30g build

[DIZZLE808]

So I ended up getting 30g tank and as you can see I didn't get the stand yet. I'm toying with the idea of making my own but I'm not sure yet. I got the EHEIM professional 3 ultraG65 canister filter rated at 250 GPH. The lighting is Marineland double bright LED (2 strips of white and 1 strip of blue). I also got 30lbs of sand and a Hydrometer. todays purchases came out to just a little under $600. I'm going to try and go back next week to finish off buying everything I need

I also decided that instead of using this tank as quarantine tank when I eventually upgrade to a 150g that I might as well turn it into a sump. but for now I'm just so excited to have started my first project!

 

[Beengirl]

Yea!!!! It's so exciting when you first get into SW! I still find it exciting, especially getting new fish or corals. Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[DIZZLE808]

Yea!!!! It's so exciting when you first get into SW! I still find it exciting, especially getting new fish or corals. Keep us posted on your progress!

I'm so stoked... I sat and stared at the tank for a little while after I got it home just thinking of how its going to look when everything is said and done!
MUST...........HAVE...........PATIENCE!! LOL
BTW Beengirl your tank is awesome!!

 

[Beengirl]

I'm so stoked... I sat and stared at the tank for a little while after I got it home just thinking of how its going to look when everything is said and done!
MUST...........HAVE...........PATIENCE!! LOL
BTW Beengirl your tank is awesome!!

Thank you!! I have a 55g reef and a 30g FOWLR. I have sat and stared for numerous hours at my tanks. Only other people who do this hobby would be able to understand doing that!! Lol. Patience can be difficult, but a beautiful tank and healthy fish is well worth the wait! keep us posted on your progress!!

 

[DIZZLE808]

Thank you!! I have a 55g reef and a 30g FOWLR. I have sat and stared for numerous hours at my tanks. Only other people who do this hobby would be able to understand doing that!! Lol. Patience can be difficult, but a beautiful tank and healthy fish is well worth the wait! keep us posted on your progress!!

I seen the pics of your 55g, do you have pics of your 30g posted?
I will definitely keep everyone posted on the progress of my tank! completely agree with you in the fact that patience leads to a beautiful tank and healthy fish! I most certainly plan on staring at my tank and its inhabitants for many an hour!

 

[Beengirl]

I seen the pics of your 55g, do you have pics of your 30g posted?
I will definitely keep everyone posted on the progress of my tank! completely agree with you in the fact that patience leads to a beautiful tank and healthy fish! I most certainly plan on staring at my tank and its inhabitants for many an hour!

I have a thread of my 30g under the SW Fish only and FOWLR section, it's called "Beengirl's 30g FOWLR starts." If you have time, check it out. My daughter is doing that tank with me. But I'm planning on upgrading that into a 125g FOWLR within the next year. I'm excited! Good luck and ill be following your build!

 

[DIZZLE808]

So this weekend I'm hoping to have water in my tank along with some live and base rock but I have a few questions before I get to it.

what type of powerheads should I be looking at getting for my 30g long?

Is a heater absolutely necessary while my tank is cycling?

I'm going to be using water straight out of the ocean, will this speed up the cycling time or does it not matter?

as far as my set up... I have the tank, lights, substrate, cannister filter, simple hydrometer (will buy test kit soon)... besides PH's, heater and thermometer is there anything that I'm missing??

any and all help/input is greatly appreciated...

 

[DIZZLE808]

oh and I could definitely use some ideas for my stock... after hours and hours making a list then narrowing it down I'm left with these choices. the only fish that I'm certain on is 2 clowns, one black and white and one Ocellarish, these have to be in my tank as my 3 year old daughter would be highly pissed at me if I didn't have "Nemo" in the tank.

the other choices in no particular order:

Ocellarish Clowns (x2)
Blue reef Chromis
yellowtail dascyllus
purple dottyback
flame hawkfish
line spot flasher wrasse
six line wrasse

so these are my choices I would get them all but for a 30g I believe its a bit too much unfortunately...

 

[Psychocircus91]

oh and I could definitely use some ideas for my stock... after hours and hours making a list then narrowing it down I'm left with these choices. the only fish that I'm certain on is 2 clowns, one black and white and one Ocellarish, these have to be in my tank as my 3 year old daughter would be highly pissed at me if I didn't have "Nemo" in the tank.

the other choices in no particular order:

Ocellarish Clowns (x2)
Blue reef Chromis
yellowtail dascyllus
purple dottyback
flame hawkfish
line spot flasher wrasse
six line wrasse

so these are my choices I would get them all but for a 30g I believe its a bit too much unfortunately...

Assuming you have a tight fitting lid, I would do
yellow clown goby
the two clowns
Six line wrasse
Purple dotty back

in that order.

That gives you yellow, orange, black and white, pinkish greenish, and purple.

 

[Coel]

For powerheads I've got two hydor koraila nano 240gph and I like them. I am thinking about adding 1 more. That's in my 38g

 

[DIZZLE808]

Assuming you have a tight fitting lid, I would do
yellow clown goby
the two clowns
Six line wrasse
Purple dotty back

in that order.

That gives you yellow, orange, black and white, pinkish greenish, and purple.

as of right now I have a glass cover on the tank, on the back side of cover there is a plastic piece that is an optional piece I'm assuming. with it off there is about 3-4 inches that is not covered. thanks for your input on the fish though

 

[Psychocircus91]

as of right now I have a glass cover on the tank, on the back side of cover there is a plastic piece that is an optional piece I'm assuming. with it off there is about 3-4 inches that is not covered. thanks for your input on the fish though

I have the same thing with my tank. I put the plastic on and it still left me a very small clearance that would allow a couple wires to run out the top.

 

[DIZZLE808]

For powerheads I've got two hydor koraila nano 240gph and I like them. I am thinking about adding 1 more. That's in my 38g

Right on, is there a specific spot where you place the powerheads in the tank or do you just place them so there's optimal water flow?

 

[DIZZLE808]

I have the same thing with my tank. I put the plastic on and it still left me a very small clearance that would allow a couple wires to run out the top.

Yea I have the plastic part on as well. I'm going to cut holes in it so I can get the intake and outtake tubes in there

 

[Coel]

Right on, is there a specific spot where you place the powerheads in the tank or do you just place them so there's optimal water flow?

I have one low on the back left and one high at an upward angle on the right. I am going to see how it works though I think I will need a third.

 

[DIZZLE808]

as far as the CUC goes I could use some pointers. off the top of my head this is what I was thinking:

Banded coral shrimp, 2 of them if its possible
Emerald crab
and a few hermits

once my tank is fully established then I was thinking of adding a starfish but thats further down the road.

now should I have more for the clean up crew or would this suffice and at what point can I start adding them?

thanks in advance for any help/ideas

 

[Beengirl]

as far as the CUC goes I could use some pointers. off the top of my head this is what I was thinking:

Banded coral shrimp, 2 of them if its possible
Emerald crab
and a few hermits

once my tank is fully established then I was thinking of adding a starfish but thats further down the road.

now should I have more for the clean up crew or would this suffice and at what point can I start adding them?

thanks in advance for any help/ideas

As far as the heater goes, with you being in Hawaii (lucky dog!!), you might not even need a heater. If the temp is 74-79*F without it, then you're ok. Just check early AM and late at night too to make sure it's not dropping down below that at night.
I don't know anything about coral banded other than they can get a little aggressive when they get bigger, not sure how 2 would work in a 30g. So ill leave that up to those with experience with them. Emeralds are good. I have a ruby crab. I suggest Nassarius snails to keep your sandbed gently stirred, I have a bout 10 or so in a 30g. I like astrea snails and banded trochus snails to keep the glass and rocks clean, have about 15 or so total in my 30. And I like scarlet reef hermits cuz they're less likely to kill snails than the red legged or blue legged, so I have 8-10 of those In the 30. Add all of these over time, though, to give your tank enough time to build up some algae for them to eat. Good luck and welcome to the world of SW!!

 

[DIZZLE808]

As far as the heater goes, with you being in Hawaii (lucky dog!!), you might not even need a heater. If the temp is 74-79*F without it, then you're ok. Just check early AM and late at night too to make sure it's not dropping down below that at night.
I don't know anything about coral banded other than they can get a little aggressive when they get bigger, not sure how 2 would work in a 30g. So ill leave that up to those with experience with them. Emeralds are good. I have a ruby crab. I suggest Nassarius snails to keep your sandbed gently stirred, I have a bout 10 or so in a 30g. I like astrea snails and banded trochus snails to keep the glass and rocks clean, have about 15 or so total in my 30. And I like scarlet reef hermits cuz they're less likely to kill snails than the red legged or blue legged, so I have 8-10 of those In the 30. Add all of these over time, though, to give your tank enough time to build up some algae for them to eat. Good luck and welcome to the world of SW!!

Thanks for the info Beengirl. I was actually thinking that it rarely ever gets below 70 degrees over here so I might in fact need a chiller if anything, but I'll be checking on it like you suggested to determine what I need temperature wise.
So far all I know about coral banded shrimp is that unless they're paired together naturally than they probably won't get along and that they may eat smaller shrimps that are in the tank. I'll do a bit more research on it. In all honesty snails never crossed my mind for some reason ill be looking into that for sure!
At what point do I start adding the CUC to the tank... As soon as it completes cycling?

 

[Beengirl]

I add some when the cycle completes, but don't add all of them at once cuz there won't be enough algae to keep them all fed and alive. I would start with 2-3 hermits and 3-4 snails after the cycle is done. Then add more as time goes on.

 

[DIZZLE808]

Yeah I wasn't planning on putting them all in at once but thanks for the info because I was pretty lost on when to add the CUC! I'm going to try and pick up my stand today so that I can fill up and begin cycling this weekend but between bills and buying my little girl her gifts for Christmas it may have to wait but we'll see. I'll post pics once I get everything set up.