Help On Cleaning A Tank

[weezawoo]

Its cool I appreciate the help I am at work too but not getting much done

So Im looking at £200 + petrol money to him or the LR.

He has other stuff but not sure what tank size its for.

 

[woody88]

If the LR is coming from a established tank you prob won't even get a cycle. Just test for ammonia, trite and trate and if the first 2 read zero then all good.

The nitrogen cycle applies to marine aswell but in a diff way

LR is the biological filter of a marine tank bthe heart and lungs so to speak.
If you buy uncured LR then just by adding rock in salt water and maybe a prawn to decompose then then the cycle will start.
Just test day for the obvious and once readings are good (normally around 2-4 weeks depending on die off from the rock) then your good to think about stocking.

When a marine tank is cycling, diatoms (brown patches on the substrate) appear. This usually indicates the cycle as at it's end.

But with cured LR from an established tank you may only get a mini cycle or maybe not one at all.

My advice would be to research on line about marine tank setup and maintenance but the journal section at the top of the topics wi give you all the right info needed and an idea of what's involved and what to expect.

Check out the pinned resource section too as they're Exellent.

Or...........just ask us lot!.........we don't bite! Lol!

 

[woody88]

Oh forgot to say that size tank is an Exellent size as with the right amount of LR and once established will be a very stable and balanced system ie if a fish dies or the water gets mixed with a pollutant then the tank will be able to cope alot better and will be a lot more forgiving if you do make a mistake.

Nano sized tanks have to be constantly monitored with weekly water changes to keep it stable but larger tanks don't.

 

[weezawoo]

Oh and I thought all you salties were scary

Thanks for the help!!!
I read online bigger tanks are better and they said exactly the same about if a fish died!
Really am leaning towards doing this soooo.... questions on exactly what to do next

I might be able to get the tank this weekend and clean it. Most likely can't afford LR until 8th April paypacket bills etc. The guy is happy to wait to deliver it then. The LR is coming from him breaking his tank down, he had a 7ft tank with 70kgs of live rock but really 40kg is my limit. He also has 25kg bucket of red sea salt he only used 1/2kg of, said I can have it for £35, is this good? TBH not even started looking at salt lol!

Would 2 200w heaters be good for this tank and can I just use a normal heater or are there special marine ones? Also how much 'power' of powerheads would you reccommend??

I was reading about LR and think it sounds like fantastic stuff does a great job! Do I need to think about a filter or a sump for this size tank?? Also things like a refugium and skimmers etc, needed or not?

There are so many bits of equipment people use and I don't know if its all needed!

Oh and what is the best sand, I guess it can't just be play sand like in my planted tank haha!!

Lastly, what is the best test kit!

Again sorry for al Qs, sometimes better to hear it straight than look up and hear contradicting things!!!

 

[woody88]

IMO there ain't no limit on LR. I have more than double the amount of LR needed in my tank.

The general rule is 1kg of LR for every 2g of water. (I think lol)

25kg of pro reef salt in lfs is around £50 so not bad price

Powerhead wise you need to aim for 20x turn over

Eg a 100L tank would need 2000 lph powerhead. The more ph the better as it create's random flow

 

[weezawoo]

I can look at more in future but for now I think 40kg will be ok??
If you reply later I have just finished work and don't have a comp at home, my replies might be short as I am on my phone!! I appoligise for this

So to start things off I need, heaters, PH, salt, LR and lights from the start???

Oh and a tank haha

A guy near me is selling this: http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/marine-live-sand-sugar-fine-aragonite-nano-refugium-/200583342980?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2eb3b2eb84
any good to me to help or not really??

 

[sorgan]

with your powerheads you are looking (in a normal tank) for about 20x turnover an hour, so if you have a tabk that is a shy short of 400l your looking for 8000l an hour, a few good powerheads will do that.
2 x 200w heaters would be ample, just be sure to check if they are marine suitable. getting a buzz in a marine tank is no fun let me tell you.
the salt sounds like a good deal, just make sure it hasnt turned into a lump.

lighting, get the highest wattage tubes (or halides) you can afford/manage, lighting can be reduced using no end of nifty tricks (not that you have to do it often) but it is alot harder to drag more usable light out of a tube. the color usually used is around 10k for whites (this varies) and 20k for actinic (the blue ones), a mix of blue and white is recommended. this all means naff all if you decide to go for azooxanthellae corals

now on the subject of equipment - equipment should meet your demand if you find your stocking sugesting you need to skim then buy a skimmer, if you think you need a calcium reactor, buy one.
i manage all my tanks without skimming/reactors/additives/UV/ozone etc and i can safely say my main tank is well overstocked and stupidily over fed, my nutrient excess is phenomenal but the tank works. why? because i look after it, the food is meant to be there (the nitrate and phosphate arnt but ho hum)and my fish and corals thrive.

sand is down to preferance, i use natural sand as i think it looks better but i know of people using play sand and it being fine, i just think it looks cr@p

 

[seffieuk]

How nice to be welcoming another female to the salty side

Seffie x

ps I have a 400 litre tank with no sump

 

[woody88]

Is it used sand?....If it is, stay well clear as it will be full of nasties as well as goodies.

You'll get one hell of a spike if you disturb it by putting it in your tank [ie if it gets turned over]. Buy new my friend, its the safest way!

If you could somehow get it in your tank without it being disturbed at all [don't know how personally] it would certainly help with any cycling process but in my opinion i'd rather not take the risk.

 

[weezawoo]

Well im not here quite yet seffie... all in good time

i am doing something to my 5ft everyday so it would be no different (if not worse) on this one!haha

i am currently using a double t5ho 54w hagen ballast on my planted. If i got the same but 2 of them, would that be suffient? Over 2wpg.

I will look at some powerheads tomorrow and price it up.

The only other sand i can get is normal aquarium (expensive) sand. I didnt realise i could use just normal sand haha! I will steer clear of that ebay thing. I am in no rush! I love building it up and cant wait to buy bits!

Plan (if i am allowed) is get tank at weekend maybe next, then in 2 weeks from friday get the LR somewhere between i can sort lights. The guy selling the rock has an aps light unit 4 t5s 54w i think he wants 200 for it. Is a possibility.

Anything else you would say i need?

And that coral bit goes straight over my head haha! Not anything to do with the dark side mentioned? Lol

 

[seffieuk]

i am currently using a double t5ho 54w hagen ballast on my planted. If i got the same but 2 of them, would that be suffient? Over 2wpg.


The only other sand i can get is normal aquarium (expensive) sand. Anything else you would say i need?

I run 4x 54 t5 tubes on my tank - but i dont keep hard corals anymore, however I do keep bubbletip anemones - that ammount of light is fine for many types of corals.

Dont muck about with sand, buy good stuff, it will make the tank look awful and you will regret it. Buy aragonite, I like the caribsea bahamas, as it has shells in it



Seffie x

 

[weezawoo]

Where is the best place for sand? Considering i have quite a large footprint to cover.

I havent even started looking at corals etc atm. Happy sticking to easier ones!

 

[seffieuk]

Have a look at

http/www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=caribsea+sand

 

[weezawoo]

How much will i need? I have 30kg in my 5ft planted and some parts are quite thin

 

[weezawoo]

Couple more qs sorry! Can i mix some play sand with the caribsea and what colour caribsea looks best when in a tank. Like the look of the pink

also how essential are RO units for water changes?
Where do i find info on adding salt to the water