Help,problems Turning Brackish Into Marine?

[AdAndrews]

Hi, im currently researching buying a 33USgallon tank and raising a green spotted puffer, until adult over about a year, filtration during this time would be a tetratec ex1200, however i will up the sg to marine and plan to add live rock, can i do this, is there anway to get around the ammonia spike?

once im marine i plan to keep maybe a pair of clowns, and/or 1-2 damsels, with the addition of a hermit crab.
also, any tips you can give a fw fishkeeper who is turning marine?
thanks

 

[Truck]

Hi, im currently researching buying a 33USgallon tank and raising a green spotted puffer, until adult over about a year, filtration during this time would be a tetratec ex1200, however i will up the sg to marine and plan to add live rock, can i do this, is there anway to get around the ammonia spike?

once im marine i plan to keep maybe a pair of clowns, and/or 1-2 damsels, with the addition of a hermit crab.
also, any tips you can give a fw fishkeeper who is turning marine?
thanks

i would keep clowns and damsels together...both are from the same family and will kill each other.

you can get round the spike by curing the rock in a bin with lots of flow and then add it into the tank once its cycled.

are you sure puffers are suitable with other fish? i thought they were aggressive?

 

[AdAndrews]

Hi, im currently researching buying a 33USgallon tank and raising a green spotted puffer, until adult over about a year, filtration during this time would be a tetratec ex1200, however i will up the sg to marine and plan to add live rock, can i do this, is there anway to get around the ammonia spike?

once im marine i plan to keep maybe a pair of clowns, and/or 1-2 damsels, with the addition of a hermit crab.
also, any tips you can give a fw fishkeeper who is turning marine?
thanks

i would keep clowns and damsels together...both are from the same family and will kill each other.

you can get round the spike by curing the rock in a bin with lots of flow and then add it into the tank once its cycled.

are you sure puffers are suitable with other fish? i thought they were aggressive?

ok, so it will have to be damsels then, yes, i have asked nmonks about the puffer and basically it depends on the temperament of the fish, everyone is different, so i will have to try, he suggested damsels, because they are territorial and aggressive also

so, just get a bin, what size? and then stick all the powerheads in

 

[Truck]

Hi, im currently researching buying a 33USgallon tank and raising a green spotted puffer, until adult over about a year, filtration during this time would be a tetratec ex1200, however i will up the sg to marine and plan to add live rock, can i do this, is there anway to get around the ammonia spike?

once im marine i plan to keep maybe a pair of clowns, and/or 1-2 damsels, with the addition of a hermit crab.
also, any tips you can give a fw fishkeeper who is turning marine?
thanks

i would keep clowns and damsels together...both are from the same family and will kill each other.

you can get round the spike by curing the rock in a bin with lots of flow and then add it into the tank once its cycled.

are you sure puffers are suitable with other fish? i thought they were aggressive?

ok, so it will have to be damsels then, yes, i have asked nmonks about the puffer and basically it depends on the temperament of the fish, everyone is different, so i will have to try, he suggested damsels, because they are territorial and aggressive also

so, just get a bin, what size? and then stick all the powerheads in

a 70 litre plastic storage box

 

[AdAndrews]

ok, thanks mate, has anyone actually done this? maybe could tell me poss problems- its not that i dont believe you truck btw.

Adam

 

[TigerIssey]

There are a select few damsels that would work with some clowns. Buddyboy knows more about these BUT, they tend not to be the common damsels stocked by the average LFS.

You would really need to look into the ones that Buddyboy suggests and get your LFS to order them in for you. This is easy enough to do though.

 

[AdAndrews]

There are a select few damsels that would work with some clowns. Buddyboy knows more about these BUT, they tend not to be the common damsels stocked by the average LFS.

You would really need to look into the ones that Buddyboy suggests and get your LFS to order them in for you. This is easy enough to do though.

ok, thanks Tina i guess that can be done, i have a few pretty good lfs.. also just looked at the lfs online, and they are selling fiji LR for 11.99 per 1kg, and RO water for £3.00 5g, so that will cost me approx £4.00 a week for RO water, which isnt too big of a deal really, as long as i get a job

 

[AdAndrews]

oh, and what shall i do with the external filter, fill it with floss, carbon, and live rock rubble?
and.. do i need a UV steriliser?
this is the equipment i think i need then:

live rock
ro water
protein skimmer(possible?)
salt
hydrometer
some chaeto, yf recommended earlier?, not too keen on this really

anything else?
obviously already have:
tank
lights
filter
heater(s)

thanks

 

[AdAndrews]

anybody?

 

[AdAndrews]

oh, also, can i leave my mature media in the external filter and run live rock or not?

 

[youngfisher]

Free Bump.

YF

 

[AdAndrews]

Free Bump.

YF

 

[jtnova13]

oh, and what shall i do with the external filter, fill it with floss, carbon, and live rock rubble?
and.. do i need a UV steriliser?
I don't htink you need a UV steriliser
this is the equipment i think i need then:

live rock
ro water
protein skimmer(possible?)
It is not necessary to have a skimmer for a 33g. If you are only keeping the puffer and 2 damsels you can probably get away without one
salt
hydrometer
I'd get a refractometer, they're much more accurate.
some chaeto, yf recommended earlier?, not too keen on this really
I would only get this if you have a big HOB filter or a refugium

anything else?

don't puffers eat inverts?
obviously already have:
tank
lights
filter
heater(s)

thanks

Another alternative would be to have 2 tanks, 1 for raising the puffer to marine and the 33g for cycling. Then you could just plop the puffer in the new tank.

 

[youngfisher]

Lol, im still not the most experianced with marine, so I dont want to give wrong information.

YF

 

[AdAndrews]

ok, thanks anyway yf,
jtnova, gsp's do eat inverts, but i was hoping if his temprement is ok, hermits could be given a try, they are only 2.99 for the blue legged ones at my lfs, i think they may be ok, just have to try them

thanks for the help.. ps.. whats a refugium?