20 gallon Fish Only tank

mikellini · 02/27/2006, 11:02 PM

I've come to the realization that I can't possibly afford live sand or rock, and I won't be able to for a long while, but I still love saltwater fish and want to try keeping some. I realize that I will have to do frequent water changes. I currently have a 20 gallon tank with an Aquatech 20-40 trickle filter with carbon filtering and bio-media, a 100 watt heater, and a very thin layer of white gravel. Any tips on what to do next? I'm guessing that I should acheive a salinity of around 1.025 SG, and then start the nitrification cycle, possibly with a piece of dead shrimp or something. So:

1. Can I use the gravel I currently have as long as I siphon vacuum it regularly?
2. What kind of fake plants/wood/rocks can I use with possibly a couple of percula clowns or some other small saltwater fish?
3. Is my filter OK as long as I change the carbon media frequently and commit to water changes?
4. Do I have the right idea here?

Thanks for any help,
Mike

kraze3 · 02/27/2006, 11:25 PM

1. i think the gravel should be fine if ur going to clean with waterchanges but im not 100% on this.

2. I have a FO tank and just to throw it out there, sometimes the fake corals can be 17-35 dollars a piece. for the money you could easily get some live rock or you could buy base rocl or live rock for much cheaper and seed with a few pieces of live rock, thats what I wiash i had done.
The sand you can buy cheap playsand and seed with a lb or so of livesand to eventually make live sand
But if not anything you find in the fish department of a fishstore will be fine, its your choice really

3. I use a mechanical filter, I clean it weekly to prevent nitrate buildup.

4. your on the right path, the only thing im not sure about is the gravel but i THINK it will be ok. But if you get a chance look into the base rock, i dont want to pressure but its something that I wish i had looked into when i started sometimes baserock can be 2.50 per pound. you can even find it on ebay

kraze3 · 02/27/2006, 11:26 PM

to correctwhat i wrote i meant base rock or dry rock, didnt mean to say live rock again

mikellini · 02/28/2006, 02:12 AM

thanks. if i use base rock (if i can find it), will it eventually over time turn into live rock if it's in an aquarium with fish, or would i have to add live rock? any more info on the previous questions would be appreciated as well

Mike

clown-x · 02/28/2006, 02:30 AM

I agree... for the amount spent on fake plants your money would be much better spent on some live rock or base rock with a few pieces of live rock to seed. All rock in the tank will eventually turn into "live rock." You sand will also in time.

I would remove the gravel and buy a small bag of aragonite sand instead. It will help buffer your PH along with the salt water changes.

good luck

Swanwillow · 02/28/2006, 11:15 AM

you can start out with base rock, and with an additional peice of LR, it will become live over time././

but, sorry clown-x, but I have to disagree with you... salt water can't dissolve the sand enough to help buffer the PH... If it did, then tanks would go through a lot of sand, instead of a tablespoon/year... check out paul b.s 35 year old tank thread... he used something similar to aragonite-maybe even it... and hes only added a few cups if that in 35 years!!!

clown-x · 02/28/2006, 04:39 PM

Anything is possible.. there are a lot of good and bad information out there. This was taken directly from the CaribSea bag of sand:

"CaribSea Aragonite buffers to the highest pH and delivers more calcium, carbonate, and trace elements than any other substrate. Little or no rinsing required, aragonite keeps aquariums healthier, longer."

That is what I was referring to. My only point was that it would help more then the gravel would and I have noticed tanks that did increase in both ph and calcium from switching over from gravel to sand (brothers first tank was all gravel at first and didn't work well). He coudln't get ph over 7 and when switched to the sand it went up to over 8.

Anyway, good luck with your system.

Quote:

Originally posted by Swanwillow
you can start out with base rock, and with an additional peice of LR, it will become live over time././

but, sorry clown-x, but I have to disagree with you... salt water can't dissolve the sand enough to help buffer the PH... If it did, then tanks would go through a lot of sand, instead of a tablespoon/year... check out paul b.s 35 year old tank thread... he used something similar to aragonite-maybe even it... and hes only added a few cups if that in 35 years!!!

mikellini · 02/28/2006, 10:04 PM

Thanks everyone, I went to the LFS and they have NO base rock, and don't have sand in any of their tanks, looks like crushed coral or something. Anyway, I just can't afford the 18.99 they are charging for just a pound of the jakarta live rock they have, so I'm just going to set up freshwater until I can save enough money to do it right

Mike

02/27/2006, 11:02 PM	#1
mikellini Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 376	20 gallon Fish Only tank I've come to the realization that I can't possibly afford live sand or rock, and I won't be able to for a long while, but I still love saltwater fish and want to try keeping some. I realize that I will have to do frequent water changes. I currently have a 20 gallon tank with an Aquatech 20-40 trickle filter with carbon filtering and bio-media, a 100 watt heater, and a very thin layer of white gravel. Any tips on what to do next? I'm guessing that I should acheive a salinity of around 1.025 SG, and then start the nitrification cycle, possibly with a piece of dead shrimp or something. So: 1. Can I use the gravel I currently have as long as I siphon vacuum it regularly? 2. What kind of fake plants/wood/rocks can I use with possibly a couple of percula clowns or some other small saltwater fish? 3. Is my filter OK as long as I change the carbon media frequently and commit to water changes? 4. Do I have the right idea here? Thanks for any help, Mike

02/28/2006, 11:15 AM	#6
Swanwillow goby girl Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bemidji MN Posts: 2,025	you can start out with base rock, and with an additional peice of LR, it will become live over time././ but, sorry clown-x, but I have to disagree with you... salt water can't dissolve the sand enough to help buffer the PH... If it did, then tanks would go through a lot of sand, instead of a tablespoon/year... check out paul b.s 35 year old tank thread... he used something similar to aragonite-maybe even it... and hes only added a few cups if that in 35 years!!! __________________ my advice:walk away. do nothing. til tomorrow. if its still alive, it will hopefully be fine. If you do not see it, do not try to find it. it may be hiding. just LEAVE it alone Current Tank Info: starting over! 125 gallon. Soon to be home to Blackfoot clowns, A. nigripes

02/27/2006, 11:25 PM	#2
kraze3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: RI Posts: 2,373	1. i think the gravel should be fine if ur going to clean with waterchanges but im not 100% on this. 2. I have a FO tank and just to throw it out there, sometimes the fake corals can be 17-35 dollars a piece. for the money you could easily get some live rock or you could buy base rocl or live rock for much cheaper and seed with a few pieces of live rock, thats what I wiash i had done. The sand you can buy cheap playsand and seed with a lb or so of livesand to eventually make live sand But if not anything you find in the fish department of a fishstore will be fine, its your choice really 3. I use a mechanical filter, I clean it weekly to prevent nitrate buildup. 4. your on the right path, the only thing im not sure about is the gravel but i THINK it will be ok. But if you get a chance look into the base rock, i dont want to pressure but its something that I wish i had looked into when i started sometimes baserock can be 2.50 per pound. you can even find it on ebay

02/27/2006, 11:26 PM	#3
kraze3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: RI Posts: 2,373	to correctwhat i wrote i meant base rock or dry rock, didnt mean to say live rock again

02/28/2006, 02:12 AM	#4
mikellini Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 376	thanks. if i use base rock (if i can find it), will it eventually over time turn into live rock if it's in an aquarium with fish, or would i have to add live rock? any more info on the previous questions would be appreciated as well Mike

02/28/2006, 02:30 AM	#5
clown-x Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern, VA Posts: 317	I agree... for the amount spent on fake plants your money would be much better spent on some live rock or base rock with a few pieces of live rock to seed. All rock in the tank will eventually turn into "live rock." You sand will also in time. I would remove the gravel and buy a small bag of aragonite sand instead. It will help buffer your PH along with the salt water changes. good luck

02/28/2006, 10:04 PM	#8
mikellini Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 376	Thanks everyone, I went to the LFS and they have NO base rock, and don't have sand in any of their tanks, looks like crushed coral or something. Anyway, I just can't afford the 18.99 they are charging for just a pound of the jakarta live rock they have, so I'm just going to set up freshwater until I can save enough money to do it right Mike