Just got back from PetCo!! :)

[beefcake]

I have a 5g hex tank that I am planning on moving from fw to sw, i have done a bit of reading but still have questions because EVERY time I go into the pet store the employee looks at me like I have been smoking crack when I tell him what i am planning.

what I purchased today:

50/50 Fluorescent bulb (kinda cool, like your home variety but has the two diff lights)

Some sand, what they are selling is live argonite(at least that what the package says)

I purchased a new filter and bio-wheel for my tank.

I understand the cycle process and water testing, but would anybody recommend anything I may need for success in particular, i am planning on 1-2 clowns maybe some soft coral, LR.

I have read conflicting info regarding the bio-wheel and would like to ask what people have run into with having them or not having them.


Last of all is a skimmer of some sort needed on this type of setup?

Thanks in advance for your input, This will be my first attempt with SW.If it goes well i will post some pics

 

[Phischy]

I'm not the biggest expert on fish in nano's, but I think two clowns will be way too much for 5 gallons unless you're incredibly efficient at maintence. You will need a skimmer, espically if you plan on putting fish in. As much live rock as you can cram in there as well (within reason). I'm sure some of the other's will have better advice but I would go directly to a saltwater only store and start talking to people about your ideas.

The other thing, if that FW tank had copper in it to treat FW Fish...that copper will kill most saltwater inhabinents. They have a very low tolerance. I would suggest you read some more before jumping in, if nothing more, than to save you $$$ by not making bad decisions. This is my .02 cents of course.

 

[beefcake]

is there any way remove the copper from the tank, what would have been the source?


This tank will be on my desk at work and I will be doing constant testing and water changes 1-2 times a week, as far as the fish go I was planning on really doing one, and trying maybe two after the tank has been running for a while, without a skimmer waht lind of problems could I run into.

 

[incysor]

is there any way remove the copper from the tank, what would have been the source?


This tank will be on my desk at work and I will be doing constant testing and water changes 1-2 times a week, as far as the fish go I was planning on really doing one, and trying maybe two after the tank has been running for a while, without a skimmer waht lind of problems could I run into.

I think the copper thing is somewhat of a myth. I know more than one person that made the transition from FW to SW, and used a tank that had been medicated in the past, and they're reefs are doing fine. For that small a tank, I'd clean it out bleach it, rinse it, fill it with ro/di water, let it sit a couple days and then run a copper test on your water. If it tests fine then you should be ok.

Skimmers help pull organic waste out of your system. If you want to put fish in your system I'd recommend having one. It just helps keep the water quality stable for a longer period of time. However it's not really a 'necessary' piece of equipment if you're willing to do really frequent water changes. If you decide to go without fish, then you probably don't need one.

 

[Phischy]

It's my understanding the only way copper would be added is if you medicated some of your fish in the tank. I would make sure to wash out the tank throughly and to not reuse much equipment.

I think a skimmer is going to be necessarly to remove fish waste, BUT if you do water changes 2x a week, then you may be able to get away from it. Just remember...food equals waste. It will decompose and add to your nitrate levels just like fish waste will do.

What will you do with it on the weekend?

I think skimmers are a necessity, you should see the gunk they pull out of the water. It's not pretty. But I do not know everything. What I do know is to just take it slow and don't rush anything. And watch out for evil isopods. They are nasty buggers and my tank is infested with them

 

[beefcake]

thanks for the info so far, I washed everything, pump, intake basically everywhere water will flow, I never had to add any specific water treatment except to declorinate my tap.

 

[beefcake]

I am not reusing anything that was inside the tank from before

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

keep in mind that although using tap in freshwater tanks really isn't a problem, using it in a marine tank will lead to surefire disaster. you'll end up with major nuisance algae blooms.

the best water to use is RO/DI water or at the very least bottled distilled.

 

[beefcake]

I bought 5 gallons of reef water from petco, for the evaporated water I will be using dis

 

[djconn]

I wouldn't worry about a skimmer in a 5 gallon tank. You'll be doing weekly water changes anyway and that will help your system recover from fish waste in the water. I would prob. only go with 1 small fish in the 5.

Got any pics by chance? I'd like to see how its progressing.

 

[Hillbilly]

I wouldn't worry about a skimmer in a 5 gallon tank. You'll be doing weekly water changes anyway and that will help your system recover from fish waste in the water. I would prob. only go with 1 small fish in the 5.

I agree. A skimmer would not be practical on a 5gal. tank. Just remember, with less than 5gals. of water (allowing for LR), you're going to have very little "buffer" and almost no room for error. I would get a small fish, maybe a dartfish or goby of some kind, and feed it only what it will eat at a feeding, being sure to remove any uneaten food. Mark your waterline with a permanent marker, and replace any evaporated water often with fresh water. It will only take a little evaporated water in that tank to make a big swing in SG. Keep up with water changes always. Good luck!

 

[beefcake]

I have orders some live rock from my lfs should be here on wednesday. From what I have been reading that should be good enough to remove the filter and biowheel I have in the tank, seems those can be a source of nitrates,anybody else have experience with this?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

yes, the biowheel will become a nitrate factory. it's best to run the filter without the wheel. Using the filter itself is a good thing. It will add more water flow into the tank and if needed you can run a poly/carbon pad to polish the water.

 

[beefcake]

Thats what I will do thanks!!


I have a small clown in there now, he is doing really well(eating and swiming) So far all my levels are perfect. I will post some pics when I get my live rock in.

 

[xero404]

bio wheel nitrate?

the biowheel in the eclipse tank is bad? i thought the bio wheel was there to get rid of the ammonia the fish make?

 

[incysor]

Re: bio wheel nitrate?

the biowheel in the eclipse tank is bad? i thought the bio wheel was there to get rid of the ammonia the fish make?

They're fine to start with, but eventually they become pretty much useless, and end up being a nitrate trap. I'm not totally convinced but that seems to be the general consensus on most of the boards. I still think that you need a place for the aerobic bacteria to grow, but lots of people with nitrate problems seem to get very fast reductions by removing the biowheel.

B

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Firsthand experience with the biowheel here - step aside.

My first tank was an Eclipse 6 with the biowheel. Stuffed it with LS and LR and let it cycle. Three months later I was still seeing an elevated nitrate level. I read through many threads about the pros and cons of the biowheel, (and there is an extensive thread over at nanoreef if anyone cares to bore yourself to death) I decided I'd take it out and see what happened. The nitrates disappeared. That was enough proof for me. I never put it back in and the tank ran for about 8 more months until I swapped it for a minibow.

 

[Vafik]

From what I read and have learnd from here let your LR and LS do your filtration. Just make sure you have alot of water movment in your tank. If your going to use your old FW tank for this set up and you clean it with bleach make sure you rinse it very well. Also if you let it air dry let it sit in the sun. The sun will kill any clorine that might not have been rinsed out. After a few days in the sun I'd rinse it one more time with some RO water and you should be good to go.

 

[dragon79]

Firsthand experience with the biowheel here - step aside.

My first tank was an Eclipse 6 with the biowheel. Stuffed it with LS and LR and let it cycle. Three months later I was still seeing an elevated nitrate level. I read through many threads about the pros and cons of the biowheel, (and there is an extensive thread over at nanoreef if anyone cares to bore yourself to death) I decided I'd take it out and see what happened. The nitrates disappeared. That was enough proof for me. I never put it back in and the tank ran for about 8 more months until I swapped it for a minibow.

I believe it, I've read about this too, and also have read sugar magnolia's posts on other forums and have seen her get praise afterwards as the nitrate levels going back to zero. So going this route of removing it will be the right way of doing it, you'll see when you test your levels and be like "wow they were right" hehe

 

[YMCA]

I would have to agree with the others the bio wheel is trouble.
And wen u get the live rock be sure to post picks