My first SW Tank

[Henry405]

Hello everyone!

In the past, I've taken care of multiple FW tanks including a koi pond. Since this is my first SW tank, i figured making a thread would be more helpful than just reading other threads since it'll make this more personal. After doing much research, this is what I have so far:

36g Bow front tank
36 LB live rock
40 LB live sand
Penguin 200 HOB filter- 200GPH
Aqueon Quietflow HOB filter- 200GPH

I have started the tank to cycle yesterday with only 20 lb of live sand and 12 lb of live rock, but today I added the rest, waiting for the sand to settle before I can take pictures. For ammonia, I've added two raw shrimp, some might say this is a lot, but due to this being my first SW tank, I want to be safe. Also, if I can get this tank to thrive, my dad would like for me to set up a 150+ gallon SW aquarium for him so motivation to do this correctly is very high.

Planned stock:
2 clownfish- haven't decided on species yet
Antenna Lionfish
maybe a dwarf angel

Any advice would be much appreciated

Also, since I've added the extra 20LB of live sand after i've had the water in, the water is taking a lot longer to clear up compared to the first time, should I leave the filters on or will turning them off help more?

 

[joy13]

Are you going to do a reef tank?

This is what I found on the antenna lionfish you might want to reconsider Antenna Lionfish (Pterois antennata) Profile it will get to big for your tank and possibly eat the other fish if they aren't large enough.

 

[Henry405]

Are you going to do a reef tank?

This is what I found on the antenna lionfish you might want to reconsider Antenna Lionfish (Pterois antennata) Profile it will get to big for your tank and possibly eat the other fish if they aren't large enough.

I am possibly doing a reef tank, but that would have to be after the tank is well established. For now, FOWLR

The antenna lionfish should be ok in my tank. I've done a lot of research about lionfish and the antenna is a dwarf lionfish which requires a minimum of 30 gallons. It is the larger lionfish species such as the volitans that require the minimum 75 gallons.

I've also talked about this with my LFS and they were the one that gave me the ideas for the stock list. Since my tank is small, the lionfish will grow slower than in a larger tank which hopefully allows the clowns and dwarf angel to stay larger the lion's mouth

Thanks for looking out

 

[joy13]

Make sure your LFS isn't talking about a dwarf lionfish.
The Lionfish Info Sheet: Captive Care and Home Husbandry by Frank Marini, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

The common names can get kind of confusing. Yesterday at the LFS they had a couple of wrasses labeled as green grass coris wrasse. Nothing in any of the books they had or I had gave any information about them. I got home and found out the common name is sea grass wrasse. Usually they know what they have but these were extras shipped with their regular shipment.

I am glad you are researching instead of relying on what the fish store has to say.

 

[BallinCrew10]

I can't comment on the antenna lionfish im because I don't know about it, but I do know lionfish will eat anything that will fit in its mouth. At some point in time your clowns will become an expensive snack, along with any shrimp, crabs, and small fish that are in there.

 

[BallinCrew10]

Ahh I missed those posts haha. Its good to see someone who actually researches what they buy and not just go out and impulse buy things because it looks cool and wonder why it wiped out their tank.

 

[Henry405]

I am currently doing the fishless cycle with raw shrimps. I've left 2 shrimps in a net hanging in the tank for the last 24 hrs. and its decomposing with pieces of the body coming off and getting stuck to the net. How long should I leave them in there?

 

[hackteck]

I am currently doing the fishless cycle with raw shrimps. I've left 2 shrimps in a net hanging in the tank for the last 24 hrs. and its decomposing with pieces of the body coming off and getting stuck to the net. How long should I leave them in there?

When I do my fishless cycle I just leave them in

 

[Henry405]

until they completely decompose?


Also, another concern I have is that I've added 20 lbs of sand after I added the SW. the first 20lbs seemed like it was enough, but it wasn't. The issue now is that as the water gets less cloudy, I notice some of my live rock is covered with live sand. Is this ok or should I get the sand off the rock?

 

[BallinCrew10]

I personally use a turkey baster and blow it off the LR. Not sure if its actually bad for it I just don't like the look of it. I would think that it might impede the growth of corraline and such but that's just a guess.

 

[Henry405]

I did try to get most of it off yesterday and it clouded the water the water for about 12 hours and now that it cleared up there is still a lot on the LR Looking at a cloudy tank sucks haha.

I am now seeing this white "foam" around the top of my water. It's almost like a blob or something. Is that the protein that people use a skimmer to get rid of? Should I try to take it out?

 

[Henry405]

The tank is finally clear enough to take some pictures

These shrimps were raw, but I guess the water cooked them

 

[Homedog98]

Your pictures didn't show up.

 

[hackteck]

Can't see the pics

 

[Henry405]

i have no idea why they wont show up, maybe I don't have the power to post pictures?

 

[Homedog98]

You do... I'll show you what it says when you click it.

 

[Homedog98]

Something's up with photobucket.

 

[Henry405]

When I tried to attach it, it says "Remote file is too large" even after I resized it

 

[Homedog98]

When I tried to attach it, it says "Remote file is too large" even after I resized it

Do you have an iPhone or something? It's easier to add them on the app.

 

[Henry405]

i uploaded the pictures as an attachment so it works, they're in post #12. Don't want to repost too many times