hi everyone. I have started a 29 gallon 30 long saltwater tank. I have striplight; and is waiting on my 50/50 light. Fluval 304, bio live sand, aragonite reef sand 2 bags. I have about 10 pounds live rock that has life starting to grown on it.Don't know what they are yet lol. I have 2 red legg and 3 blue legg crabs, 1 turbo snails, 2 Astrea Conehead algae eater snail, 1 yellowtail damsel,1 blue damsel,1 orangetail blue damsel. my question is how much live rock can i add? plus any information that you can give. I would live to add clownfish also and a pair of yellow or gold watchman gobbies. thank you for your help will be looking to see the answers
need some help
- Thread starter ms dee
- Start date
You can put at least 30lbs of live rock in there. Do you have a protein skimmer. You have to have one of those. You can read articles explaining why...If you have lots of live rock and good water movement, you may be able to cut the filter out all together. The live rock will act as a filter, plus the protein skimmer will remove debris from water. What types of inverts are you going to get. I'm pretty sure you know that clowns like anenomies. I wouldn't suggest them though, with your light. Saltwater tanks usually require more light than just the strip light. If I were you, I'd read up on some more stuff before buying too many fish or inverts as the prices are significatly more than Freshwater!!!
I would say not to put anything in there...I think you have plenty right now. the peppermint shrimp will love you for getting more live rock.......they will attach themselves upside down and sway to the water.......
Get a protein skimmer........powerhead (how is your water moving now).....
The clam will die very quickly if you don't give it enough light and you don't have enough right now for a clam...
Get a protein skimmer........powerhead (how is your water moving now).....
The clam will die very quickly if you don't give it enough light and you don't have enough right now for a clam...
re need some help
what kind of protein skimmer would be good for my tank and power head? is it hard to add. what else will I need with the protien skimmer and power head. Plus I have brown algae grown on my glass Is that normal I read in one of the threads that it was and it would change to blue green nexts. Thanks for help any you give I'm thankful for
what kind of protein skimmer would be good for my tank and power head? is it hard to add. what else will I need with the protien skimmer and power head. Plus I have brown algae grown on my glass Is that normal I read in one of the threads that it was and it would change to blue green nexts. Thanks for help any you give I'm thankful for
When the water evaporates it leaves the salt behind. If you don't use 'top up water' and just add salt water you'll concentrate more and more saline water till stuff starts dying.
Don't add any more large animals , fish or inverts to this tank!. Has this been set up for long - you need a lot of patience for this. Where do you get your stuff is it a good shop, or is it a chain?
The live sand and live rock is good, though you could easily use another 10 -20 lbs of rock. You have to make sure it is cured , and smells good else when you put it in dying stuff will pollute and kill everything you have.
A skimmer is a good investment and I would recommend a hang on prizm or better a more expensive remora-c. You can get very cheap skimmers but they are hard to get working well. They are very good at removing pollutants. You will find life very difficult without one as you'll need to do large , expensive water changes at least once a week.
Please talk to as many people as you can about what you're doing - I think you're on the edge of obliterating your tank already. You ned lots of patience. Please, please, please, no more fish or big inverts till your tank is more stable - this may take a few months.
Do you know anyone else locally who can show you what to do? Not people who've had a tank going great for 2 0r 3 months, people who have stable 1 year old plus tanks. They can help you out more than internet questions ever will.
Read more books - 'The Conscientious Marine Aquarist ' is very good , look at Bob Fenners website wetwebmedia.com.
Good luck
Don't add any more large animals , fish or inverts to this tank!. Has this been set up for long - you need a lot of patience for this. Where do you get your stuff is it a good shop, or is it a chain?
The live sand and live rock is good, though you could easily use another 10 -20 lbs of rock. You have to make sure it is cured , and smells good else when you put it in dying stuff will pollute and kill everything you have.
A skimmer is a good investment and I would recommend a hang on prizm or better a more expensive remora-c. You can get very cheap skimmers but they are hard to get working well. They are very good at removing pollutants. You will find life very difficult without one as you'll need to do large , expensive water changes at least once a week.
Please talk to as many people as you can about what you're doing - I think you're on the edge of obliterating your tank already. You ned lots of patience. Please, please, please, no more fish or big inverts till your tank is more stable - this may take a few months.
Do you know anyone else locally who can show you what to do? Not people who've had a tank going great for 2 0r 3 months, people who have stable 1 year old plus tanks. They can help you out more than internet questions ever will.
Read more books - 'The Conscientious Marine Aquarist ' is very good , look at Bob Fenners website wetwebmedia.com.
Good luck
sorry I didn't answer the rest of the question but here is my answer I buy my live rock from a small bussiness here. The guy has been real good about helping pick out my rocks. The tank that he keeps his rock in is clean and don't have a smell to it. my fish and shrimps are do good they are eating and moving around like they would in the ocean.
Sounds like you have a good shop - if you trust him ask him as much as you need, and try to cultivate a good business relationship. You can use him for advice, and if it looks like bad stuff is happening get his on the spot help.
Try to build up a bit more live rock, and you should be ok.
Tap water is usually not recommended for top off or tankwater as it often contains nitrate, silicate, phosphate in adequate amounts to give algal problems
Try to build up a bit more live rock, and you should be ok.
Tap water is usually not recommended for top off or tankwater as it often contains nitrate, silicate, phosphate in adequate amounts to give algal problems
so what should i use for tap off water? I did today buy about 10 more pounds today. one of the pieces the guy thinks there is a leather mushroom growing on it. sp of the other pieces has things growing on them also I can't wait to see what they are. I brought a marine-glo aquarium bulb 20W. They didn't have the coral 50/50. Is there anything I can do to help live grow faster on my live rocks?
Thanks for all the help you are giving me
I brought a marine-glo aquarium bulb 20W. They didn't have the coral 50/50. Is there anything I can do to help live grow faster on my live rocks?Thanks for all the help you are giving me
Maybe your shop sells RO, else you can use distilled. That way you just add H2O, and no more salt, dissolved minerals etc.....
The only thing you can do to help things grow is keep their conditions as close to the optimum as you can manage. A bigger light might help, or more water circulation, or most of all cleaner water.
The only thing you can do to help things grow is keep their conditions as close to the optimum as you can manage. A bigger light might help, or more water circulation, or most of all cleaner water.
Before changing your lighting I would suggest you decide what you want to keep in this tank. Fish only, or reef. If fish only, you can use your current lighting. If reef, then what type of corals would you like to keep?. Softies, LPS, SPS? For softies and most LPS you could get by with a 2 x 55 watt power compact fixture. For SPS I Would recommend metal halide.
For a reef, I would also suggest you run your canister without biomedia. Biomedia will raise your nitrates which is not good for inverts. If you would like you can put base rock and some occasional carbon or other chenical media in your canister. Just use 1 - 1.5lbs of live rock per gallon of tank. I would also suggest using a Deep Sand Bed. Which is a sand substrate of between 4 to 6 inches deep. The LR and DSB will take care of your biofiltration.
I would also suggest a protein skimmer. I would rank the following in performance and price for your tank.
1) Aqua C Remora
2)CPR Bak Pak
3)Red Sea Prizm
Either of these will work, it depends on how much your willing to spend.
You should also have a couple of power heads for water movement. Reef tanks should have at least 10 to 15 times turnover per hour of water movement.
I would also suggest you research as much as possible regarding reef tanks. Boards like this are great, as well as books. I would recommend you buy "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner.
I guess thats enough for now. Just remember to take it slow. One of the most famous, and true, statements about this hobby is that nothing good happens fast in a reef tank.
Brian
For a reef, I would also suggest you run your canister without biomedia. Biomedia will raise your nitrates which is not good for inverts. If you would like you can put base rock and some occasional carbon or other chenical media in your canister. Just use 1 - 1.5lbs of live rock per gallon of tank. I would also suggest using a Deep Sand Bed. Which is a sand substrate of between 4 to 6 inches deep. The LR and DSB will take care of your biofiltration.
I would also suggest a protein skimmer. I would rank the following in performance and price for your tank.
1) Aqua C Remora
2)CPR Bak Pak
3)Red Sea Prizm
Either of these will work, it depends on how much your willing to spend.
You should also have a couple of power heads for water movement. Reef tanks should have at least 10 to 15 times turnover per hour of water movement.
I would also suggest you research as much as possible regarding reef tanks. Boards like this are great, as well as books. I would recommend you buy "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner.
I guess thats enough for now. Just remember to take it slow. One of the most famous, and true, statements about this hobby is that nothing good happens fast in a reef tank.
Brian
I would like to keep a reef tank. can I have all types of corals? I have ordered The Red Sea Prizm skimmer. AZOO power head: 600 158 gph. Will this create enough water movement. plus I have a Fluval MSF 304 filter 260 gph. My sand bed is between 4 to 6 inches deep. Plus 1 bag of Bio Avtive live. I brought this light called Marine-Glo from Petland and the guy said this should work for fish, corals,and something else. Can't remember I have about 20 lbs of live rock in my tank now. waiting on replys any help is thankfully accept. I have several freshwater tanks that now basiclly runs themself. I just do the water changes
I have about 20 lbs of live rock in my tank now. waiting on replys any help is thankfully accept. I have several freshwater tanks that now basiclly runs themself. I just do the water changes