New comer to saltwater with questions

[stryker86941]

Hello all. i just registered here at RC and i cant tell you enough how helpful all of the info on the site has been so far. i am a vet (for my age) when it comes to aquaria. i have been keeping aquariums since i was 10 years old. i moved up to a bracksih ciclid tank 30g (which is now a 50g) that i have had for 3 years now. im ready for the next phase and the logical choice would be marine.

i have been reading a lot of books and searching the web looking for the best techniques for getting started. unfortunetly i have gotten a lot fo conflicting info, especially from the specialist at the local store.

i am really looking of going the fish only route for the moment with possibly an anemone or something but not a full blow reef tank. (trying to be safe and get used to the saltwater experience before i start adding to my tank and depleteing the bank account)

these are a few of my greatest concerns...oh and the tank would be a 50g:
1) is it true that live rock is my main and only real source of bio-filtration? cause i have been looking at investing in a canister filter unit for the time being

2) substrate...can i use crushed coral and dolomite? cause that it was i have an abundance of

3) lighting....do i have to replace my hood lamps that i am using ATM?

4) filtration...canister or external? i am running an AquaClear 70 and Whisper 40 in the ciclid tank and i hardly have to touch the thing aside from the weekly water change. the guy at the store said that those would be useful for simply water movement and not filtering. should i invest in a canister?

for now these are the biggest concerns of mine before i really put fourth the investment in something i may not need.

[Aquarist007]

[welcome]

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12329681#post12329681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stryker86941
Hello all. i just registered here at RC and i cant tell you enough how helpful all of the info on the site has been so far. i am a vet (for my age) when it comes to aquaria. i have been keeping aquariums since i was 10 years old. i moved up to a bracksih ciclid tank 30g (which is now a 50g) that i have had for 3 years now. im ready for the next phase and the logical choice would be marine.

i have been reading a lot of books and searching the web looking for the best techniques for getting started. unfortunetly i have gotten a lot fo conflicting info, especially from the specialist at the local store.

i am really looking of going the fish only route for the moment with possibly an anemone or something but not a full blow reef tank. (trying to be safe and get used to the saltwater experience before i start adding to my tank and depleteing the bank account)

these are a few of my greatest concerns...oh and the tank would be a 50g:
1) is it true that live rock is my main and only real source of bio-filtration? cause i have been looking at investing in a canister filter unit for the time being

2) substrate...can i use crushed coral and dolomite? cause that it was i have an abundance of

3) lighting....do i have to replace my hood lamps that i am using ATM?

4) filtration...canister or external? i am running an AquaClear 70 and Whisper 40 in the ciclid tank and i hardly have to touch the thing aside from the weekly water change. the guy at the store said that those would be useful for simply water movement and not filtering. should i invest in a canister?

for now these are the biggest concerns of mine before i really put fourth the investment in something i may not need.

1. live rock and the sand bed are you biological filtration in your tank

2. do not use crushed coral--its too hard to clean, gets clogged with nitrates and phosphates and eventually can become an importer of nitrates back into your system.
Buy a good medium argonite

3.no not a big issue in a FOWlr tank

4. suggest you invest in a protein skimmer-- the live rock, sand bed and a protein skimmer is all the filtration you need.

[kzickovich]

live rock is optional on a fo tank. On my fo tank I have about 20 lb. in a 55 that I also only run a canistar filter on, you just have to maintain it or it will become a problem. I also use a cc substrate. But the only reson I do is becacuse I have a young puffer and trigger in there and they chew on it to grind there teeth. I would also get a protein skimmer, it don't have to be a break the bank skimmer though being that it is a fo tank.

[purza_00]

Yep, they are "acceptable" for the fish only setup. The lighting will not support an anemone, and you'd probably need better filtration there also.

[stryker86941]

if i decided to get an anemone (cause i would like 2 false percula) how difficult would it be to maintain? and what is the best substrate for one?

also...one of the books i have says that when i do the initial startup to NOT turn on the filtration unit and the other says to DO turn it on cause it speeds up the cycling process. which is correct?

[cdbias2]

Run everything except lights during cycling.
RO/DI's and skimmers are not optional.

[Kep]

Low light is fine for fish only.

Get live rock.

Get a good protein skimmer.

Use RO water.

Use aragonite substrate.

Oh, and get a good protein skimmer. (That one needs to be said twice)