Thinking of making a saltwater Have some questions

muffinman3560 · Post by **muffinman3560** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:14 pm

Question about SW
How often do you need to make water changes?
Do you always need a protein skimmer?(i still need a filter right?)
If i was going to get a 29 or 30 how much live rock would i need?

I am thinking about getting a pair of clown fish and 2 firefish, do you think that would be overstock of that size of tank?

Do i need any type of coral for fish that i picked?

When i am cycling the tank do i need to do water changes? how should i cycle the tank?

sorry if something does not make any sense, and if it does i will redo it to try to make sense out of it.

Thanks
Nicholas

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:17 pm

I think you should get your FW tank situated--healthy & successful long-term, before considering SW.

sevenyearnight · Post by **sevenyearnight** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:20 pm

muffinman3560 · Post by **muffinman3560** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:36 pm

i think you should not tell me what to do for one, and i have had my tank going for awhile now it was just that one thing that something happened, everyone messes up sometimes. I am not going to make one for awhile, this is stuff that i just want to know so i know about it when the time comes.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:47 pm

muffinman3560 wrote:Question about SW
How often do you need to make water changes?
Do you always need a protein skimmer?(i still need a filter right?)
If i was going to get a 29 or 30 how much live rock would i need?

I do a water change once a month(for now, I havent really been at full marine for long, but I keep a check on parameters) on my 30gallon with a GSP and a coralbanded shrimp and another unknown species shrimp and about 7-8 hermits. I do top off the water every week due to evaporation. I havent seen nitrates go above 10-15 yet.
I do have skimmer though. Would probably require more water changes without it. A skimmer isn't required as far as I know but it keeps the water quality better for longer so you save on water changes and in the process also salt.

I believe that you require 1 kilo of live rock per 2 gallons minimum for good filtration. I am not sure if there is a maximum though. In a saltwater aquarium you don't require a seperate filter as that is what the live rock is for, but you need stream pumps to keep a good flow for the liverock. I keep the cannistor filter in my aquarium running because it creates a good flow in the aquarium though I also have a streampump as well. If you have a cannister filter you can opt to put live rock in it though.

muffinman3560 · Post by **muffinman3560** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:54 pm

Tim

thank you

What do you have in your canister filter?

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:03 pm

muffinman3560 wrote:Tim

thank you

What do you have in your canister filter?

Still the same stuff I was using in my aquarium when it was still brackish, carbon and biofiltration media and a sponge filter.

Cannister filter in question is a Fluval 205.

I've been meaning to get some pieces of liverock for the filter but they need to be small enough to fit, and the LFS is all out for now

. The cannister filter still removes particles from the water mind you so it's not entirely pointless.

In a proper setup I think the sump would take care of that though, but I am no expert on sumps. I don't even have one due to a lack of space atm.

The cabinet under my aquarium will be emptied soon though so with some luck I'll be able to get a 60 or 80 liter sump under the aquarium.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:12 pm

Here's a good place to start: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... ?t=1031074

muffinman3560 · Post by **muffinman3560** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:41 pm

Do you like that filter? i just got a rena xp3.

sevenyearnight · Post by **sevenyearnight** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:17 pm

When you have your appropriate amount of liverock, if you take the freshwater filter media out of your canister, your nitrates will stay lower.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 3:39 am

Please read the link i gave you. There is no mention of canister filters in there, as they are generally not used for SW. Totally different system.

muffinman3560 · Post by **muffinman3560** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:51 pm

Please don't double post.

Arny · Post by **Arny** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 2:50 pm

muffinman3560 wrote:Please don't double post.

LOL I think that was a mistake concidering it's Pufferpunks Forum

pufferfreak · Post by **pufferfreak** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 3:54 pm

muffinman3560 wrote:Please don't double post.

Calm down. I would read the link she posted. RC is a very knowledgeable site when it comes to the reef/sw side of the hobby.

xrayjeeper83 · Post by **xrayjeeper83** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 3:58 pm

muffinman3560 wrote:Please don't double post.

wow you are really acting like an buttocks for no reason. This is PP's forum and when it comes to people to listen to she is in the top two for everyone on this forum(RTR obviously is the other one) So chill the hell out and listen.

As for a canister if you are going to run one on a salt tank, run it empty use it for water movement only.

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