just getting started - Frag Outpost Forums - Coral Propagation and Reef Aquarium Forums

littlemutt · 10-03-2005, 02:47 PM

i'm in the process of setting up a saltwater tank(s) and would be grateful if someone could just go over the basics (ie) salt content, ph, etc, have ordered a book - saltwater for dummies but it has yet to arrive and as i have already set up the tanks would appreciate any help with the basics. thanks

FragOutpost · 10-03-2005, 03:44 PM

Hello littlemutt and welcome to FragOutpost.com.
What size tank do you have?
What type of aquarium are you setting up? - fish only, reef tank?
What type af animals do you plan on keeping? - hard corals, soft corals, zoanthids, fish, etc.

Are you familiar with the process of cycling a tank?

Your basic water parameters should be in the neighborhood of -
ph - 8.0-8.3
Alkalinity - 8-9dKH
Specific Gravity - 1.023-1.025
Temperature - 78-82 degrees Farenheit - slightly lower or higher is acceptable as well
Calcium - 350-450ppm - less is acceptable if keeping fish only or mostly non-calcium consumers like soft corals
Ammonia - < 0.1 - optimally 0
Nitrite - < 0.1 - optimally 0
Nitrates - < 0.1 - optimally 0
Phosphorus - optimally 0 - the less the better

Hope this Helps!

FragOutpost · 10-03-2005, 03:50 PM

Another important question - What is your choice of substrate?
Deep Sand Bed
Shallow Sand Bed
Bare Bottom
Crushed coral
Sugar Sand

Your choice of substrate will have an impact on the animals you decide to keep as many animals need to be able to burrow.

Have you already purchased live rock? Do you plan on making your own live rock, aka aragocrete, and seeding it? Many people swear by the method of cooking their rock when setting up a new tank so this is something to think about as well.

The more time you spend planning now, the more you will enjoy your tank later and the less hair you will pull out trying to solve problems.

FragOutpost · 10-03-2005, 03:52 PM

Identification Images - this might be useful to you as well.

littlemutt · 10-03-2005, 04:14 PM

thanks helps alot! may seem like stupid questions, as i should have gotten the book first but have always had freshwater so it's all new to me.

tanks - 1 - 24 gal nanocube
1 - 20 gal plexi ( 17X17X17 ) homemade
1 - 18 gal - sump/refigium ( 32"l x 18"h x 7"wide) divided into 4 compartments (feed, skimmer/heater,refigium and return) homemade

the 24 nano and the 20 plexi are side by side with the 18 gal sump directly behind them all at the same level. i have them connected with 1 1/4" u-tubes -2 per tank. i have a quiet one pump (1140gph) located in the sump attached to a scsd wavemaker which i have plumbed to feed both tanks. i have a remora c skimmer located in the sump also as well as a 250 watt heater. lighting is a 64w 50/50 compact flour. over the nano, 96w compact flour. over the 20 gal and a small compact flour over the refigium.

would greatly appreciate your opinion on my set-up and any suggestions you might have to make it better. thanks again for the help

littlemutt · 10-03-2005, 04:21 PM

substrate is 40lbs of live sand for both, not sure if that's enough but will see, have odered 50 lbs of live rock which will be arriving shortly - also not sure if that's enough, hoping it is as i have limited funds.
have a million questions but don't want to ask to much, thanks again

Peterock · 10-03-2005, 04:31 PM

Hello and welcome to the fourms before i give any advise i would like to see a pic of what you have working with and how you want stuff set up and laid out. please.

littlemutt · 10-03-2005, 05:07 PM

still trying to figure out how to get pics and post them - i'm not much above computer illiterate. will work on it.
as far as layout all 3 tanks are next to each other, the 24 nano and the 20 plexi are side by side with the sump/refigium directly behind, they are interconnected with u-tubes and have been up and running for a couple of weeks with freshwater ( mainly just to see if setup would work and also to check for leaks ) everything seems to be working ok and yesterday i added salt. today i'm adding 40 lbs of live sand ( i hope that's the right way to do it ) 50 lbs of live rock is on the way.

the 20 gal is on the left side and i hope to have some coral, mushrooms,etc and 3 or 4 fish in it. 1 clown, 1 dwarf flame angel, 1 fridman pseudochromis and maybe a lawnmower blennie. does that sound like a good mix? would appreciate any ideas for coral,polyp's etc - this tank has a 96 watt 50/50 compact flour. lighting. is that enough light for coral? have thought about adding a metal halide at a later date when my buget allows.

the 24 gal nano is on the right side and i hope to have maybe a yellow watchman gody, a red velvet wrasse, citroen clown goby and lots of snails, hermits and shrimp. would like some ideas on coral, mushrooms, etc for lower lighting conditions as the tank came with 64 watts of 50/50 compact flour. lighting and seems like it would be hard to upgrade.

the 18 gal sump/refigium is located behind the other 2 and houses a protein skimmer(remora c) and a heater in 1 compartment, in the next compartment an 7 gal refigium which i have i have put 6lbs of kents marine biosediment and plan to plant some type of marine plants to help with filtration. not sure what would be appropiate and would welcome your imput.the last compartment houses a quiet one 1140 gph pump which powers an scsd wavemaker plumbed to both tanks. this works but does not seem to produce enough of a current. got the largest pump i could fit into sump but not sure if it's enough.

hope i've explained my setup so that you at least get a general idea - any help, comments, suggestions will be greatly appreciated - thanks

FragOutpost · 10-03-2005, 04:35 PM

Please feel free to ask any questions you might have as there are some very knowledgable people on this forum.

40 lbs of sand would probably give you a shallow sandbed in both the tanks. If you add sand to your fuge too then you might find yourself needing more. If you do need more then you can save some $$ by getting some aragonite based dry sand, as in due time it will all be live (same goes for the rock too).

Sounds like you are off to a pretty good start. Since you are familiar with keeping freshwater tanks I will assume you are familiar with the cycling process. It is virtually the same as freshwater just be sure to take things slow in the begining.

If you choose not to cook your rock then I would suggest placing the rock in a container with some saltwater and take a powerhead and try to blow out as much deterious as you can before placing into your tank. This should also remove some of the stuff that did not survive shipping.