Getting started

[MikeP]

Hi everyone, I'm just getting into a marine tank. To start out I have a 30 gal tank. I was told by several stores here in Calgary that all I need to get going is the salt and some crushed coral. I bought that stuff and set the tank up. I'm still trying to get the salt mixture just right, its at about 1.026. The next thing I was told to do to get the cycle going was to buy a cured live rock. I stopped at golds today and got a 4 pounder. He said that the 1.026 would be ok for the rock but I will get it between 1.024 and 1.020 ASAP. One thing that golds told me was not to have any crushed coral, but four other shops told me that was ok for a new tank. So who is right? I'd rather not have to take crushed coral out (and kiss that 30 bucks good bye that it cost me). Also when can I add fish? And whats a good type to start out with? Is there anything else I should know?

Also I'm running a aquaclear 300 filter with foam and bio sphears for the media. No protein skimmer yet but I was also told one is not a must have for a tank my size.

Thanks for any help.

[prosnow]

First off, welcome to canreef

Originally Posted by MikeP

One thing that golds told me was not to have any crushed coral, but four other shops told me that was ok for a new tank. So who is right?

its alot easier to clean up detrius and what not when you dont have any substrate...personally i like the look of a thin sandbed.

Originally Posted by MikeP

Also when can I add fish? And whats a good type to start out with?

get a good test kit, once your ammonia and nitrite have are @ 0-ppm, test ur nitrate and if it not to high go pick up something hardy like a clownfish,

Originally Posted by MikeP

Is there anything else I should know?

Yes...Take it slow...everytime you add something to your tank you have to give the tank time to adjust and build up more bacteria,

what are you running for flow? ie: powerheads
also, how much liverock do u have? 4 pds? is that it????

[robzilla]

here's some links for reading:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/c/ec/1.htm
http://www.saltwater.8m.com/filter.htm
http://saltaquarium.about.com/

as for the crushed coral, thats what i have in mine. some like sand, some like bare bottoms.....
as for fish, you'll need to wait till your tank has cycled some, to be on the safe side, 2-3wks. even though the live rock is cured, you'll get a small cycle.

[MikeP]

what are you running for flow? ie: powerheads
also, how much liverock do u have? 4 pds? is that it????[/quote]

Yes just the four pounds right now, I will be buying some more but when I was at golds I only had 25 bucks, How much should I get? Will some stuff actually grow out of this rock? My current lighting is just standard flouresent "screw in" bulbs (40 watt) and the tank does get some sunlight in the morning. I don't have a power head yet but it is on the list of things to buy.

[Joe Reefer]

www.reefcentral.com

[MikeP]

Thanks Rob and Joe!

[G1GY]

Originally Posted by MikeP

Also I'm running a aquaclear 300 filter with foam and bio sphears for the media. No protein skimmer yet but I was also told one is not a must have for a tank my size.

Thanks for any help.

Unless your planning cleaning the foam out very regularly, I'd just forget about using it all together. (Just my opinion though.)

It will just be a huge nitrate factory with little or no benifit.

A skimmer is not a must, but will make life much easiier in the long run. (Again, just my opinion.)

Good luck and welcome to the forum Mike.

[TheReefGeek]

Read TONS more before buying anything else, or you will be kissing a heck of a lot more than $30 down the drain.

Most people don't use CC anymore because it traps too much detrius and creates nitrates down the road. Some say the same is said for an aragonite sand bed, but takes longer.

You will need 30-45lbs of live rock in your tank, and you need to research lighting needs for various animals you want to keep.

Research, research, research. Then buy.

[Richard_Dicosimo]

there arent any stupid questions anything u dont know ask it here, or at Golds Albert and Denis from golds, are extremely educated on just about anything you can ask them, and are the most honest in town for which animals are suitable for your tank and your experience level.

[MikeP]

I have a nice piece of dead corel, can I put it in as decoration? If so should I bleach it or something first? Do people generally put stuff like driftwood and lava rock in salt water tanks? Also riverfront told me about some other type of rock they sell that if put beside a live rock it will eventually become a live rock too, should I pick some of that up? Another question is do I keep nets and scrapers serarate for fresh and salt water (I have a 55gal fresh water tank as well). Thats all I can think of for questions right now thanks again for any replies.