What Filters For Salt Water?

[cuticom]

Was just curious, I heard somewhre that saltwater tanks can only use a few of the filters normally used for freshwater?

What filters can be used for slatwater? like can all of them be used or just some types?

 

[SkiFletch]

You'd be surprised, more often than not a filter is suitable for either-or. The really cheapie freshwater ones typically dont do saltwater well. Usually somewhere in the manual or other literature for the filter it will say if its freshwater only or freshwater and saltwater. If all else fails, contact the company.

 

[cuticom]

LOl okies thanks. One other question does the turn over of filtartion vary in saltwater from freshwater? e.g. for freshwater you want the tank to be cycled five times an hour so a 50 L tank has a 250 l/h filter. Is that different for a saltwater?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

IMO the best way to run a marine tank is without an actual filter.

get shed loads of Live Rock and enough powerheads to turn the tank over 20x an hr and that will do all your filtration for you

 

[cuticom]

That would owrk if live rock was actually supplied around here, sadly it isnt the only time I've ever seen it was in tanks at the Sydney Aquarium

 

[RoyalGrammaPrincessHannah]

The Rena canister filter is great.

 

[SkiFletch]

I'd reccomend a PM to Mr Miagi since he's also from australia

 

[Matthew5664]

Lok into a DSB for the main tank with ocean rock/reef bones/turfa rock as the rockwork. Then could add a little LS/LR or NSW (live sand, live rock or natral sea water) to seed bacteria into the sand and rocks.
Other than this the filters are gong to give you high NO3 (nitrate) reading and so a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) or some hardy corals like muchrooms, zoanthids and leathers will be your limit. Also you'll have to keeep ontop of the WC's (water changers)

 

[cuticom]

Sigh, i so wish i had a car, getting things from the ocean is just as hard, I may live a stones throw away from the central coast, but sadly theirs mountains in between. My parents dislike the newcastle beachs inetnsely so thats out LOL. We are going to Lord Howe Island next week but it's under the national hertiage listing thingamajog I dont thin we're allowed to atke stuff from there.

I'm still not sure if I will attempt a marine tank, I adore the hermit crabs LOL, just to work everything out, and although we have bits and pices everywhere not sure if I can afford all the stuff LOL.

So a filter gives a high nitrate reading. Is it possible to subtistute live rock with something else? Not sure what umm we have a lot of sandstone LOL.

How often watercahnges? like 10% every week?

 

[Mr Miagi]

That would owrk if live rock was actually supplied around here, sadly it isnt the only time I've ever seen it was in tanks at the Sydney Aquarium

Theres plenty of LR. We have exceptional quality LR in Aus, you just havnt found the right places. You said your parents dont like beaches, well if you can afford a 20kg box, angelfish.com and oceanarium.com.au will ship great LR to your ocal airport, where you have to pick it up from customs. Also speak to others at RTAW (see below) for LFS recomendations.

I'd reccomend a PM to Mr Miagi since he's also from australia

Too right! What state do you live in Cuticom? Im guessing NSW? Anyways, id advise you to set up a budget plan if you want to start marine. If your really young, you might have difficulty.

Affording liverock can be difficult, and the urge to use substitutes is substantial, but it isnt feasbale unless you use some LR to "seed" the rock you plan to use.

An internal filter is associated with a nitrate reading, and so are extenal cannister filters to a certain degree, because they dont have "anearobic" conditions, or conditions with no oxygen, where the specific baceteria that break down nitrate to nitrogen occur.

10 - 15% is pretty good ball park figure. Its a bummer you cant get to a beach, you can collect NSW opr Natural Sea Water, so you dont have to mix your own. Saves a bundle! $$$

Do you have a budget in mind? Take a visit to RTAW. It can be found at masa.asn.au. MASA stands for Marine Aquarium Societies of Australia, and RTAW stands for Reefing the Australian Way. MASA you have to pay to join, so you dont have to if you dont wish, but RTAW is a free forum run by our society. There is a buy/sell/trade forum where you might be able to pick up bargains, many reefers sell used stock at cheap prices.

 

[cuticom]

I live in country NSW, way out the back of beyond.

LOL I think I may need to give this up LOL. My parents are against a large tank as it'll be "too hard to care for". Otheriwse I'd ahve a nice tropical tank with all my fish together rather then seperated into a ten gallon and a 20 gallon cos my paradise fish didnt have enough room for his own territory.

So that levaes me with a small tank choice, LOl all this cos I wnated some hermit crabs

I'm 14 money isnt really a problem, my Dad loves all the machinery involved in marine aquariums and would help out, and as a whole around here money isnt a problem, dad has a good job. I can always say instead of the laptop I'd get when I turn 16 I'll get something else LOL.

I've been looking at the nanos and pico tanks, they look fun to do, but then again theres the problem of live rock etc.

Thanks for the links

Emma

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Lok into a DSB for the main tank with ocean rock/reef bones/turfa rock as the rockwork. Then could add a little LS/LR or NSW (live sand, live rock or natral sea water) to seed bacteria into the sand and rocks.
Other than this the filters are gong to give you high NO3 (nitrate) reading and so a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) or some hardy corals like muchrooms, zoanthids and leathers will be your limit. Also you'll have to keeep ontop of the WC's (water changers)

right got a question, in FW tanks the nitrifying bacteria is sessile so doesn't just live in the water, it's in the filter or on decor etc.

if getting NSW will seed your tank is the nitrifying bacteria for salt water different, does that just float around?

 

[Mr Miagi]

True nitrifying bacteria need anearobic conditions, so they wouldnt be found free floating right? Found in LR and LS yes, but not NSW.

 

[SkiFletch]

True nitrifying bacteria need anearobic conditions, so they wouldnt be found free floating right? Found in LR and LS yes, but not NSW.

Correct, there is negligable if any bacteria in NSW

 

[cuticom]

Well i foudn liverock, 've had a really abd day with my guine apigs, a cage collapsed I lost Spirit to the heat and have another one with heat stroke. Anyways we whizzed by a petstore we dont usually go to and they had live rock $15 a kilo, it was in a tank full of shrimps, hermits etc so it should ahve some intersting things on it LOL