Thinking of Starting a Saltwater setup....

[DaMenace]

So I have a 110 gallon 60x18x24. I'm thinking I want to do a FOWLR setup. I plan on getting live sand since they say it helps with the filtration process. And by they I mean from what I have read. I want to make it a predator big fish setup. I want to start it with a puffer and lion fish. I plan on starting off very slow since I know it will be an expensive project and I don't want to mess anything up. I have a wet dry filter system. It is a ProClear 125 with an overflow prefilter box. I plan on using it. Now will that be enough or could I add either a Rena XP3 or an HOB filter? Will I need any type of special lighting for this setup? So all I think I'll be needing now is a skimmer for the sump part and some powerheads. One other question I have is. Can I use tap water and put prime in? I was thinking of getting a 30-50 gallon container (trash can) and adding water to it with prime. And then adding the salt for saltwater and mixing it with a powerhead. Am I in the right track so far?

[pope]

In a fish only setup you can use tap water and put prime in. You can get away with hob filter or the rena, or you can do the wet/dry and you won't need a skimmer. Just regular water changes to keep the nitrates in check like you would in a freshwater setup. You also won't need special lighting. All of that other stuff comes into play more when you're keeping coral.

[Typical Tony]

please take some time to read the infos in this thread

http://www.dfwfishbox.com/forums/production/showthread.php?t=18082

[satyra]

id buy an RO system as soon as you can, if you dont have one already. tap water is loaded with nitrates, ammonia, phosphates, and all kinds of other wonderful stuff. even though its only a fowlr, you can still get algae probs real quick with tap. i started with tap but i wish i had started with an RO system from the get go.

[DaMenace]

In a fish only setup you can use tap water and put prime in. You can get away with hob filter or the rena, or you can do the wet/dry and you won't need a skimmer. Just regular water changes to keep the nitrates in check like you would in a freshwater setup. You also won't need special lighting. All of that other stuff comes into play more when you're keeping coral.

But what about live rock and fish?

DaMenace added 1 Minutes and 3 Seconds later...

id buy an RO system as soon as you can, if you dont have one already. tap water is loaded with nitrates, ammonia, phosphates, and all kinds of other wonderful stuff. even though its only a fowlr, you can still get algae probs real quick with tap. i started with tap but i wish i had started with an RO system from the get go.

Yeah I'll probably do that but I live in an apartment... And want to see what can work as well.

[jello]

Im using tap in my reef. That's all I've ever used. Things do fine for me. But im also on a well.

[Luiz]

I want to start it with a puffer and lion fish.

Since you are starting on SW.

You might be aware of but, lionfish has a poisonous sting, if not handled properly might give you a lot of pain. :eek:

The sting is quite powerful and can be dangerous to humans. A lionfish sting is very painful and can cause a person to get very sick including fever and having trouble breathing. Most of the time people don't die from a lionfish sting, however.

Just be carefull when handling it.

[kleankord]

But what about live rock and fish?

DaMenace added 1 Minutes and 3 Seconds later...



Yeah I'll probably do that but I live in an apartment... And want to see what can work as well.

I have mine setup in my apartment, if you want to see. I just connected it to the cold water side of the washer, mounted in the closest where the washer and dryer are at.. I think it took me all of 6 minutes.

[satyra]

I wish we were on a well, our tap is horrible. If I can I use ro on our fw tanks too. Our ammonia comes up as high as 3ppm straight out of the tap, it always has 'trates and phosphates too, its awful down here, worse than our dallas water was :( I saw the list of stuff that was in dallas water before we moved, it was a 3 page long list, I was shocked.

[DaMenace]

I have mine setup in my apartment, if you want to see. I just connected it to the cold water side of the washer, mounted in the closest where the washer and dryer are at.. I think it took me all of 6 minutes.

Yeah I would like to see... How much did you pay for your system?

[greeneyed]

You can try using your waste water from your RO unit on your freshwater tanks. It has been through every filter except the RO membrane. Test it first, but it should be good.

[kleankord]

Yeah I would like to see... How much did you pay for your system?

http://www.melevsreef.com/rodi.html
That's the unit i bought used for about $100

[DaMenace]

Sounds good....

[satyra]

you can hook up the unit anywhere, under the sink, in the cabinets, etc, then just run the tubes out to where ever you have the bucket to hold the water. i just have mine on top of the kitchen sink where its relatively out of the way, but im thinking of moving it under the cabinets.

[DaMenace]

Yeah sounds like a hood idea. I brought a 55 gallon barrel from work today so hopefully I can start on this project soon.

[kleankord]

if you need help lmk, but these are instructions from marc's site that are very well done.

http://www.melevsreef.com/rodi_install.html

I went the hose bib connection route which was incredibly easy.

[bigez]

I put a T into my cold water line on my washer and then used the hose fitting. Works great and it's out of the way.

If you plan on getting a lion fish in the off chance that you do get stuck by one of his spines, running extremely hot water over the puncture will help neutralize the venom.

[DaMenace]

Wow I'm beginning to change my mind about the lion fish lol... Handling with clubs would be my guess then huh? Can puffers, lion fish or other big fish like that go with eels?

[bigez]

Wow I'm beginning to change my mind about the lion fish lol... Handling with clubs would be my guess then huh? Can puffers, lion fish or other big fish like that go with eels?

No, just be mindful of the fish. If he shows his dorsal fin to you while wiggling his dorsal spines you might want to get your hand out of the tank. Just learn to spot the aggression signs. Most of the time they'd rather run and hide, but if they feel cornered they'll try to get ya.

[BPSEOE]

+1 with Bigez's post. my lionfish would mind his own and would hide when the tank was approached. it would come out for feeding time like it was DA BOSS. cool fish!

[DaMenace]

Ok I have a question? I know and have done it before to where when starting a new tank I use the filter from another tank to hurry the process of bacteria cycling. Now my question is, cam you take the media from a fresh water filter and use it to cycle a saltwater tank and expect it to work like a charm as it does when doing it to another fresh water tank?:confused:

[jello]

Ok I have a question? I know and have done it before to where when starting a new tank I use the filter from another tank to hurry the process of bacteria cycling. Now my question is, cam you take the media from a fresh water filter and use it to cycle a saltwater tank and expect it to work like a charm as it does when doing it to another fresh water tank?:confused:

This wont work of going from fresh to salt. You'll just kill the bacteria. But that's the reason you buy live rock and live sand. It harbors bacteria and other creatures that will take care of and feed your tank. Just be careful cause you can pick up bad hitch hikers. I find ir a good idea though to get rock and sand from several different places to add diversity to your tank.

[DaMenace]

By diversity you mean different bacteria? Well I'm suppose to be getting live sand and live rock from this guy on CL getting rid of his tank. How do I know if I pick up bad stuff? Is there anything I can treat the tank with for bad stuff before I start adding fish?

[Typical Tony]

Go here

http://tinyurl.com/6lxlm3e

and get this

http://reefbuilders.com/files/2009/10/coral-rx-coral-dip.jpg

seriously Google is a good tool.

[DaMenace]

Yeah I've used google and have read alot. I also want to get personal opinions and experiences. Thanks :)

[greeneyed]

Research is your key here.
There are literally thousands of things that can show up in a SW tank. You will be amazed.
So we can not tell you what all to look for. Knowledge and experience is key.

The most common are aiptasia and majano anemones. But there are tons of bad critters out there. Familiarize yourself with them before you start and they get out of hand.

[DaMenace]

Yeah I've read a lot within the past few weeks... I am planning on starting this weekend. Wish me luck!

[DaMenace]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z425/Da_Menace/13458832.jpg

Here it goes... Have live rock in there now. The circulation pumps are going and tomorrow I'll turn on the wet/dry filter. Im thinking of adding the Instant Ocean Bio-Spira... Only bad thing is that the wet/dry didn't fit under the tank since the doors where too narrow and it didn't through the back either so next to the tank it stays... :(

[jello]

A lot of times you can remove one of the braces to put your sump in. They usually just screw in. I've don't it on a few.

[bigez]

That looks like a fairly tall stand. Mine was super short so I had to build a new one. Try what Jello said.

[greeneyed]

Stand appears to be ~ 24" tall.

[bigez]

It would appear that you're right... (blind)

Either way if you're wanting to run an in sump skimmer you're going to have a fairly tight fit in there with most skimmers.

Plus I like not having to bend down to see my tanks. :tease:

[DaMenace]

I'll probably just get a cabinet to sit on top of it to kind of hide it.

[DaMenace]

So I have chosen crushed coral for the substrate... Water is reading good levels now to let it cycle for a week and another water change.

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z425/Da_Menace/e1a30adc.jpg

[waterdog]

Have you got a good saltwater test kit? It's one of a saltwater keeper's most important tools.

[DaMenace]

Yes I do... And it is lol...

Could I put fake plants in a saltwater tank?

[Typical Tony]

Could I put fake plants in a saltwater tank?

is this a serious question? :confused:

[DaMenace]

I guess I could... Lol

[jello]

People do fake all the time. But why not do real macro. Not only is it good fir the tank but some fish will eat certain algae

[kleankord]

People do fake all the time. But why not do real macro. Not only is it good fir the tank but some fish will eat certain algae

yep, I put some dragon's breath in tank and it was torn to shreds.

[DaMenace]

Sounds good... :newbie:

Ok so if I have a freshwater test kit. Would I be able to test the ammonia and stuff for saltwater with it? I ask because I have seen strips that are both for salt and fresh so I didn't know if it works the same with the drops.

[bigez]

It will, but the color scales are different.

[DaMenace]

Oh ok...

[bigez]

If I remember right the 0 readings on both nitrite and ammonia are the same colors which is what you're really looking for. I can't remember off hand right now how close the nitrate cards are though.

[DaMenace]

Well I have a reef kit but doesn't have for ammonia. Or alkalinity....
It has the NO3 and phosphate, calcium, hardness or something like that. I still need ammonia, ph and alkalinity.

[bigez]

Go out and buy an alkalinity refill, they're cheap and you'll end up using it whenever you test (or at least you should be testing semi regularly). You can get by without the ammonia card just as long as it's yellow, if it has any hue of green there's still ammonia in the water. Same goes for nitrite if there's any hue of purple in the vile there's still nitrite.

[DaMenace]

Thanks a lot...

[BPSEOE]

awesome setup

[pope]

Is it the general hardness (GH) test or the carbonate hardness (KH) test? cuz Carbonate Hardness IS alkalinity.

[DaMenace]

awesome setup

Thank you! Can't wait to put some fish in! :D

DaMenace added 1 Minutes and 20 Seconds later...

Is it the general hardness (GH) test or the carbonate hardness (KH) test? cuz Carbonate Hardness IS alkalinity.

It actually is carbonate hardness... And yes I just found that out lol... So it looks like all I need is ph test and NO2 if necessary?

[Typical Tony]

You should really read up more, those questions you've been asking are simple and easy stuff that a quick google search will solve.

[DaMenace]

And why not ask them here as well? I trust this site more than google. This is what this forum is for too right?:tease:

[kleankord]

Thank you! Can't wait to put some fish in! :D

DaMenace added 1 Minutes and 20 Seconds later...



It actually is carbonate hardness... And yes I just found that out lol... So it looks like all I need is ph test and NO2 if necessary?

I don't know if this is bad advice.. but after the cycle I have never tested for ammonia or nitrite. ever. After cycle I only test for: ph, nitrate, mag, calc, alk. AND I want to get an apex with ph prob so I can stop testing pH AND as long as I'm dreaming, I want a better skimmer and media reactor and stop testings nitrate... but I digress.