looking for tips!

[Sk8r]

You can make this work. That 'setting up' sticky will give you a starting procedure. You need to follow that before you get fish. You start with rock and sand and some sort of pump. You don't have a sump. You'll need a filter to replace the sump, and it should have your pump in it: I'll let the fish-only folk recommend you a good one, and a decent light kit. Meanwhile you can start with live rock or dry limestone, plus aragonite sand, and some sort of marine bacterial source---if live rock, that's what you need. I'd at this point recommend you start a new thread asking for a bit of help on a 75 fish-only, and shed the baggage of this thread.

[TrainOnATrack]

I have decided on a oscars, how often should i do a water change on my saltwater?

[Dkuhlmann]

You do realize that oscars are freshwater fish don't you?

Like has been pointed out to you several times you need to read the sticky's at the top of this forum on how to setup a tank. Everything you need to learn is in there. Most people here are more than willing to help you but you first need to help yourself by reading.

Water change schedule depends on what type of tank setup you have. But in most cases 10% water change per week works well. Again it all depends on how your tank is setup, what filtration you have, what type of inhabitants you have etc.

YOU need to do YOUR homework and read the sticky's. Once you ask questions that show you have put some time and effort into learning more people will be willing to help you. We are not going to do it all for you.

SOoooo if you are going to do Oscars I suggest you find a different forum for freshwater tanks and specifically Oscars!

[TrainOnATrack]

Yes i know oscars are fresh water im not dumb i have had them before

[sealtea116]

get a eshopp pd-300 hang on the back overflow box with som PVC and use your small tank as the sump and you will be fine. That is your best use for your tanks to be honest i started with a small tank at first and really wish i didnt and save money for a bigger tank when you are starting out it is alway better to go bigger so your water perimeters are easy to control. That my two cents

[CStrickland]

So, are you gonna have a big oscars tank and a little sw one, or what?

[genetao]

Originally Posted by TrainOnATrack

I have decided on a oscars, how often should i do a water change on my saltwater?

Wait I'm confused here. If you know that oscars are freshwater fish, why are you asking how often you should change the salt water?

Are you hoping that oscars can adapt to salt water? Because they can't.

The two are not related at all. Freshwater fish go in fresh water and have nothing to do with salt water.

What is your plan here? Spell it out for us so we can give you better advice.

[TrainOnATrack]

I have a 36 gallon salt and right now i have a 75 gallon fresh that i am most likely to put oscars in, i want to know how often i have to do a water change in my salt? And would you like pics so you can see my setup so you can understand how my setup is and the complications i would have turning the 36 into a sump?

[TrainOnATrack]

I plan on reading the stickies its just i havent had the time because school and work

[Dkuhlmann]

I think you need to reread my post #28 until you get all out of it that I said. You obviously didn't get much of what I said.

Also, if you don't have time to learn about a hobby then you don't need to start that hobby. You will have time for it later in your life, so obviously now isn't the time for you.

[CStrickland]

Originally Posted by TrainOnATrack

I plan on reading the stickies its just i havent had the time because school and work

I feel ya, I just finished my semester. Yay! We can help you fill in the gaps, but the thing you might be noticing is that some of this stuff is pretty complicated. It all comes at you at once: nitrogen cycle, plumbing, tank sizes / compatibility, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! So there really is a lot to get your head around but that's why reading the stickies is good, it's a lot harder to put it together piece by piece when you don't have the big picture that they give you. Like in school, you learn complicated things starting at the beginning and building a concept. It's the same with this, like if someone was just asking an AP calculus question randomly it would be hard to answer in a way they would understand without having intro maths first. The good thing about the "setting up" one is its broken into little chapters so you can bounce around by what your interested in, if you read a little first you will ask better questions and our answers will make more sense.
Good luck with your classes! This is just a hobby, it's your fun time but school and work come first.

10% weekly water changes are good in the beginning, a lot of times after a year or so you can back off to every other week. When I change my water I use a turkey baster to puff the poo out of the rocks and a siphon hose to stir up and clean my sand. Not everyone does that, but I think getting that junk out is the reason I haven't had a algae problem (yet! *knocks wood*).

@dkuhlmann I wouldn't listen to you either if you spoke to me so rudely. Your pearls of wisdom will have greater effect of they are delivered with less condescension.

[TrainOnATrack]

Originally Posted by CStrickland

I feel ya, I just finished my semester. Yay! We can help you fill in the gaps, but the thing you might be noticing is that some of this stuff is pretty complicated. It all comes at you at once: nitrogen cycle, plumbing, tank sizes / compatibility, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! So there really is a lot to get your head around but that's why reading the stickies is good, it's a lot harder to put it together piece by piece when you don't have the big picture that they give you. Like in school, you learn complicated things starting at the beginning and building a concept. It's the same with this, like if someone was just asking an AP calculus question randomly it would be hard to answer in a way they would understand without having intro maths first. The good thing about the "setting up" one is its broken into little chapters so you can bounce around by what your interested in, if you read a little first you will ask better questions and our answers will make more sense.
Good luck with your classes! This is just a hobby, it's your fun time but school and work come first.

10% weekly water changes are good in the beginning, a lot of times after a year or so you can back off to every other week. When I change my water I use a turkey baster to puff the poo out of the rocks and a siphon hose to stir up and clean my sand. Not everyone does that, but I think getting that junk out is the reason I haven't had a algae problem (yet! *knocks wood*).

@dkuhlmann I wouldn't listen to you either if you spoke to me so rudely. Your pearls of wisdom will have greater effect of they are delivered with less condescension.

Thx for being understanding, you got any picture of your tanks? Or fb?

[Dkuhlmann]

Originally Posted by CStrickland

I feel ya, I just finished my semester. Yay! We can help you fill in the gaps, but the thing you might be noticing is that some of this stuff is pretty complicated. It all comes at you at once: nitrogen cycle, plumbing, tank sizes / compatibility, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! So there really is a lot to get your head around but that's why reading the stickies is good, it's a lot harder to put it together piece by piece when you don't have the big picture that they give you. Like in school, you learn complicated things starting at the beginning and building a concept. It's the same with this, like if someone was just asking an AP calculus question randomly it would be hard to answer in a way they would understand without having intro maths first. The good thing about the "setting up" one is its broken into little chapters so you can bounce around by what your interested in, if you read a little first you will ask better questions and our answers will make more sense.
Good luck with your classes! This is just a hobby, it's your fun time but school and work come first.

10% weekly water changes are good in the beginning, a lot of times after a year or so you can back off to every other week. When I change my water I use a turkey baster to puff the poo out of the rocks and a siphon hose to stir up and clean my sand. Not everyone does that, but I think getting that junk out is the reason I haven't had a algae problem (yet! *knocks wood*).

@dkuhlmann I wouldn't listen to you either if you spoke to me so rudely. Your pearls of wisdom will have greater effect of they are delivered with less condescension.

I'm sorry if it came across as rude or condescending, I was simply stating truth. I don't sugar coat anything and to some that comes across as rude and condescending.

[uncleL]

If you can get a AquaC HOB skimmer with the Overflow box!

[Martini5788]

We would love a picture of your setup so that we can assist you. If it were me, I would use the 75 for the saltwater and the 36 for a freshwater and plant it. You will want to make sure the dresser can hold the weight of the 75 though

[TrainOnATrack]

[IMG]

[Martini5788]

The saltwater seems to be a bow front, although the picture on my phone is a bit skewed so I can't be sure. If it is a bow front, then I agree that you can't use it as a sump. I also see what appears to be a domino damsel in there, which will have to be removed before you add any other fish. A 36 gallon is too small for them and they get very aggressive. You also are going to need liverock. The coloring of the picture is difficult to make
Much out, but what is in there will not be sufficient. Until you get a skimmer, you will need to do weekly water changes to keep up with correct water parameters. So after you return the damsel to your lfs, and get more liverock then you will want to wait a few weeks atleast before adding anything alive. Your tank will likely go through another cycle, the length of which will depend on the live rock that you get. Please post a COMPLETE list of the inhabitants of the sw tank. We can't help you if you are not honest with us. As a side note, you should not have any fish in that 75 as it is not cycled. And gouramis can't be kept with oscars. I want to help you, I truly do, as do everyone who has commented on the thread(even if some advice has been given in a rather rough manner). But the only fish out of the stocking list that you provided in different places in the thread that are appropriate would be the ocellaris clown and the yellow watchman. That is it.

[BigBlueTang]

Hey.. I feel you trainonatrack... I was actually in the exact same position as you... I had posted what fish I had wanted in my 75, and Steve (snorvich) had put me in my place... I was ****ed off to no end... I think we around the same age, I'm 16, so I totally understand you wanting to put in the coolest fish that you can find.. However, I have been on this forum as a member for almost half a year and looking around for almost a full one.. The people on this forum actually care for the well being of your livestock, and would love to see you succeed.. However the way you are going with this you are not going to succeed.. Right now you aren't giving a very good name for all of the younger people on this forum, and that makes me a little mad.. So read the forums, and I hope your fish live.
(Sorry if that was corny or blunt, I'm sorry )

[CStrickland]

Originally Posted by TrainOnATrack

Thx for being understanding, you got any picture of your tanks? Or fb?

Idk? I've put up pics here and there, but idk if they go somewhere besides the thread they're in, like a gallery. I'll see if I can find something but I'm moving run for a summer internship so it's a little hectic. I keep my Facebook stuff separate.

That Oscar tank looks great! Maybe do a chill little 36g coral tank with a shrimp and a clown or whatever in it, there's some really beautiful tanks like that and it's a great way to get up to speed with less pressure. I think it just got a little out of hand, but something like your original plan is a really fun way to learn, and the oscars will give you the big swimmers to look at so you don't feel restricted.

[TrainOnATrack]

Yeah we are close age im 17 and i do newspapers with my dad so i am trying to do that and read slowly, anyone know a good skimmer?

[TrainOnATrack]

Ok first i would like to thank you all for commenting , second those are my brothers gouramis and yes you can keep them with oscars as i had two gouramis with two oscars for three years and no fighting ever happend but a power failure killed all my fish because it was the dead of winter and they all got to cold ( i just proofread this and i sound a little snotty but im not trying to be sorry) and yes its a bow front, my mom has confirmed that the dresser can hold the weight. Thanks again yall have been helpful, and does livesand help because that is what i have?

[BigBlueTang]

Live sand is basically the same thing as ocean sand that has been sitting on a shelf for a couple months in a sealed packaged bag while being a little bit damp. I personally am going dry sand, with a little sand from my friends tank. Some people use it, some don't. Also i would check the dresser again just in case. If the tank cracks or breaks the dresser you will have a lot of water on your floor. Think about how much water comes when you spill a glass of water, and how much there will be when you spill over 2 coolers worth. Just to think.