Setting up my first saltwater tank

[Prismatic]

- I am just about to start my first saltwater tanks and I have a few questions
- What do you recommend for the substrate sand or crushed coral
- When is the best time to put in live rock? I have read on the internet to put it in as soon as I get the pump flowing as it helps cycle the tank I have also heard to wait about 2 weeks then add it.
I have read to put in damsels as the first fish because they are cheap and can deal with the cycling better then other fish I have also read this is not true.

I figured the expertise of the people on here would be able to help me out

thanks

[seggsy]

Hi - welcome! There are many different ways of setting up and running saltwater, but I can share my experience:

- crushed coral. Sand is very fine, and can blow around too easy. You will need some good water movement (powerheads).
- my current tank, I bought 100lbs of live rock from a running system - I took as much water as I could and some sand from there and put it in right away. I had no cycle since the live rock already had all the good bacteria to run a system in it. If you are starting with dry "live" rock, then you will have to cycle for a few weeks.
- I didn't cycle with fish at all, just gradually moved over the fish from my other tank over a week or so.


Good luck!

[Prismatic]

thanks Seggsy

I am hoping to get live rock for an established tank

[gabor129]

I am also a fan of fishless cycling! I did as seggsy, by purchasing the LR and as much water as I could, with a small bag of sand! I also tried sand, and crushed coral, and found that I like the look of the course sand the most! It does have the disadvantage of blowing around a bit! I did put the LR, LS and the water in the tank all at once! Also did not have a cycle!

[Prismatic]

I setup the SW tank on the weekend. I picked up about 25 pounds of nice active live rock and a 5 gallon bucket of water from his tank. He also gave me about 2 cups of the substrate from his tank to get me started. There are these little tube like things on the live rock that have like a feather duster head that comes out and when I approach the tank the pull back in. are these good or bad to have. Ill try to take a pic tonight and post it. Other then this the levels are doing what they should be according to the internet lol

[Prismatic]

here is a pic I took with my phone not the best but gives you an idea
I will try to take a better pic tonight

[seggsy]

"There are these little tube like things on the live rock that have like a feather duster head that comes out and when I approach the tank the pull back in."

These are good. Just little filter feeders - I have a bunch with soft tubes in my sump, and sometimes get hard tubed ones in the display. You will notice all sorts of little critters coming on live rock and corals - could be snails, crabs (some good, some not), worms, featherdusters, anemones (some good, some not).

[Prismatic]

thanks Seggsy

I didnt think anything like this would live with the water not cycled yet.

will they multiply and if they do should I put some in the sump or leave them on the live rock

sorry for so many questions just this is my first SW

I am hooked already lol

[gabor129]

They are not easy to remove from the rock however if you happen to get them on a smaller rock you can certainly put them in the sump! I'm sure that sooner or later you end up with some in there no matter what you do!

[Che]

Hey. How's the tank doing? What size is it and are you doin FIsh only with live rock (FOLWR) or a reef setup?

Leave your little feather dusters be. They are fine on the rocks

[Deleted]

Although I have am fairly new to the game (maybe a year and half with saltwater -- a year of which was failure lol), the best purchase I ever made was a refractometer. I used to have a hydrometer and very much despised it. Great for starting the tank, essential for your salt-mixes, and just an overall great tool -- I couldn't recommended it enough.

Just my 2 cents.

P.S. I got my from ebay for a good price .