Help a Beginner with a Marine Aquarium
Paul Collier
suggested books. Now I want to try my hand with a marine aquarium. Can
anyone out there suggest a simple, but decent set-up. I would like to
try a 20 gal with a fish or two and coral. I have plans to move up to 55 if
everything goes fine. Should I go with a W/D system? What about protein
skimmers? Prefilters? Someone suggest something, please!
Thanks,
Paul
Thomas Steven Wright
Well...
Rather than spending a mint oin a wet/dry, you can easily get by with a
cannister, like the eheim 2211, or a power filter, like the biowheel 160.
To keep the flow moving, you may want to add a powerhead with a sponge
filter. Penguin 550's do nicely for 20g tanks.
If you're talking abour decorative, dead coral, then what I suggested
should be fine. If you're talking about living coral,
than I'm the wrong person to be talking to. My reef experience is
limited to the group discussion here.
If you want gravel, use puka sand, it's just as good and half the price of
coral. A chunk of Live rock or two will greatly assist your cycling process.
Try Black Mollies for cycling if you want to save a couple of bucks while
waiting for cycle fish to keel over...
For lighting on a 20? Any 50/50 should do for fish only...or Daylight.
Anything I've forgotten?
--
==============================================================================
Thomas S. Wright tswr...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu
tswr...@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
wri...@aux1.bfs.uwm.edu
Thomas M. Sasala
Thomas Steven Wright <tswr...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu> wrote:
>> I've been following this group closely, reading the FAQs and reading
>> suggested books. Now I want to try my hand with a marine aquarium. Can
>> anyone out there suggest a simple, but decent set-up. I would like to
>> try a 20 gal with a fish or two and coral. I have plans to move up to 55 if
>> everything goes fine. Should I go with a W/D system? What about protein
>> skimmers? Prefilters? Someone suggest something, please!
>
>Well...
>
>Rather than spending a mint oin a wet/dry, you can easily get by with a
>cannister, like the eheim 2211, or a power filter, like the biowheel 160.
>
Depending on how handly your are, a DIY wet/dry filter will only
set you back about $30 (without the pump/prefilter). You can probably
use a powerhead for a 20 gallon, but you will need a lot of flow for a 55
so a powerhead might not cut it (for the main pump).
>To keep the flow moving, you may want to add a powerhead with a sponge
>filter. Penguin 550's do nicely for 20g tanks.
What's the sponge filter for? How is that going to aid in water
movement? I agree with adding the powerhead; hagen 302 are good for
circulation in small tanks.
>
>If you're talking abour decorative, dead coral, then what I suggested
>should be fine. If you're talking about living coral,
>than I'm the wrong person to be talking to. My reef experience is
>limited to the group discussion here.
>
>If you want gravel, use puka sand, it's just as good and half the price of
>coral. A chunk of Live rock or two will greatly assist your cycling process.
>Try Black Mollies for cycling if you want to save a couple of bucks while
>waiting for cycle fish to keel over...
>
With any luck, nothing will 'keel' over during the cycling process.
The molly I cycled with is currently being harrassed by domino damsels; it's
a bit too passive for the damsels.
>For lighting on a 20? Any 50/50 should do for fish only...or Daylight.
>
>Anything I've forgotten?
>--
If possible, I'd start with the 55. It will be a lot more stable than
a 20 gallon. Although, it will be more expensive to start up.
--
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ Happiness, n.: An agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the +
+ misery of another. +
+ -- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary" +
Thomas Steven Wright
>>filter. Penguin 550's do nicely for 20g tanks.
>
>What's the sponge filter for? How is that going to aid in water movement?
Sponge filter----> Mechanical filtration, bio-surface area, and a way to
keep the little folks safe from intake suction...
JEFF PFOHL
: Well...
: Rather than spending a mint oin a wet/dry, you can easily get by with a
: cannister, like the eheim 2211, or a power filter, like the biowheel 160.
--
You can DIY a wet/dry for about $20.
JEFF PFOHL
E-MAIL: PF...@NUCMAR.PHYSICS.FSU.EDU
PHONE : (904) 644-1598 work
(904) 224-0707 home
(904) 644-9848 fax
"You don't perform CPR on someone who is alive!"
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Colin Kemp
TomS> In article <3h8jc0$v...@uwm.edu>,
TomS> Thomas Steven Wright <tswr...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu> wrote:
>>> I've been following this group closely, reading the FAQs and reading
>>> suggested books. Now I want to try my hand with a marine aquarium. Can
>>> anyone out there suggest a simple, but decent set-up. I would like to
>>> try a 20 gal with a fish or two and coral. I have plans to move
>>> up to 55 if everything goes fine. Should I go with a W/D system?
>>> What about protein skimmers? Prefilters? Someone suggest
>>> something, please!
TomW>
TomW> Well...
TomW>
TomW> Rather than spending a mint oin a wet/dry, you can easily get by with a
TomW> cannister, like the eheim 2211, or a power filter, like the biowheel 160.
TomW>
I have successfully run a 20 Gallon with an Aquaclear 200 power filter
and a Hagen 201 Powerhead for a while now. I would suggest however
upgrading the Aquaclear 200 to a peguin biowheel 160 or 300. I have
no complaints with the 201 powerhead as it has been running for about
5 years now. I personally will never do a tank again with-out a
protein skimmer. You can get/build an in-tank counter-current air
powered skimmer quite cheaply. Email me if you want some sort of DIY
plans for a little in-tank skimmer.
TomS> Depending on how handly your are, a DIY wet/dry filter will only
TomS> set you back about $30 (without the pump/prefilter). You can probably
TomS> use a powerhead for a 20 gallon, but you will need a lot of flow for a 55
TomS> so a powerhead might not cut it (for the main pump).
TomS I would be interested in seeing your DIY wet/dry plans (yes I have
looked at caltech in the archive). I am interested in water flow
control and spill prevention techniques.
TomW> To keep the flow moving, you may want to add a powerhead with a sponge
TomW> filter. Penguin 550's do nicely for 20g tanks.
TomS> What's the sponge filter for? How is that going to aid in water
TomS> movement? I agree with adding the powerhead; hagen 302 are good for
TomS> circulation in small tanks.
I like the sponge to give a little extra bacterial growth area, which
allows the changing of the external filter media occasionally (need
this ability for a Aquaclear 200 IMHO). Also increases the water
'intake' area lowering the suction and reducing the sucked-in fish
syndrome.
TomW>
TomW> If you're talking abour decorative, dead coral, then what I suggested
TomW> should be fine. If you're talking about living coral,
TomW> than I'm the wrong person to be talking to. My reef experience is
TomW> limited to the group discussion here.
TomW>
TomW> If you want gravel, use puka sand, it's just as good and half
TomW> the price of coral. A chunk of Live rock or two will
TomW> greatly assist your cycling process.
TomW> Try Black Mollies for cycling if you want to save a couple of bucks while
TomW> waiting for cycle fish to keel over...
TomW>
Make sure you get molly's that are acclimatized to salt water if you
do this! Don't just get fresh water mollies and drop them in a salt
tank or it will get expensive and frustrating. This is not from
personal experience I but I read a post a while back explaining the
acclimtization process. Anyone care to re-post it?!?
TomS> With any luck, nothing will 'keel' over during the cycling process.
TomS> The molly I cycled with is currently being harrassed by domino
TomS> damsels; it's a bit too passive for the damsels.
Have you ever found anything (except maybe other damsels) that wasn't
'too passive' for the domino damsels? I think if these guys could see
their own tail, they would happily chase it in a tight semi circle all
day, all night, all year! :)
TomW> For lighting on a 20? Any 50/50 should do for fish only...or Daylight.
TomW>
TomW> Anything I've forgotten?
TomW> --
TomS> If possible, I'd start with the 55. It will be a lot more stable than
TomS> a 20 gallon. Although, it will be more expensive to start up.
I agree with TomS on this one. I find my 35 much easier to maintain
stable water conditions and it will safely support a few more fish.
You will probably be tempted to 'over-stock' your 20 Gallon if it is
your only tank. I keep three damsels in my 20 and this is a very easy
setup to maintain (no problems yet - knock on wood), but you will
probably be tempted to get 5,6,7,8,9... fish into the 20 and then
disaster!
One final thing. It IS worth your time (and money) to at least look
into some DIY equipment. I wish I would have...
Good luck.
Colin
======================================================================
Colin Kemp | \"Why must hailstones always be the size of
ck...@bnr.ca | something else?\" -- George Carlin
Thomas Pallas
Collier) writes:
IF you go with the twenty I'd wait on the coral until later. You could
simply go with an undergravel filter, some crushed coral gravel, and one
of those CoraLife super skimmers. That should hold the fish and some
inverts.