Steve \Srfmon\
September 18th 03, 05:10 AM
> wrote in message
...
> I posted this to another newsgroup but this one seems to get much more
> traffic so I will repost it here:
>
> Hello,
>
> I am (of course) new to this group as I am in the process of setting
> up my first sal****er aquarium. I am a 6th and 8th grade science
> teacher and an experienced "exotic" pet owner has I have kept
> reptiles and amphibians for years at home and in the classroom.
>
> Recently I setup a 60 gallon river ecosystem in our schools foyer
> stocked with fire bellied toads, green anoles, land and water plants,
> and tetras for the fish. The ecosystem has generated a huge amount
> of interest and comments from everyone who sees it. I have always
> wanted a sal****er aquarium and decided to take the plunge.
>
> I wanted something simple and easy to maintain as this is my first
> sal****er system and decided on a fish only aquarium with hardy fish
> and a few invertebrates. I will probably start with a few damsels, a
> clown and a couple of yellow tangs.
Add the damsels last!!!! You can cycle the tank w/o adding damsels, but
using LR or adding ammonia based products that will do a fishless cycle.
Yellow tangs - you say a couple of yellow tangs (to me that means 2) you
will need to add at least 3 or four so the aggression gets spread around
enough so that one does not get picked on by the dominant one. And your tank
is too small at 55 gallons to have 3 or 4 tangs in it.
Just add the 1 yellow tang & be happy with him.
There are plenty of other fish that are interesting & will remain small
enough to live happily in a 55g
Lawn mower blenny or any of the blennies will do well, a dottyback, goby
paired with a shrimp is interesting, pygmy angels are beautiful & stay small
(you could have a harem of those).
>
> I purchased a 55 gallon tank with hoods and canopy. I purchased a
> Penguin Bio-Wheel Power Filter 330, a SeaClear Protein Skimmer rated
> for a 100 gallon aquarium, 50 pounds of crushed coral gravel, Instant
> Ocean salt, a hydrometer, 200 Watt heater and thermometer. I still
> need to get a powerhead for water circulation , testing equipment and
> chemicals.
Penguin - not needed. Live rock should be your main source of filtration
SeaClear skimmer? Do they make a skimmer? (I thought it was just tanks) Do
you mean SeaClone? I guessing that that skimmer is probably not adaquately
sized for your tank/bioload.
Crushed Coral! I'd rather go bare bottom than keep a dirt trap like CC in my
tank.
Powerheeads - you probably want at least 5x the water volume for
circulation. In my reef I have a 90g pushing around 2,000 gph (but it's
mostly an sps/ clam tank)
Testing equipment for a FO tank - not much test for SG, & if you want your
LR to get some coralline algae on it test for Ph, Ca, & Alk.
>
> What other equipment should I purchase? Am I missing anything
> major? I was seriously considering a UV sterilizer but have received
> mixed responses from people. I was going to forgo live rock because
> of the added complexity of setup, the added expense and was told I
> didnt need it for a fish only system, someone tonight told me it was
> absolutley necessary. Its a bit frustrating, I did my research but
> am still worried, is the equipment I purchased adequate for a
> sal****er system? I guess I am suffering from a bit of nerves
You will hear many things from different people but the genreal things I see
are Deep Sand Beds, Lots of Live Rock (about 1 - 2 pounds per gallon of tank
volume), a properly sized skimmer, & weekly 10 - 20% water changes.
HTH, Steve
>
> David Culp
...
> I posted this to another newsgroup but this one seems to get much more
> traffic so I will repost it here:
>
> Hello,
>
> I am (of course) new to this group as I am in the process of setting
> up my first sal****er aquarium. I am a 6th and 8th grade science
> teacher and an experienced "exotic" pet owner has I have kept
> reptiles and amphibians for years at home and in the classroom.
>
> Recently I setup a 60 gallon river ecosystem in our schools foyer
> stocked with fire bellied toads, green anoles, land and water plants,
> and tetras for the fish. The ecosystem has generated a huge amount
> of interest and comments from everyone who sees it. I have always
> wanted a sal****er aquarium and decided to take the plunge.
>
> I wanted something simple and easy to maintain as this is my first
> sal****er system and decided on a fish only aquarium with hardy fish
> and a few invertebrates. I will probably start with a few damsels, a
> clown and a couple of yellow tangs.
Add the damsels last!!!! You can cycle the tank w/o adding damsels, but
using LR or adding ammonia based products that will do a fishless cycle.
Yellow tangs - you say a couple of yellow tangs (to me that means 2) you
will need to add at least 3 or four so the aggression gets spread around
enough so that one does not get picked on by the dominant one. And your tank
is too small at 55 gallons to have 3 or 4 tangs in it.
Just add the 1 yellow tang & be happy with him.
There are plenty of other fish that are interesting & will remain small
enough to live happily in a 55g
Lawn mower blenny or any of the blennies will do well, a dottyback, goby
paired with a shrimp is interesting, pygmy angels are beautiful & stay small
(you could have a harem of those).
>
> I purchased a 55 gallon tank with hoods and canopy. I purchased a
> Penguin Bio-Wheel Power Filter 330, a SeaClear Protein Skimmer rated
> for a 100 gallon aquarium, 50 pounds of crushed coral gravel, Instant
> Ocean salt, a hydrometer, 200 Watt heater and thermometer. I still
> need to get a powerhead for water circulation , testing equipment and
> chemicals.
Penguin - not needed. Live rock should be your main source of filtration
SeaClear skimmer? Do they make a skimmer? (I thought it was just tanks) Do
you mean SeaClone? I guessing that that skimmer is probably not adaquately
sized for your tank/bioload.
Crushed Coral! I'd rather go bare bottom than keep a dirt trap like CC in my
tank.
Powerheeads - you probably want at least 5x the water volume for
circulation. In my reef I have a 90g pushing around 2,000 gph (but it's
mostly an sps/ clam tank)
Testing equipment for a FO tank - not much test for SG, & if you want your
LR to get some coralline algae on it test for Ph, Ca, & Alk.
>
> What other equipment should I purchase? Am I missing anything
> major? I was seriously considering a UV sterilizer but have received
> mixed responses from people. I was going to forgo live rock because
> of the added complexity of setup, the added expense and was told I
> didnt need it for a fish only system, someone tonight told me it was
> absolutley necessary. Its a bit frustrating, I did my research but
> am still worried, is the equipment I purchased adequate for a
> sal****er system? I guess I am suffering from a bit of nerves
You will hear many things from different people but the genreal things I see
are Deep Sand Beds, Lots of Live Rock (about 1 - 2 pounds per gallon of tank
volume), a properly sized skimmer, & weekly 10 - 20% water changes.
HTH, Steve
>
> David Culp