converting to saltwater

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Switzer

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Messages
17
i have had a 20 gallon fresh water tank for over 4 years now, and every year i keep saying i want a saltwater tank,well i am finally going to do it! but i am just so overwhelmed with all this information ive read here and on other sites and i just dont know where to start. i have about 2 inches of sand on the bottom that has been there for abou 2 years now. i have a biowheel filter and a heater.

I am just lost on how to go about dumping the salt in, what brand salt, if i need to change my filter.

the tank is just going to be for fish, no coral, but i want the tank to look realistic. i dont like all the cheesy plastic toys and crap in there.
so would i use this live rock that i keep reading about. and would that start my cycle?... ahhh help please:confused::confused:..lol
 
i have had a 20 gallon fresh water tank for over 4 years now, and every year i keep saying i want a saltwater tank,well i am finally going to do it! but i am just so overwhelmed with all this information ive read here and on other sites and i just dont know where to start. i have about 2 inches of sand on the bottom that has been there for abou 2 years now. i have a biowheel filter and a heater.

I am just lost on how to go about dumping the salt in, what brand salt, if i need to change my filter.

the tank is just going to be for fish, no coral, but i want the tank to look realistic. i dont like all the cheesy plastic toys and crap in there.
so would i use this live rock that i keep reading about. and would that start my cycle?... ahhh help please:confused::confused:..lol

I can answer a few of your questions. Your make you salt in a seperate container, like a rubbermaid bucket. You can buy a bag of aquarium salt (I use Instant Ocean, but there are other types) and put the directed amount of salt in the bucket, which will depend on how many gallons you are making. It is optional to put powerheads in there to mix up the salt. Also, so people suggest letting it sit and aerate, but you can also use it right away. (y)
 
so i should drain all the freshwater thats inthe tank already and start with new?.. then mix the salt with the water in a bucket. what is a power head?
 
You'll need to start with new sand as well, can't use the freshwater stuff you have. :)

You woudl clean the tank really well and mix your saltwater or buy it from you local fish store and then fill your tank up.

You will also need some live rock and base rock.

Do you intend on keeping any corals?

A powerhead is one of these, it is necessary to circulate the water around the rock and to keep things from settling in the sand causing issues.

Water Pumps & Wavemakers: Hydor Koralia Evolution
 
Switzer said:
so i should drain all the freshwater thats inthe tank already and start with new?.. then mix the salt with the water in a bucket. what is a power head?

One step at a time... Lol... Clear every thing out ur tank. Put the sand in a bucket, you'll use that later. Dump all the water out and wipe out the tank with water and a NEW sponge, never used. Rinse out ur sand. When I say rinse it, I mean rinse it... Get all the gunk out of it.

Power head- a power head helps u make a flow in the water... Like a current.

2nd- put the sand back in and use RO water to fill it. This should already have ur salt mixed in it before u put it in the tank. U will need a good filter. No, do not use ur FW one without changing the media inside it. That will get u started. Any other questions, please ask. We are all here to help.
 
carey said:
You'll need to start with new sand as well, can't use the freshwater stuff you have. :)

You woudl clean the tank really well and mix your saltwater or buy it from you local fish store and then fill your tank up.

You will also need some live rock and base rock.

Do you intend on keeping any corals?

A powerhead is one of these, it is necessary to circulate the water around the rock and to keep things from settling in the sand causing issues.

Water Pumps & Wavemakers: Hydor Koralia Evolution

Dang Carey! Give us a chance to answer too... Lol... So quick! Btw, I used my freshwater coral, just rinsed it out. Had no issues.
 
you guys are awsome.. thank you for all the quick replies. i will just dump the sand and get new, it seems easier then trying to clean it all.

i understand that i need to get a new filter, but can i get the same carbon style that i use now?

And by baserock, would the sand be considered baserock? or do i need something else to mix with the sand?

do i need a aerator[sorry for my spelling]?
 
No air bubbler in sw. :)

And you can use the same hang on back filter you have, just clean it really really well and get new media for it.

Baserock would be this

ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Rock

I would add mostly that cheap rock and thenbuy some live rock from a LFS to seed the baserock and make it live.

As far as sand, no need to buy "Live" sand in the bag, much cheaper to get what ever sand you like. Aragonite, pool filter sand etc... thats up to you and your preference.
 
so are live rock and base rock different? i'm confused. sorry i'm being such a pain i just dont want to kill any inocent fish because mylack of knowledge
 
Switzer said:
so are live rock and base rock different? i'm confused. sorry i'm being such a pain i just dont want to kill any inocent fish because mylack of knowledge

Yes. They are. LR has organisms living on and in it. Good for the tank. Base rook is dead rock... But can become LR with seeding from LR.. Ur not a pain...
 
ok that makes sense.. so basically i need the liverock so i can start the cycle, and baserock is mainly decortive but has potential to become live rock. and i want to introduce everything all at once when i set it up correct?
 
Switzer said:
ok that makes sense.. so basically i need the liverock so i can start the cycle, and baserock is mainly decortive but has potential to become live rock. and i want to introduce everything all at once when i set it up correct?

Depends. And u can use straight ammonia to start ur cycle or a couple of dead shrimp. It'll be a month before u add livestock...
 
Not a pain at all. Thats what this forum is for. lol Ipsnet HOURS yesterday going back and forth over plumbing questions on a new tank. No one seemed to mind. Actually they seemed really glad to help.

The live rock will have critters and beneficial bacteria on it already, when placed in the tank with dead or base rock the base rock will "catch" the live ness of the live rock and then it will all be live. Within a few months the base rock will look just like the live rock. And within weeks the base rock will become live with bacteria from the LR and from your cycle.

I'd say get 15lbs of base rock at least and about 5 lbs of live rock. Thats about right I'd say. It's recommended to have 1.5 to 2 lbs of rock per gallon. I'm just giving you the min you should have. :)
 
I would add both rock at the same time so it can cycle togehter. The live rock will also help produce some ammonia whichis needed for your cycle. Do you have a API liquid test kit? Casue you will def need it. About $20 on amazon.com
 
I would plan on getting corals later on just in case. I was planning a fowlr (Fish Only With Live Rock) but since I already had a sump and lights, I decided to go full on reef.
 
is only doing a FOWLR or having corals, benifit from one another?. like easeir to maintain or set up?.

I was reading other articles on here about the different testers and tools, the mains things i will test for is? salinity which i beleive is like how much salt is in the water?.. please correct me if i am wrong. ammonia's, and nitrates? i'm yanking my hair out over here..lol and isn't there nitrites aswell?
 
In a fowlr you would test the same things as fw, except of r the salinity. Once you start up a decent coral population you would have to start testing for calcium, magnesium, alkalinuity and phosphates.

The main difference in the fowlr vs. the corals is the lights and the salinity. FOWLR can get away with about 1.021-1.024 while a full reef it is suggested keeping the salinity at 1.025 which is pretty close to natural seawater at 1.026.

Also with corals you need better than average water parameters like nitrates.
 
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