2 quick questions

[flip_lx]

I'm converting my 29 gallon to SW and have most of it it done (got actual SW in there now circulating and hopefully re-cycling)

1) I've got a fluval 204 canister on the tank right now, plan on a FOWLR setup and perhaps a year down the line some corals or an anemone or something, will this be a decent water mover or should i add a PH (if i need to add a PH at what point?) its rated at 180gph or roughly 6 turnovers an hour

2) My tank has no hood so what are some fish i should stay away from? I've really only read about firefish being jumpers are there any known others? (my inital list is a goby or blenny to play in my holed rock and some green chromis (heard they are more sociable than other damsels is this correct?))

any advice is appreciated and don't worry they cycle is with out living animals, just past living ones (raw shrimp and some frozen bloodworms, hoping some of the bacteria can sorta remain from my FW sandbed and media and speed it up some)

 

[DanD]

Yellowheaded Sleeper Gobys are jumpers too. Seriously, why not invest in a hood? My best advice is: assume your inhabitants are jumpers unless you know positively otherwise. Some fish will "become" jumpers if stressed, so better safe than sorry. And, a cover will help keep the evaporation rate down, too.

 

[Lance M.]

I think really any fish can jump just some are more likely than others. Also you can have a fish that is listed as a jumper never jump. My 20 gallon reef does not have a glass top on it so that it gets proper gas exchange. The only thing I've had jump was a Monkey (Saron) shrimp. My ten gallon reef has a glass top on it; however, one night I left the front panel off the top and the next morning I found my baby tomato clown on the floor. I'm pretty sure I've never seen tomato clowns listed as "jumpers" but I think any startled fish may jump.

For reefs (and I guess any sw tank) most people would say to have no top to allow for proper gas exchange. I've heard some people will cover the top with eggcrate as a precaution for jumpers, so that the top is still open but covered.

And you want at least 10x the tank size turned over per hour. So I'd get one or two powerheads put them on opposite sides of the tank and that would be good.

 

[surjer]

Ive read you want to point one of your PH's towards the surface as to create a small ripple which will aid in the gas exchange as well...

 

[roka64]

You will definitely need another ph. This will help with the O2 exchange, as stated above and will reduce dead spots.
As for jumpers, you can get eggcrate at Lowes or Home Deopt. My experience with chromis. I added 3 to my 125, no other fish. Within the first two months, I had one left.

Seriously, why not invest in a hood?

Hoods reduce O2 exchange, possibly lowering pH and can trap heat. I prefer to use eggcrate. When I had a hood on my tank, I couldn't get my pH above 7.2-7.4 and even tried buffer (I really don't like dosing my tanks) and still could not get it much higher or stable for that matter. Once I removed the hood, all was good.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Seems like I remember most wrasses are jumpers.

 

[flip_lx]

ok guess i'll take the gander on fish, that yellow sleeper head goby was one i really like (my lfs had one, was coolest thing watching it sift/eat the sand all the time) as for no hood my lights prevent the use of a hood (less i wanted one that left most the ends of the tank open).

So i will need the PH or 2 even if i opt for a fish only setup?

 

[Lance M.]

Yes two ph's would be good. Like said before, point one towards the surface to create ripples in the water and you could point the other one slightly downwards to flow over the substrate. Try to prevent dead spots.

 

[melosu58]

I agree that the hood would not be a good idea as mentioned. The hood or cover will trap heat and cause poor gas exchange lowering your PH. To prevent jumpers go to Home Depot and get the egg crate.

 

[ccCapt]

hoping some of the bacteria can sorta remain from my FW sandbed and media and speed it up some

Since I don't think anyone addressed this, your f/w bacteria will not speed up your cycle...totally different than s/w bacteria. In fact all the sand and media should have been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed with fresh water before converting over to s/w. So, did you just leave your f/w tank as it was and add salt or did you add all new saltwater?

 

[roka64]

Wow, nice catch, I totally missed that!?!?

 

[roka64]

To take that one step more. What kind of substrate are we talking about?

 

[melosu58]

your f/w bacteria will not speed up your cycle...totally different than s/w bacteria. In fact all the sand and media should have been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed with fresh water before converting over to s/w. So, did you just leave your f/w tank as it was and add salt or did you add all new saltwater?

Yes totally correct. My suggestion would be to buy new sand and seed it with some LS from your LFS.

 

[flip_lx]

ok its PFS, tank was drained out, added new water at high temps to kill, drained swashed, and then filled with SW i had mixed up earlier. I realzie its different bacteria just hoping there would be a faster spike to ammonia is all. Media in the filter is brand new (bio max, some carbon for now and sponges that will be taken out if i add lr or coral and i'll replace/throw in some rubble later)

I've 2 more questions, it seems my MTS have gone SW now.... and also what are mollies compatible with (i've been thinking of acclimating them to sw once the tank is going nice)?

 

[SCFatz]

Mollies can be FW or brackish as I understand it.While I'm not 100% sure,I'm pretty sure that they will not live at the salinity levels needed for "true" SW fish.

 

[roka64]

You can acclimate them to the higher salinity, but this process takes time and I am not sure on the whole process.