Ok Setting A New Tank Help Please

[sonnyrg]

ok im going to be setting up a new bw tank and i need help
1. can i use live sand and crushed coral what kind of filter we i need?
2. can i use the same air stone like in a fresh water tank?
3. would i need a protein skimmer for bw?
4. what would be a good bw fish to the eat algae is there something like a plecostomus but for bw? (cant be snails)
5. would i be able to drop in some Colombian Ramshorn Snails or would they die right away? (there food)
6. would live bamboo be able to live in the tank?
7. what kind of Invertebrates can i use freshwater or Marine
8. what kind of meds will i have to use the ones that are marked freshwater or saltwater i have some that are marked both will freshwater meds be fine


please help me thank you

 

[iliveinazoo]

ok im going to be setting up a new bw tank and i need help
1. can i use live sand and crushed coral what kind of filter we i need?
2. can i use the same air stone like in a fresh water tank?
3. would i need a protein skimmer for bw?
4. what would be a good bw fish to the eat algae is there something like a plecostomus but for bw? (cant be snails)
5. would i be able to drop in some Colombian Ramshorn Snails or would they die right away? (there food)
6. would live bamboo be able to live in the tank?
7. what kind of Invertebrates can i use freshwater or Marine
8. what kind of meds will i have to use the ones that are marked freshwater or saltwater i have some that are marked both will freshwater meds be fine


please help me thank you

A lot of the answers depend on the species of fish or invertebrate that you wish to keep but I'll try and answer some of the questions:
1. I think that live sand is for marine tanks and therefore unnecessary? If you are at a SG below where live rock and sand can be used for filtration then just get a filter sized for a freshwater tank of the same size. That said, I over-filter because lots of the brackish species are messy eaters, buy the largest filter that you can afford.
2. Yes, but you will get salt damage everywhere if you haven't got a lid.
3. Not really but apparently they can be beneficial if you are running at a high SG - can't remember at what exact level they start to work but there are other posts on the subject on this forum.
4. Don't know, my scats picked at algae but didn't really do much to dint it, mollies will pick as well, nothing i've had beats a snail.
5. The higher the SG the quicker they'll die but i don't suppose it will matter much if they're eaten as soon as you drop them in.
6. I can barely get bamboo to grow in my garden never mind my fish tank!
7. All depends on the SG you're going for, some shrimps and snails traded as freshwater breed in brackish water, some marine ones will tolerate a lower salinity.
8. Don't know I suppose it depends on the SG, the few that I have are for both.

Check out Nmonk's pages for more info.

 

[Merlock]

crushed coral/ argonite is used to keep nitrate lvls down for sensitive fish. the most common bottom feeder would be a columbian shark, but i did think theyll want to eat algae much, best get a nerite snail if at all possible. for invertibrates you could try some crabs, fiddler or red claw.

 

[ac106]

crushed coral/ argonite is used to keep nitrate lvls down for sensitive fish. the most common bottom feeder would be a columbian shark, but i did think theyll want to eat algae much, best get a nerite snail if at all possible. for invertibrates you could try some crabs, fiddler or red claw.

please explain this