Well here it goes....

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

d9hp

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Oct 27, 2002
Messages
2,151
Location
North Carolina
Well guys im about to do it! Im looking on ebay and in the paper for a good 55-75 gallon tank which will be converted to SW. Im looking at getting an Aquamedic Turboflotor Skimmer of eBay and a wet/dry system from the LFS. Im not really sure if im gonna get some LR cured already from the LFS or get some from FFExpress. Im looking at getting some real cheap damsels and keep them alive for a month or so. Then i will take them all back to the LFS (maybe three or four) and getting some money back for a pair of Percula Clowns. I will then keep them alive for a month and then purchase a Bangaii Cardinalfish. In April I am looking to purchase a good lighting system and hood. NOT SURE WHICH, any suggestions? If I get a 75 gallon tank I will get a Powder Blue Tang in the Fall of next year. My first coral will be a shroom of some sort and maybe some polyps. I will keep them alive and then I will buy some leathers, wait and then get my fav coral, the ANCHOR. After a year ill buy a nice anemone and go from there. Any suggestions will obviously be a plus.
 
i know it is not recommended but i accually cycled in my first tank with a pair of ocellaris clowns. i believe joyce wilkerson (an author, and expert on clown fish) said she also uses them for cycling.
 
I would definitly skip the damsels all together if you have no intensions on keeping them. Go with fishless cycle, It is not as interesting to watch but, when done you will be able to put the clowns in and not have to spend the time to catch the damsels
 
new tank

I agree...go with the fishless cycle. Also, you mentioned a wet/dry system from the LFS? I would take the money I was gonna spend on that and put it into LR and LS. Get a good deep sand bed going to take care of those nitrates. The wet/dry filter will do a fine job of removing ammonia/nitrite, but will soon become a nitrate factory. If you're willing to wait just a little longer, the LR and LS will take care of all that for you. www.hellolights.com was recommended to me for lighting and I have to say their prices are great. Might want to check them out.
Logan J
 
hellolights is exactly what im looking at! i am going to keep the damsels, only for a month or so to make sure i can keep them alive! clowns are too expensive for me to buy and then have them die. so the wet/dry isnt a good idea or what. i need some clarification on that one please. and how bout that protein skimmer. i would like to know if it is a nice one or not.
 
wet/dry-skimmer

Well...I have been told, although I have never used one, that the Turboflotor skimmers are very good. As for the wet/dry, I would steer you away from that for reef filtration. The purpose of the wet/dry is to enhance the conversion of ammonia/nitrite to nitrate. It does it so well that the resulting nitrate concentrations are hard to control. The bacteria you need for this will grow in the live rock. The current trend in SW tanks is to have 1 - 1 1/2 lbs of live rock per gallon and a 4-5" deep sand bed. What I have used and have heard other people using is the CaribSea Seaflor grade reef sand. It would be good to inoculate this with some live sand. You can get this from GARF or CaribSea has some they call Aragalive. You can also get some sand from someones well established reef tank. The reason for the DSB is nitrate control. Down at the bottom of the sand bed, the oxygen level is very low. You have probably heard people talk about anaroebic or anoxic zones. What you have in the bottom of the sand bed is actually hypoxic (very low 02). The bacteria that lives in this environment feeds on nitrate and gives off nitrogen gas as a waste product. This bubbles to the surface. Once everything has cycled and the LS bed is established, you should have 0 readings for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. The more natural environment you create, the better it will regulate itself. IMO, the only filtration you need is the LR, LS, and maybe a skimmer. I'm sure fishfreek or reefrunner can expand on this as they both have more knowledge than I do about SW.
Logan J
 
reading

You might also want to check out the post in the Saltwater and Reef General Discussion by reefrunner on the Berlin Method. I think this will answer some of your questions and better clarify what I have said in the previous post.
Logan J
 
always vouch for more bacterial filtration over mechanical filtration. the best filter in the world is live rock. ive seen several people keep there tanks with a airstone under their live rock as their only filtration. protien skimmers are a good idea as they quickly remove excess waste.
 
Back
Top Bottom