Advice for 29 gallon. . .

[cbseven]

I currently have freshwater but I am new to saltwater and have a few questions.


So I went to a bigger pet supply store for a 55 gallon tank. They only had one in stock and it ended up having a chip where the side joint. The sales person told me it should be "fine" and shes had hers for years with a chip in it with no problems because it wasent through the silicon. I didnt risk it so I bought a 29 gallon aquarium. ("all glass aquarium" brand).


I was planing on going lr. But my lfs is charging $9 a pound. So at 1.5 pounds per gallon i am at over $300 in just lr. So I may go fish only with bio filtration. But can I do a live sand bed without lr?

I was thinking of going hid lighting. (hid projection glass top) (6500, or 8000) I have both systems lying around but dont know which would be best. For lr / fish

 

[austinsdad]

First, I'd hold out for a 55g if that's what you really wanted. The lighting will cost you more for a reef on it (as opposed to a 29g), but you'll run out of tank real soon with the smaller and wish you did have the 55g.

Is the chip on the outside corner - in the glass only? It may be worth another look. Hard to say w/out seeing it.

On the rock, 1.5 times 55 is $495 - - but you can consider 25 lbs of LR and 25 lbs of base rock that will become LR in no time. You can add pcs of rock here and there with new coral as it'll be fully cured that way. I wouldn't worry about jumping in with the whole 1.5 lbs right away. Read up on Cycling a tank in the articles section at this site (above). That'll help you think better about start-up.

And of course, the requisite - - "Welcome to AA!!!!"

What part of the country you hailin' from?

 

[roka64]

WELCOME TO AA!!

Austinsdad hit it. I would go for the LR and base rock, that is going to be your best biofiltration, along with sand. It is also great for your critters to get the privacy they will need.
I didn't buy all of my LR at the same time. I am still adding some, now and then.

I think the glass top might cause heating and pH problems. I had a canopy and still had problems. I bought this light and pH and heat balanced out, nicely:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12772&N=2004+113175

 

[cbseven]

I live in MA. I wanted to go 55 gallon but I guess it was a good thing I didnt go that "large". It kept me in check for the space I have.

 

[pancho]

Also, there are places online that sell live rock as cheap as 4 or 5 bucks a pound.
www.liveaquaria.com
www.marinedepotlive.com

 

[cbseven]

Would the Eheim 2026 be a good filter for what I want to do