evilknieval69 Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 ok So i am going to setup a saltwater tank, It will be a 2 foot, 60L tank(small i know). I am going to go skimmerless at the moment, but may upgrade in the future. I will do water changes every 2 weeks or so with NSW from the mount. I will be using bottled water for top off, and if i ever need it, ASW. I will be using two 2 foot lights (15w) one blue and one white (17000 and 10000 ish Kelvins)The tank will have a HOB filter (which can run carbon or phosphate remover when needed) and a powerhead. I just want to keep a couple mushrooms etc. I just have a few questions i would like answered. 1. How do i go about starting?? I will go collect 60 litres of NSW and put it in the tank with bought live rock. Do i then wait for the tank to have its own cycle or will this already be done because i am using already cured rock and NSW....? 2. What corals would you reccomend for this tank?? 3. Would i be able to keep a cleaner shrimp and 2 clowns happily in this tank? 4. What type of bottled water is best, or should i use, or you have used in the past with no downfalls... 5. Would i be better to start with something like some damsels rather than clowns, IE, are clowns a very hard to keep fish?? Any help you may give me will be apreciated. Thanks Rogan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneo Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I've got a little Jebo HOB skimmer sitting in the shed you can have for 30 bucks. Better than nothing and will help with flow. I'd suggest saving up and doing it right first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 sweet!! ill take it. Does it come with pump or is it air driven???? does it work :lol: Probly better to PM me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 My other option, is to spend a little bit more $$ (probably ending up to be alot)(alot that i dont have) and setup a 120L tank as saltwater. I would need more powerheads (which wont be alot as i have a few) a skimmer definately (use the one from shaneo???) More live rock than the other tank ($$$$) And better lighting (i have a spare 150W Metal halide, But only with a 3000K bulb....) Hmmmmm, What do you think??? :lol: Do any of you saltys have old 150W DE bulbs you dont use anymore because you have got new ones that you could sell me cheaper?? I dont mind older bulbs :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KP Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 IMO it is always better to have more water volume for stability. All you need to start is the tank, saltwater, live rock, heater and a powerhead. Then it can just sit there maturing while you sort out other things (lights, skimmer). The 150W would be prefectly suited to a 120L with a 14K maybe if you want looks over growth. You can keep the clowns and cleaner shrimp. IMO go for clowns over the agressive little damsels. Plus that swim funny :lol: Here is brians old tank: nice and simple http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/briane ... t5171.html Next step up to that in terms of simplicity would be wasps, and he has an incredible tank. Also you should talk to land_lubber, who has recently come over from fresh and set up a salt tank. Good luck Kyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneo Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 That skimmer would only just do the job for the 2 foota with a light fish load, untill you got a good skimma. Wouldn't put it on any thing bigger..... not worth it. Its there if you want it & it does pull a good amount of crap for a cheapie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 Nope, I am deciding to go with the smaller tank for now, just because of the cost the rock will be etc. I am going to start it with rock, water, heater & powerhead, whilst i build up other items like skimmer and lighting.... Anybody local got any rock for sale :lol: I am also keen on that skimmer shaneo, Im only going to have 2 clowns and a shrimp in the tank so it will be prety lightly stocked i think. I just want to keep some low light corals (if there is such a thing) and some mushrooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDM Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 i have a 2 foot tank set up with a cheep and nasty aquaone hob skimmer, its doing well, i have 2x white fluro and one blue, i do 25% water changes weekly (using water from my reef tank(nsw)) i have some small peices of live rock that i could spare, but you would need to pick it up from me in hamilton. i have one power head (4500 lph) and the skimmer for water movement, i keep mushroom frags star polop frags and some torch and hammer corals, i have a maroon clown and a yellow tail damsel, looks good for what it is, but it will not support many speices of corals, mushrooms leathers and easy to keep softies. also i do not feed the fish in that tank, maybe twice a week as i am concerned about degrading the water quality with such a useless skimmer. will be a cheep way to start but you will soon be bitten by the bug and want more more more, as kp said more water volume is better, this is becouse it is easier to keep the water quality better for the inhabitants you choose to keep, this will require a good skimmer but the rest you could do as you can afford it (light upgrade power heads etc) as far as rock goes, from what i have experanced you will not need much more rock if any to support the extra volume. the best advice i can give you would be to read and read and read some more, and just when you thort you have read enough, read some more, referace books are excellent and these sort of fish sites can be very helpfull. ask questions on things you dont understand and most of us are keen to offer advice. enjoy marine keeping, its a challange and very rewarding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 thanks very much for that JDM. All i am realy wanting to keep is a few softys, with a couple small fish (ie, perc clowns) and a shrimp if practical. Im going to use a 1200 LPH powerhead in it for water movement, along with the HOB filter which can be used for carbon, plus the HOB skimmer. I would realy apreciate some rock if you could spare it, Would it be enough for the tank or would i still need more?? If it is a suitable amount i might make a road trip over for it, otherwise, just buy it live from the LFS. It is a cheap way to start, and i will get the bug, I pretty much already have it At the end of the year, i get to bring my 3 foot tank stand/cabinet home from school, so i will upgrade the saltwater tank to that. I have started reading some nano-reef sites, plus heaps of other articles in saltwater reefs. Im quite keen to start with just this tank, then upgrade to a 200 + litre system at the end of the year, complete with MH and sump 8) I will do 30% water changes each week, topping up with bottled water every few days when it needs it. Can i collect about 100L's of NSW at a time and use what i need, and save the rest for the next week or does that not work? Do i need to heat it before putting it in the tank?? Do i need salt mix at all, ie. would i ever use it? Sorry for all the questions, but as you may understand, i want to get it right the first time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDM Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 i collect 440 ltrs at a time and this lasts me about a month, the water needs to be stored in a dark place and it will last for ages. i allways have enough salt mix to do a 100% water change just in case. with a 60ltr set up that wont cost you much. the rock i can spare is not much, but it will "seed" it with the bacterria you need, and will shortin the cycle time. your lfs might be able to sell you a peice of live rock, this will do the same and save you a road trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 Yer, I can buy it from one of the LFS, not sure on prices but It would probably end up cheaper than petrol to hamz and back :lol: If i buy 3 KG's of live rock from the LFS and then buy another 3 KG's of dead rock can i chuck them all in the tank and be sweet? how long will it take to cycle?? Will 10KGs do the tank ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 IMO you should stick with the smaller simpler tank till you are ready to go the whole hog, the difference between 60 and 120liters isn't really going to improve what you can keep, but you would have to spend a lot more on gear that you will have to upgrade when you go to a desent size. Clowns are a type of damsel, but in saying that they are far better fish, a lot of people regret adding the non-clown damsels when they start to cause problems as they add fish later on. They are heaps of really nice soft corals that do well if not better in low light, there are also some LPS corals that do well in lower light, but they require pretty good water quality that will be hard for you to get with a small tank and no skimmer. The other option is to go fish only there are some stunning angles etc that most of us cant keep because of our corals. Going this option would take away some of the problems with water quality, light, etc. But would mean you would eith not be able to keep corals in the future or have to have two tanks. Running two tanks could be very cool, they could share the same water and gear, and just be plumbed together so you have the bonus of more water volume in the total system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 You can get bottled water which is RODI in 10l bottles, they're sort of rectangular shape with a handle. Made in NZ. This lasts me about a week of top-ups, tank is 105l capacity, but took about 85l NSW to fill when you account for aragonite base and a couple of large hunks of live rock. My last lot cost me $5.75 from The Warehouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 I realy want this tank just for a few mushrooms mainly, and at the end of the year, upgrade to bigger and better things. The tank will have a skimmer, I am buying shaneo's one off him. He is a legend 8) Thanks for the info bout that bottled water zev, Will keep it in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 This is sort of what i would like my tank to look like :lol: Would i be able to keep zoos in such a simple tank?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted September 18, 2006 Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 yup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 Realy?? Cooooool 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 yea marcs pleco tank is awesome! it was lookin thru his site that made me want to have a go at a reef tank. i was originally gonna go for a simple tropical freshwater setup til i found the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneo Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 PM'd you bro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 OK. So i have the tank empty and ready, The HOB filter ready, The heating and lighting ready, The circulation ready And the skimmer should be in the mail now i think. So tonight i am going to get some NSW from the harbour jetti (sp?) Next weekend i will buy the live rock.... After seeing Steve-s' nano build thread, I am considering using a SCWD from my 1200 lph powerhead i have for the tank. Couple questions: 1. Where do i get a SCWD from and aprox how much will it cost? 2. I think I remember reading that they reduce your flow by about half, Is this true, and if it is, is it practical for me to use one you reckon?? Im going to have zoo's and mushys in the tank, ust incase that info helps to whether it would be good or not. Thanks Rogan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 found this on this site. hope it helps evil http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/-vp101820.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 1. Where do i get a SCWD from and aprox how much will it cost? 2. I think I remember reading that they reduce your flow by about half, Is this true, and if it is, is it practical for me to use one you reckon?? 1) secondhand rate seems to be around $50 at the moment. They come up here quite often, and there was someone selling them new, but I can't remember who. I search should be able to find it for you. 2) They do reduce flow, but not by half, through I guess it would be half if you were using a very small pump. When I used one a had an 1060 driving it, it had 1.5m head from my sump as well as the SCWD and it worked ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-s Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 I got mine in Aust but you can usually find a few on Trademe. I think Wasp mentioned somewhere he had one for sale too, try sending him a PM. Mine seems to be providing good flow in the nano, quite pleased with it actually. The biggest problem is the space they take up if you run them internally. If you set them up externally though then you can avoid this issue. Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 If you set them up externally though then you can avoid this issue. The down side to this is they only have push fittings I used to get some salt creep from the joints on mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 i was about to say, with a bayonet fitting i'd only run them internally. easily stealthed being black in colour. i ran my one externally for a while but got a bit nervous over the non-glued non-pressure pipe fittings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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