My marine experience
- Thread starter Joe Fish
- Start date
I'm almost ready to add live rock to my tank. How long should I mix the salt in before adding the LR? I am going to be using instant ocean salt. Also, what is meant by the 'drip method' when acclimating fish and/or snails. I definitely want to have some snails and such.
I just go my BAkPAk 2R on my tank, two powerheads going at 175 GPH, 250W heater. I filled the tank last night with no leaks I'm waiting for the temperature to adjust before do anything else. I am looking to get 45 lbs of fiji premium rock at liveaquaria.com for $119.99. Has anyone else made that purchase? If so was it a good one?
I just go my BAkPAk 2R on my tank, two powerheads going at 175 GPH, 250W heater. I filled the tank last night with no leaks I'm waiting for the temperature to adjust before do anything else. I am looking to get 45 lbs of fiji premium rock at liveaquaria.com for $119.99. Has anyone else made that purchase? If so was it a good one?
drip method is adding water in the bag very lightly, one drop after another. Ususaly people use a drip doser ( like the baxter in hospital ). I personnaly use a seringe or turkey baster and add every 15 mn a little bit of water, but the doser is a better idea and you can do something else.
Use a powerhead to mix you salt...it's faster this way and the results on your hydrometer/refractometer will be more accurate. I wait 24-48 hours to get better results. I find Instant Ocean harder to dissolve than Coralife...but maybe i got and old dry batch..
Also, when you check the salinity, do it when the water temp is what you are suppose to get in your tank ( like 77 degree ) because the results aren't the same with colder water. There's a relation between density and temperature.
Use a powerhead to mix you salt...it's faster this way and the results on your hydrometer/refractometer will be more accurate. I wait 24-48 hours to get better results. I find Instant Ocean harder to dissolve than Coralife...but maybe i got and old dry batch..
Also, when you check the salinity, do it when the water temp is what you are suppose to get in your tank ( like 77 degree ) because the results aren't the same with colder water. There's a relation between density and temperature.
I drip acclimate by placing the new livestock in the bag water in a bucket and run a airline that has a knot tied in it siphon to the bucket, the amount of drip is adjusted by loosening or tightening the knot. A cheap easy drip set up that works as well as any other method.
I use tropic marin salt as it mixes almost instantly and never leaves any residue in the bottom unmixed......
I use tropic marin salt as it mixes almost instantly and never leaves any residue in the bottom unmixed......
KahluaZzZ said:
yep. This is the Rolls Royce of salt mixes. Here it's like 100$ for a bucket compared to 50 $ for a coralife. I should buy some from the states since the dollar is pretty much the same right now. Tnx dubya Bush 
Anyway, are you talking about TM Pro? That seems to be the salt mix of choice by my local reef club members (a couple months ago it was Oceanic, then Kent). I can get it locally for about $65.
yeah but it's pretty hard not to blame him
When a president says "nucular" and not "nuclear" he's an easy target
Anyways enough with politics, nothing really happens here up north...so i was talking about TM standard.
right now i'm kinda screwed..i need salt and the only i can find is ViaAqua Ocean Pure and i heard this is a very crappy one.
Checked online stores ( local ) and they were out of everything. Need like IO, Reef Crystals, TM or Kent...kinda sucks.
Montreal population : 3.6 millions. Salt mixes : 1 cheap brand. Bump.
When a president says "nucular" and not "nuclear" he's an easy target
Anyways enough with politics, nothing really happens here up north...so i was talking about TM standard.
right now i'm kinda screwed..i need salt and the only i can find is ViaAqua Ocean Pure and i heard this is a very crappy one.
Checked online stores ( local ) and they were out of everything. Need like IO, Reef Crystals, TM or Kent...kinda sucks.
Montreal population : 3.6 millions. Salt mixes : 1 cheap brand. Bump.
ouch, prices up in Canuckistan have gone up. As a LEGAL us immigrant from the great white north I am familiar with the accessibility of product. I can't believe that in Montreal you can't get any good salt mixes don't you have Petco orPetsmart? they sell IO which in my mind is a good alternative to the TM salt. I get a pretty good deal on the TM salt and I started with it so I stay with it.
Joe Fish, if you have no fish and no bio load in your tank the salt water in the tank will be fine. Just make sure you are topping it off with ro fresh water as salt doesn't evaporate just the h20 does. Are you not cycling this tank while it sits? I would intro some small cocktail shrimp to jump start your cycle. take them out once your ammonia spikes up and watch for the nitrite then nitrates to come to zero and youa re good to go.
Joe Fish, if you have no fish and no bio load in your tank the salt water in the tank will be fine. Just make sure you are topping it off with ro fresh water as salt doesn't evaporate just the h20 does. Are you not cycling this tank while it sits? I would intro some small cocktail shrimp to jump start your cycle. take them out once your ammonia spikes up and watch for the nitrite then nitrates to come to zero and youa re good to go.
it siphons through the tube, now there are many ways to start a siphon, personally I suck on the tube until I see the water coming over the top edge and then place the end in the bucket, I have yet to get a mouthful but I know people have done it many a time and ended up with a mouth of tank water. It isn't that bad......a larger hose I start with my powerhead though......such as when I am doing water changes etc.
no need to get a power filter. It's a plan to get detritus trapped in it. The skimmer + live rock + powerheads will do all the job. BTW don't buy a seaclone protein skimmer even if the price looks right and the LFS smiles saying it's great.
If he does, go to another LFS
ro/di = reverse osmosis / de-ionised water. Well it really means super filtered watered with something like this :
Like...99% of the crap in the water is removed. Tap water from the faucet may contain silicates, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates...wich aren't welcome in a SW aquarium. Nitrates, phosphates and silicates are great to get unwanted algaes. Tested. Ok now let's say you have the unit, you have your filtered water. You can't put it in your tank right away because usually the water is more acid than the 8.2-8.4 you are supposed to have in your tank. The buffer increases alkalinity and ph. BRB i'm busted at work !
If he does, go to another LFS
ro/di = reverse osmosis / de-ionised water. Well it really means super filtered watered with something like this :
Like...99% of the crap in the water is removed. Tap water from the faucet may contain silicates, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates...wich aren't welcome in a SW aquarium. Nitrates, phosphates and silicates are great to get unwanted algaes. Tested. Ok now let's say you have the unit, you have your filtered water. You can't put it in your tank right away because usually the water is more acid than the 8.2-8.4 you are supposed to have in your tank. The buffer increases alkalinity and ph. BRB i'm busted at work !