Contemplating a SW setup

[chkltcow]

A co-worker has told me that he'll give me an old 29gal aquarium that he has sitting around, and I've been thinking about doing a SW setup for it. But, I don't want one of these huge reef setups. Maybe a tiny bit of live rock, but I don't want it to be as overwhelming as a lot of reef tanks I've seen. I'd like the fish and inverts to be the center of the setup, not corals.

So what would you all suggest? What could I stock in a 29g, what type of filtration would I need, skimmer, sand, etc? The one thing that I know I would like is a pistol shrimp and shrimp goby, I want to see them interact myself. Beyond that, I have no real preferences for stocking. Any ideas?

 

[impur]

You could put 3-4 small fish in there. You would most likely need a skimmer on this size. About 30 lbs of LR should be fine. The pistol shrimp and goby are a great combo!! You have lots of options with a 29 gal so figure out what you'd like and post it here. We will let you know if something won't work!

 

[chkltcow]

Okay... here goes... get ready for a barrage of questions!

First, filtration. Would something like a fluval 204/304 work? I've heard some of the guys on the Subaru board talking about their reef setups, and they always talk about removing the biological filtration stuff like the biowheel or bioballs from their filters. Is that only for reef tanks with live rock handling most of the biological load? Would I need to keep the bio filtration in the canister?

Second, sump. Would one be necessary? Would a 10-15g suffice? How do you move water to/from the sump without the drilled setup I've seen on some big tanks at the LFS?

Third, lighting. I'm thinking about a dual tube flourescent AGA rig. For a 30" hood, that's 2 24" bulbs at 20 watts each. Since I'm not worrying about corals or any of that, will 40 watts be okay, or do I need to spend the money and step up to a Power Compact light @ 55+ watts? 10,000K bulbs be ok?

Fourth, water chemistry. I have a decent grasp on the basics of FW chemistry for all the types of fish I want to keep, but today when I was at the LFS and saw 3 shelves full of SW additives, that kinda blew my mind. What special do I need to know about keeping a SW tank? And for that matter, how do I do a fishless cycle with a SW tank?

And finally, stocking it. Like I said, goby/shrimp combo is the only thing I really want. I'm sure if I do it, the wife will want a clown fish, because they're cute. The only other things I can think of small enough for a tank that size are damsels and blennies... and if I'm remember what I read a while back, damsels can be aggressive and blennies can be venomous if they bite you. Correct or not? What about the cleanup crew of other shrimp, starfish, snails, etc? If I add any other shrimp, will the goby and pistol shrimp still "pair up" or will it instead join with the other shrimp? What other fish would be acceptable in a tank that size?

WHEW... I think that should do it for right now I'm sure I'll think of more to pester you with later

 

[impur]

First, filtration. Would something like a fluval 204/304 work? I've heard some of the guys on the Subaru board talking about their reef setups, and they always talk about removing the biological filtration stuff like the biowheel or bioballs from their filters. Is that only for reef tanks with live rock handling most of the biological load? Would I need to keep the bio filtration in the canister?

A canister filter would only be good for water movement. In a reef tank, LR supplies the biological filtration so it is much more wise to invest in quality LR versus mechanical filtration. A few powerheads and maybe a HOB filter to give the surface some movement is all you really need.

Second, sump. Would one be necessary? Would a 10-15g suffice? How do you move water to/from the sump without the drilled setup I've seen on some big tanks at the LFS?

A 10-15 gal sump would be perfect for this setup. You would need to either drill the back of the 29 for a drain or get over-the-tank syphon overflows to get the water down to the sump. A pump like a mag-9 would be used to move the water back to the display. You can also partition off the sump for equipment such as a skimmer or heater, and use another part as a refugium to grow macro algae that will out-compete algae in the main tank.

Third, lighting. I'm thinking about a dual tube flourescent AGA rig. For a 30" hood, that's 2 24" bulbs at 20 watts each. Since I'm not worrying about corals or any of that, will 40 watts be okay, or do I need to spend the money and step up to a Power Compact light @ 55+ watts? 10,000K bulbs be ok?

For the 29 gal there are many different lighting options. IMHO, and also what i plan to put on my 29, the best pick would be a 250w metal halide fixture. These come in retrofit kits that can be fitted into a hood, or pendant style if you do not have a hood. The MH lighting will provide you with enough light to keep ANY coral, and also gives you plenty of option should you decide to upgrade to a larger tank.

Fourth, water chemistry. I have a decent grasp on the basics of FW chemistry for all the types of fish I want to keep, but today when I was at the LFS and saw 3 shelves full of SW additives, that kinda blew my mind. What special do I need to know about keeping a SW tank? And for that matter, how do I do a fishless cycle with a SW tank?

The LR you will be purchasing will provide the necessary dieoff to begin and complete the cycle. As far as additives, there are so many out there and so many different combos people add to their tanks it can drive you nuts!! My opinion is, if you don't need it, don't dose it. Just provides another thing that can go wrong. The only thing i am considering dosing in my 29 is the 2 part additive b-ionic. It provides alkalinity and calcium. You will need test kits to test alk, calcium, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, pH, and salinity. These are the basics.

And finally, stocking it. Like I said, goby/shrimp combo is the only thing I really want. I'm sure if I do it, the wife will want a clown fish, because they're cute. The only other things I can think of small enough for a tank that size are damsels and blennies... and if I'm remember what I read a while back, damsels can be aggressive and blennies can be venomous if they bite you. Correct or not? What about the cleanup crew of other shrimp, starfish, snails, etc? If I add any other shrimp, will the goby and pistol shrimp still "pair up" or will it instead join with the other shrimp? What other fish would be acceptable in a tank that size?

Stay away from the damsels, they are pretty aggressive and a pain to get out of the tank once you put them in. They may kill off other fish in the tank. A pair of clowns would be great with your goby/shrimp combo, and possibly another small fish such as a royal gramma or six-line wrasse would be perfect. You could do other shrimp in there and it shouldn't interfere with their pairing. Snails and a few hermits are a must for a cleanup crew, i have stayed away from starfish because of some of the stories i have read. That would be up to you.

Ok then that should get you started. Take it slow, you must have patience in this hobby. The saying goes: Only bad things happen fast in a reef tank!!!!!