Hey Got Some Questions About A Salt Water Tank I Wanna Start

[(tyler)]

Once your tank is up and cycling, test your water every 3-4 days for about a month. Your Ammonia will eventually spike followed by Nitrites and Nitrates. Once this happens which will probable be about 3 weeks into the cycle, maybe less it all depends, preform a about a 30-40% water change. Again once this is done test the water if the temperature is right, salnity, pH, Calcium, is where you want it and the Ammonia and Nitrites and Nitrates read 0 you should be good to go, start adding fish in slowly. The key to saltwater is patience.

* This is how I cycle my tanks, this is by no means the perfect way. I find it effecient and use it. If you would like to add your viewpoints on how you have cycled your previous tanks please do.

ok so when i want to do a 30-40% water change take it out then add another 30 or 40% of a new mixture of salt water and will it take up to a month for this to get done or will it all depend and when i keep checking out at any time with in a few weeks i will see the ammonia rise and followed by the rest

 

[SkiFletch]

You should see anything from 0.25 to 5ppm spike of ammonia. It all depends on how much dieoff there is on the rock when you move it from the LFS or the shipping box into your tank. There's no perfect answer here

 

[(tyler)]

You should see anything from 0.25 to 5ppm spike of ammonia. It all depends on how much dieoff there is on the rock when you move it from the LFS or the shipping box into your tank. There's no perfect answer here

alright thx again also when im putting in my new water from when the tanks done cylceing and i do the big water changw how will i kno how much salt i should put in the mix of new water sr yfor all the qeustions just wamt a healthy fish tank

 

[Brenden]

Well you check your salnity before mixing the two. Test the salnity in your aquarium, and make sure you make the salnity in your bucker or w.e your using to mix the salt in the same. I believe you want your salnity between 1.020 - 1.025 please correct if wrong I am in the middle of the transition from my old 120g to my new 325g so I have no water at the moment. And to test the salnity you use a salnity monitor shouldnt be to much at your LFS this keeps track of the level in your aquarium.

 

[(tyler)]

Well you check your salnity before mixing the two. Test the salnity in your aquarium, and make sure you make the salnity in your bucker or w.e your using to mix the salt in the same. I believe you want your salnity between 1.020 - 1.025 please correct if wrong I am in the middle of the transition from my old 120g to my new 325g so I have no water at the moment. And to test the salnity you use a salnity monitor shouldnt be to much at your LFS this keeps track of the level in your aquarium.

o ok so you check the regular water i think i get it ok and also do i need a flatpump or what ever there called it moves the water like a curent if you kno what im talkin bout or is this not necessary when i get the tank rdy ill see if i can get pics if i no how ot on this site lol

wait my bad i ment as im adding the salt i check to see how much salt is in it like 1.020 or 1.023

 

[Brenden]

When you say " current " I think you are refering to Powerheads. Yes you will need powerheads, this is a source of filteration and is a mandatory component for any SW system. You usually want atleast twice the amount of water cycled per hour, but you can always do more. For insant if you set up a 90 gallon system you will want to have enough powerheads to cycle about 180 per hour. On my 325 I cycle 7200 gallons per hour. Seems like alot but its just another aspect to keeping the tank healthy! As for your salt question, when you setting up a Saltwater system I suggest you invest in a RO water unit, basically these system connects to a tap, and preforms reverse osmosis to provide the best water quality. You would only need a 25gallon system per day unit which are fairly cheap. And to make things easier purchase a nice rubbermaid container, this way you can keep track of the number of gallons you are changing, you mix the salt right into the water from the RO unit right in the container, put in a powehead allow the water to keep moving, and when your ready to make the change its all set up. Use a salnity monitor to monitor the level salnity in your show aquarium and the container to ensure its the same, and at a safe level.

Let me know if you follow me, I tend to ge a little confusing at times.

Thanks.

 

[(tyler)]

When you say " current " I think you are refering to Powerheads. Yes you will need powerheads, this is a source of filteration and is a mandatory component for any SW system. You usually want atleast twice the amount of water cycled per hour, but you can always do more. For insant if you set up a 90 gallon system you will want to have enough powerheads to cycle about 180 per hour. On my 325 I cycle 7200 gallons per hour. Seems like alot but its just another aspect to keeping the tank healthy! As for your salt question, when you setting up a Saltwater system I suggest you invest in a RO water unit, basically these system connects to a tap, and preforms reverse osmosis to provide the best water quality. You would only need a 25gallon system per day unit which are fairly cheap. And to make things easier purchase a nice rubbermaid container, this way you can keep track of the number of gallons you are changing, you mix the salt right into the water from the RO unit right in the container, put in a powehead allow the water to keep moving, and when your ready to make the change its all set up. Use a salnity monitor to monitor the level salnity in your show aquarium and the container to ensure its the same, and at a safe level.

Let me know if you follow me, I tend to ge a little confusing at times.

Thanks.

thx youve been a huge help i have my water in my tank so all i have ot do is by my powerhead and also salt live sand and live rock then wait and cycle it and yea ill prepare a container with salt in it for a 10% change like every week if i am right your saying preapre salt water and when i need ot do a 10% change ill alrdy have it

 

[Brenden]

No problem! I always like to lend a helping hand. Also to answer your last question, it all depends on personally preference really. Some people like to do small water changes every week, some people do larger water changes every 2 weeks. I do every 2 weeks, but 10% every week should get you some good parameters if done right. Also if you havent already done so I would invest in a protien skimmer, also as for the power heads. I would purchase two and put one in each of the back corners.

Look forward to some pictures.

Thanks.

 

[(tyler)]

No problem! I always like to lend a helping hand. Also to answer your last question, it all depends on personally preference really. Some people like to do small water changes every week, some people do larger water changes every 2 weeks. I do every 2 weeks, but 10% every week should get you some good parameters if done right. Also if you havent already done so I would invest in a protien skimmer, also as for the power heads. I would purchase two and put one in each of the back corners.

Look forward to some pictures.

Thanks.

yea ill deffinantly get pics also im going to buy 1 powerhead and then get the other later also what do they do exactly i no they move the water i think to fultratte it what else do they do

 

[Brenden]

Basically what powerheads do are circulate the water, they keep the water moving. I think of it as a type of science experiment, if you mix a solvent with a solute they mix together in most cases to form a transparent mixture, if you let the water sit the two will seperate and create a mechanical mixture. So basically what I tried to say was, by keeping the water flowing keeps the water clear, health and helps with filteration. If you had no powerheads eventually the water would begin to be a mucky colour with all your salt at the bottom and your water on top sort of in layers.

 

[Jordon]

If you want a hardy puffer go with any of they following: Valentini, blue spotted puffer (can become a fin nipper at times) and dogface puffer.

 

[(tyler)]

If you want a hardy puffer go with any of they following: Valentini, blue spotted puffer (can become a fin nipper at times) and dogface puffer.

yes ok thx alot ok i get what there used for makes perfect sense do i also need live sand or can i use regular sand but use alot of live rock or do i need both i will iventually get live sand but for now can i just us live rock if not that thats ok

 

[Brenden]

Live sand isnt a must, some people get it some people dont. Though live rock is a I must I believe helps with the filteration alot. If your going to invest in live sand later, it makes more sense to invest in it now as it will be a pain to change the substrate while the system is running I think unless you have alot of quarantine tanks, and places to hold all that water when you take the fish out to make the swap.

 

[(tyler)]

Live sand isnt a must, some people get it some people dont. Though live rock is a I must I believe helps with the filteration alot. If your going to invest in live sand later, it makes more sense to invest in it now as it will be a pain to change the substrate while the system is running I think unless you have alot of quarantine tanks, and places to hold all that water when you take the fish out to make the swap.

do you use live sand and like i said its not a big tank and its only going to probobly be valintine puffers im def getting live rock

 

[Brenden]

I personally do not use live sand, I havent considered it. I may for my new tank, but I am probable just going to use a very fine aragonite as my sharks need very soft sand for their bellies