Need Protein Skimmer and Set Up Info

fishieperson321

fishieperson321

AC Members
Mar 17, 2006
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Hello. I have been keeping freshwater fish for 6 years now. I feel that I am ready for a saltwater aquarium. My friend is trading my 29 gallon freshwater tank for a 36 bow tank that she got at a yardsale. It has a protein skimmer with it. I need you guys to help me identify this protein skimmer and help me get it up and running. Do I have to use live rock? Can I just use Tufa Rock as a decoration, then later on moving up to live rock? Also, what kind and how many fish can be kept without live rock? I really like clown fish so i am hoping that will be an option. I need to buy the Florida Crushed Coral for my substrate. Also, my work carries Instant Ocean. Is that a pretty good salt to use for a FO tank? What filtration would be the best? I already have a Whisper EX 30. Do I need to up grade or get a different brand of filter? All help appreciated!!

Daniel

PROTEINSKIMMER.jpg
 
that's the ViaAqua Multi skimmer. I consider it akin to the Skilter, both of which are terrible, lol. You don't have to use live rock, but it will make your life, as well as your fishes' lives, much easier. As will a better HOB skimmer if you can get one. Skimmers aren't 100% necessary, but help keep the tank cleaner for sure. You can have a successful and cleaner tank in the absence of a skimmer if you keep up with frequent water changes. Some carbon and phosphate remover go a long way to that goal, as well. For your first substrate, I'd stay away from crushed coral. It is far too much work and you'll regret it later. The only time I'd suggest it is when you have hellish water flow (like myself, except crushed coral isn't big enough, either). As far as salt, Instant Ocean works just fine. Stocking levels will vary from tank to tank. Smaller stocking levels are easier to work with and allow for a larger margin of error--not to mention the tank stays cleaner. Realistically, I'd say about three small fish would be your max, though somewhat less would be more desirable--like, say a pair of ocellaris clownfish... You may also want to take a look at the stickies to read more on setting up your first tank.
 
fishieperson321 said:
So can you tell me what kind of substrate to use? What is so hard about caring for crushed coral? I would probably vacuum it weekly.

Daniel
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I don't doubt that you'd vacuum it weekly. What I do doubt is whether or not you'll be able to keep up with what builds and decays. You'll likely experience elevated phosphate and nitrate levels, which will lead to algae issues very quickly. Just use a fine sand for your substrate--the finer the better. One other question: What will you be using for your water source? If it is tapwater, you need to reconsider for the above reason, not to mention the other contaminants in it. If you start out with tap, then anything made of calcium carbonate will literally wick phosphate out of the water. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, it isn't. While it lowers solution concentration of phosphate in the water column, it concentrates it in the rock. Then, when you go to use RO/DI water thinking "hey, now I can really get started," you get a load of algae. This is because you suddenly began to drop the concentration of phosphate in the water column, increasing the solubility of that which is bound in the rock, etc. Basically, you get a seemingly endless supply of phosphate leaching from your rock and sand. It goes away eventually, but it takes a LONG time to get rid of it.
 
I will let others chime in but, I used a couple of different reef sands, which were only slightly larger than fiji pink sand. If your sand is too fine it will create dust storms, IMO, but you definitely want sand. I used a fine sand and Caribsea reef sand to have a couple of different sizes so it would pack together. I don't know if this was necessary, but it made sense to me at the time.

I ripped my tank apart to get rid of my crushed coral and it was a major pain in the @$$, so do it right the first time.

As you go further you may find that it is better to build slowly with quality equipment versus buying cheap and replacing it later like I did!

Make sure you read the stickies!
 
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jayghmi said:
I will let others chime in but, I used a couple of different reef sands, which were only slightly larger than fiji pink sand. If your sand is too fine it will create dust storms, IMO, but you definitely want sand. I used a fine sand and Caribsea reef sand to have a couple of different sizes so it would pack together. I don't know if this was necessary, but it made sense to me at the time.

I ripped my tank apart to get rid of my crushed coral and it was a major pain in the @$$, so do it right the first time.

As you go further you may find that it is better to build slowly with quality equipment versus buying cheap and replacing it later like I did!

Make sure you read the stickies!
Click to expand...

If you are getting sand storms, you need to position the powerheads differently. For the longest time, I had a very fine sand bed with quite a bit of flow. Once I started getting into and beyond the 100x turnover range, I had to opt for larger grains. Beyond that, even large 1" rubble gets tossed around, which is why I have a bare spot in the middle--but practically zero dead spots and all high flow. In any case, a mix of grain sizes is arguably more natural, but not necessary in most cases.
 
Okay I set up the tank and I have a slight problem. After premixing my saltwater using Instant Ocean and Aqua Safe and adding it to the tank, I read the instructions to the skimmer and it says not to use AquaSafe or StressCoat. How can I remove this from the water in a way other than doing water changes? Is Weco Dechlor safe to use as a dechlorinator for saltwater?

Daniel
 
fishieperson321 said:
Okay I set up the tank and I have a slight problem. After premixing my saltwater using Instant Ocean and Aqua Safe and adding it to the tank, I read the instructions to the skimmer and it says not to use AquaSafe or StressCoat. How can I remove this from the water in a way other than doing water changes? Is Weco Dechlor safe to use as a dechlorinator for saltwater?

Daniel
Click to expand...


These additives usually make the skimmer go nuts...LOL...There should be no need to use additives such as these anyway....To remove, i'm, afraid its water changes.... :)

Are you not using RO water?? hence the additives?
 
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