NEWBIE: Empty 38gal - buckets of SW and 60lbs live sand in mid of living rm =\

M

MelO82

Reefing newb
Hello All,

My name is Melissa and I am a complete newbie to marine aquariums so I apologize in advance for the length of this post. Btw, I do some work in aquaculture but after reading through forums I have come to realize that an at-home reef system is quite the challenge and though some things are the same (protein skimmer, mechanical filtration, etc) a lot of other things like live rocks, cycling, and such are completely new to me. Any help at all, advice, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

I am setting up a 38gallon reef tank and have a couple questions that I hope y'all can help me with so I head in the right direction with all this. Currently, there is 35gallons of saltwater sitting in buckets in my living room :worried: , along with 60lbs of live sand, a brand-new Marineland C-360 canister filter., a 250-watt heater, 2 - T5s, and a hydrometer.

1st Question (LIVE ROCK)
I plan to buy about 30lbs of live rock from a local lfs which takes in dead rock and they have a seeding tank where the owner seeds it himself. The rocks that are in this process of seeding are $4.50 a lb and 60%-80% covered in the purple coraline algae. I can get 100% covered rock for $8.99 a lb from him as well. Another local lfs gets premium live rock from key west covered in life and kool things. I can pick the rocks I want right out of his display tank so I was thinking of getting about 10 - 15lbs. for $8.99 lb out of his display tanks for a total of about 40-45lbs of live rock.

Is this a good strategy? Is it too much live rock? Should I buy all the live rock from the guy that gets it from Key West…(really full of coverage and life)?


2nd Question (Marineland C-360 canister filter)
This canister filter, which now I wish I wouldn't have bought since everywhere I have read sumps seem to be the best option. But I bought it over a year ago and can't return it. I opened it up today and it has like 4-5 different trays of media. Ceramic tube things, carbon, floss, bioballs… I was reading that it may be better to run the canister filter without all this media maybe just leaving in carbon and some floss…

What should be my best media setup w/ this filter? Should I run it per factory instructions or try to modify it before starting it up? And will I need a protein skimmer right now if it's going to be Rock-only for a few months while it cycles?


3rd Question (In what order should I proceed and what else do I need for initial setup)
OK so my tank is completely empty. Should I wait till I have purchased my live rock to then put everything in at the same time…. or should I go ahead and put in my live sand and water, turn on the heater, and run the filter… then add the live rock? And once I put in my live rock what else do I need to add in with my live rock so it keeps on flourishing. I heard strategies of throwing in a dead shrimp and such. Do I need power heads as soon as I get that live rock in there? And same goes for the protein skimmer which I mentioned above, is it needed for initial setup.

Thank you in advance for any help you all can offer. :) It is verrryyyy much appreciated!!! I'm dying to get all this stuff off my floor and into the tank :spin2::fish2:

Cheers!

Melissa :wave:
 
Last edited:
Re: Empty 38gal - buckets of SW and 60lbs live sand in mid of living rm =\

Hi Melissa, welcome to the forums.

I am a "newb" as well, and am currently two weeks into my reef tank. 1 clownfish and 4 snails. :bounce:

Anyway, I feel like I should add some information in here so that you're not left empty-handed from my post. haha

Typically, I don't think one would need to wait a few months for your tank to cycle. Especially if you are going to use that much "fully covered" live rock, live sand, and saltwater. I would imagine, from what I've read and from what I just experienced that your cycle would be fairly short with low spikes. (Someone feel free to correct me at any point in this as well) However, keep in mind that if you want to wait a few months just to make sure, there is nothing wrong with that either from what I know..

Second: powerheads. I'm not sure if you had your eye on a brand/model yet for powerheads, but I personally just ordered and received a Koralia 425 gph powerhead and for the performance/price it is awesome. I'm running a 20 gallon and thinking about ordering one more for the tank, so if you have a 38 gallon I would recommend purchasing a couple. $26 a pop on Amazon so you can't beat the price.

Again, welcome aboard, and good luck! I'll be keeping an eye on the thread because I learn something new from every thread I read it seems. :Cheers:
 
Thanks!!! =)) ... no powerheads yet, i'll definitely check that model out. I definitely want a clownfish, the black and white one. Wow two weeks?!, it'd be awesome if I can start that fast, I can't wait till I get my first fish in there... I plan on a midas blenny =)
 
Melissa, I would buy the key west stuff, but 10 lbs at most. Thats really expensive. Instead, buy the other 40 or so lbs as dry base rock.
 
MelO82 said:
Hello All,

My name is Melissa and I am a complete newbie to marine aquariums so I apologize in advance for the length of this post. Btw, I do some work in aquaculture but after reading through forums I have come to realize that an at-home reef system is quite the challenge and though some things are the same (protein skimmer, mechanical filtration, etc) a lot of other things like live rocks, cycling, and such are completely new to me. Any help at all, advice, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

I am setting up a 38gallon reef tank and have a couple questions that I hope y'all can help me with so I head in the right direction with all this. Currently, there is 35gallons of saltwater sitting in buckets in my living room :worried: , along with 60lbs of live sand, a brand-new Marineland C-360 canister filter., a 250-watt heater, 2 - T5s, and a hydrometer.

Don't bother with the Canister. It will breed nitrates. It's better to have two smaller heaters, in case one ever breaks. This way you aren't left without anything heating your tank. 2 Bulb T5 fixture is great for a fish only tank, or, a Softies dominated tank. If you plan on doing corals like LPS or SPS, I'd think about investing in a better light. Hydrometers are known for being inaccurate. Invest in a refractometer. Also, for equipment, get a protein skimmer that is rated for double the size of your tank. And, get 2-3 power heads to move the water around in your tank. One to point at the surface of the water, which creates ripples, for aeration. The other two so there aren't any dead spots in your tank that have no water flow. This will help detrius from getting stuck to your sand bed and causing nitrates to go up, as well as preventing bacteria (like cyano).

1st Question (LIVE ROCK)
I plan to buy about 30lbs of live rock from a local lfs which takes in dead rock and they have a seeding tank where the owner seeds it himself. The rocks that are in this process of seeding are $4.50 a lb and 60%-80% covered in the purple coraline algae. I can get 100% covered rock for $8.99 a lb from him as well. Another local lfs gets premium live rock from key west covered in life and kool things. I can pick the rocks I want right out of his display tank so I was thinking of getting about 10 - 15lbs. for $8.99 lb out of his display tanks for a total of about 40-45lbs of live rock.

Is this a good strategy? Is it too much live rock? Should I buy all the live rock from the guy that gets it from Key West…(really full of coverage and life)?

Like Kbuser said, spending that much money on all LR is perfectly fine if you want. However, if you'd like to save some money, I'd only do a small portion of it as live rock. 25% LR and 75% Dry rock is perfectly fine. Within a month, the dry rock will be live. Six months to a year down the road, it will actually look alive though. I.E. Coralline growth and what-not. Also, don't know if you bought live sand or not, but most people go with dry sand as well. Those bags sit on shelves for forever, so the amount of actual life you are getting is pretty nonexistent.


2nd Question (Marineland C-360 canister filter)
This canister filter, which now I wish I wouldn't have bought since everywhere I have read sumps seem to be the best option. But I bought it over a year ago and can't return it. I opened it up today and it has like 4-5 different trays of media. Ceramic tube things, carbon, floss, bioballs… I was reading that it may be better to run the canister filter without all this media maybe just leaving in carbon and some floss…

What should be my best media setup w/ this filter? Should I run it per factory instructions or try to modify it before starting it up? And will I need a protein skimmer right now if it's going to be Rock-only for a few months while it cycles?

Skip the canister. Just put it back in the box and leave it. Invest in a skimmer. Also, your tank cycle usually takes 4-8 weeks.


3rd Question (In what order should I proceed and what else do I need for initial setup)
OK so my tank is completely empty. Should I wait till I have purchased my live rock to then put everything in at the same time…. or should I go ahead and put in my live sand and water, turn on the heater, and run the filter… then add the live rock? And once I put in my live rock what else do I need to add in with my live rock so it keeps on flourishing. I heard strategies of throwing in a dead shrimp and such. Do I need power heads as soon as I get that live rock in there? And same goes for the protein skimmer which I mentioned above, is it needed for initial setup.

Thank you in advance for any help you all can offer. :) It is verrryyyy much appreciated!!! I'm dying to get all this stuff off my floor and into the tank :spin2::fish2:

Cheers!

Melissa :wave:
Click to expand...

I would set the tank up. Fill it up with water. RO/DI water is best. If you bought live sand, then put salt in the tank until your SG is between 1.024 and 1.026. If you bought dry sand, you can add the salt after. Either way is fine. You can also put the heater in and set up the light fixture. Keep in mind with the light and heater, when the rocks come, you may have to move/arrange them in a different spot to your liking. And yes, having power heads in the tank (Water Movement) will only benefit you lol. Also, a good rule of thumb for saltwater is one fish per 10 gallons. So, if you have a 38 gallon tank, four small fish is what you should do. Space the fish purchases out. 4 fish should take you 3-4 months.


When you have a idea on a stocking list (fish), we can help tell you what would do well in your tank (for the size of the tank and how large the fish will become). And, give you advice on corals as well. Also, don't forget to add a clean up crew (Snails, Hermits, Crabs, Shrimp, and Starfish). Your choice how you build a clean up crew though. I recommend going to reefcleaners.org. They are a good group and will help you pick out a good clean up crew. Also, nothing should be put into the tank (fish/corals/inverts) until the tank has safely cycled. Other then that, good luck and glad to have you aboard. :)
 
Destin florida aye! I did a horizontal drill in 2007, beautiful place down there. I went deep sea fishing out there and that is where i fell in love with saltwater..... Welcome aboard
 
One thing that Anthony didn't mention about adding salt in the tank...

Starting your tank is the only time this is acceptable. After you have rock and sand, always mix 24+ hours before your water change so it can completely dissolve and mix. Just wanted to clear that up. :)
 
Thanks Anthony!! I plan on adding a cleaner crew before I add fish and corals. My definite must haves for fish is a Midas Blenny and some type of goby, haven't settled on a specific species yet, and last a black n white clown... those are my must-haves. As far as corals I have no idea yet. Not too worried yet as I haven't even purchased live rock yet :x

Mariobrother, I recently moved here myself from Miami.Really loving the change of pace :)

Kbuser, for water changes wouldn't it be easier to buy the water already prepared from lfs. I don't have an ro/di unit so I would still need to get my filtered water from them. They sell their saltwater at .85 cents a gallon. Their freshwater at .42 cents a gallon, but I would still have to buy the salt mix. I was recently debating how my future water changes will work.

Thanks all!
 
No, I would buy unmixed because then you can use what you need to make saltwater and the rest for top offs. You will need to top off your tank daily, I'm sure, with plain freshwater.
 
Hi Kbuser.. yea I plan to have a Home Depot bucket at all times w/ rodi freshwater but for changes I was thinking just buying the prepared but not sure how expensive that will get
 
It will get very expensive, very fast. Lol, within the span of a a few months, you'll have spent more then a decent RO/DI unit would cost you. (I may have exaggerated a little bit there, but you get the point :p)
 

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