Advertisements
Aquatic Avenue Banner Tropica Shop Banner Fishy Business Banner
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 57

Thread: Newbie

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0

    Newbie

    Advertisements
    Fresh n Marine aQuarium Banner

    Advertise here

    Advertise here
    hi everyone,

    i am planning to make a 2 footer marine tank .. most probably fish + reef type. currently i only have the tank , and its just a plain tank , without any partition for filters or anything .... just a rectangle cuboid.

    i would like to know how actually to set up a nice tank , try to give me as many details as possible, like quantity , recommended quality , procedure , a rough timeline for the setup , cost , etc etc ...

    i also wanna know how to actually position those rocks .... put those anemones ( jus throw them into the tank? )

    er .. try not to use too many abbrivations cause i am a newbie .. dun really know what those alphabets stand for.

    and also maybe can tell me what are those things like erm .. protein skimmers , sump ? if can post an example pic here []

    thanks in advance ...
    really hope to see my marine tank live and running [] [] []

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    124
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    I can help you to set up.

  3. #3
    Ah Bio, you've got PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0
    erm .. maybe ur got the wronG idea ...
    but what i need is instructions and information .... i wanna set up my own tank myself and i wanna learn how to go about doing it

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Southern tip of S.E.A and possibly blowing bubbles underwater
    Posts
    2,418
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    u would need to provide us with details.. unless u specify your problems.. it is very hard for us to gear our replies to your problem.. as for stacking of rocks, as long as the rocks have more than 3 pt of contact.. it is usually very safe.. however, u can give it a light shake to check whether will the rocks topple. as for placing of anemone, u can simply place it on the spot u want it to be.. but it will move ard till it finds the best location that meets it requirements.

    well.. i would advice u on clicking on the link.. which can also be found on our aquatic FAQ

    setting up marine tank

    there is a few links within.. reading it might help u to understand a few stuff... i would also advice u to get a book to read up first..
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0
    hmm .. maybe i start off with the water circulation systems ...
    lets say ... a 2 footer .. with fish and reef ... do i need water filters or anything ? i saw some shops ... the tanks have a side partitioned off for filters and stuff ... from what i read .. i think its a overflow filter or something ? is it good ? from what i think ... it looks kind of ugly [] . if i need a filter ... what types are recommended ? if possible .. can give me the rough cost?

    also ... what are sumps , er .. wet/dry filters , canister filters

    er .. dun mind .. give me as much details as possible .. but still tell me whats the best in ur opinion ... i wanna get as many views as possible , pick the best then start my tank ...

    thanks a loT ..
    more questions are comming up though

  7. #7
    Hi,

    Yes, it's an Internal Overflow System - you're right, it's not very visually appealing, and can take up quite a lot of space. And for a 2 footer, it's going to take up a lot of valuable space. Just some personal suggestions from my previous experience with my first marine tank, which was also a 2 footer, I'd go for a tank with sandbed filtration, live rocks and a protein skimmer. If you really wish you, you might want to purchase an external cannister filter as well. But I tried using only the Berlin method (live rocks + skimmer) last time, and as long as your stocking capacity is low it'll be ok. For a tank like that I don't think you should get more than 4 small fish and some softies.

    A sump is just another tank located under the main tank, and a uses an overflow to direct water into it. An internal overflow is simply a wet-dry (biological) filter built right into the tank, but with a sump the overflow brings water into the sump tank, where you can put your filtration stuff. A water pump then pumps water from the sump tank back into the main tank - so the entire setup is like a mini closed circulation loop. Tell us if you're going to use a sump, I'm sure many veterans out there can give you much better advice regarding this. A sump offers several advantages:

    1) More volume: increases dilution factor, more margin for errors
    2) Hide away ugly filtration stuff and clears up space in your main tank for display

    However, design of the overflow is very important, and most peoploe recommend drilling the tank. Don't end up like me - I had to DIY my own siphon overflow system because I didn't drill my tank, and it's really a pain in the a** with all the sawing and gluing.

    But seriously, there's no "best method" of setting up a tank, or "best" type of filtration. Individual aquarists use different methods and each have their own spectacular results. I'm a big fan of biological filtration and the Berlin method, and as such, I'm afraid what I can offer is only limited to this aspect. Do read up more on the various reviews and equipment, there are plenty on the Net.

    Regards,
    Hong Yee



    ----------------
    On 1/1/2003 3:06:44 AM

    hmm .. maybe i start off with the water circulation systems ...
    lets say ... a 2 footer .. with fish and reef ... do i need water filters or anything ? i saw some shops ... the tanks have a side partitioned off for filters and stuff ... from what i read .. i think its a overflow filter or something ? is it good ? from what i think ... it looks kind of ugly [] . if i need a filter ... what types are recommended ? if possible .. can give me the rough cost?

    also ... what are sumps , er .. wet/dry filters , canister filters

    er .. dun mind .. give me as much details as possible .. but still tell me whats the best in ur opinion ... i wanna get as many views as possible , pick the best then start my tank ...

    thanks a loT ..
    more questions are comming up though
    ----------------

  8. #8
    BTW, just re-read your first post - did you say Anemones?!? DON'T!!! Haha ... unless you are talking about mushroom anemones, or mushroom corals. The true sea anemones (with clownfish and all
    ) are really not recommended until you have a mature tank with excellent water parameters, adequate lighting - and most important of all, an anemone-safe tank. These guys do crawl around in search of a good holdfast on the rocks, and my first tank crashed entire because my anemone crept into my powerhead and got shredded up.

    Positioning of rocks is mostly a matter of personal choice, but there are some nitty-gritty technicalities if you're going to use a sandbed as primary filtration ... people do tend to discuss in great length about stacking rocks on racks, avoiding contact with sand, burying the rocks in sand and blah blah blah. I simply dump all in. But don't get too many rocks, as Kel will tell you - your corals will come with a base rock too, and if you get too many initially you'll find you will be running out of space to keep corals. And people will start asking you why rearing a tankful of stones need such elaborate setups. []

    Cheers,
    Hong Yee

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0
    hmm .. if thats the case ... how much sand and what type do i need? i see in those shops ... what grade1 coral sand ... are those good?

    also .. they mention something about substrates .. what is it?

    from the other posts ... i read about pouring cupfulls of bacteria into the sand bed ? i need more information about that .. like cost, purpose etc.

    now about the live rocks. i went to reborn ( woa .. walked all the way from paya lebar MRT u know? ) [] a few days back .. most live rocks are sold out i think . for a 2 footer , how much rock do i need? (exclucing the corals) and which shops sells good live rock? how would i know if a live rock is "live and not dead" . if i buy like KGs of live rock, how should i transport them?

    another Qns here : what are protein skimmers? can post a picture for me to see? how to they work and what can they do good to my tank? what are the recommend models in ur opinion?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Southern tip of S.E.A and possibly blowing bubbles underwater
    Posts
    2,418
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    1) More volume: increases dilution factor, more margin for errors
    correction!.. not more margin for errors. margin of error comes in form of the tank size.. the bigger the tank, the more tolerant ur tank is.. for sump, it has a bigger volume to process the bio-load

    But seriously, there's no "best method" of setting up a tank, or "best" type of filtration. Individual aquarists use different methods and each have their own spectacular results.
    true.. your milage might varies

    if i need a filter ... what types are recommended ? if possible .. can give me the rough cost?

    also ... what are sumps , er .. wet/dry filters , canister filters
    ah boi, if u want to use a canister filter, i recommend getting a good like like Eheim 2227/9.. yes, it is very ex like $380++ but it is gonna be the heart of the system.. u dun want it to break down and having the system crash on u..and the type of filtration u want, have to be decided by u...

    pls.. get a book on marine aquarium keeping.. u will be able to understand it better.. and trust me, i still refer to my books from time to time..


    Positioning of rocks is mostly a matter of personal choice, agreed!... how u wanna stack your reef is entirely up to u..

    hmm .. if thats the case ... how much sand and what type do i need? i see in those shops ... what grade1 coral sand ... are those good?
    well, if u are going for DSB (deep sand bed) i recommend ard 4-5"... and abt 12-15kg for your 2ft tank will be suffice.. if u go to aquamart, they are available at ard $8.50 per 10kg and try to go for the finest gravel.. so far, no. 1 is the finest of the cheapest.. the best is to get those like beach sand.. but u risk having them blown into the filter... choking them

    also .. they mention something about substrates .. what is it?
    substrate = gravel = coral sand

    from the other posts ... i read about pouring cupfulls of bacteria into the sand bed ? i need more information about that .. like cost, purpose etc.
    pls.. personally, i dun advocate that.. i dun believe that bacteria can survive in a bottle without oxygen or food for so long.. it is all a sales gimmics..dun bother, go for natural cycle of the tank... of course, if u are talking abt adding supplements, it is a different story altogether..

    for a 2 footer , how much rock do i need? (exclucing the corals)
    really up to u.. u see your tank, know how u gonna stack your reef, then estimate the amt of rocks.. i dun go for the no. of kg for no. of gallons of water.. rather, i prefer to take a piece of rock, think what i can do with it.. then whether is it enuff to stock up

    and which shops sells good live rock?
    that i really dun know.. but most LR that i get, comes from the farms.. rather than from shops.. most marine shops carry them

    how would i know if a live rock is "live and not dead" .
    if u mean dead as in dead, it really stinks big time and u will puke when u sniff it, if not, the live rock is encrusted with colorful coraline or calcarous algae..and have a fresh seawater smell. if the rock is pale and no color, it is not dead in that sense but rather, lost all the algae that's all

    if i buy like KGs of live rock, how should i transport them?
    u get a styrofoam box, put the LR inside, wet the newspaper with seawater and cover them, then bring them home, never touch it with tap water...

    another Qns here : what are protein skimmers? can post a picture for me to see? how to they work and what can they do good to my tank? what are the recommend models in ur opinion?
    protein skimmers remove all the elements that are not removed by filters... there are different types of PS..
    here is one of them...
    protein skimmers
    it all depends on your budget i would say.. it can range from 20+ to 1000+.. that model u see in the link, berlin, is abt 800+
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0
    if i need a filter ... what types are recommended ? if possible .. can give me the rough cost?

    also ... what are sumps , er .. wet/dry filters , canister filters
    ah boi, if u want to use a canister filter, i recommend getting a good like like Eheim 2227/9.. yes, it is very ex like $380++ but it is gonna be the heart of the system.. u dun want it to break down and having the system crash on u..and the type of filtration u want, have to be decided by u...

    er other then a canister filter , what other types of filters are there? is there any "natural filters" around?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Southern tip of S.E.A and possibly blowing bubbles underwater
    Posts
    2,418
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    also ... what are sumps , er .. wet/dry filters , canister filters

    er other then a canister filter , what other types of filters are there? is there any "natural filters" around?
    ----------------
    sumps = wet dry filters in a way..., overhead filters (hardly anyone use it).

    natural filters; DSB, LR..

    unless u are considering only corals and no fishes, i dun advocate that... similarly, u need lots of LR and DSB (at least 6-8&quot to keep that system..

    go for a combination, like me:
    LR, DSB, protein skimmer, sump
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0
    ok .. now for the water itself ...
    how to make the sea water?
    how much salt to how much water?..
    together with those filters , how frequent change the water?
    change how much each time?
    for those test kits ... which are compulsory?
    what r recommended and not too costly?

  14. #14
    Thanks for the correction, Kel. I was thinking in terms of my own sump, it's a 4-footer, and carries another 50% more volume. So it's as good as having a 6-foot tank without sump.

    For sea water, go get a hydrometer. They cost around $16, and specific salinity should hover at around 1.023-1.025.

    Change of water is up to individuals, most change 10% every 2 weeks or you can also do 20% every month. However, for a smaller tank, more frequent changes of small volumes is better to avoid shock.

    Test kits - NH3, NO2, NO3, KH and pH are needed. For NH3 you won't use it much after the first couple of months. In fact you could buy entire "Starter Kit" test kits with all the above, cheaper. At least, that's what I used. I bought my kit at $50 last time.

    ----------------
    On 1/1/2003 7:58:13 PM

    ok .. now for the water itself ...
    how to make the sea water?
    how much salt to how much water?..
    together with those filters , how frequent change the water?
    change how much each time?
    for those test kits ... which are compulsory?
    what r recommended and not too costly?
    ----------------

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0
    er .. where to get em?
    as in the starter kit ... that whole set.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Southern tip of S.E.A and possibly blowing bubbles underwater
    Posts
    2,418
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Thanks for the correction, Kel. I was thinking in terms of my own sump, it's a 4-footer, and carries another 50% more volume. So it's as good as having a 6-foot tank without sump.
    haha.. if u want to think of it like that.. i can't stop u..

    Change of water is up to individuals, most change 10% every 2 weeks or you can also do 20% every month. However, for a smaller tank, more frequent changes of small volumes is better to avoid shock.
    it also depend very much on your bio-load and how stable your tank can go without changing of water.. i changed my water once a yr!!.. yes.. once a yr.. but mind u.. i dun have corals and have very low bio-load

    the test kits are available in petmart.
    Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    singapore
    Posts
    17
    Feedback Score
    0
    hmmm .. can i see a few pictures oF ur tank? a general picture , then pictures of those filters , skimmers , etc .

    now, i think i gonna buy about 4 - 5 fishes , put them in a "container tank" and try to keep them alive. if thats my case , what special conditions or precautions should i take? (most probably clown fishes and damsels {they are so cute!})

    what food do they eat? will they fight? etc.. ?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    463
    Feedback Score
    0
    Images
    1
    Country
    Singapore
    DragonGoby how long did the "Starter Kit" test kits last you?

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    19
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Since this thread is for newbies ;p thought I'd crash in with a question on skimmer. I just got a sander maxi skimmer few days ago and so far no gooey stuff on the cup leh. My tank consist of only 4inch sand, filter and some dead prawns for ammonia growth. Is my skimmer not working or is it because my water has no stuff to filter into the skimmer?

    Sorry to hijack ;p

  20. #20
    It's been almost exactly 1 year since I bought it, and I daresay it'll last another year more. After the initial stages of setting up I rarely use the NO3 and KH tests - the rest are sitting idly around until I see that something's not right in the tank - corals not opening up properly, or overgrowth of diatoms.

    ----------------
    On 1/2/2003 7:29:24 PM

    DragonGoby how long did the "Starter Kit" test kits last you?
    ----------------

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •