First Salt Water attempt.

[gemach7]

Had a spare tank and thought I'd try my hand at saltwater.

Have read a couple of the start ups on the web and used as place to start.

Tank is a 15 gallon long.
So far have put in 20lbs of live sand, 5 lbs of live rock and some dry rock. While the dry rock becomes live I put on 2 disassembled aqueon 30 quiet flow filters for water flow. I purchased a light fixture to hold 2 coralife 10,000k t8 24" bulbs for eventual coral. Have not installed this thinking would just promote algae at this stage, so only have a standard t5 running at the moment.


My main questions are from different viewpoints I have read.

1) I could use only a protein skimmer and live rock for filtration?

2) should I put the coral growing light for the live rock only; would this speed up the process of making the dry rock live?

3) what size and type of flow pumps should I install? Circulating/wave? Brand?

4) and are the t8's enough/too much light for coral and what kinds would grow best for when the tank is ready for that?

 

[Sniperhank]

1. Yes you can.
2. No, the rock will be live through the cycle.
3. For a fowlr system, you can aim for 10x turnover of the water column. It goes up much more for coral depending on what you get.
4. I don't think t8 are enough for even the lowest light of corals.

 

[melosu58]

I agree that your lighting will not be enough. Not for corals anyway.

 

[gemach7]

Would a finnex ray2 daylight/actinic be enough for coral?

 

[Mebbid]

Would a finnex ray2 daylight/actinic be enough for coral?

Yes it should.

 

[gemach7]

Yes it should.

Thanks!

 

[Autumnsky]

As for getting started usually the majority here are dead on and straying from the "best practices" and recommendations usually net you sadness. So stick to the basics and save money till you get some experience under the belt. I tried to grow things without enough light and killed things and wasted a sizable chunk of change. Reading up on peoples disasters can help prevent you from similar fate.

Learn about reef pests and nuisance algaes. Good to know ahead of time!

Happy education and learning on your very special endeavor.

 

[mr_X]

I would not have any light on right now while the tank cycles. All you are doing is growing algae. Live rock does not need light. Ambient light from the room window is plenty. I would use more rock also. At least double what you appear to have there.

 

[gemach7]

Added more rock switched out the 2 HOB's for a circulating pump... Not sure I will be keeping that size after cycle is finished. Might tone it down to 2 smaller pumps.

Couple questions.

1 I know I don't need a sump for this setup. But I could I do a feed and return into a 10 gallon and put the heater and skimmer in there just to hide it. Small tank just seems so noticeable lol.

2 I live on the beach just wondering can water changes be done with ocean water. More a curiosity, tank currently setup with ro/di and reef salt.

3 for the eventual addition of animals. What can properly work in a 15 gallon long. Light for coral will be a finnex ray2 daylight/actinic. Wanted 1 or 2 colorful fish and and suitable inverts

 

[coralbandit]

I'll try on 1&2
1You can run a sump on any size tank if you want.
Are thinking of sump or running two tanks in series on the same level and keeping the equipment in one?
2.Test the water.
Usaully you need to go out deep to get to "clean water".
I knew a member who lived on an island and their ocean water tested like 20-40 nitrates .
Think of how a skimmer works and then the waves on the beach.......and all that foam(no good).

 

[Rutrag]

View attachment 273674
Added more rock switched out the 2 HOB's for a circulating pump... Not sure I will be keeping that size after cycle is finished. Might tone it down to 2 smaller pumps.

Couple questions.

1 I know I don't need a sump for this setup. But I could I do a feed and return into a 10 gallon and put the heater and skimmer in there just to hide it. Small tank just seems so noticeable lol.

2 I live on the beach just wondering can water changes be done with ocean water. More a curiosity, tank currently setup with ro/di and reef salt.

3 for the eventual addition of animals. What can properly work in a 15 gallon long. Light for coral will be a finnex ray2 daylight/actinic. Wanted 1 or 2 colorful fish and and suitable inverts

1) Yep, and you just made a sump!

2) Yes, but oftentimes water close to shore will carry pollutants from runoff. IMO, go RODI and salt mix for consistency.

3) Not sure what you mean here. Snails (other than conchs and cowries), cleaner shrimp or a pistol shrimp, blue leg or red leg hermits, emerald crabs, porcelain crabs all don't require much space. (I'd be wary of a pistol shrimp with other crustaceans personally.) I'm not familiar with that light, so I'll defer to others as far as which photosynthetic inverts are suitable.

 

[gemach7]

I'll try on 1&2
1You can run a sump on any size tank if you want.
Are thinking of sump or running two tanks in series on the same level and keeping the equipment in one?
2.Test the water.
Usaully you need to go out deep to get to "clean water".
I knew a member who lived on an island and their ocean water tested like 20-40 nitrates .
Think of how a skimmer works and then the waves on the beach.......and all that foam(no good).

Was going to run a tank underneath with all the equipment in it. Figured also would increase the amount of water in the system by 10 gallons to help with fluctuations.


Also guessing ocean water would involve adding in all of the reef chemicals since would not be present in my salt mix after I finally add corral.

 

[coralbandit]

Most salt mixes do have enough of the traces when you mix.
Different brands are formulated for different systems(fish/reef).
You will need an overflow/skimmer to move water from top(dt) to lower(sump).
This is now a sump run system!
Congrats!
You shouldn't count on filling up the sump as you need to be prepared for power outages and such.Hopefully you should be able to hold 6-7g while running.

 

[54seaweed]

I would avoid taking anything from your local beach
it may be illegal and carry big fines
besides that the water can be contaminated
as for fish and inverts they can be carrying parasites and other nasty s
it really don't pay taking short cuts as it causes more issues than it's worth

 

[Mebbid]

I would avoid taking anything from your local beach it may be illegal and carry big fines

+1 to this. Most states have laws that specifically prohibit collection without a license.

as for fish and inverts they can be carrying parasites and other nasty s
it really don't pay taking short cuts as it causes more issues than it's worth

I honestly believe that your chance increases of getting healthy fish if you collect them yourself. Fish are kept in parasite ridden tanks after being caught which causes the majority of the problems with illness.

 

[gemach7]

+1 to this. Most states have laws that specifically prohibit collection without a license.







I honestly believe that your chance increases of getting healthy fish if you collect them yourself. Fish are kept in parasite ridden tanks after being caught which causes the majority of the problems with illness.

Really was just curious on the use of the water. Will test just to see, but salt mix really isn't that expensive for a tank this size. But Don't think I have enough knowledge on marine wildlife to even try to catch my own

On a positive note tank water today:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate 10ppm

So least tank is cycling lol.

 

[mr_X]

I honestly believe that your chance increases of getting healthy fish if you collect them yourself. Fish are kept in parasite ridden tanks after being caught which causes the majority of the problems with illness.

I also agree. Parasites and pests aren't as plentiful with predators everywhere, than a closed, safe, environment.

 

[gemach7]

Picked up another piece of Live rock yesterday that I must not have looked at it very well found this little guy this morning. Not sure what kind he is or if I should try return to LFS since tank is still cycling. Caught him eating the green spongy stuff growing on my rock(web search said normal process of live rock introduction and?)