Newbie needs help (1 Viewer)

[Guest]

Hi

I kept a 55 saltwater tank 15 years ago. I am now starting again with a 6 gal. JEBO on my desk and have some questions:

1- Can I use live rock and live sand and salt water from surfside? I plan on 25 pounds of live rock and a sand/mud (mud on bottom) base of about 4 inchs.

2- If not whats the least expensive way of getting up and running, ie. could I use "dead" rock and a little live and wait til it all becomes live or does it not work this way.

3- How long would I wait before putting in a snail/crab/mud minnow, etc?

4- I have 8 watts of light 18000K I think, will this be ok, considering with all that rock and sand there will be about 4 gal of water, and most of the growing stuff will be close to the light.

5- Anything else I need to consider?

Thanks in advance

mal

 

[ShaneV]

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 8:10 am Post subject: Newbie needs help

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Welcome to marshreef!

1- Can I use live rock and live sand and salt water from surfside? I plan on 25 pounds of live rock and a sand/mud (mud on bottom) base of about 4 inchs.
I wouldn't, you dont know what all is in the water, I wouldnt risk it myself.


2- If not whats the least expensive way of getting up and running, ie. could I use "dead" rock and a little live and wait til it all becomes live or does it not work this way.
You can use regular sand and base rock and seed it with some live rock.

3- How long would I wait before putting in a snail/crab/mud minnow, etc?
There is not set date, but instead you need to have test kits to figure this out. I would use a dead shrimp to start your cycle. When the cycle is complete you can start to add things. If you need us to explain the cycle process let us know.

4- I have 8 watts of light 18000K I think, will this be ok, considering with all that rock and sand there will be about 4 gal of water, and most of the growing stuff will be close to the light.

Depends on what you want to keep. 8 watts isnt much even in 4 gal. It will never keep clam, or other light loving coral happy. You MIGHT be able to get some low light softies to do ok, yoiu might want to look at a light upgrade or not do coral.

5- Anything else I need to consider?

Dont get discouraged with the tank, the smaller the tank the harder it is to succeed, if yoiu have the option go with a larger tank. Also to me the main factors in success is patience and then research!

 

[Guest]

trip to florida

Oh and I am flying down to and back from florida this weekend and will be out in the atlantic boating. Would it be better to get sand/rock from there?

And i am under the belief that if I get dead rock/corol, it will become live if I put it in the tank with a piece of live rock. Is this true?

Thanks in advance,

mal

 

[Guest]

newbie

Thanks ShaneV

I am very slow going. It was 4 months before i put my first damsal in my first saltwater tank. I waited til the water was just right and put in a snail and waited some more. I guess I will have a cleaning crew in this JEBO in 4 or so months.

Is base rock just live rock, ie corol, that has been out of the water?

 

[Guest]

There is a product called Cycle, it's a bacteria culture. You can get it at most LFS, even Pet Co. Add your sand, and rock, then add "Cycle" to the tank as directed. A little tank would be ready in a week for sure. I would add a couple small snails on day four. You could add a fish after that first week. I would wait a month, then do a regular weekly gallon water change. I think your definatly need to upgrade the lights.