Interested in SW...

[Colin_T]

Wait, so you don’t need a special light to get corals to grow, assuming the regular like is powerful enough? ?

That is correct. Corals are an animal like a sea anemone, and they have a symbiotic algae that lives in their cells. The algae gets light and produces food for the coral. The coral produces small amounts of nutrients for the algae to use. The algae uses the same light as normal aquatic plants. If you can grow aquarium plants well, then corals should be able to grow too.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

@Krib32, ok, good. This light is adjustable:

• Comes with the dual-channel timer to adjust the lighting spectrum, simulate a gradual sunrise and fading sunset through the gradual increase and decrease of light intensity

That is correct. Corals are an animal like a sea anemone, and they have a symbiotic algae that lives in their cells. The algae gets light and produces food for the coral. The coral produces small amounts of nutrients for the algae to use. The algae uses the same light as normal aquatic plants. If you can grow aquarium plants well, then corals should be able to grow too.

Very interesting. ?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

My current plan:

1. Re-home the Bloodfins at my LFS. (They will hopefully give me in-store credit for them)
2. Move the current stock from my 29g tank to my 20g long
3. Take down the 29g tank
4. Clean it up and put it back on the ‘stand’
5. Go to my LFS and get live rock/substrate, along with instant sea salt for the water
6. Etc...

It goes on from there.

—-

@Colin_T, what’s the best substrate for saltwater tank? Also, can I add invertebrates to a non-cycled saltwater tank?

——-

My shopping list now:

• Instant Ocean
• Nicrew Reef Light
• Substrate
• Live rock
• Possibly a Powerhead, if my LFS has them for cheap

I may be missing a lot, but this is the basic list.

I want to at least get the Instant Ocean, substrate, and live rock next time I go to my LFS.

 

[Krib32]

My current plan:

1. Re-home the Bloodfins at my LFS. (They will hopefully give me in-store credit for them)
2. Move the current stock from my 29g tank to my 20g long
3. Take down the 29g tank
4. Clean it up and put it back on the ‘stand’
5. Go to my LFS and get live rock/substrate, along with instant sea salt for the water
6. Etc...

It goes on from there.

—-

@Colin_T, what’s the best substrate for saltwater tank? Also, can I add invertebrates to a non-cycled saltwater tank?

——-

My shopping list now:

• Instant Ocean
• Nicrew Reef Light
• Substrate
• Live rock
• Possibly a Powerhead, if my LFS has them for cheap

I may be missing a lot, but this is the basic list.

I want to at least get the Instant Ocean, substrate, and live rock next time I go to my LFS.

Alot of people use crushed coral for substrate. Also you probably want to add a refractometer to your shopping list.

Not sure if you were told this yet but you are going to want to use ro water and not tap water.

 

[Colin_T]

@Colin_T, what’s the best substrate for saltwater tank? Also, can I add invertebrates to a non-cycled saltwater tank?

Sand is fine for marine tanks.

No you can't add any life forms to a marine tank until it has been cycled because the sea water has a pH of 8.5 and any ammonia becomes very toxic in that pH.

You can buy dry limestone rock for the tank and it will become live rock after a few months. Use limestone to cycle the tank and after it is done, then add a few nice pieces of live rock to decorate the tank. The exception to this is if you are using the live rock as the filter, in which case you add live rock and leave that to cycle, then add corals, wait a bit, then add shrimp, then add fish.

You will need something to measure the salinity (salt level). You can use a hydrometer or refractometer. Hydrometers come in a glass tube that floats around the tank. These are cheap and do the job but sometimes break. The other type of hydrometer is a plastic chamber that has a plastic needle in it that floats and points to a scale on the device. These are pretty good. A refractometer is the most expensive but also the most accurate. If you are limited to funds, get the plastic chamber style. If money is no option, get a refractometer.

If you have a power filter on the tank, you won't need another power head.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Not sure if you were told this yet but you are going to want to use ro water and not tap water.

I’m sorry, what what!? I have to use fuplie RO water? Why?

Sand is fine for marine tanks.

No you can't add any life forms to a marine tank until it has been cycled because the sea water has a pH of 8.5 and any ammonia becomes very toxic in that pH.

You can buy dry limestone rock for the tank and it will become live rock after a few months. Use limestone to cycle the tank and after it is done, then add a few nice pieces of live rock to decorate the tank. The exception to this is if you are using the live rock as the filter, in which case you add live rock and leave that to cycle, then add corals, wait a bit, then add shrimp, then add fish.

You will need something to measure the salinity (salt level). You can use a hydrometer or refractometer. Hydrometers come in a glass tube that floats around the tank. These are cheap and do the job but sometimes break. The other type of hydrometer is a plastic chamber that has a plastic needle in it that floats and points to a scale on the device. These are pretty good. A refractometer is the most expensive but also the most accurate. If you are limited to funds, get the plastic chamber style. If money is no option, get a refractometer.

If you have a power filter on the tank, you won't need another power head.

Ok.

I was looking at this stuff called “live sand” is this a good option? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00025YVGC/?tag=ff0d01-20

Here is the one I’ll probably get (the hydrometer) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W4Z719X/?tag=ff0d01-20

 

[Krib32]

I’m sorry, what what!? I have to use fuplie RO water? Why?



Ok.

I was looking at this stuff called “live sand” is this a good option? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00025YVGC/?tag=ff0d01-20

Here is the one I’ll probably get (the hydrometer) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W4Z719X/?tag=ff0d01-20

Ro water makes sure there are no contaminates that will harm corals and helps keep your water stable. Also using tap water will make you tank an algae tank. I use the Aquatic Life ro/di buddie off amazon.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Well great, that’s another $60 I gotta spend.

 

[Colin_T]

I was looking at this stuff called “live sand” is this a good option? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00025YVGC/?tag=ff0d01-20

Here is the one I’ll probably get (the hydrometer) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W4Z719X/?tag=ff0d01-20

The hydrometer is fine but don't waste your money on the live sand. Just use beach sand or whatever sand you already have in the tank.

Regarding R/O water, if your tap water is clean and free of nitrates, then you can use that. However, if your tap water is like the stuff in the UK with high nitrates and all sorts of other stuff, then you should use R/O water for making up the sea water.

R/O water is more important if you keep corals, and less of an issue with fish only tanks.

If you have macro algae (Caulerpa, Halimeda) growing in the tank, it will use up nutrients and R/O water is less of an issue.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I’ll check my nitrate levels in my tap.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

The hydrometer is fine but don't waste your money on the live sand. Just use beach sand or whatever sand you already have in the tank.

Is the live sand not beneficial in any way? According to my research, it should instant cycle a tank, which I would really want.

—-

Checked my tap Nitrate just a few minutes ago, seems like it’s approximately 0 ppm:

Does this mean I don’t need RO?

——

Also broke a test tube in the process - stupid giant fingers.

 

[Colin_T]

Unless the live sand has been collected within the last 30 minutes, it will probably be dead. If the stuff sitting on the shelf is sealed in a plastic bag and has been there for more than an hour, it is just dead sand.

If you have 0 nitrates in the tap water, then it should be fine to use. Make sure you dechlorinate it before using it in the tank.

Live rock will help cycle a tank faster. You can also get liquid bacteria supplements for salt water tanks.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Unless the live sand has been collected within the last 30 minutes, it will probably be dead. If the stuff sitting on the shelf is sealed in a plastic bag and has been there for more than an hour, it is just dead sand.

If you have 0 nitrates in the tap water, then it should be fine to use. Make sure you dechlorinate it before using it in the tank.

Live rock will help cycle a tank faster. You can also get liquid bacteria supplements for salt water tanks.

Ok, great news. (On the tap water)

—-

I plan to go full on into this build!

—-

My LFS has a huge live rock tank (really a small pond, lol) in the back, but I’m not sure on the cost.

I will also see if they have crushed coral.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Does this look like some good bottled bacteria? I never use bottled bacteria, so this will be a first for me: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DGKU72/?tag=ff0d01-20

——

To be honest, I probably won’t be getting any of the “special” clowns, just the originals. The “specials” cost over $90 for each fish, and usually $160 for a pair. Beautiful, but not in my price range.

Then again, there may be some variation that speaks to me, and I can’t resist, lol.

 

[Krib32]

There may be not nitrates but there is probably a buch of metals and other nasties you don't want in your tank. Tap water in my town has no nitrates but has Arsenic and other stuff. But you could go ahead and try without ro water you might just run into some problems down the road with corals.