what to buy!!!
- Thread starter CLYDE
- Start date
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Anything you "should have bought", should have been bought more than 2 weeks in advance. I would suggest doing more research before spending any money. It would also help if you tell us more about your tank
Right well I have a standard nano 24g with 2x36 t5's
and have got a hydro korilia nano for extra water movenment.
returnofsid Im not adding the coral now mate but in about 2weeks just trying to get as much info as possible before hand! have tryed reading on what past people have put but have found little info.
Im gonna be keeping soft corals and lps corals...
my tank at the mo has got 13kg of 'live rock' a further 2kg in chamber 1....I've got rowaphos and carbon in chamber 2.
anything i should be buying which i will need for a healthy tank in order for coral to thrive?
and have got a hydro korilia nano for extra water movenment.
returnofsid Im not adding the coral now mate but in about 2weeks just trying to get as much info as possible before hand! have tryed reading on what past people have put but have found little info.
Im gonna be keeping soft corals and lps corals...
my tank at the mo has got 13kg of 'live rock' a further 2kg in chamber 1....I've got rowaphos and carbon in chamber 2.
anything i should be buying which i will need for a healthy tank in order for coral to thrive?
chend2
Achilles Reef Nugget
Hey Clyde,
Sorry about obnoxious people that get excited when they get the chance to yell at someone. Anyway, its best to think about how you want your tank to look. And start with the cheaper items. I enjoy Xenia because its hard to kill and it moves. But is can get outta control. Also any leathers are typically easy to keep. Hope that helps.
Cheers
Sorry about obnoxious people that get excited when they get the chance to yell at someone. Anyway, its best to think about how you want your tank to look. And start with the cheaper items. I enjoy Xenia because its hard to kill and it moves. But is can get outta control. Also any leathers are typically easy to keep. Hope that helps.
Cheers
Scooterman
Well-known member
How long has it been since you set this tank up? Have you tested your waters for ammonia, nitrate & nitrites? Just trying to get a handle on how long you have it up & what you got planned to put in it, also what about fish?
I agree, starting out, leathers are a good way to start, the softies are fairly easy to get started with.
I agree, starting out, leathers are a good way to start, the softies are fairly easy to get started with.
Well, Im not going to jump to conclusions, but I will assume you have had this tank up for at LEAST a month before you tried to introduce anything.
First of all. EXCELLENT choice on the soft coral route!
Thats awsome.
The tank may appear to have a LOT of room and most people when new to the hobby (reef keeping) jump the gun a bit and get as many little frags as possible to start "fillin' her up", However. Please refrain from doing this, as the temptation is strong, but rather add one at a time, maybe two. In the size aquarium you have, most soft corals in the wild, would outgrow that aquarium in no time. (and thats just ONE coral... not a group of them). Soft corals are great, they are easy to care for, but they do get big. Most soft corals are rather "tank friendly" to thier tank mates, however there are a few that will create a "chemical warfare" in your tank.
As far as chemicals go... Calcium is not entirely necessary, however it doesnt hurt. (im probably going to catch some flak for that but, I dont add any... EVER...) What is important to soft corals is Iodine, Strontium, and Magnesium. (Iron is at the bottom of the list)
Soft corals are pretty hardy, and a Protien skimmer is not necessary if you keep the fish to a bare minimum.. or none at all. The bioload caused from the fish, will require you to invest in one in no time. The bio load from just soft corals does not consititute the use of a skimmer. (There are many articles you can read through that discuss this thoroughly).
Water changes are important, so buy some salt and have salt on stand by at all times. God only knows what can happen when an Emergency batch of saltwater is necessary!! (Been there.. done that).
Lighting is important, and I recommend that the lighting be at least 5 watts per gallon. (it sounds like that might be covered). Stony corals require more light and in there case.. more is better. 8-9 watt per gallon range.
Your water movement is covered. In that size tank you should be fine. (there are folks out there however, that will probably tell you to put a 900 gallon return pump on the thing on a closed loop... but thier NUTS)
Temperature.... Make sure your tank temps dont reach 90 Farenheit! Try to keep it between 75-80!
I guess that about does it for the basics. Before adding a thing tho, make sure your Nitrates, Ntrite, Ammonia, and Phosphates level are all at ZERO and your salinity level between 1.023 - 1.025. If you can maintain these levels, your tank should do pretty good.
If you can keep those items in check, you'll be off to a better start than a lot of folks who take the plunge on thier first go.
***DISCLAIMER*** This is not ALL the information your going to need, and I suggest you read as much as you can, and be a sponge for the next..... however long your involved in this hobby. This site and others are full of great information that you will find beneficial, and at times... entertaining. Welcome to the hobby, and best of luck with your new tank!
Jaybo
First of all. EXCELLENT choice on the soft coral route!
Thats awsome.The tank may appear to have a LOT of room and most people when new to the hobby (reef keeping) jump the gun a bit and get as many little frags as possible to start "fillin' her up", However. Please refrain from doing this, as the temptation is strong, but rather add one at a time, maybe two. In the size aquarium you have, most soft corals in the wild, would outgrow that aquarium in no time. (and thats just ONE coral... not a group of them). Soft corals are great, they are easy to care for, but they do get big. Most soft corals are rather "tank friendly" to thier tank mates, however there are a few that will create a "chemical warfare" in your tank.
As far as chemicals go... Calcium is not entirely necessary, however it doesnt hurt. (im probably going to catch some flak for that but, I dont add any... EVER...) What is important to soft corals is Iodine, Strontium, and Magnesium. (Iron is at the bottom of the list)
Soft corals are pretty hardy, and a Protien skimmer is not necessary if you keep the fish to a bare minimum.. or none at all. The bioload caused from the fish, will require you to invest in one in no time. The bio load from just soft corals does not consititute the use of a skimmer. (There are many articles you can read through that discuss this thoroughly).
Water changes are important, so buy some salt and have salt on stand by at all times. God only knows what can happen when an Emergency batch of saltwater is necessary!!
(Been there.. done that). Lighting is important, and I recommend that the lighting be at least 5 watts per gallon. (it sounds like that might be covered). Stony corals require more light and in there case.. more is better. 8-9 watt per gallon range.
Your water movement is covered. In that size tank you should be fine. (there are folks out there however, that will probably tell you to put a 900 gallon return pump on the thing on a closed loop... but thier NUTS
)Temperature.... Make sure your tank temps dont reach 90 Farenheit! Try to keep it between 75-80!
I guess that about does it for the basics. Before adding a thing tho, make sure your Nitrates, Ntrite, Ammonia, and Phosphates level are all at ZERO and your salinity level between 1.023 - 1.025. If you can maintain these levels, your tank should do pretty good.
If you can keep those items in check, you'll be off to a better start than a lot of folks who take the plunge on thier first go.
***DISCLAIMER*** This is not ALL the information your going to need, and I suggest you read as much as you can, and be a sponge for the next..... however long your involved in this hobby. This site and others are full of great information that you will find beneficial, and at times... entertaining. Welcome to the hobby, and best of luck with your new tank!
Jaybo
Last edited:
Allenfamily
fish eaters
We had a tank the same size and same lights and the xenia we put in it loved it. Leathers look good and it's pretty obvious when they're happy. Zoo's look good and don't take a lot of space, they can get pricey though.
Kurt_Nelson
Well-known member
... and in my opinion, unless your tank is stocked to the max, these can be replenished with weekly water changes. If you do decide to dose for them, then be sure you can test for them. Basic rule is to not dose anything you can't test for. Overdosing on Iodine can ruin a tank real quick.
Right firstly a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who replyed to this thread
The following are the results for my water test which i just made a few minutes ago.....
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
ph 8.3
I will test for Phosphates later on today when i buy a phospahate test kit
but I've got rowaphos in my tank so im hoping my phosphate levels wont be that high.
The following are the results for my water test which i just made a few minutes ago.....
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
ph 8.3
I will test for Phosphates later on today when i buy a phospahate test kit
but I've got rowaphos in my tank so im hoping my phosphate levels wont be that high.
Krish
RF STAFF
Your numbers are really good!
How long have they been stable this way? One thing to keep in min is if you are ready to add corals, you'll have to make sure your calcium, alk, magnesium levels etc are at the proper levels otherwise the corals may not do so well. 
Damsel13
Well-known member
Hi Clyde,
I am Debbie....aka Damsel13
How is your tank today?
In my humble opinion water parameters aren't all they are cracked up to be especially in a small system. There is someone on here that says nothing happens fast in a reef tank.
Take their advice.
Nice to meet you.
I am Debbie....aka Damsel13
How is your tank today?
In my humble opinion water parameters aren't all they are cracked up to be especially in a small system. There is someone on here that says nothing happens fast in a reef tank.
Take their advice.
Nice to meet you.
Want to thank everyone who has replyed to my thread this is by far the best 'marine fish forum' i've used....
Right, i've just finished doing my weekly water change and I did a phosphate water test and the result was 0.1 so Im quite happy with that! reckon it will go down to zero esp becuase i have now changed the cheap carbon that came with the tank to rowa carbon which is much better stuff and is not meant to leek back into the tank excess phosphate.
I also bought salifert 'all in one' reef supplement for my tank for later on when i start to stock coral.
p.s I will soon be posting pictures of my tank for you all to see
Oh and i forgot to mension my snails arrived today
3 ceriths
3 trochus
6 nassarius
my tank has quite a bit of algie so hopefully the little beasts will sort it out asap!
this is by far the best 'marine fish forum' i've used....Right, i've just finished doing my weekly water change and I did a phosphate water test and the result was 0.1 so Im quite happy with that! reckon it will go down to zero esp becuase i have now changed the cheap carbon that came with the tank to rowa carbon which is much better stuff and is not meant to leek back into the tank excess phosphate.
I also bought salifert 'all in one' reef supplement for my tank for later on when i start to stock coral.
p.s I will soon be posting pictures of my tank for you all to see
Oh and i forgot to mension my snails arrived today
3 ceriths
3 trochus
6 nassarius
my tank has quite a bit of algie so hopefully the little beasts will sort it out asap!
Damsel13
Well-known member
Oh boy oh boy pictures!!!!!
dj tryrd
dj tryrd
im not sure but arent you supposed to have some nitrite in the tank? > 10 but < 0
Krish
RF STAFF
Once a tank has completed the intital cycle, you shouldn't really ever read any nitrites anymore. It's in the beginning stages of setting up a tank and cycling when you usually read them until the necessary aerobic bacteria starts to colonize the tank and converts it into nitrate.
dj tryrd
dj tryrd
also ive never heard of or seen nassarius snails eat algea , though they are a unique animal to have and they spend most of their time under the sand with their proboscus sticking out. when you feed your fish they will come out of the sand ( erely zombie like) and scavenge for carrion. mmmmm dead stuff.
