Beginner Marine Fish Help

[AdAndrews]

Regarding Nitrates and phosphates in a marine aquarium, is it the coral that doesnt tollerate these, the fish or both? as want to keep a couple of blue damsels with a gsp when in full marine but i do not wish to use RO water, my tap water is at nitrates 10ppm- however i will be using micro algae(cauepa spelling?) so this will help a little, right?

Will it be fine just to use normal tap water as long as i dont have any corals, and use the mirco algae to use up some of the nutrients up

thanks
Adam


ps.. is the H2O salt any good?

 

[Truck]

the corals will suffer the most in regards to phosphate...it shouldnt really affect the fish as i know of many that keep marines in tap water.

if your going down the no corals route...you dont need a salt high in mag, calc Etc

something like instant ocean would be fine

 

[AdAndrews]

the corals will suffer the most in regards to phosphate...it shouldnt really affect the fish as i know of many that keep marines in tap water.

if your going down the no corals route...you dont need a salt high in mag, calc Etc

something like instant ocean would be fine

ok, instant ocean, is this cheap compared to others, i dont really need any fancy dan stuff tbh.

 

[jtnova13]

Instant ocean is the cheapest by me. I'd use a dechlorinator on your tap water though.

 

[seffieuk]

Ad

Regarding Nitrates and phosphates in a marine aquarium, is it the coral that doesnt tollerate these, the fish or both? as want to keep a couple of blue damsels with a gsp when in full marine but i do not wish to use RO water, my tap water is at nitrates 10ppm- however i will be using micro algae(cauepa spelling?) so this will help a little, right?

Yes fine to keep a fish only with live rock in dechlorinated water, the algae will help

Will it be fine just to use normal tap water as long as i dont have any corals, and use the mirco algae to use up some of the nutrients up

However and it's a big however, lots of people end up moving over to corals, even if they are a few mushies and softies, so if there is any chance of this consider RO water

thanks
Adam

Seffie x


ps.. is the H2O salt any good?

 

[AdAndrews]

thanks guys, this is really like the last stand for me, probably the last tank i will buy/set-up with limited money to spend once up and running seen as i will have to save for a car/insurance after this, so wont be any corals, probably not any live rock so i will only take it to 1.018 to keep the damsels

does anyone know if the 20kg instant ocean comes in a plastic tub or the bag, or is it the 25kg that comes in the tub? as i want the tub rather than a bag.

thanks

 

[AdAndrews]

anyone have an idea about the salt?

 

[seffieuk]

Think it's the 25 that comes in a tub.

What rock are you going to use for hiding places and interest in the tank? And how are you going to filter the tank?

If cost is putting you off, with patience you can easily buy live rock for approx £5 a kilo now a days. IMO nothing beats having lr in your tank, for the interest of pet rock watching, filtration (as Bud says 'the heart and lungs') and aesthetics

Seffie x

 

[AdAndrews]

Think it's the 25 that comes in a tub.

What rock are you going to use for hiding places and interest in the tank? And how are you going to filter the tank?

If cost is putting you off, with patience you can easily buy live rock for approx £5 a kilo now a days. IMO nothing beats having lr in your tank, for the interest of pet rock watching, filtration (as Bud says 'the heart and lungs') and aesthetics

Seffie x

the tank will be used for a green spotted puffer, going from fw into brackish and then up to 1.018, so during that time i will have a tetratec ex1200 filter, and additional powerhead for flow, making sure that filtration will not be a problem, as i will raise the saility gently over months there wont be any problems with the bacteria as they will adapt, i am planning to decorate the tank with coral sand(to raise ph), some "dead" corals that i brought when on holiday, things like barnacle clusters, and clumps of dead coral, pretty white-ish looking, but should be ok with a blue marine tube, and then rock wise some of this stuff- http/www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/cat...-c-408_449.html which should look similar to the real thing, this is maninly becuase i want to have the sortof marine look to keep in with the coral, and while under fw and brackish conditions i wont have brought the live rock, and therefore when the time comes to buy it i will already have this. I am aware that this will not deal with anything as live rock will but anywho it seems cheaper to do it this way looking at the long run.

thanks

 

[Buddyboy67]

With yer plans there it would definately be best to avoid live rock ..this will be more of a brackish system for too long to keep the live rock alive......
Unsure about the salt mate as it isn't up to scratch for a reef but will be perfect for your system or any fish only marine set up

 

[AdAndrews]

With yer plans there it would definately be best to avoid live rock ..this will be more of a brackish system for too long to keep the live rock alive......
Unsure about the salt mate as it isn't up to scratch for a reef but will be perfect for your system or any fish only marine set up

okey dokey, cheers mate, the puffer can only be kept in marine conditions once adult really, so im looking at an 8month old puffer before the switch-

thanks for your help

forgot to ask, whats that plant thats kept in marine tanks? the kind of spikey bright green one

 

[Buddyboy67]

Probably one of the caulerpa species mate..any of the calcereous forms of macro algae would be out for you though...
May stand a chance with the caulerpas and cheato's once you reach the higher sg levels....