Hi, newbie looking for info

[ms1000]

Hi, im quite experienced in Freshwater aquarium keeping and am looking to have a go at saltwater.

I really am starting from scratch knowledge wise.Let me tell what equipment i have 1st and the fish i intend to keep to see if im on the right track.

I have a bowfronted 80g tank and 2x Tetratec 1200 cannister filters i can use. The fish id like to 1st try with are Bluefin Damsel and Ornate Wrasse (both from local suppliers and propbably live caught). The sea here is between 19-21 all year round so i guess id keep the tank the same temperature?

Please note i live on a small island off the coast of Africa so live sand/rock isnt readily available. Is this absolutley necessery?

Are the fishless cycles similar to a Freshwater aquariums?

Also the Pet Stores here are very basic to say the least. Is there anything i really need i.e lighting, heating, filtering?

Ive read so many contradicting reports i thought id get the info from the horses mouth so to speak.

Thanks for your time.

 

[reeffreak]

Welcome to Living Reefs Ms1000!

My first question is this going to be a reef or fish only?Since I don't know whats available to the hobbyist on the Canary Islands.....my answers may not be helpful.I believe whole heartedly that live rock would be the best biological filter.Live sand on the other hand isn't necessary...all dry will work.An aragonite sand is the best and safest sand out there,avoid crush coral and silicate sand at all cost.If there's anyway to use mostly dry base rock(saltwater safe,of course) then use mostly that and seed it with a few pounds of good quality live rock.Can it be done without live rock?Sure,but thats very old school and you really need a better filter than canisters.A wet/dry comes to mine.This place ships internationally.Its all dry base rocks from tropical locations like Fiji and Tonga.All you would need to do is add the beneficial bacteria.I'm sure there's more online vendors that sell internationally.

Marco Rocks The finest aquarium rock available, base rock, live rock, reef rock, marco rock, reef tank saltwater fish, live corals, Marco rocks, Fiji live rock, Tonga Live rock

Canister filters aren't the most ideal saltwater filters.They need to be cleaned regularly otherwise they become nitrate/phosphate factories,which leads to nuisance algae outbreaks.Consider maybe using just one of them and adding a good quality protein skimmer instead.There is so many different ways to run a system successfully.I believe here in the states that a sump/refugium with a skimmer and 1-2lbs of live rock is probably the most common.Some people use a raw table shrimp to cycle.Let it rot for a few days than remove it.Others ''ghost feed'' their system.They feed the tank fish food even though there's no fish.Usually once or twice is enough to get the cycle going.

Lighting for a fish only doesn't have to be anything special.If a reef is what your aiming for than lighting will be more important.We can get into that if thats in your future.I recommend some basic stuff like thermometers,hydrometer or refractometer,test kits and heaters as well.

Good luck.

 

[ms1000]

Hi reeffreak, thanks for the reply. Im aiming for a fish only tank for the moment and maybe move on to a reef after some more experience.

IS there a good protein filter you would reccomend?

To be honest im not certain what live rock actually is? Is it simply rock with all the substrae and bacteria on or a living coral?

I can get rock with the substrates on no problem. Would this be ok in the background of this photo? Is this Live rock? http://www.tenerifedive.com/Fishchart/YellowSpottedMoray.jpg It is sourced locally.


Ive got all heaters,test kits,power heads etc
My local FS said id need to change one of my normal strip lights to a UV light. Is this correct?


So the fishless cycle is very similar to a Freshwater system?


Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Oscarsdad608]

That is live rock in the background. If you are going fish only the strip light will be fine. Also make sure your test kits are for saltwater too.

 

[reeffreak]

For hang on the back(HOB) skimmer I recommend an Aqua C Remora Pro.Octopus skimmer for in sump skimmer.I'm not sure if those are available there.Get a good skimmer and not a cheap one.There are a lot of practically useless skimmers on the market.

That is live rock you linked to.Aim for 1-2lbs per gallon,couple with a good skimmer and those powerheads,it will be all the filtration you need.

For a FOWLR you only need normal output florescents.If thats what the fixture is then it should be fine.I'm with the fishstore on changing the bulbs.If the bulb is a single bulb fixture replace it with a half daylight and half actinic bulb.If its a twin tube than replace one with a daylight(6500k-10000k bulb) and one actinic(03 420nm).That should at least sustain coralline algae and other beneficial life.Keep in mine they don't have to be replaced,IMO,I think will help keep the coralline(color of the rocks).Check you bulbs and see what the kelvin rating is before switching out the bulbs.

Its been a long time since I set up a freshwater tank.I'm not even sure whats the common ways freshwater aquarist do to jump start a cycle.The ways I mention is what we salties do.You might not have to do anything but add live rock.There could be enough die-off to start a cycle.

 

[Bifferwine]

Hi and welcome!

 

[yote]

Welcome to the reef.

 

[ms1000]

Thanks all for your reassuring help. I will post up photos of how its going over the next few weeks.Looking forward to seeing the results.



ps i promise not to cave in to my sons demands of only having "nemo" in there!

 

[Oscarsdad608]

My clowns are the coolest fish in the tank. Now that they are 4 years old and starting to lay eggs they are getting pretty nasty. Nothing better thaen a woman with an attitude.