29 Gallon Saltwater Tank Questions

[too_many_fish]

Hi all, totally new to the forum and needing to ask some questions if I may. Sorry if I am beating that poor old horse all over again! I have read thru links provided in other posts, but still have MANY questions! I have a 29 Gallon tank that I am wanting to convert into a saltwater tank-nothing extravagant though. Our daughter is wanting the clownfish-Nemo to her of course. I am not looking to add expensive corals, at least not right off the bat. I am wanting to be able to use all the equipment that is currently in the tank with as little, or no, modifications as possible. The temp stays very regular with the heater that is in it now. I was told at one LFS that a 30 is the minimum they would use (and have one running this size themselves), but at another LFS they only use a 10 gallon which contains coral with low lighting. I have read a lot about the LR, but all the LFS's around here only sell it in bags, which I was told had NO life in it-will this work? I have one of the LFS's that will give me one of their used filters to use in my tank to help get it cycled, and I might even be able to talk them out of a bit of their LR to go in my tank. I was also told that I do NOT want star fish in my tank as they will eat most anything-is this true? The Nemo's are the main ones I want in this tank, and maybe a Blue Tang-Dori of course. Any help and advice you can give is GREATLY appreciated! THANKS!!!

 

[BigC]

You will still need testing kits and Synthetic sea salt. You can go with no substrate some LR and the clowns. Ideally its looks much better if they have a something to host, It doesn't have to be an Anemone. A pair of Clown is all your gonna fit into that tank fish wise a Dori is out of the question. You can express a little more interest with a few low lighting coral species and some shrimp and hermits.
Ideally you will need a Korallia pump for water movement.
I wouldn't take anything from anyone else's tank (media included) not in this game anyway.
Just keep asking questions we're here to help.
Have you got an external canister filter.
Regards

 

[too_many_fish]

You will still need testing kits and Synthetic sea salt. You can go with no substrate some LR and the clowns. Ideally its looks much better if they have a something to host, It doesn't have to be an Anemone. A pair of Clown is all your gonna fit into that tank fish wise a Dori is out of the question. You can express a little more interest with a few low lighting coral species and some shrimp and hermits.
Ideally you will need a Korallia pump for water movement.
I wouldn't take anything from anyone else's tank (media included) not in this game anyway.
Just keep asking questions we're here to help.
Have you got an external canister filter.
Regards

Hi, thanks for the quick reply! I haven't purchased the testing kits as of yet, but I already have a start on the sea salt (Instant Ocean) as I have brackish tanks going now. I do want a substrate of course as a bare bottom is not appealing to the eye. Is it adult fish size that makes it not possible to keep a Dori with the Nemo's, or other reasons? WHEN (not if LOL) I ever get this project started and I feel safe it is OK to add something to it, I can purchase a few reasonably priced snails or crabs to add before adding an expensive Nemo-$25 around here to buy ONE! What is a Korallia pump and what is the purpose of it? The filter that came with this system is just an Aqua-Tech Power Filter with Bio Fiber. I am sure there will be many more questions to come, thanks!


Forgot to add that I also use bubblers in most all of my tanks for water movement/oxygenation-is this a viable option for the saltwater tank?

 

[bagu]

You will still need testing kits and Synthetic sea salt. You can go with no substrate some LR and the clowns. Ideally its looks much better if they have a something to host, It doesn't have to be an Anemone. A pair of Clown is all your gonna fit into that tank fish wise a Dori is out of the question. You can express a little more interest with a few low lighting coral species and some shrimp and hermits.
Ideally you will need a Korallia pump for water movement.
I wouldn't take anything from anyone else's tank (media included) not in this game anyway.
Just keep asking questions we're here to help.
Have you got an external canister filter.
Regards

Hi, thanks for the quick reply! I haven't purchased the testing kits as of yet, but I already have a start on the sea salt (Instant Ocean) as I have brackish tanks going now. I do want a substrate of course as a bare bottom is not appealing to the eye. Is it adult fish size that makes it not possible to keep a Dori with the Nemo's, or other reasons? WHEN (not if LOL) I ever get this project started and I feel safe it is OK to add something to it, I can purchase a few reasonably priced snails or crabs to add before adding an expensive Nemo-$25 around here to buy ONE! What is a Korallia pump and what is the purpose of it? The filter that came with this system is just an Aqua-Tech Power Filter with Bio Fiber. I am sure there will be many more questions to come, thanks!

Well...

Dori's need ALOT of tank space, i mean ALOT they are built for swimming fast etc, and they will also grow far far too large and of course you can add snails before you add nemo, it will give the tank a chance to fully settle down

A Koralia is a powerhead, that basically increases water turnover and puts more flow into the tank; as the Live Rock is the filtration in the tank, it needs to have current passing all over it Your spray bar therefore can add surface agitation to increase oxygenation, and the powerhead to "filter" the tank.

Questions are good! also, i dont keep marine mate, this is just me speaking from lurking around in the salty side :

 

[too_many_fish]

You will still need testing kits and Synthetic sea salt. You can go with no substrate some LR and the clowns. Ideally its looks much better if they have a something to host, It doesn't have to be an Anemone. A pair of Clown is all your gonna fit into that tank fish wise a Dori is out of the question. You can express a little more interest with a few low lighting coral species and some shrimp and hermits.
Ideally you will need a Korallia pump for water movement.
I wouldn't take anything from anyone else's tank (media included) not in this game anyway.
Just keep asking questions we're here to help.
Have you got an external canister filter.
Regards

Hi, thanks for the quick reply! I haven't purchased the testing kits as of yet, but I already have a start on the sea salt (Instant Ocean) as I have brackish tanks going now. I do want a substrate of course as a bare bottom is not appealing to the eye. Is it adult fish size that makes it not possible to keep a Dori with the Nemo's, or other reasons? WHEN (not if LOL) I ever get this project started and I feel safe it is OK to add something to it, I can purchase a few reasonably priced snails or crabs to add before adding an expensive Nemo-$25 around here to buy ONE! What is a Korallia pump and what is the purpose of it? The filter that came with this system is just an Aqua-Tech Power Filter with Bio Fiber. I am sure there will be many more questions to come, thanks!

Well...

Dori's need ALOT of tank space, i mean ALOT they are built for swimming fast etc, and they will also grow far far too large and of course you can add snails before you add nemo, it will give the tank a chance to fully settle down

A Koralia is a powerhead, that basically increases water turnover and puts more flow into the tank; as the Live Rock is the filtration in the tank, it needs to have current passing all over it Your spray bar therefore can add surface agitation to increase oxygenation, and the powerhead to "filter" the tank.

Questions are good! also, i dont keep marine mate, this is just me speaking from lurking around in the salty side :

Well we cross posted! LOL I added this to my last post-Forgot to add that I also use bubblers in most all of my tanks for water movement/oxygenation-is this a viable option for the saltwater tank?
I had a power head once that I ended up taking back to the LFS because the wheel quit turning and all it did was move a little bit of water, which wasn't sufficient for the amount I paid them for it. Now I just use the MUCH cheaper air pumps, to which I have also learned that even though some might have two hook-ups, one moves a lot of air and the other moves very little. I am all about water movement/oxygenation in my tanks as I want to be sure my babies are healthy and happy. I have already made MANY mistakes in the last few months of learning, which is why I want to be sure I get as much right as I can PRIOR to buying expensive things to go in my saltwater tank. Also, what about buying the so-called LR they sell at the LFS? You might not keep marine, but you sure know a heck of a lot more about it than I do!

 

[bagu]

You will still need testing kits and Synthetic sea salt. You can go with no substrate some LR and the clowns. Ideally its looks much better if they have a something to host, It doesn't have to be an Anemone. A pair of Clown is all your gonna fit into that tank fish wise a Dori is out of the question. You can express a little more interest with a few low lighting coral species and some shrimp and hermits.
Ideally you will need a Korallia pump for water movement.
I wouldn't take anything from anyone else's tank (media included) not in this game anyway.
Just keep asking questions we're here to help.
Have you got an external canister filter.
Regards

Hi, thanks for the quick reply! I haven't purchased the testing kits as of yet, but I already have a start on the sea salt (Instant Ocean) as I have brackish tanks going now. I do want a substrate of course as a bare bottom is not appealing to the eye. Is it adult fish size that makes it not possible to keep a Dori with the Nemo's, or other reasons? WHEN (not if LOL) I ever get this project started and I feel safe it is OK to add something to it, I can purchase a few reasonably priced snails or crabs to add before adding an expensive Nemo-$25 around here to buy ONE! What is a Korallia pump and what is the purpose of it? The filter that came with this system is just an Aqua-Tech Power Filter with Bio Fiber. I am sure there will be many more questions to come, thanks!

Well...

Dori's need ALOT of tank space, i mean ALOT they are built for swimming fast etc, and they will also grow far far too large and of course you can add snails before you add nemo, it will give the tank a chance to fully settle down

A Koralia is a powerhead, that basically increases water turnover and puts more flow into the tank; as the Live Rock is the filtration in the tank, it needs to have current passing all over it Your spray bar therefore can add surface agitation to increase oxygenation, and the powerhead to "filter" the tank.

Questions are good! also, i dont keep marine mate, this is just me speaking from lurking around in the salty side :

Well we cross posted! LOL I added this to my last post-Forgot to add that I also use bubblers in most all of my tanks for water movement/oxygenation-is this a viable option for the saltwater tank?
I had a power head once that I ended up taking back to the LFS because the wheel quit turning and all it did was move a little bit of water, which wasn't sufficient for the amount I paid them for it. Now I just use the MUCH cheaper air pumps, to which I have also learned that even though some might have two hook-ups, one moves a lot of air and the other moves very little. I am all about water movement/oxygenation in my tanks as I want to be sure my babies are healthy and happy. I have already made MANY mistakes in the last few months of learning, which is why I want to be sure I get as much right as I can PRIOR to buying expensive things to go in my saltwater tank. Also, what about buying the so-called LR they sell at the LFS? You might not keep marine, but you sure know a heck of a lot more about it than I do!

hey

First, thanks for the compliment means alot

anyhow, this LR they say they have at your LFS, unless it is in water in tanks and ALIVE then i don't see why not, but if its boxed up or dry i wouldn't waste your money; you should try out ebay or buy it online, some LR online is VERY good! Im glad too hear you are doing your research, and hope all goes smoothly !

 

[too_many_fish]

hey

First, thanks for the compliment means alot

anyhow, this LR they say they have at your LFS, unless it is in water in tanks and ALIVE then i don't see why not, but if its boxed up or dry i wouldn't waste your money; you should try out ebay or buy it online, some LR online is VERY good! Im glad too hear you are doing your research, and hope all goes smoothly !
[/quote]


Hey, give credit where credit is due is how I see it. The LR is in bags and is quite expensive! Also, what is the dif between taking it from the tank at the LFS as compared to buying it from someone on eBay or elsewhere that is most likely going to take it from one of their tanks? And how much am I going to need for a 29 gallon tank? If it is a considerable amount that I am going to need, would it be OK to go with some "real" LR and some of the "fake" LR? Star fish-what about them eating other things in the tank? Sorry to re ask the questions, but I don't want to add the "wrong" things into a tank where I am gonna pay high dollar for things I surely don't wanna get eaten! How much salt am I going to need to add to a fish only tank to start off with as well? Thanks for all your help!!!!
OOPS another question! What about using play sand that can be bought at Lowes for about $4 for a 50 pound bag mixed with some "real" LR? I did read this somewhere, which is why I am asking.

 

[SkiFletch]

I wouldn't touch "bagged" LR with a 10 foot pole... I'm going to assume you live somewhere in the States with me since you're referencing $, Lowes, and gallons, so I'll stick to "our" units. You'll want about 29lbs of LR (1lb/gallon). Generally it's nice to err on the higher side of that, towards 35lbs, but in a 29g tank, that's going to be hard to achieve. That tank is much taller than it is wide. This dimension makes it difficult to stack rocks as you can't really build a good base. If you want, you can mix LR and dead/dried LR (also called Base Rock BR). When I started my first tank I did this, still have some of those old BR pieces that are now fully live. You do have to go slower with stocking when you do it this way though, so be a little bit cautious

If you want to buy LR off ebay, go right ahead, it's usually pretty good stuff. Other good outlets online (since your LFS sounds like junk) would be Liveaquaria.com, or premiumaquatics.com as they both sell LR at good reasonable rates. If you want the best stuff $$ can buy, go to tampabaysaltwater.com and have your checkbook ready

As for using the sand from HD/Lowes you CAN, but you need to make sure it's a calcium carbonate base sand and not a silica based one. They keep changing where they get their sand and who brands it, so it's hard to stay on top of them. I know last year they sold "Kolorscape" sand that WAS calcium carbonate based, but not sure if they still sell it, OR if it's still the right composition. The way you check is to bring some vinegar and a small bowl/cup with you. Put a dash of sand in the bowl/cup with vinegar in it, enough to more than cover the sand. Then watch it. If it bubbles for more than 1 minute, then it's calcium carbonate based. If it just fizzes for a little bit then stops, it's silica based. Make sense?

 

[too_many_fish]

I wouldn't touch "bagged" LR with a 10 foot pole... I'm going to assume you live somewhere in the States with me since you're referencing $, Lowes, and gallons, so I'll stick to "our" units. You'll want about 29lbs of LR (1lb/gallon). Generally it's nice to err on the higher side of that, towards 35lbs, but in a 29g tank, that's going to be hard to achieve. That tank is much taller than it is wide. This dimension makes it difficult to stack rocks as you can't really build a good base. If you want, you can mix LR and dead/dried LR (also called Base Rock BR). When I started my first tank I did this, still have some of those old BR pieces that are now fully live. You do have to go slower with stocking when you do it this way though, so be a little bit cautious

If you want to buy LR off ebay, go right ahead, it's usually pretty good stuff. Other good outlets online (since your LFS sounds like junk) would be Liveaquaria.com, or premiumaquatics.com as they both sell LR at good reasonable rates. If you want the best stuff $$ can buy, go to tampabaysaltwater.com and have your checkbook ready

As for using the sand from HD/Lowes you CAN, but you need to make sure it's a calcium carbonate base sand and not a silica based one. They keep changing where they get their sand and who brands it, so it's hard to stay on top of them. I know last year they sold "Kolorscape" sand that WAS calcium carbonate based, but not sure if they still sell it, OR if it's still the right composition. The way you check is to bring some vinegar and a small bowl/cup with you. Put a dash of sand in the bowl/cup with vinegar in it, enough to more than cover the sand. Then watch it. If it bubbles for more than 1 minute, then it's calcium carbonate based. If it just fizzes for a little bit then stops, it's silica based. Make sense?

You are correct, I live in the US. Which is great you do as well since I don't know squat about liters, units, etc. Both the LFS close to here are very small with little to choose from for saltwater tanks. I will probably end up driving an hour or more to get to a larger city with more options. My checkbook might not be up to standards to buy 35 pounds of LR at the moment, so what is the very least I could start off with to get the "stats" OK to add a snail or crab or something small to get it started after cycling it? I believe I will stay away from sand as it sounds complicated enough to get this up and running, and too much risk involved. Thanks so much for all the help!

Edited yet again with another question-Should the filter media be removed for a saltwater tank?

 

[seffieuk]

[/quote]

You are correct, I live in the US. Which is great you do as well since I don't know squat about liters, units, etc.

There is a conversion chart on the top bar of the main forum page

Both the LFS close to here are very small with little to choose from for saltwater tanks. I will probably end up driving an hour or more to get to a larger city with more options. My checkbook might not be up to standards to buy 35 pounds of LR at the moment, so what is the very least I could start off with to get the "stats" OK to add a snail or crab or something small to get it started after cycling it?

You don't want to skimp on LR - it is the back bone of a healthy tank - look on fleabay and other such sites for a reefer breaking down a tank - I just got 29 k of lr the same way and it was a bargain paitience is certainly a virtue on the salty side

I believe I will stay away from sand as it sounds complicated enough to get this up and running, and too much risk involved. Thanks so much for all the help!

Nah, not at all, just go buy some aragonite sand - you will need a 20lb bag, don't buy the 'live' stuff, it's a con

Edited yet again with another question-Should the filter media be removed for a saltwater tank?

Well, most people on here do remove filter media as it quickly becomes home to a nitrate factory unless you are very, very good at cleaning it. Stick some lr rubble in instead

Oh and by the way to the salty side - remember, the only stupid question is the question not asked
[/quote]

Seffie x

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, don't forget fleabay or craigslist. As seffie mentioned, if you can find someone locally whose breaking down a tank, you can save a BUNDLE on LR. Where in the States are you? There might be a local club I could hook you up with too that might be able to help you out with things like LR/equipemnt, even coral frags.

When I said 35lbs, that's more of a high-end. You probably can't fit that in the footprint of a 29g. Look for somewhere in the 25-30lb range and see what you come up with. If you can't find anything off ebay/craigslist/local club, and cost really is an issue, you could probably get away with startint out with more like 15lbs of Live rock, and the other 15lbs of Base rock.

 

[too_many_fish]

Thanks so much for the welcome and ALL your help! I knew if I joined a good site I would get some good info! I am also a gardener, so I have learned a TON from other gardeners online as well. Actually, gardening is what I have been doing all day today, and working on the Koi/Goldfish pond. My son is also in the process of digging another pond for me so I can separate the Koi and the Goldfish. Anyway, I live about Mid way between Springfield and St. Louis, Missouri. A podunk town called St. James, so finding a fish club anywhere close to me would probably be a miracle. Before I was considering a SW tank there was someone online selling LR close to here, but now I seriously doubt I would ever find it. I believe they were asking $3.95 per pound for it. There is a free local site that I might advertise on, which is where I recall seeing that, to see if I can hit the jackpot. I will also have DH look on/put it on Craigslist for me. Unfortunately, patience is not my best virtue, so I will have to learn some! LOL Especially since my pocketbook is gonna allow for me to do it as soon as I would like. I also have to get one 55 reverted back to freshwater to be able to move fish to do it anyway. Sorry if I am rambling, but I am whooped from gardening.

What are the best "search words" on ebay to come up with the "right stuff" to look for? Ya I know, newbie question! HAHAHA

 

[seffieuk]

English numpty here ...........what is a 'podunk' town?

Seffie x

 

[too_many_fish]

English numpty here ...........what is a 'podunk' town?

Seffie x

A podunk town is just one that is quite small and there isn't a lot that goes on. Although, we was one of the host sites last year for the big USA bicycle tour. That was a HUGE thing for our town since not much ever goes on round here! LOL
So, what is an English numpty?

 

[seffieuk]

English numpty here ...........what is a 'podunk' town?

Seffie x

A podunk town is just one that is quite small and there isn't a lot that goes on. Although, we was one of the host sites last year for the big USA bicycle tour. That was a HUGE thing for our town since not much ever goes on round here! LOL
So, what is an English numpty?

A daft person

We talk the same language but don't use the same words.............funny or what

Seffie x