AquaKai's First SW Tank Journal

[Galligak]

I have been with freshwater for all of my fish keeping time and have been very content... however at the LFS when I went there last there were some beautiful mushroom and polyps in the for sale tanks (2.99 per polyp-pretty darn good deal from what I've seen at my any of my LFS). I fell in love and knew that I was going to have to get a saltwater tank I got the okay from the parents to have a salt tank, but it has to be in a 10g. But I figure that's ok, I can work with this!

I've read many threads and articles, scoured the internet and library for any information about keeping a salt tank. I want to do this nice and slow, so I can do it right.

I'd like to start off with just FOWLR, but I'd love to get some corals in the future...cough...mushrooms...cough... but the current money supply doesn't have room for some nice LEDs-yet!

Here is what I have thus far:
10g aquarium
15g Filter (Will get bigger in the future to hold some LR-that's what I've read a lot of people doing, is this correct? Any information about this?)
1 Powerhead (the lowest priced one at WalMart-I'd like to switch this out for a nicer one at my LFS, but it'll have to work for now)

To Get Tomorrow:
Salt
Sand
Refractometer (or hydrometer if that is all that they have)

There is a big sale happening at my LFS for 50% off all live rock (as well as fish, plants, etc.) and I'd love to get 5-6 lbs since it'll now be $5/lb instead of $10! The only catch is that I am leaving for a week to Virginia Beach come Sunday morning and the sale won't be happening when I get back. Could I set up the tank with LR and leave it for the week? I could put a shrimp in there and let it go, but would that be alright? I will get more base rock as well to get it to 10-15lbs

Thanks in advance! I know I have a lot of questions and will continue to have a lot more, but I want to do this right!

 

[saltcreep1025]

Congratulations on catching the saltwater bug! It's very exciting, and a bit overwhelming at first, but take things slow like you said and before you know it you'll have yourself a beautiful tank! I assume it is a hang on back filter? It will help with water flow and will be a good place to put some chemical filtration like carbon and purigen, but you will probably want to remove the media that came with it. You can absolutely put in the sand and live rock and leave it for a week. Do you have any type of lighting yet? If so, and the live rock has a lot of nice color on it, you may want to get a timer for the light also. Here is a picture of my tank if you would like to see what can be done with a similar setup. No fancy equipment or anything just a cheapish LED fixture, a couple powerheads, carbon, purigen, and live rock/sand. Sorry the quality is poo...

 

[Galligak]

Congratulations on catching the saltwater bug! It's very exciting, and a bit overwhelming at first, but take things slow like you said and before you know it you'll have yourself a beautiful tank! I assume it is a hang on back filter? It will help with water flow and will be a good place to put some chemical filtration like carbon and purigen, but you will probably want to remove the media that came with it. You can absolutely put in the sand and live rock and leave it for a week. Do you have any type of lighting yet? If so, and the live rock has a lot of nice color on it, you may want to get a timer for the light also. Here is a picture of my tank if you would like to see what can be done with a similar setup. No fancy equipment or anything just a cheapish LED fixture, a couple powerheads, carbon, purigen, and live rock/sand. Sorry the quality is poo...

Haha, thank you. It is a bit overwhelming but reading all of those articles and threads really helps and kind of gets rid of some of the yikes-ness! Yes it's a HOB. I used to have it on a FW tank.

That's great to hear! Plus it gives me one less week to look at an empty tank and long after a piece of the ocean. Currently it just has some CFLs on it in the hood, but they're 6500k so they're for FW.

Can I not have lights on the tank for the week? I highly doubt that the CFLs will do any good for the tank. Plus I don't think there are 10,000k CFLs for a quick and temporary fix

Also, beautiful tank! It looks amazing!

 

[Galligak]

What kind of lighting do you have rossv? Any that you recommend? I'd like to start looking around now, but I don't plan on getting anything too fancy until later (about two or so months). Thanks!

 

[Galligak]

Any opinion on this lighting? Bluewhite Aquarium LED Light 2 Modes Sea Marine Reef Fish Coral Fish Tank LED CE | eBay I know, I said that I was going to wait, but hey the internet will still be around in a few months so why not start now?

 

[saltcreep1025]

I'm not really comfortable giving suggestions on LEDs except try to get the 3w ones and make sure they are the correct color temps. I'm sure you can find plenty of opinions on which are good to get. Opinions on the interenet usually aren't hard to come by haha. I use the Marineland reef capable lights and wouldn't suggest them.

 

[Galligak]

I'm not really comfortable giving suggestions on LEDs except try to get the 3w ones and make sure they are the correct color temps. I'm sure you can find plenty of opinions on which are good to get. Opinions on the interenet usually aren't hard to come by haha. I use the Marineland reef capable lights and wouldn't suggest them.

Haha, I understand you completely! Thank you though. I will be sure to do that

 

[Galligak]

Just put the filter in the tank and it's set up. I am off to go buy LR! So excited All the research had built up to this point (and further).

 

[saltcreep1025]

Awesome! Just dont let normal folk know how excited you are to be paying 6-7 bucks a lb for a bunch of rocks. They just dont understand.

 

[Galligak]

Awesome! Just dont let normal folk know how excited you are to be paying 6-7 bucks a lb for a bunch of rocks. They just dont understand.

Haha, my mom thinks I'm insane! But she says whatever, it's my money and I earn it. Plus I pay for part of the water bill. I got 5.6lbs of LR and 7.5lbs of salt for $35

 

[Galligak]

Okay, here it is thus far:

The power head didn't want to work, so I used an old filter. I took the media out and through in some old rocks that I'll never use again. It's working pretty well as a last resort power head!

When I went to the store I found corals that I love! Haha, which were like all of them. I took some pictures:

Soon my babies, soon!

 

[Galligak]

Finally back from my vacation. They still had the sale going on!! I picked up 3lbs more. I'm now up to 8, I plan on getting 5 lbs of base rock, does that seem to be enough? Still need to get some sand though...

 

[Galligak]

My tank is nearly there with cycling! I've been eyeing the corals at the store with lust, but I shall stay away until I get some nice lighting (what is the min that would allow me some mushrooms...? ) My question for you all is the best fish to put in first? Inverts? Gobies? I'm not that sure... Everyone puts different fish in first, but what do you all suggest?

 

[jmay33]

My tank is nearly there with cycling! I've been eyeing the corals at the store with lust, but I shall stay away until I get some nice lighting (what is the min that would allow me some mushrooms...? ) My question for you all is the best fish to put in first? Inverts? Gobies? I'm not that sure... Everyone puts different fish in first, but what do you all suggest?

I've heard about a lot of people adding a clean up crew first. That's what I always do. Mushrooms are very low light so it wouldn't take much. slow and steady wins the race!

 

[George9]

My tank is nearly there with cycling! I've been eyeing the corals at the store with lust, but I shall stay away until I get some nice lighting (what is the min that would allow me some mushrooms...? ) My question for you all is the best fish to put in first? Inverts? Gobies? I'm not that sure... Everyone puts different fish in first, but what do you all suggest?

How did I miss this thread?? Congrats on your first saltwater tank!!

I've never had a clean up crew first actually, I've always just went with a hardy fish first, then when I got a little algae, and my nitrates were low I would add a clean up crew. If you have no algae, they might starve.

Since I assume you don't have a qt tank, be REALLY careful with fish. Make sure they're extremely healthy and I would do a freshwater, or paraguard bath before adding them. If you get ich in a saltwater tank, it's a mess.

 

[Galligak]

I've heard about a lot of people adding a clean up crew first. That's what I always do. Mushrooms are very low light so it wouldn't take much. slow and steady wins the race!

That's awesome! Like how little light? I mean I have 6500k bulbs... Yeah freshie here. There was this AMAZING mushroom frag (like two actual mushrooms) for $6 at the LFS yesterday... I'm trying my best to go slow. I mean I've been cycling for the past 3-4 weeks, so hopefully it'll be done (sooo close) by Tuesday (my grandma will be here then and I'd love to show her something)

How did I miss this thread?? Congrats on your first saltwater tank!!

I've never had a clean up crew first actually, I've always just went with a hardy fish first, then when I got a little algae, and my nitrates were low I would add a clean up crew. If you have no algae, they might starve.

Since I assume you don't have a qt tank, be REALLY careful with fish. Make sure they're extremely healthy and I would do a freshwater, or paraguard bath before adding them. If you get ich in a saltwater tank, it's a mess.

Thanks! It's really exciting. I told myself last year that I'd probably never have a tank because they are harder... But well the temptation was too strong and the LFS sale kind of set me over plus I had done a LOT of research during exam week/other time because I needed some destresser

Would you consider a goby to be hardy? What do you consider to be "hardy"? I really don't want to kill my first SW fish

I do have a QT "tank", it's more like a 15g tote. But I don't have to QT my first fish do I? Sorry, complete SW noob!


Thanks!!!!

 

[George9]

That's awesome! Like how little light? I mean I have 6500k bulbs... Yeah freshie here. There was this AMAZING mushroom frag (like two actual mushrooms) for $6 at the LFS yesterday... I'm trying my best to go slow. I mean I've been cycling for the past 3-4 weeks, so hopefully it'll be done (sooo close) by Tuesday (my grandma will be here then and I'd love to show her something)

Thanks! It's really exciting. I told myself last year that I'd probably never have a tank because they are harder... But well the temptation was too strong and the LFS sale kind of set me over plus I had done a LOT of research during exam week/other time because I needed some destresser

Would you consider a goby to be hardy? What do you consider to be "hardy"? I really don't want to kill my first SW fish

I do have a QT "tank", it's more like a 15g tote. But I don't have to QT my first fish do I? Sorry, complete SW noob!

Thanks!!!!

My lfs had the same sale! 50% off is a good deal got a $100 fish for $50 bucks!

Do you know exactly what type of goby? I think you would be fine adding one first

I would qt, because you can still get ich in the tank, and there are only 2 ways to 100% kill ich. Copper and hyposalinity, and both require moving the fish to a hospital tank and let the main tank sit without fish for 8 weeks. NOT fun at all!!! And if you dose copper in the main tank, you destroy your chances at keeping inverts because the rock soaks up some copper and leaches it out over time. Inverts can't tolerate copper.

 

[Galligak]

My lfs had the same sale! 50% off is a good deal got a $100 fish for $50 bucks!

Do you know exactly what type of goby?

I would qt, because you can still get ich in the tank, and there are only 2 ways to 100% kill ich. Copper and hyposalinity, and both require moving the fish to a hospital tank and let the main tank sit without fish for 8 weeks. NOT fun at all!!! And if you dose copper in the main tank, you destroy your chances at keeping inverts because the rock soaks up some copper and leaches it out over time. Inverts can't tolerate copper.

Hahaha, that's awesome! I just got 8lbs of LR for 40 instead of 80, and a bunch of plants as well!

I'm thinking either a black clown goby (depends on how soon they come in) or a yellow clown goby. I just love their little faces! I know that I'll probably be shot down on this, but would a clown fish be considered a hardy fish?... (prepares for scolding on how they won't fit)...

I'll be sure to QT them, but I have yet to get ich from the store as they apparently (according to them) QT all the fish before they put them out and I've seen them not sell things because they think that they may have ich. Thanks a ton George!

 

[George9]

Hahaha, that's awesome! I just got 8lbs of LR for 40 instead of 80, and a bunch of plants as well!

I'm thinking either a black clown goby (depends on how soon they come in) or a yellow clown goby. I just love their little faces! I know that I'll probably be shot down on this, but would a clown fish be considered a hardy fish?... (prepares for scolding on how they won't fit)...

I'll be sure to QT them, but I have yet to get ich from the store as they apparently (according to them) QT all the fish before they put them out and I've seen them not sell things because they think that they may have ich. Thanks a ton George!

Great deal!!

A clown is a very hardy fish! It was my first, they're cool little guys. I've seen people keep them in tanks as small as 3 gallons. You'll be fine with one in your tank.

That's great they QT them! But if you ever decide to not qt, do a freshwater dip at the very least and sometimes ich can be kept at bay with a good diet and raising the immune system. I think you'll be fine.

 

[Galligak]

Great deal!!

A clown is a very hardy fish! It was my first, they're cool little guys. I've seen people keep them in tanks as small as 3 gallons. You'll be fine with one in your tank.

That's great they QT them! But if you ever decide to not qt, do a freshwater dip at the very least and sometimes ich can be kept at bay with a good diet and raising the immune system. I think you'll be fine.

Okay, that's awesome! My sister's been begging for a clown and a tang (I told her NO WAY to the tang. She's now determined to get a 180g SW tank...). She'll be excited to hear that. I'll make sure to have that as my first fish. My Nitrites are very low right now, so hopefully they'll be gone soon and then I'll dose again and hopefully see all zeros in the right places! I think that I may just fresh dip the first one and then QT all the rest of them