First Marine Tank - Questions And Advice!

[plectastic]

Hi all,
 
I've just got a Boyu 46 litre open top tank with a raised T5 light system that is kinda suspended above with legs at the side.
 
It's going to be my first salty tank! I've got a 96 litre Juwel tropical tank too so know a bit about tropical fish keeping and have been reading as much as poss about marine tanks and visiting plenty of LFS's with marine sections.
 
I was thinking of getting the below and would appreciate it if anyone could comment or advise where I may be going wrong etc. I think I've got a rough idea. I do not want to be spending much money on this first project.
 
Heater 100watt - what temperature do marine tanks run at?
 
Small protein skimmer like this http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOYU-Mini-Protein-Skimmer-with-Pump-150L-H-WG-201-/151007090470?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2328b95726 - did want one that hangs on the back of the tank but can't find anything not expensive.
 
5kg live rock
live sand 2-3cms? = kg's?
 
New bulbs? - Currently there are 3x14w T5. 2 white, and 1 blue. They are very bright. Do I need to replace the day bulbs with these? 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hopar-T5-HE-fluorescent-tube-aquarium-grade-14W-or-21W-/261145025751?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&var=&hash=item3ccd74dcd7 - Or will mine be enough?
 
Powerhead. 1 or 2? how powerful, and what style? can anyone send me links. Cheap as poss, hong kong etc please!
 
I'll be getting my friendly LFS to sort me a couple of 25litre drums with ready mixed RO salt water.
 
It came with a Fluval U1 filter but I wasn't planning on using it. Is a protein skimmer and live rock sufficient? 
 
I'll be buying an API saltwater master test kit, and already have a hydrometer.
 
Once I get all the equipment, is it a case of adding the live sand, live rock, water, heater, and protein skimmer?
 
How do I cycle in comparison to my tropical fishless cycle dosing ammonia? (which was highly successful 

) 

 

[Donya]

I think I've got a rough idea. I do not want to be spending much money on this first project.

 
What animals are you planning to keep? 
 
 
Have a look at the FAQ here if you haven't already: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/410541-marine-aquarium-faq/
 

Heater 100watt - what temperature do marine tanks run at?

 
The usual guideline for tropical systems is 72-78F. Many marine tanks run on the high end of that and some even run at 80-84F. However, I wouldn't recommend that range since it's too warm for a lot of invertebrates long-term. 
 

did want one that hangs on the back of the tank but can't find anything not expensive.
 
That's just sort of a general problem with skimmers; they aren't cheap except for the air-driven ones that don't do much. The marine hobby isn't cheap in general.
 

live sand 2-3cms? = kg's?
 
To save cash, get dry aragonite.
 

New bulbs? - Currently there are 3x14w T5. 2 white, and 1 blue. They are very bright. Do I need to replace the day bulbs with these? 
http/www.ebay.co.u...=item3ccd74dcd7 - Or will mine be enough?
 
Depends on what you want to keep.
 

 Is a protein skimmer and live rock sufficient?

 
That's the only filtration on most marine systems. You can use other filters to provide flow and hold chemical media or extra rock (that's what I do) but that's not the "standard" thing to do and it has to be approached differently to a freshwater filter if you do that.
 

Once I get all the equipment, is it a case of adding the live sand, live rock, water, heater, and protein skimmer?
 
Do rock before sand, otherwise the rocks will sink in the sand over time and can destabilize if you've stacked stuff. Burrowing animals can also cause problems if the rocks aren't firmly on the bottom of the tank.
 

How do I cycle in comparison to my tropical fishless cycle dosing ammonia?

 
That's what the LR is for. It already has your biological filtration and just needs a stabilization period for any transport-induced dieoff to be taken care of. That dieoff can cause anything from a large cycle to a mini cycle to no observable cycle at all depending on the quality of the rock and how well it was transported.

 

[plectastic]

Hermits, shrimp? And whatever Dory and Nemo are called. (For the mrs)

Only 1 each of the fish. I know it's a small tank.

Do I still dose ammonia to cycle or use food?

Thanks for the point about rocks first. I understand the filtration system. I want to use live sand so will stick with that. I say cheap as I can but there's no budget really.

Just going to get a hang on boyu protein skimmer. Lights I've sorted today. They're an odd T5 size. 14wx3 but 549mm! Ordered 2 blue and one 8000k white. Should work well together.

 

[Donya]

And whatever Dory and Nemo are called. (For the mrs)

 
"Dory" is a tang, and tangs need a LOT of swimming room. A 46L tank is tiny in the marine world - way too small for such a fish. Even the smaller tang species need large tanks, usually quoted as 4ft long being the minimum to have a good swimming space. 46L would even be too small IMO for a clown pair. For much of any variety in fish, you'd need a bigger tank. Fish that are suited to small tanks are things like the smaller gobies and goby/pistol pairs. Clowns don't swim a lot, but they grow big enough that they can pose a waste production problem. There are people who do put fish like clowns in that volume, but it's not something I could ever recommend for a first tank.
 
 

Do I still dose ammonia to cycle or use food?

 
You don't need to add stuff to cycle the tank if you get live rock. It's "live" because it's already colonized. The waiting period is just to allow for any die-off to be handled.

 

[plectastic]

Ah it's the die off I'm with you now sorry.

Ok appreciated on the advice thank you very much. I'll not be getting anything more than cleanup and some goby then.

 

[plectastic]

Now then.
 
I've got so far:
 
Superfish 75W heater + guard
V2 Skim 120 Protein Skimmer
Hydor Korali Nano 900 powerhead
2 blue navra and 1 white 8000k T5 bulbs to replace the 3 lower rated bulbs
Refractometer ordered
Seachem Purigen in mesh bag
The tank cleaned out ready to go.
 
I've been to my local friendly little LFS who are starting the do marine products and the owner is going to go and handpick me 5kg of live rock in a week or so. He also offered for me to buy 2 x 25L new water containers and will premix thr RO saltwater for me to get me going. However the containers are £12 each plus another £7.50 each to fill them. So that's £39 for my own containers to keep and enough water to get going.
 
Got me thinking. Am I really better off just trying to find some containers myself for cheaper and purchasing a small cheap RO system? I think so in the long run but he really knows his stuff more than me. I'm sure I could mix it all up myself though.
 
Also, this Chaeto? algae stuff. I was thinking of utilizing the empty Fluval U1 filter and putting the Purigen in there along with the algae. I have removed all the media obviously. I thought of this as it may get eaten in the display? The LFS chap seems to think it would be alright in the display and that I try that. I also understand it grows like wildfire? Now, what if I were to have it stuffed in my filter with the Purigen and hook up 1 tiny led light in there to keep it sustained or is that a terrible idea? I really do not know. I also thought the Fluval would be helpful is breaking the surface etc.
 
I also do not know if the tank is a Boyu actually now or not. The light unit certainly is and is new. From my chat with the LFS I am now kind of hoping the tank isn't a Boyu! 

 

[Donya]

Got me thinking. Am I really better off just trying to find some containers myself for cheaper and purchasing a small cheap RO system? I think so in the long run but he really knows his stuff more than me. I'm sure I could mix it all up myself though.

 
Up to you and how much space you have. An RO or RODI will be cheaper in the long run, but will be a pretty big up front cost. Mixing salt is easy: follow the directions on the packaging and let stand overnight with an air bubbler or powerhead, then heat to temp before using. The main fiddly aspect of mixing your own is that the directions may not mix to the precise level you want (often they mix low), so the first time you do a batch you'll need to test it after it sits and may need to adjust it. After that you can just do the adjusting before it sits to mix, since you'll know how far off its likely to be.
 
 
 

I thought of this as it may get eaten in the display?

 
 
Depends what you have in there livestock-wise. The main issue is that you don't want it in a position to choke things out, and it needs to be held somehow so it won't just roll about like a tumbleweed. So, keep away from corals and absolutely keep away from any other ornamental marcro (which can get choked out and then go macro bomb on you). 
 
 

Now, what if I were to have it stuffed in my filter with the Purigen and hook up 1 tiny led light in there to keep it sustained or is that a terrible idea?

 
 
That's a common tactic. Thing is though that it will still need a reasonable amount of light to get it to grow and be a nutrient sink for you. One tiny LED might not do it, but many desk lamp LED sorts of things will. I've used 1-bulb IKEA lamps, and maybe that's the sort of thing you were meaning, but there are also smaller LEDs that won't hack it.

 

[plectastic]

Thanks once again Donya. Btw had a great time reading your tank journal this morning.
 
Yeah I had wondered if a few led's would do it. I'm gonna try out the in filter idea.
 
I think I'm going to try to source my own containers and get the shop to mix it up for me. I'll invest in my own unit once I am more experienced and go for a bigger tank.

 

[CezzaXV]

How much does your LFS sell water for by the litre?

I've got a 155L tank, so a water change is a fair few litres that was going to cost me at least £10 a month if I bought the water, whereas a good RODI unit cost me just over £100. If you've only got a 46L tank though, you'd be changing 10L a go at a maximum, so may just be cheaper to buy your water in. It'd take a long time before your unit paid for itself.

 

[kad191]

Looking at a 200l marine setup for my kitchen, some questions answered here. Good luck with the tank!!!!

 

[plectastic]

£7.50 per 25 litres for RO.

I'll get it from them till I get a bigger tank.

 

[plectastic]

The reason I ordered 1 white and 2 blue bulbs is because of advice given to a chap on another reef forum who had this light unit. It's an odd one because its a 44watt unit. 3x14w bulbs. But, they are an odd size because they are the 549mm length bulbs and most 14w bulbs are NOT that long. I searched around for ages and ordered from lamp specs in the end.
 
Now I would have presumed 2 white and 1 blue but they were saying 2 blue and 1 high powered white all on together will give a good combination for the tank.
 
Thoughts?

 

[bullit]

Yeah, normally more blue than white, though if the white is higher rated then thats ok. I havent read that your going to buy livesand but if you go for arogonite the liverock will seed it. cheers

 

[plectastic]

Hey bullit, just ordered the live sand today from Caribsea. Had to send me new superfish heater back as it was faulty so that's put a spanner in the works. Need to get my drums filled soon and live rock picked! nearly time


Do I need to get something to stick the live rock together or can I just stack it presuming I have the appropriate shape pieces?

 

[bullit]

Yeah stacking fine. Egg crate underneath incase anyone wants to start digging underneath. cheers