New Member into, from FW to SW

[Carrie95376]

Hi I'm Carrie and have started my SW tank with what I thought was enough information. Now I feel like I got in way over my head. I knew it would be a time and monetary investment, I felt prepared for it, however now I've invested money into live rock and lighting , sand, salt test kits, etc, I can't go back to FW. There is so much conflicting or just different opinions out there it makes my head spin lol.
I wish I found this site before I even put water in my tank. But I'm glad I found it now. The local SW store (20miles away) was so busy and I was so uninformed, I did not know where to even start. So I bought live rock,sand, a hydrometer and a light.

And the stink began! my protein skimmer is eighter on it's way out, or I'm doing something wrong, I cannot get it to suck up water. So after several water changes, and time, and filtration. The stink has subsided. I had no idea it would take so long to start up, but have been patient and am going to get a new skimmer and do another partial water change.

I guess my first question is how do I get the crud out off the bottom of the sand, the dead stuff from the live rock basically?

 

[herp_mommy]

Welcome to the forum! While your tank is cycling, don't worry about the appearance. Just do regular water changes and keep your ammonia source going. Then you can siphon up the "gunk" on the bottom. And if the live rock was kept alive, there shouldn't be any "dead stuff" aka die off.

 

[Mrc8858]

Also to add, proper flow should keep that "dead stuff" from building up. What size is your tank and what's your gph total inside the display tank?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

to AA! Great people, great advice here looks like your already getting it

 

[Mrc8858]

Where are my manners lol welcome to AA!

 

[Carrie95376]

Sorry my tank is 37 gallon bow front (if that matters) tank. I got it on craigslist and my protein skimmer went out so I'm going to the store to get one. It was a prismn skimmer.

I couldn't get it to suck up any water no matter how hard I tried.

I don't know my gph . I'm just running the (sorry) thing that makes
the water flow.

I'm also running a filter from my fresh water tank with a carbon filter.


Should I have that also? Or just the protein skimmer?


I'm off to the store to get a new skimmer this afternoon. Any suggestions for a tank my
size? I'm sure there are lots of opinions but , lol not looking to spend a fortune to start.

I heard it was expensive but my tank has always been my time to relax and I defiantly needed to start a tank, so I was hoping to spend the money a bit here and there adding things to It.
thanks for the replies and the warm welcome!

Carrie