SW newb alert! <klaxon horn>

[time4mercy]

I always swore “NO MARINE TANKS” and then I got sucked in by a GSP, which needs full SW eventually and a bigger tank NOW. It’s okay though. . . really. Right? It’s just going to be a FOWLR, ya know? (Ahem.) So, I am currently trying to pull together my first SW setup - quickly and without a lot of money to throw at it. Some of you have received PM’s from me lately.

I think I have things (mostly) under control, but have a few questions (some of which may be a little dumb). I’m used to FW tanks, and kept myself ignorant of SW stuff on purpose!

First, here is my plan so far: 45 gal tank (48x12x18) containing 1 (one) GSP and a lot of live rock. Add LED lights, heater (200W?), couple of powerheads and skimmer. Questions:

Water: Can I use tap water, or is DI +/- RO really necessary? I’m in Port Moody (Eagle Ridge/Newport Village area) and generally have great tap water, although I’ve never actually tested the TDS.

Substrate: Do I really need it? Does it have to be sand? I get why aragonite is good, but I’m a little worried about vacuuming sand without sucking it all out. . . what’s the secret? I know it will eventually become “live,” but if I have lots of live rock (I’m hoping for 80lbs) will that be enough for bio filtration? If not, how much do I need?

Live rock: I am hoping to get the live rock from a BCA member. I’m not sure how cured it will be and am a little sketchy on how that all works. I have time to set up the tank and let it run (sans fish) with water changes etc., to re-cure. Is this all I need to do? At what point is live rock no longer live?

eta: what's the easiest way to secure stacked live rock?

Protein skimmer: Any recommendations? My main priorities are quiet and ease of maintenance. I know sumps are great, but I’m just not ready for that, so it needs to be an HOB, and preferably as compact as possible since it will be going in a pretty small-ish tank. I’m liking the looks of the Tunze 9002. . . will that be enough for one messy fish? Or is overkill good? I know I’ll have to pay around $200 to get something decent, and I’m okay with that (my credit card is PISSED, though).

Anything else I should be thinking about? I understand the need for marine salt (going to start an Instant Ocean bucket collection. . .), premixing the salt and water, using a hydrometer or refractometer, etc.

How am I doing?

[tang daddy]

I'll try to answer some of your questions.....

Water, you can definately use tap water if it's a fish only tank. Some people use tap water for reef tanks aswell without problems, you will however want to treat the water with dechlorinator and it would be the same as the ones used in freshwater. ie Prime, Nutrafin etc

Substrate, you can use sand or aragonite or even go bare bottom...sand is fine and the waste usually sits above it, although with a puffer they do like to blow it around, If you are gravel cleaning then its best to use coarse aragonite or go bare bottom.

Live Rock, the rule is usually 1 lb per gallon. Some people use more some use less, since live rock is the filtration it's good to have a bunch...

The easiest way to secure live rock is using acrylic rods, you must drill the live rock then attach them together with the rods. The acrylic rods can be found at industrial plastics and is cheap. The tip about aquascaping is they do it with the tank empty or outside of the tank. If you do it outside of the tank you can use card board as an out line so you dont build it too big and then it wont fit into the tank, for instance if it's a 90g just trace out 48"x18" and then build the formation inside those dimensions.

Protien Skimmer, Tunze is a good skimmer although for a 90g the 9002 is alittle underated and with such a small skimmer cup you would be emptying it daily. I used that same skimmer on a 50g before, maybe a coralife 220 might be slightly cheaper and there are lots of those used.....But If I were you I would just do bi weekly water changes, especially with only 1 fish I dont think the tank can get all that dirty.

Other than that I think you're off to a good start.

[time4mercy]

Thanks for the response!

You said you used the 9002 on a 50 gal. . . was it sufficient? My tank (just picked it up, w00t!) is 48 x 12 x 18, which calculates to around 43 gal. Think the 9002 would be worthwhile for it?

Wondering about powerheads. . . I'm eyeing the Koralias - how many and how powerful should I go for? I'm thinking a couple of the 425 GPH ones?

Also, is it possible to have too much light in a SW tank (make it susceptible to "bad" algae, etc)? I'm not planning to have corals, so don't need tons of light. I'm looking into buying a used Reef Bright LED system (Marineland Reef Bright LED Light Fixture (48-60 Inch)), but if that doesn't pan out will get the Double Bright (Marineland Double Bright LED Light Fixture (36-48 Inch)). Am I better off with one over the other, or can I get whichever one fits my budget, etc.?

Thanks again for any help!

[scherzo]

If your bio load is low you should be good with the 9002. It isn't a hang on back design so it will have to sit in your tank. I had one on my 29 gallon biocube and it worked great.

If you're not running a reef you don't need a tonne of light. Just enough for you to see the fish. Too much light can be a source of nuisance algae but just keep things in check with a good cleanup crew and keep nutrients in the water to a min and you should be fine.


Let me know if you're looking for a used tunze. I may think about cleaning it up and selling it since it is just sitting there doing nothing.

[tang daddy]

The 9002 should be good enough for the 55g tank you just got, for flow 2 hydor koralia 2 should be decent or 1 koralia 4. The new koralia evolution are much stronger and more efficient. If it's a fowler then 1 strip of the reef bright will be enough.

[taureandragon76]

I would not suggest going barebottom with a puffer at all, they feel more comfortable with substrate, just do what tang daddy said and use a coarser aragonite.

Just remember take it slow, and besides your GSP doesn't need the high sg right away so you can take your time getting the new setup properly established, you won't even need to buy all your LR at the same time, just get a little here and there.

[time4mercy]

scherzo: I PM'd you about the Tunze.

Still wait-and-see on the lights. . . my only concern about the reef bright is that I may not have many options in terms of a clean-up crew. GSP's tend to eat their support staff, I think. (Any suggestions?)

I bought two Koralia Evolution powerheads. They're the 550 GPH ones. J&L recommended that size, and I figured for the extra $10 (over two of the 425 GPH), I might as well go with the 550's. Will they be too much for my tank? (I can still exchange them.)

Are glass tops a good idea? What about on just one side of the center brace (to leave the other side open for the skimmer)?

No bare bottom. Gotcha. I'll deal. What particle size qualifies as "coarse" aragonite?

And thank you for the reassurance not to rush. The GSP is still little (1.5 - 2", I'd estimate) and is looking great and eating like a champ in FW. However, the tank is very small (it's him/her and an oto in a planted 10 gal). I don't know how much time I have, and I don't want to push my luck. I also don't want to go very brackish in the 10 gal as it will kill the oto and plants; I'd rather drip acclimate the puffer to the SW tank. So you see my dilemma. . . .

Argh. I forgot to get a hydrometer and heater at J&L (was too busy trying to get out of there quick before my car got towed. . . holy parking shortage, Batman!). I guess I'll stop there again when I drive by this afternoon. Oh well, I'm sure I won't be the only person to make multiple visits in a day!

Thanks for all the advice. Keep it coming.

[Chewie]

I was in the same boat as you just over a year ago. Having bought 2 gsp's for the daughter then realising after researching that they need full salt and a bigger tank (had them in a 50g) as they grew I decided to upgrade. Now I have 2 sw tanks (90g & 120g). My gsp's unfortunatly perished a few months after putting in 90g after acclimatizing to full sw. One got sucked up into a powerhead, the other soon after from suicide..jumped out onto cross brace. Now I have eels, shark, clowns, green chromis, fox face rabbit fish, damsels, snails, crabs, and assorted corals between both tanks. I am even breeding sw mollies in my sump/refugium.
Lesson learned: RESEARCH animal before buying...buy your daughter a kitten instead of "easy to take care of" fish.
Good luck with your "upgrade". Gsp's are very cool.