First Ever Saltwater Tank

[cmor1701d]

Any Asian market will have it and some larger grocery stores stock too. I used to get it from the fresh sushi section in the grocery, but they really only buy enough for their own use now.
I buy the package of 50 sheets for around $8 at the Asian market and it lasts a few months.

 

[360º]

heres an update

added a piece of dry coral to the middle. its nice and thin and filled the middle spot nicely

went to LFS and they told me a good beginner coral would be a frogspawn.
so i bought a small one to try it out.
i put the little rock it was on just under the sand.... is this ok or does it need to be moved onto the liverock? it does get current at the bottom (the little things move around)

also got a fluval G6 to replace the emperor 400 HOB filter.
any suggestions for bio media that i should use?
(already installed phosphate filter)
will the same ceramic bio max filter media work as in the freshwater systems?

 

[360º]

here you can see how much flow there is

Login | Facebook

 

[mr_X]

it says video unavailable.
that frogspawn should be ok on the sand bed, or moved up a little if need be. btw, all new additions should be placed on the sand bed, and slowly moved up according to their needs. the lighting at the LFS is not the same as yours and you should give them time to get used to it.

 

[360º]

it moves like a gental breeze is blowing threw it.

how will i know if it should be moved higher?

 

[mr_X]

if it starts losing color. if it starts to head towards more of a brown color, and less green, it's a pretty good indicator that it needs more light. if it starts turning white, it may be that it's too much light, or something else.

 

[360º]

thanks a lot, you're always such a great help.

any idea what kind of bio media i should run in my canister filter?

would the same ceramic bio media work as in a freshwater system? will bacteria start to grow on it?

 

[mr_X]

it's my pleasure. i don't have a tank right now so i get my reef fix through you guys. i would just use the cannister for carbon. i would also clean it out weekly. it's not like fresh water in that you can put some ceramic rings in a cannister and get more surface area. cannisters quickly build up nitrates.
your rock and sand and tank walls are where your bacteria will reside.

 

[360º]

it's my pleasure. i don't have a tank right now so i get my reef fix through you guys. i would just use the cannister for carbon. i would also clean it out weekly. it's not like fresh water in that you can put some ceramic rings in a cannister and get more surface area. cannisters quickly build up nitrates.
your rock and sand and tank walls are where your bacteria will reside.

oh ok thanks. so canister filters on a salt system are pointless?

what does carbon do? and how should i clean it? in tank water or tap water?

 

[mr_X]

no. they aren't pointless, but they need to be cleaned regularly, and in a reef system, i am not a fan of something that will have pods living in it, that will have to be cleaned so that you don't get a nutrient build up.

carbon removes organic compounds.
Activated Carbon in the Marine Tank
this will give you a run-down on it, however, i don't agree with the amount (they say 2 cups per 55 gallons. i think this is too little)they say to use.

carbon gets rinsed before use to remove the dust, and then gets changed out about monthly. i run tap water through it.

 

[360º]

cool thanks for the info?

any wise words of wisdom on how to catch damsel fish?

i went as far as taking out the liverock but they just stayed in there...... they'd rather being dry that get caught.

i've now built a trap and put it in, maybe itll work

 

[mr_X]

i have heard of folks having good results with an inverted 2 liter bottle. take an empty (clear) 2 liter bottle and cut the top off and invert it and glue it back in place...like this-
DIY Fish Trap Using 2 Liter Bottle - DIY Fish Traps

 

[Deep Seven]

Another trick to catching damsels, clip your net so it hangs open in the tank, and put your daily feeding for the damsel inside the net. After a day or three when he's really comfortable eating from the net, just scoop him out in the middle of dinner.

 

[austinsdad]

I'd also consider moving the rocks from the side of the tank so that you can clean there. 2-3" will do. As the tank gets older, your'e gonna wanna use a scraper on the side glass because it WILL get ugly there. Good move getting rid of the damsels.

PS - looks like 4 rocks to remove to net the damsels. Why all the tricks?

 

[360º]

I'd also consider moving the rocks from the side of the tank so that you can clean there. 2-3" will do. As the tank gets older, your'e gonna wanna use a scraper on the side glass because it WILL get ugly there. Good move getting rid of the damsels.

PS - looks like 4 rocks to remove to net the damsels. Why all the tricks?

they hide in the rock..... i take it out of the water, and they dont come out. they'd rather die than be caught

 

[360º]

i tried the bottle trick. put some pellets in there and some frozen brine shrimp.

 

[cmor1701d]

They will end up jumping out of the rock. Put the rock in a bucket with a little bit of water. They will leave the rock for the water when they need oxygen.

 

[austinsdad]

Consider putting the rock in fresh water. They'll come out I think.

Try Cmor's advice first though.

 

[360º]

how long can the liverock be out of water before the bacteria starts dying?

 

[austinsdad]

A lot of hours. No worry if only trying to wait out the damsels.