|
|
|
#1
07-23-2010, 12:15 AM
|
||||
|
||||
Brand new and more than a little confused.
Hi my name is Joe and I am brand new to saltwater. I have freshwater planted set ups but was told to forget everything i know about freshwater since it doesn't convert over.
I am in the process of setting up a 50g reef but don't really know what I am doing. I added 60lbs of live sand and 23lbs of live rock. More rock to follow as I can afford it, ultimately i would like around 75lbs in the tank. Rock/sand and water all set up on the same day. Had salinity issues from following the directions on the salt pail, too high took 3 days of partial water changes (letting the salinity stablize between changes) to bring it down to 1.025. For filtration I am running a xp3 canister filter. For flow I have a Koralia that pushes 750g/h and is set up directly opposite to the canister's output. Lighting is a homemade t5ho system that I used for fw plants on this tank 2 white bulbs and added an actinic bulb 39w each. I am more than willing to upgrade the lighting if needed to raise corals. Lights are not on at this time, was told to cure the live rock in darkness. Heater is set to 78F. Now here come the questions... The system was set up on July 14th and the live rock is slowly turning white is this from die off? Should I turn the lights on or keep it in darkness? Reading here on the forums it seems that canister filters are frowned upon. Should I remove it and add a sump/refugium? There are 2 types of fish I would like to keep at this time, Ocellaris Clowns and Blue Mandarin Dragonets. I realize the dragonets are not possible until I have a stable population of pods but I am trying to design with the future in mind. Is there a limit to the number of corals that can be placed in the tank or is room the only limiting factor? What are some of the best coral to start with? I really like zoas and mushrooms, as well as a few other I have seen pictures of but don't know the names. Please feel free to put any info i need into this thread, I feel a little blind going into this. Joe 
|
|
#2
07-23-2010, 12:51 AM
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Welcome to SW! it's fun...I still keep my FW setups (well some of them). I'm still new too, but IMO/IME the easiest corals to keep are Softies like Xenia, Green Star Polyps, Zoanthids and some of the LPS like Hammers. I would skip the Dragonette...I thought I had a well established population of pods, but my Dragonette was very efficient in almost cleaning out the entire population. I run a Canister Filter for now, until my sump is done, and no refugium to grow pods.
|
|
#3
07-23-2010, 01:06 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
get your tank stable for months before adding coral or any desireable fish especially a dragonette , start off small where you dont have alot of live rock go slow, you wont need a filter(canister) but a skimmer wouldnt go a stray and go with a sump/refuge if you can the benefits far exceed not having one. the white stuff is to be expected and will dissappear in time its a sign your cycle is not finished , pretty sure its just dieoff was your rock cured when you bought it or sold as un-cured?? you wont need lights if your just cycling without any fish . get your system established , once your readings are good wait a few weeks and see if they stay good then you should add a clean up crew like some snails and shrimp etc. once theyve been cleaning for a week or two then think about what you would like to keep and if its size will be a problem later on because they get big fast, also if you plan on keeping corals remember that alot of fish and other tank critters arent reef safe. the list is endless my friend read read read ask ask ask , if you dont like spending money and watching it die in a few days id do everything slow untill your absolutely sure you understand it and even then youll find its taking the plunge and forcing the knowlege upon yourself that keeps you going
 cheers and welcome to one of the most rewarding hobbys out there im looking forward to seeing how your tank set up. keep us posted if you have any questions post them here and im sure someone will answer to the best of their knowlege
__________________
........
|
|
#4
07-23-2010, 01:29 AM
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Get out now while you still have some money in your pocket!
|
|
#5
07-23-2010, 02:01 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
I dont mind the cost of tank,but i refuse to spend 700 bucks on live rock or 800 on a nice light fixture so i will be keeping my eyes open for good used stuff. I do have one question though,people say to buy your live rock cured and mine will be for sure because it will be used, but isnt half the fun of it in seeing what kind of little hitchhikers you get with it.
|
|
#6
07-23-2010, 02:16 AM
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Welcome to the dark side! Salt water is very fun and you need to be very involved with chemical levels till you get the hang of things (I'm still not there yet after 6 months).
Best recommendations are take it very slow! Be patient and to lots of research. If your running T5's your mainly limited to mushrooms, leathers, green star polyps, ect. The Clowns are a great fish, very hardy, they eat almost anything and they love to swim out in the open. Just be careful about the cost. Its very easy to get carried away! The need to keep adding I don't think ever goes away. Oh I run a canister filter for the moment. Just make sure to clean it weekly and it will work fine for you.
|
|
#7
07-23-2010, 02:31 AM
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Quote:
|
|
#8
07-23-2010, 02:36 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
|
|
#10
07-23-2010, 02:58 AM
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Quote:
Every day the tank changes and you can spend hours with your nose pressed against the glass. I have never understood why some reefers cook or cure live rock. To each their own and I respect that. Best is to buy cheap dead rock and make sure you leave room for those choice pieces. They are worth the price.
|
Linear Mode
