My first SaltwaterNano

[kendakr]

I am starting my first NanoSaltwater tank after setting up and having good results with two freshwater tanks. So far all I've added is the saltwater mix using distilled water after doing a run with freshwater.

Here is a list of the equipment I have so far:

29 gallon BioCube

Wet/Dry filter

150 Watt heater

10,000K Daylight and Actinic Blue light

243 gph powerhead

My end goal is to have a tank with soft coral, invertebrates, and a few small fish.

Here are some items I plan on purchasing in the near future:

29-30lbs of live rock
live sand
another power with somewhere around 300 gph
protein skimmer
Marine test kit

I have bio-balls in my wet dry setup and was planing on removing this and using live rock rubble instead. Also, I was considering setting up a ten gallon refigum in the nearish future. Is any of this advisable or is it a waste?

Sorry for the long post and thanks for the time. Oh, I'll post pictures if anyone wants to see a tank full of saltwater

 

[Lotus]

It all sounds like a reasonable plan so far.

 

[kendakr]

Update

So I purchased my live sand and live rock today here are some pictures:

Side
Side on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

After Sand
Cloudy Tank on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I couldn't figure out how to get the pictures up on the site. You should be able to follow the links to Flickr for the pictures.

So I am kinda of concerned about doing a deep bed. No one has real live sand and I am worried that since the tank is small a deep bed might feel it with nitrate. Also, I only purchased nineteen pounds of live rock and I am thinking of going up to about thirty. I feel bad the cashier at the LFS I went to didn't know what live rock was and charged me for live rock as an item not
per pound, so it was only $6.99 for Fiji and Tonga branch instead of over a $100 despite the fact she was told multiple times by the sales person who helped me that I purchased nineteen pounds of live rock and asked if she knew what it was. Anyways, that's enough rabbling. Oh, yeah I am still at 1.022 for salinity and 80 degrees. I'll be getting a marine test kit soon and I'll report the readings then.

 

[Katie217]

Pictures dont work for me, but sounds good so far! good luck

 

[Big Jay]

Upload them to Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket. Way better hosting site IMO. After you upload the pics just check the boxs and go to the bottom of the screen. You will see a button to "Generate HTML and IMG code". Copy the code in the box called, "IMG images for message boards". Paste it in your post and POOF!!! Pictures!

Have fun with the cloud. I waited 2 full days for mine to go away.

 

[kendakr]

Thanks Big Jay I'll use PhotoBucket instead. Well, my cloud of sand dissipated this morning but of course the live rocks were covered in sand. I moved some of the sand off the rocks and things look better even if cloudy again. I think I am going to get another power head to knock some the sand of the rocks. I'll post some pictures after work.

 

[Big Jay]

I used a turkey baster to blow the sand and dust off. It seemed like my cloud was obnoxious so I took some polishing pads from my Fluval305 (freshwater) and put them under the water dissipation plate that helped a ton. I didn't like the aquascape I did so I moved some stuff around. Back with the cloud again.

 

[kendakr]

Thanks for the suggestion BigJay I'll have to try that. I was looking at power heads today at Petco and nothing looked satisfactory, surprise. So, I am going to my LFS and try to find a decent one at around 200 gph to add to my 137 gph I have right now. Also, should I replace my bio-balls with live rock rubble? I was considering deep sand beds. I read about the benefits but are there any detrimental effects especially prone to small tanks? Thanks for the input.

 

[Big Jay]

I'm just as new as you are but I almost took the day off on Monday and went to all 4 LFS in town that sell marine. I spoke in detail with all of them and came out with the conclusion that it is not necessary to put live rock in the back if you have enough in the front. One guy suggested buying "lace" rock and smashing it up. Put it in the back and let it cure into what he called "bio rock". Bio rock being fully cured rock that did not come from the ocean and stays in the dark to avoid algae growth. Nothing really lives on it except bacteria. All the guys that I spoke to said that having live rock in the back chambers is more a matter of preference. Some people are trying to keep it all natural.

So I bought 34 pounds of fully cured LIVE rock and 30 pounds of live sand. I bought a ChemiPure bag and placed it on top of the bio balls (I had to take out a few). So my back chamber looks like this, Balls, ChemiPure, polishing pads, BC29 filter(rubber banded to the bottom of the dissipation plate), dissipation plate. I added the salt to my distilled water (15 gal) and used my home RO water system for the rest of the water. 3 days later (today) I checked the water and it was text book. I added a protein skimmer because I want to do a full reef. I will post pictures of that later.

As far as pumps I bought a "Hydor Koralia 2" It might be over kill but that was what was available and after looking at the design of this pump I don't believe I made a bad decision. It blows no harder than the stock BC29 pump.

This stuff isn't cheap and the LFS know it. I spent a lot of time speaking with the 3 major LFS in my town. I have given all of them my business for their time as well. READ, READ, READ. And don't listen to one guy. Especially this guy LOL. You will find what will work for you.

 

[kendakr]

So, I decided to stick with about 2 inch deep sand beds and leave the bio-balls for now. I purchased a nano Koralia today and like it very much adding another 240 gph. I also bought a nano for my salt reserve as well as a heater. I did some readings today:

0 nitrite and nitrate

7.8 Ph

300 alkalinity

Ammonia 0

I know these will change when I get some die off from the live rock. I have some photos with some fun things to ID if anyone wants to.

Front

Side (What's this little guy. Hope he is just a worm)

Other Side

Top

Next week I'll purchase a protein skimmer. I was thinking of getting a custom made one from LFS that is specifically for the size and type of tank I have. Any suggestions on that?

 

[kendakr]

I noticed you can't really see the brown creature or any of the others I am trying to ID. Here are more close ups.

Brown Creature:

Algae:

Shelled Creature:

Sorry for the horrible pictures it's the best I could get.

 

[Lorna]

Okay a couple of things.....

Remove the bioballs as you won't need them and they will become a nitrate factory if you don't. You have enough live rock to do your biofiltration without the bioballs. Add another 2 inches of sand and create a true deep sand bed. When you get a cleanup crew make sure you get some nassarius snails to turn the sand the top inch or so.

Your ph needs to come up to about 8.2 and your salinity to about 1.025 and the alk to about 3.5 to 4.0 meq/l

You need something to start your cycle. If your rock is fully cured you may only see a very small cycle. It is a good thing you are using ro/di water as it will help with the algae blooms that are bound to come. You are off to a great start with good water movement and live rock and a deep sand bed you are all set.

I would be leary of purchasing a protein skimmer unless I knew the model and type as there are a lot of them out there that are not worth their weight. On a 29g I would reccomend the Aqua remora c as I can speak from experience that these are one of the best hang on skimmers out there. I have the remora on my 29g bowfront and I love it......good luck and hope to see more pics soon....

Oh one other thing.....I would open up your aquascape some to create caves and swim through areas for your fish...... just adds more interest, you look like you have some great rock and at a great price!

 

[Katie217]

I agree with Lorna, you should add more caves into the rockwork. Other then that, looks awesome!

 

[kendakr]

Thanks for all the great suggests. When I remove the bio balls should I add some live rock rubble. Or if I do that should I attempt to make it a ref with some macro algae, sand, and live rock rubble? I'll add some more caves. About adding a deeper sand bed should I remove the live rock and add the sand or get some PVC pipe and lay the sand around the live rock? I got lucky with the live rock I got today. I came in Thursday and they said they didn't have any rock suitable for my tank. I came in today and fished around and found all kinds of porous live rocks and some with worms and other goodies. Thanks for everyones help/suggestions.

 

[Lorna]

You can just add more sand around the rock as the rock should be placed directly on the bottom and sand around it to help stabilize it. Add the sand down through a piece of pvc tube to reduce a sand storm. Take the bioballs out and don't add any rubble at all...just leave it empty with the chemipure or carbon or what every you have there.....I wouldnt make it a refugium as it isn't lit and there would be too much water flow I would think...but you sound like you are on your way!

 

[kendakr]

I rearranged the rocks here are the pictures:

Front

Side

Other Side

I also removed the bio balls and now it sounds like a bucket being filled with water over and over. Where the balls used to be is now just a big empty space. I think I am going to get a filter pad and out it at the bottom to lessen the noise. Any other suggests?

 

[kendakr]

Here are some pictures from my sand add. Hope this isn't photo overload.

Front:

Side:

Other Side:

I also, added a filter pad to where the bio balls used to be to lessen the noise and preserve my sanity. *PEACE!* any comments or concerns are greatly appreciated.

 

[Lorna]

Looks great. Another option for your rock is to create shelves with pvc and egg crate and stack the rock on these creating swimming spaces for your fish....If the noise from the removing the bioballs is too much you could add rubble or a couple fairly large pieces that would fit in there that could be removed when you want to clean it out.

 

[kendakr]

So I did some readings today:

PH 8.2

Ammonia .25

Nitrite .05

Nitrate 0

Alkalinity 3

Salinity 1.022

I have a saltwater reserve and the salinity is at 1.023. I am still trying to bump it up to 1.025.

Here some pictures. you can see some of the hitchhikers better. I don't think I have apisista (sp) but please let me know if I do so I can kill it quickly.

Front:

Right:

Left:

Any thoughts or comments please let me know. Oh, I added a filter pad where the bio-balls where and plan on putting some rubble in later. I'll probably get a sponge so I can start growing some bacteria on it for an eventual qt tank. Friday I will be picking up a protein skimmer that is closed circuit designed for a 29 gallon tank and is relatively similar in price to something like a remora.

 

[Lorna]

ahhh but is it similar in operation? Price isn't the object in purchasing a skimmer it is the function that counts.

That definitely looks like aiptasia and I would juice it before it spreads.

BigJay has the same tank and he placed a raised platform where the bioballs were and put his chemipure bag on it.....sounded like a great plan