Newbie

[sagent3000]

i finally got the guts to do a saltwater tank :whoopee!: my tank is 75 gals and i want to have shrimp, corals, live rock an over all nice looking tank and have some questions about my set up

1. i currently have a Hagen Fluval 404 filter (from freshwater) can i use it for the salt water along with the protein skimmer that i bought

2. how much sand do i need to my tank

3. i read in another post that i can use non live sand to mix with the live sand. who makes non live sand that i can use in my tank and will it be harmful to the animals

4. is it okay to use tap water for my water changes and if not where do i get the water from

5. is it okay to add cured live rock in at the beginning when i add the sand and water

6. how much salt do i put in the tank

i know its a lot of questions but i am thankful for the help with the set up of the tank and i will be sure to add pics once its finished

 

[minireefer]

1. i currently have a Hagen Fluval 404 filter (from freshwater) can i use it for the salt water along with the protein skimmer that i bought
Yes,but I only run carbon in it and occasionaly different sponges for particle removal.also you occasional add some phosphate remover.

2. how much sand do i need to my tank
30 to 50 lbs depends on how deep you want the bed to be.I used this brand of live sand Nature's Ocean Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Reed Sand it is about $20 per 10 lbs.

3. i read in another post that i can use non live sand to mix with the live sand. who makes non live sand that i can use in my tank and will it be harmful to the animals
Non live sand is something in my opinion I would pass on allot of silicates.some people do mix through.


4. is it okay to use tap water for my water changes and if not where do i get the water from tap water has allot thing you don't want in reef tank.I would look for local supplier that sell reverse osmosis (R/O) water 25 cents a gallon. Also you can purchase an R/O unit for your home

5. is it okay to add cured live rock in at the beginning when i add the sand and water
Yes this would be the best option for help your tank cycle
6. how much salt do i put in the tank
you will need a salinity meter look for it to 1.023 to 1.024.

Did you get your lighting setup yet?
have a look in the articles section there is some really good information for a new reef keeper.

 

[Chris]

Sounds like you are on your way, welcome to the forums. Post some pics of your tank when your ready. We like pictures. :)

 

[fishman]

Sounds like Minireefer has got u covered very good.Nice reply Minireeefer.I think u will be able to buy one bag of live sand and one bag of reef sand .Like Carib-Sea reef special grade.NO play sand or sand that is not made for reefs.DO NOT put anything in your tank that is not made for reef tanks O lots of patience is needed too.GOOD LUCK

 

[jhnrb]

Read the articles forum and I would recommend at this point you purchase a book to help you along. One that is full of information and is not very expensive is CORALS by John Tullock by Barron's books. http://www.barronseduc.com. library of congress catalog card no. 99-59661
this treasure will provide you with the minimal basics for set up and also give you some information on corals. under 15 dollars and Packed with information that will be very helpful and informative for you. let me know if I can be of any further help. post often and let us know how you are comming along. welcome to the forum and best of luck on your system setup.

 

[sagent3000]

pump

aight thanks for all the help guys now i have another question. i have been talkin to people with salt water tanks and they are telling me it would be best for me to do a sump. does anyone have a link for a DIY sump pump or wet/dry i would apperciate it.

 

[Chris]

Do you want a sump of a refuge? Look at fishmans photo gallery for pictures of his DYI refuge. https://www.livingreefs.com/gallery/browseimages.php?c=16&userid=10

 

[jhnrb]

Remember Sagent3000 a marine tank is like a personal computer, no two are exactly alike, so, go slow and read with reasearch on the equipment you seek to make sure you really need it. 1st decide what type of a saltwater tank you want, fish only, fish and corals, complete community, species, etc. once determined set up a system that will support the environment needed to keep the animals heathy and alive. Always remember though if you duplicate what someone else has done, in order to have what that hobbiest has accomplished you will need to do exactly what that person does each day without diviation and even then your air quality/contamination may be different, so my best advise is to understand what the purpose is for each piece of equipment you want or are considering, do you really need it and then which one will get the job done. hope something here helps. since you have fw experiance you need to switch gears for salt. finally as im sure you have heard that in marine good things take time to happen and bad things happen much faster than fresh water. well hope I havent bored you here good luck and again welcome to the forum. continue to post any questions here and we will try and help best we can.