) and that saltwater is much more expensive. Like Starsmom said you cant use the Python. You have to use bottled water to mix your saltwater in, not tapwater. Tap has a lot of phosphates in it which can lead to nasty algae problems down the road.
Another thing is making sure the tank is constantly topped off. The water will evaporate out but the salt will remain–therefore, as the water level drops the salinity increases. This can be dangerous to your fish so on a daily basis you will want to top off the tank with fresh water. You will have to make sure you always have some reverse osmosis (RO) water around.
BTW even if the tank is set up as a marine tank, you can still switch it over to freshwater. Does it have the overflow and sump on it? I have heard of people doing sumps with freshwater.
Thanks everyone for the info!
Yes he's giving me all the equipment with it, sump and other stuff, he said what amounts to $500 in equipment (new). I'm definately going to have to think about it, the water changes sound like a lot of work. I would want to set up a reef, I think. Most likely I will turn it into a freshwater or brackish tank- but then I keep thinking about all the diff fish and organisms you can put in a SW tank, and that I would already have sand, live rock, and all the equipment. Desicions, desicions...
Yes he's giving me all the equipment with it, sump and other stuff, he said what amounts to $500 in equipment (new). I'm definately going to have to think about it, the water changes sound like a lot of work. I would want to set up a reef, I think. Most likely I will turn it into a freshwater or brackish tank- but then I keep thinking about all the diff fish and organisms you can put in a SW tank, and that I would already have sand, live rock, and all the equipment. Desicions, desicions...
Well, if he's giving you all the equipment, sand, live rock, etc. I say give it a go! That is a bunch of really expensive stuff! The sand and live rock alone are expensive.
You should research the different tanks, reef vs. fish only, etc. before you make a decision. Reef tanks are beautiful, and once established, they aren't so hard to maintain, it's the initial set up (which can take YEARS in a large tank) that is tough. But I think a large established reef tank is the most beautiful tank there is!
If you decide you don't want to do it anymore, you can always switch. Most saltwater fish stores will buy fish back (at least around here), of course for half market value, but at least you can find them a home in a pinch if you want.
Either that, or you could contact a local saltwater fish club (most areas have one) and they would probably take the live rock/sand/fish, or know someone who would want to buy it.
BTW reefcentral.com is a good place for saltwater fish/reef keeping info.
One more question...if this tank comes with the live rock and sand, how are you going to move it and the fish? I moved a salt water fish only, 55 gallon, I got it from a restaurant, they didn't feel like maintaining it anymore. It was a royal pain! However, I didn't know much about how to go about it, would do it different if I had it to do again.
Laura
You should research the different tanks, reef vs. fish only, etc. before you make a decision. Reef tanks are beautiful, and once established, they aren't so hard to maintain, it's the initial set up (which can take YEARS in a large tank) that is tough. But I think a large established reef tank is the most beautiful tank there is!
If you decide you don't want to do it anymore, you can always switch. Most saltwater fish stores will buy fish back (at least around here), of course for half market value, but at least you can find them a home in a pinch if you want.
Either that, or you could contact a local saltwater fish club (most areas have one) and they would probably take the live rock/sand/fish, or know someone who would want to buy it.
BTW reefcentral.com is a good place for saltwater fish/reef keeping info.
One more question...if this tank comes with the live rock and sand, how are you going to move it and the fish? I moved a salt water fish only, 55 gallon, I got it from a restaurant, they didn't feel like maintaining it anymore. It was a royal pain! However, I didn't know much about how to go about it, would do it different if I had it to do again.
Laura
Hmmm... I don't know anything about moving saltwater tanks! I just figured moving live rock and sand, etc. was like moving gravel. Do you have to keep it wet though? Geeze, I don't know anything about this! I'm definately going to look at reefcentral.com and continue to think about the salt water thing. I've always wanted a salt water tank and this might be my chance. If I decide to go SW I'm definately going to need ideas on how to move it! You sound like the person to ask!
Well, first thing to remember is wet sand is HEAVY, and yes, you have to keep it wet (at least damp). Plus, you want to take at least most of the water from the tank so you don't have to go through the cycle again. Also, when you put sand in a tank and add water, you get an underwater sand storm for quite a while until it settles, so you would probably want to set up a bucket or a plastic storage bin with a bubbler as temporary housing for the fish.
Oh, and don't use YOUR car to move the salt water, if a bucket spills, it's really a mess--and salt water corrodes metal. You really have to plan it out, as you need to siphon the water into buckets (not too big, cuz it's really heavy), and you need quite a few buckets with tight fitting lids. Then you'll need to take out the rocks, they are o.k. out of the water for a bit, maybe put them in a cooler or coolers. If you know someone who has one of those big fishing coolers, that would probably work well. You can only siphon so much water out of the sand without sucking it all up, that's a consideration too, and then you have to move it. Of course you have to move all the equipment, and the fish, move the tank, set it up, then reverse the process. It is definately an all-day project, for more than one person, and more than one trip with all the stuff.
I guess the important thing is to really think it all through, which I didn't do when I moved mine, there was a lot of yelling involved!
Maybe the reef central people have some techniques for moving a tank with sand and live rock?
Laura
Oh, and don't use YOUR car to move the salt water, if a bucket spills, it's really a mess--and salt water corrodes metal. You really have to plan it out, as you need to siphon the water into buckets (not too big, cuz it's really heavy), and you need quite a few buckets with tight fitting lids. Then you'll need to take out the rocks, they are o.k. out of the water for a bit, maybe put them in a cooler or coolers. If you know someone who has one of those big fishing coolers, that would probably work well. You can only siphon so much water out of the sand without sucking it all up, that's a consideration too, and then you have to move it. Of course you have to move all the equipment, and the fish, move the tank, set it up, then reverse the process. It is definately an all-day project, for more than one person, and more than one trip with all the stuff.
I guess the important thing is to really think it all through, which I didn't do when I moved mine, there was a lot of yelling involved!
Maybe the reef central people have some techniques for moving a tank with sand and live rock?
Laura
Aaaahhh!!! That's worse than moving freshwater! Seriously, thanks for all the help you've given me, Starsmom. Well I talked with him today and I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it marine. I had totally forgotten how heavy wet sand is. 
I registered with reefcentral and asked them about this too: See, I'm going to have to move the tank to my place tomorrow because I have to get it from him now, but then I move out from this place in three days so I can't set it up yet here ( don't want to anyway). So I'm wondering how to keep the live rock and sand alive for three days not in a tank. One person has posted back and said to keep it in the original water with a filter and skimmer in a plastic tub. I hadn't considered keeping the clowns, would they surive for three days in a tub and two moves? Would I be able to have other fish and organisms with two established clowns?
I know this seems like a hassle but all this stuff was only $25! I thought the stress right now of doing this would be worth it in the long run. Nothing in life is free, after all.
Well I talked with him today and I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it marine. I had totally forgotten how heavy wet sand is. I registered with reefcentral and asked them about this too: See, I'm going to have to move the tank to my place tomorrow because I have to get it from him now, but then I move out from this place in three days so I can't set it up yet here ( don't want to anyway). So I'm wondering how to keep the live rock and sand alive for three days not in a tank. One person has posted back and said to keep it in the original water with a filter and skimmer in a plastic tub. I hadn't considered keeping the clowns, would they surive for three days in a tub and two moves? Would I be able to have other fish and organisms with two established clowns? I know this seems like a hassle but all this stuff was only $25! I thought the stress right now of doing this would be worth it in the long run. Nothing in life is free, after all.
yes the clowns will be fine in a tub with a powerhead and a couple of pieces of live rock to act as a bio filter. remember that unless they were captive bred that they probably spent upto a week in a tub at the collection station then spent another 48 hrs or so in aplastic bag for transport to the states.
please enjoy the salt water hobby it can get discouraging at times. I would highly suggest getting your feet wet (pun intended) with fish only, and hardier inverts ( i.e. shrimp, crabs, echinoderms). reefs are not nessaceraly harder they just require more attetion to detail.
Good luck
p.s. forgive spelling
please enjoy the salt water hobby it can get discouraging at times. I would highly suggest getting your feet wet (pun intended) with fish only, and hardier inverts ( i.e. shrimp, crabs, echinoderms). reefs are not nessaceraly harder they just require more attetion to detail.
Good luck
p.s. forgive spelling
Keeping the live rock and sand "alive" shouldn't be a problem, as companies do ship live rock and sand, and it spends time in transit... The only problem is initially, you might have a mini-cycle because some of the organisms may die off. If you keep the rock & sand in a tub with original water and a powerhead, you should be able to avoid that. Get yourself a complete salt water test kit ASAP!
OH! one thing that my help you out...to move the sand, if you can get it at least somewhat dry, you can use super heavy duty plastic bags for it...the kind for trash compactors are not too big, and made of very heavy plastic. Most groceries stores have them.
As wrasseman01 says, the fish will be fine in a bucket for a few days. In my experience, clown fish are pretty hardy anyhow, especially the tank raised ones.
Let us all know how it goes!
And welcome to the board wrasseman01!
Laura
OH! one thing that my help you out...to move the sand, if you can get it at least somewhat dry, you can use super heavy duty plastic bags for it...the kind for trash compactors are not too big, and made of very heavy plastic. Most groceries stores have them.
As wrasseman01 says, the fish will be fine in a bucket for a few days.
In my experience, clown fish are pretty hardy anyhow, especially the tank raised ones.Let us all know how it goes!
And welcome to the board wrasseman01!
Laura
How did the move go today?
Something I was going to say--one big difference between GF and SW is that pretty much everyone agrees on how to take care of GF--some minor differences, but you get the same basic info from everyone. With SW, it's a whole different thing! All the old-timers (and a bunch of the newbies!) have very strong opinions about what's "right" and they are all different. :-) You really just have to read a bunch and decide what sounds right to you. Don't get discouraged by all the conflicting information (and watch for people who have a jillion posts but hardly any actual experience).
A couple of books that I can really recommend:
Paletta's The New Marine Aquarium (I love this book)
Fenner (I think that's it) The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
Fenner covers a lot of techniques; Paletta pushed LR only. I sort of like that, as it mean less to worry about--just do what he says.
Keep us posted! I'm kinda jealous that you get a pre-made tank and I'm staring at a 5-pound rock in a QT for another 3 weeks. LOL
Something I was going to say--one big difference between GF and SW is that pretty much everyone agrees on how to take care of GF--some minor differences, but you get the same basic info from everyone. With SW, it's a whole different thing! All the old-timers (and a bunch of the newbies!) have very strong opinions about what's "right" and they are all different. :-) You really just have to read a bunch and decide what sounds right to you. Don't get discouraged by all the conflicting information (and watch for people who have a jillion posts but hardly any actual experience).
A couple of books that I can really recommend:
Paletta's The New Marine Aquarium (I love this book)
Fenner (I think that's it) The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
Fenner covers a lot of techniques; Paletta pushed LR only. I sort of like that, as it mean less to worry about--just do what he says.
Keep us posted! I'm kinda jealous that you get a pre-made tank and I'm staring at a 5-pound rock in a QT for another 3 weeks. LOL
Well, it turns out I'm supposed to get the tank tomorrow! 
Yes, me and my friend showed up at his door and there was no key for us to get in, so I called him and he's like "Didn't I say Thursday..." I guess there's so much going through my mind at this time I'm getting info jumbled!!! Too much stuff to remember! So... I've had today to plan a little better and mentally prepare for this!
Laura- If you can believe it I'm still trying to decide on the clowns. I keep going back and forth. I'm afraid I might kill them and since the owner is attached and I see him almost everyday I don't want him to ask, "how are the clowns" and to explain that they've died. If I was sure what I was doing I would be more confident.
Rbocchicchio- Thanks for the word of warning on advice. This marine world is all new to me, and it's a little daunting going into it with very little beforehand knowledge. Normally I would read several books about marine tanks and search several sites on the net before I started it and have a very good idea of what I'm doing and what they need, and how to take care of them. So as you can imagine I'm anxious about it. I don't even know what equipment he has yet, I'll definately have to consult you marine buffs on whether it's any good. I'm so scared of crashing the cycle or killing the live rock. I peeked into the window of his house to look at the tank (I hadn't seen it in several months) and now it looks like anemones are in it!! What if I kill them?? 
I'm very excited too of course, once I get it all set up (the final time) I think I'll have a better grip on it. So- another sleepless night of thinking about the tank!! He's throwing in some marine books too, I'll have to see if any of them are the books you mentioned. If not I'll definately look into getting them- I love books to refer to. Do anemones sting you? They do don't they?
Yes, me and my friend showed up at his door and there was no key for us to get in, so I called him and he's like "Didn't I say Thursday..." I guess there's so much going through my mind at this time I'm getting info jumbled!!! Too much stuff to remember! So... I've had today to plan a little better and mentally prepare for this!Laura- If you can believe it I'm still trying to decide on the clowns. I keep going back and forth. I'm afraid I might kill them and since the owner is attached and I see him almost everyday I don't want him to ask, "how are the clowns" and to explain that they've died. If I was sure what I was doing I would be more confident.
Rbocchicchio- Thanks for the word of warning on advice.
This marine world is all new to me, and it's a little daunting going into it with very little beforehand knowledge. Normally I would read several books about marine tanks and search several sites on the net before I started it and have a very good idea of what I'm doing and what they need, and how to take care of them. So as you can imagine I'm anxious about it. I don't even know what equipment he has yet, I'll definately have to consult you marine buffs on whether it's any good. I'm so scared of crashing the cycle or killing the live rock. I peeked into the window of his house to look at the tank (I hadn't seen it in several months) and now it looks like anemones are in it!! What if I kill them?? I'm very excited too of course, once I get it all set up (the final time) I think I'll have a better grip on it. So- another sleepless night of thinking about the tank!! He's throwing in some marine books too, I'll have to see if any of them are the books you mentioned. If not I'll definately look into getting them- I love books to refer to. Do anemones sting you? They do don't they?
Cool that you get another day to get ready!
You know, I think you should take the clowns. How's that? :-) Of course, consider the source. LOL But from everything I've read, they are pretty hardy fish--they are damsels, and those are the fish the old schoolers cycle tanks with (though not usually with clowns). The tank is established, and that gives you a huge head start. Anemones are hard to keep, I understand, as they need really good water quality. (The setup must have metal halide lights, as (I think) anemones need the intense light? I could just be wrong about that. But the clowns will do okay even if something did happen to the anemone; they like 'em but don't need them.
In some ways it's kinda good to get a pre-made setup--you can just deal with what's there instead of trying to figure out all the options. I'm just starting to get my head around it and I've been researching for 6 weeks.
Check out AquariumAdvice, if you haven't. It's a little smaller than Reef Central and feels a little more like here. Plus there are a bunch of vendors that haunt the boards and reply to questions and give personal service and discounts and stuff, which could be handy if you decide you need to upgrade anything.
Have fun hauling water tomorrow!
You know, I think you should take the clowns. How's that? :-) Of course, consider the source. LOL But from everything I've read, they are pretty hardy fish--they are damsels, and those are the fish the old schoolers cycle tanks with (though not usually with clowns). The tank is established, and that gives you a huge head start. Anemones are hard to keep, I understand, as they need really good water quality. (The setup must have metal halide lights, as (I think) anemones need the intense light? I could just be wrong about that. But the clowns will do okay even if something did happen to the anemone; they like 'em but don't need them.
In some ways it's kinda good to get a pre-made setup--you can just deal with what's there instead of trying to figure out all the options. I'm just starting to get my head around it and I've been researching for 6 weeks.
Check out AquariumAdvice, if you haven't. It's a little smaller than Reef Central and feels a little more like here. Plus there are a bunch of vendors that haunt the boards and reply to questions and give personal service and discounts and stuff, which could be handy if you decide you need to upgrade anything.
Have fun hauling water tomorrow!
Well, we moved the marine tank today!! It's not set up yet since I move tomorrow and will set it up then. I have most of the live rock and the two clowns (they were so adorable, I HAD to keep them) in a large tub with the original water. I put one of my goldfish tank's aerators in the tub (hope that's okay), and a heater in the tub. I couldn't fit all the live rock in it and non of the live sand is in it, so those are all in buckets with the original water. Will the sand and live rock be okay in uncirculated, unheated buckets for about a day? Like I said, most of the live rock is with the fish in a better environment. The rest of the original water is in jugs. I hope the little organisms will be okay in the buckets. There was a shrimp and numerous snails and worms that are not in the big tub.
I'm excited but I have no idea what half the equipment is. And I don't know how it works, what it does, and I don't know how to use the salinity-measurer thing.
I am so lost but hopefully I will get enough energy to try and figure it out.
He had the Concientious Marine Aquarist book so I took that (don't know if I was supposed to since it was not set out but oh well ). And that has helped calm my nerves. There's a bit of an algea problem I'm going to have to deal with. And I have to figure out how much salt to put in water change water- I have NO idea how to do that. I think it will be worth it though. The clowns are so beautiful. They have a black band on them, I wonder what kind that is. Anyway, thanks everyone for all the help. I'll definately keep coming back with updates and questions.
I'm excited but I have no idea what half the equipment is. And I don't know how it works, what it does, and I don't know how to use the salinity-measurer thing.
I am so lost but hopefully I will get enough energy to try and figure it out. He had the Concientious Marine Aquarist book so I took that (don't know if I was supposed to since it was not set out but oh well
). And that has helped calm my nerves. There's a bit of an algea problem I'm going to have to deal with. And I have to figure out how much salt to put in water change water- I have NO idea how to do that. I think it will be worth it though. The clowns are so beautiful. They have a black band on them, I wonder what kind that is. Anyway, thanks everyone for all the help. I'll definately keep coming back with updates and questions.
Yay! Here's what little I know.
I would think the fish and rocks and etc. would be okay overnight. The fish will be stressed tomorrow, but I think they'll be okay.
The clowns are probably one of these:
http://www.fishpalace.org/A_ocellaris.html
http://www.globaldialog.com/~jrice/fish_page/percula.htm
the "true perc" has more black, I think. If they look a lot darker or have different stripes, they might be another kind (like the maroon).
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT: (Sorry for caps!) Top offs should be RO water (the kind you get out of the machine at the grocery store) (RO/DI is best, but you need special filters for that) NOT saltwater. What you lose due to evaporation needs to be replaced with freshwater, else the salinity will creep up.
To make new SW, mix as directions say (probably 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon RO water) and let it sit overnight, with an airstone if you can. I guess it takes 24 hrs for the salinity to settle.
If you've got a hydrometer (plastic thing with a swing arm in it): rinse with tapwater and then dip into the water till it fills, trying not to get any air in it. Put it on a level surface and tap gently if there are bubbles on the arm. It will shift for a second then settle--there should be a "safe zone" marked on it. You can fine tune later! If you've got a refractometer (tube-looking thing) I have no clue! :-)
The rest of the equipment--does it have a sump (like an extra tank?) Or is it all HOB?
If Laura or Aaron come around I know they will have better advice, but I just thought I'd pitch in what I could since you're just getting thrown in! Post some pics when you get it all set up! (You know, in all your spare time while you're moving.)
I would think the fish and rocks and etc. would be okay overnight. The fish will be stressed tomorrow, but I think they'll be okay.
The clowns are probably one of these:
http://www.fishpalace.org/A_ocellaris.html
http://www.globaldialog.com/~jrice/fish_page/percula.htm
the "true perc" has more black, I think. If they look a lot darker or have different stripes, they might be another kind (like the maroon).
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT: (Sorry for caps!) Top offs should be RO water (the kind you get out of the machine at the grocery store) (RO/DI is best, but you need special filters for that) NOT saltwater. What you lose due to evaporation needs to be replaced with freshwater, else the salinity will creep up.
To make new SW, mix as directions say (probably 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon RO water) and let it sit overnight, with an airstone if you can. I guess it takes 24 hrs for the salinity to settle.
If you've got a hydrometer (plastic thing with a swing arm in it): rinse with tapwater and then dip into the water till it fills, trying not to get any air in it. Put it on a level surface and tap gently if there are bubbles on the arm. It will shift for a second then settle--there should be a "safe zone" marked on it. You can fine tune later! If you've got a refractometer (tube-looking thing) I have no clue! :-)
The rest of the equipment--does it have a sump (like an extra tank?) Or is it all HOB?
If Laura or Aaron come around I know they will have better advice, but I just thought I'd pitch in what I could since you're just getting thrown in! Post some pics when you get it all set up! (You know, in all your spare time while you're moving.)
hey I'm glad you got the tank and kept the clowns. the rock in the buckets should be fine for quite a while, but the sand should be gently stirred if it is going to sit stagnent in water for more than 24 hrs if it is thicker in the buckets than a few inches 3-4 deep. hydrogen sulfide gas can form very quickly as the oxygen is depleted.
before adding it to the tank turn the sand over slowly in the bucket and smell it, it should smell like the ocean not a rotten egg.
all salt mixes (except for Red Sea) use @ 1/2 cup per gallon of water to achieve a salinity of @ 1.021. the reason it is suggested to mix and then wait 24 hrs is that freshly mixed sea water is fairly caustic. that rule is kind of old though, the old salts were slow to disolve, now they are all quick disolving so you can use them with in minutes of clearing. a small powerhead in a five gallon bucket will usually clear up and be ready for use in about 10 minutes.
a little more description (colors, number of stripes)on the clowns or a pic and i can probably let you know what they are.
again congrats
aaron
before adding it to the tank turn the sand over slowly in the bucket and smell it, it should smell like the ocean not a rotten egg.
all salt mixes (except for Red Sea) use @ 1/2 cup per gallon of water to achieve a salinity of @ 1.021. the reason it is suggested to mix and then wait 24 hrs is that freshly mixed sea water is fairly caustic. that rule is kind of old though, the old salts were slow to disolve, now they are all quick disolving so you can use them with in minutes of clearing. a small powerhead in a five gallon bucket will usually clear up and be ready for use in about 10 minutes.
a little more description (colors, number of stripes)on the clowns or a pic and i can probably let you know what they are.
again congrats
aaron
That's interesting to hear about the salt mixes sitting! I'm happy to let it sit overnight most of the time, anyway, but it's nice to know that if I have an "emergency" I don't have to worry.
Okay I'd post pics but I don't know where the camera is. The tank is still a cloud of sand with live rock. It started to settle so I turned on the submerged powerhead (a maxi one) and then it got all stirred up again. Also, the sand settles on the live rock and covers it up. There was thick, ugly green algae all over the rock. I tried my best to get it out but it is still there and in the crevaces of the coral. Any suggestions on how to get rid of this stuff. There was that pretty coral-looking algea you get for sw tanks but most of it is dead (the bad stuff has taken over). Also the pretty purple stuff on the live rock has been choked out.
There is a sump for the tank and just a bunch of equipment laying in it. There looks to be a protein skimmer but it is in pieces and I don't know how to put it together or how to attach it. There is also a filter looking thing and a spray bar looking thing. A large heater (but it doesn't have numbers on it that I can see to set it on a heat). And yes, he gave me a spectrometer to measure salinity. Aahhh! There's also a few more power head looking things laying in the sump tank. The clowns seem to be doing ok this morning, although the male appeared to be in shock last night. I don't know where the large shrimp is but I hope he made it as he likes to eat the gross algea. So... it's up (not really running) but I'm still excited. I just hope I can pull it all together. Thanks so much for all your help! Any ideas on this stuff would be greatly appreciated!!
There is a sump for the tank and just a bunch of equipment laying in it. There looks to be a protein skimmer but it is in pieces and I don't know how to put it together or how to attach it. There is also a filter looking thing and a spray bar looking thing. A large heater (but it doesn't have numbers on it that I can see to set it on a heat). And yes, he gave me a spectrometer to measure salinity. Aahhh! There's also a few more power head looking things laying in the sump tank. The clowns seem to be doing ok this morning, although the male appeared to be in shock last night. I don't know where the large shrimp is but I hope he made it as he likes to eat the gross algea. So... it's up (not really running) but I'm still excited. I just hope I can pull it all together. Thanks so much for all your help! Any ideas on this stuff would be greatly appreciated!!
Here's a picture of one of the clowns!
The tank thus far...
A picture from the murky depths...
Protein skimmer in sump tank??
The filter thing that spits water into the sump tank...
A propeller thing that I think is attached to the spray bar thing but I need to look at it again to be sure.... Any ideas what this stuff is and what to do with it?? I didn't get any instruction manuals.
Oof! It looks like the tank has been neglected for a while--all that gunk! This is way beyond what I know but until someone gives you better advice I'll say what little I know . . .
if the skimmer is the in-sump kind, the tube pieces should fit together with the collection cup on top. There should be a pump that goes into the base somehow and some kind of return that goes in the other side (mine has a tube that comes out horizontially and then takes a 90 degree turn up; there's a foam post-filter on top of the return). Then there should be an air tube that connects to the pump and sticks up enough to clear the water in the sump. My skimmer just sets in the sump and turns on--it's not "connected."
That weird siphon box and sprayer I have no idea! :-(
I know there are lots of critters (and fish) that eat algea. Are there corals and stuff in there?
I hope the murk settles soon. You can use a turkey baster to blow the sand off of the rocks after it settles.
The clown pic is way cute! Do they have names?
I hope someone who is smarter than me about all this checks in soon!
if the skimmer is the in-sump kind, the tube pieces should fit together with the collection cup on top. There should be a pump that goes into the base somehow and some kind of return that goes in the other side (mine has a tube that comes out horizontially and then takes a 90 degree turn up; there's a foam post-filter on top of the return). Then there should be an air tube that connects to the pump and sticks up enough to clear the water in the sump. My skimmer just sets in the sump and turns on--it's not "connected."
That weird siphon box and sprayer I have no idea! :-(
I know there are lots of critters (and fish) that eat algea. Are there corals and stuff in there?
I hope the murk settles soon. You can use a turkey baster to blow the sand off of the rocks after it settles.
The clown pic is way cute! Do they have names?
I hope someone who is smarter than me about all this checks in soon!
Thanks! I don't know if the clowns have names from the previous owner. I haven't named them yet. Okay, here is another picture of what I think it the skimmer. Does this look like parts of a skimmer? I saw a thin tube to go with it (I thought ) but it seemed like it was too thin. I still don't understand exactly how to put it together because I'm not mechanical unfortunately. I don't even know where it goes, it was floating all apart in the sump tank. I think I'll post a specific thread here about the equipment. Anyway here it is...
Oh, by the way, the turkey baster worked great! I bought a new one just for the tank. It's still so murky though! I'm not running the powerhead in there because it makes it twice as bad, but I'm afraid my fish and things will die if I let it sit too long. Surely there is a way to run the filter and it doesn't disturb the sand, isn't there? I know not everyone just lets it sit still while the sand settles. I will be so glad when I figure some of this out.
O.K. first the clowns are percula clowns.
All the dirty stuff floating around is detritus buils up get the sump and skimmer running and it should clear up in a few days.
For algae control and snails, hermits, a couple of emerald crabs and possibly a tang (like a yellow but they are territorial so add it after you decide what other fish you would like to keep).
Good luck,
Aaron
All the dirty stuff floating around is detritus buils up get the sump and skimmer running and it should clear up in a few days.
For algae control and snails, hermits, a couple of emerald crabs and possibly a tang (like a yellow but they are territorial so add it after you decide what other fish you would like to keep).
Good luck,
Aaron
Fishfelice, update? I'm totally over-invested in your new tank! :-)
Ha ha! I'm sooo glad you are invested- believe me!! Well I took the protein skimmer out because it may be the cause of electricity leaking into the water. It's a real shame because it was working perfectly. I'll have to try to get it fixed as I saw at the LFS that brand new they are $200. I decided to start up the overflow and return again even though they are loud- I have a maxi-jet going to pick up debris since the skimmer is on the mend. A poor substitute, I'm sure.
I'm now trying to find a reverse osmosis thing. I did a phosphate test of the tank water and it was way high. I think that's why there's an algea prob. I'm desperate to find an RO machine quickly because algea is already reforming on the sides. Ugly, hairy algea. I went to the LFS today and they only sold RO/DI water for a buck a gallon instead of the machines!
The clowns are still alive and there is a snail I see quite often! There is also a yellow spongey thing and a purple anomone looking thing and some little umbrella looking things trying to grow. I'm sure they'll be overtaken by the algea though if I don't do something.
Are the reverse osmosis machines expensive?? Any recomendations?
Thanks so much for all the help!
I'm now trying to find a reverse osmosis thing. I did a phosphate test of the tank water and it was way high. I think that's why there's an algea prob. I'm desperate to find an RO machine quickly because algea is already reforming on the sides. Ugly, hairy algea. I went to the LFS today and they only sold RO/DI water for a buck a gallon instead of the machines!
The clowns are still alive and there is a snail I see quite often! There is also a yellow spongey thing and a purple anomone looking thing and some little umbrella looking things trying to grow. I'm sure they'll be overtaken by the algea though if I don't do something.
Are the reverse osmosis machines expensive?? Any recomendations?
Thanks so much for all the help!
Well, whew! Glad to hear from you. I was starting to worry. :-) I'll go look at the pics in a second--I don't know about the RO machines. I'm getting my RO water from the machines at the grocery store--30 cents a gallon. I think the RO under-the-sink machines are slow--like 5 gallons a day or something. Anyway, my understanding is that just RO takes out like 90% of bad stuff but RO/DI takes out 98%ish. For now, I'm sticking with the grocery store water! I also read that the Brita pitchers do the same thing--though it would be $$ for anything but the occasional top-off.
Look in the paper for used skimmers. I see them all the time. I got my skimmer and tank both NIB but from people who had them sitting around--not a huge discount, but pretty good. (Got a Euroreef that retails for $250 for $215 and $260 worth of tank for $200.) People seem to unload SW stuff a lot! Or check Ebay.
Look in the paper for used skimmers. I see them all the time. I got my skimmer and tank both NIB but from people who had them sitting around--not a huge discount, but pretty good. (Got a Euroreef that retails for $250 for $215 and $260 worth of tank for $200.) People seem to unload SW stuff a lot! Or check Ebay.
Thanks for the suggestions on RO/DI water and skimmers! I'm going to plug the skimmer in today in water separate from the tank to see if it is leaking electricity. I want to test it again to make sure before I go searching for a new one.
Try www.inlandreef.net for a R/O unit they have them at a resonable rate.
If your skimmer pump is leaking voltage either get a grounging probe or contact Marineland and let them know. You may have to get a new pump but from tham it should be fairly inexpensive 30-40 bucks.
Also try Purigen from Seachem the stuff is awsome, it's like a proien skimmer in a bag.
More pics please,
Aaron
If your skimmer pump is leaking voltage either get a grounging probe or contact Marineland and let them know. You may have to get a new pump but from tham it should be fairly inexpensive 30-40 bucks.
Also try Purigen from Seachem the stuff is awsome, it's like a proien skimmer in a bag.
More pics please,
Aaron
If you can't get your protein skimmer working again, let me know. I still have one from when I had the 55 gallon salt, I bought it new and used it for maybe 6 months at most, it works fine. It is a Red Sea Prizm skimmer.
Laura
Laura
I may contact you about that at some point. My skimmer is working at the moment. Well, actually it's not working at the moment for some reason, but it was working. Anyway, it's not leaking voltage like I thought originally. It's being a little pesky though.
QUOTE(fishfelice @ Aug 6 2004, 07:50 PM)
I may contact you about that at some point. My skimmer is working at the moment. Well, actually it's not working at the moment for some reason, but it was working. Anyway, it's not leaking voltage like I thought originally. It's being a little pesky though.
Wow, this thread is really exciting, I can't wait till you get it running again, can you post more pics. of your tank and fish.
Yeah, Fishfelice, how about an update? :-)
Sure! I've been so busy that I've hardly been on here. Well my skimmer is still giving me issues, and algea is still going craaaazy. The two clown fish are doing well though, as is the big shrimp. The clowns will nibble on my fingers when my hand is in there, and they beg just like the goldfish. Tomorrow I may be getting a pack of small hermit crabs to help with the algea problem. Someone tried to tell me it's silicate in my sand which is making the algea go crazy but I don't believe them. They were trying to get me to buy their crushed coral sand but I think my sand should be fine. I looked at various pictures of sand at a bookstore and mine looks like white quartz sand- not silicate sand.
I will post more pics soon. The zyanthom corals are doing very well besides the algea trying to choke them out. It's neat watching them grow. Oh and the feather dusters are still there.
Rbocchicchio, how's you're tank coming along?
Well my skimmer is still giving me issues, and algea is still going craaaazy. The two clown fish are doing well though, as is the big shrimp. The clowns will nibble on my fingers when my hand is in there, and they beg just like the goldfish. Tomorrow I may be getting a pack of small hermit crabs to help with the algea problem. Someone tried to tell me it's silicate in my sand which is making the algea go crazy but I don't believe them. They were trying to get me to buy their crushed coral sand but I think my sand should be fine. I looked at various pictures of sand at a bookstore and mine looks like white quartz sand- not silicate sand. I will post more pics soon. The zyanthom corals are doing very well besides the algea trying to choke them out. It's neat watching them grow. Oh and the feather dusters are still there.
Rbocchicchio, how's you're tank coming along?
Oh and I haven't had an electricity problem since I cleaned the light out.
Glad it's going well! On the sand thing (mind you, all this from reseach, none from personal experience): crushed coral is "out" right now; it requires vacuuming and yuck builds up in it. So sand is preferred now. Some people argue that the silica sand causes problems, but not everyone agrees. The "best" sand is aragonite (which if you're lucky you can buy at Home Depot under the Oldcastle or Southdown name. Did I mention I don't live in that part of the country?) Anyway, a lot of the people on the marine boards talk about going through a heavy algae phase and say it will go away on its own as the tank matures (I'm assuming moving the tank messed up the balance somewhat). They also caution against getting too big a clean-up crew as they can eat everything and then starve. :-(
Do post some pics!
How's mine going? Thanks for asking. :-) Well, my husband is stalling on building the stand and getting the sump together; other than that, I've got all the equipment. After a month my QT (with live rock in it) cycled so I went and bought a pair (well, two, at any rate) of true black percs which have been named Smudge and Squish. (I thought for sure they would be Nemo and Marlin. My 3 year old gets to name the fish.) I only got them yesterday but so far they are active and fine. So far. Now my husband HAS to get his rear in gear and get this stuff done so we can order LR and have the big tank ready when S&S come out of QT in a month-6 weeks. They are in a 20 gallon so really they can stay there indefinitely, but it's a pretty boring tank! Bare bottom and PVC to hide in.
Do post some pics!
How's mine going? Thanks for asking. :-) Well, my husband is stalling on building the stand and getting the sump together; other than that, I've got all the equipment. After a month my QT (with live rock in it) cycled so I went and bought a pair (well, two, at any rate) of true black percs which have been named Smudge and Squish. (I thought for sure they would be Nemo and Marlin. My 3 year old gets to name the fish.) I only got them yesterday but so far they are active and fine. So far. Now my husband HAS to get his rear in gear and get this stuff done so we can order LR and have the big tank ready when S&S come out of QT in a month-6 weeks. They are in a 20 gallon so really they can stay there indefinitely, but it's a pretty boring tank! Bare bottom and PVC to hide in.
Thank you so much for the info! I'm glad I didn't take out all the established live sand to replace it with crushed coral as was suggested to me. Moving it probably did upset it's balance. It was heavily over-run with algea when I got it, but now it is unbelievable. All the algea I get rid of is back the next day and it forms a thick carpet over everything. The inside of the shrimp's cave is the only thing clean right now.
Thanks for the warning on getting too big of a clean-up crew. The two snails and shrimp are doing a horrible job of keeping up with this algea so a few recruitments are in order I think- but I'll only add one (or maybe two this time) and only get another thing after a few weeks if needed. I say "thing" because I'm not sure on what to get.
That is so exciting that you have Percs now!! It sounds like you're tank has really come along- now you just gotta get that husband working! It will be an exciting day when S & S get to go in the big tank.
Thanks for the warning on getting too big of a clean-up crew.
The two snails and shrimp are doing a horrible job of keeping up with this algea so a few recruitments are in order I think- but I'll only add one (or maybe two this time) and only get another thing after a few weeks if needed. I say "thing" because I'm not sure on what to get. That is so exciting that you have Percs now!! It sounds like you're tank has really come along- now you just gotta get that husband working!
It will be an exciting day when S & S get to go in the big tank.
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