Have you got to change the marine/salt water regularly?

[greenhorn]

1. Have you got to change the salt water once every two weeks? Or you just have to top up the evaporated water ?

2.What do you do to maintain the water parameter? Is it necessary to have sump tank for marine setup?

3.How can you maintain your Corals from decaying and what are the various chemical you added in your tank?

4. What do you feed anemone ? When the water deteriorate it turns slimy and pollute the water. How do you maintain good water without using RO.

5. Can corals survive without chiller? If yes, which type of corals.

6. Are we suppose to scrup the LR after we bought them(i.e. cure them)?


7. Can you list the things to do to maintain a healthy marine nano tank? Aside from cycling the tank, what other things must you do regularly.

9. What am I suppose to do to keep up with a healthy nano tank without giving up in 6 to 8 months because of PURE DEFEAT in maintaining the marine tank.

Thanks in advance

[Goondoo]

Sounds like you need a few good books, try national library

1. Have you got to change the salt water once every two weeks? Or you just have to top up the evaporated water ?

2.What do you do to maintain the water parameter? Is it necessary to have sump tank for marine setup?

3.How can you maintain your Corals from decaying and what are the various chemical you added in your tank?

4. What do you feed anemone ? When the water deteriorate it turns slimy and pollute the water. How do you maintain good water without using RO.

5. Can corals survive without chiller? If yes, which type of corals.

6. Are we suppose to scrup the LR after we bought them(i.e. cure them)?


7. Can you list the things to do to maintain a healthy marine nano tank? Aside from cycling the tank, what other things must you do regularly.

9. What am I suppose to do to keep up with a healthy nano tank without giving up in 6 to 8 months because of PURE DEFEAT in maintaining the marine tank.

Thanks in advance

[greenhorn]

Any recommendation on books?

[mordrake]

Any recommendation on books?

check out these 2 sites

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/index.php?s=

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm

i think you need to register as a member at reefcentral to access their forums.

[BFG]

1)If you do not have a skimmer, you need to change some water in order to prevent toxic stuff from accumulating.

2)Regular monitoring of the water parameter like ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, specific gravity, ph and temperature. This is what info I have in my head right now. There's more.

3)Hmm, this is a bit tricky. You need to feed them and know what to feed them. You have to know where they come from and what water parameter they thrive. You also need to know what species can be placed side by side and what species need to be separated.

4)Some folks feed market prawn once a week. Keeping anemone is hard as it sometimes 'melt'. When anemone 'melt', your water parameter will deteriorate.

5)Some do but the best is to get a chiller. Singapore weather sometimes change from wet month to hot n dry month. The chiller will ensure that the water temp are kept constant.

6)It depends. Some people wants whatever on the liverock to live. Others just wants a nice liverock without any hitchhiker. Some hitchhiker can become pest eg aiptasia.

7)Equipment must be up to standard but not necessary branded. If you do not have the correct equipment, you are shortchanging yourself.

9)To tell you the truth, a nano tank is harder to maintain as the water volume is small. With small water volume, temperature fluctuation will occur fast. Anything that goes wrong with the water will quickly affect the tank and it's inhabitant. Overfeeding or lack of water flow may be the cause of the inhabitant demise.

[BFG]

Here's another forum for you to have a look.

www.nano-reef.com/
www.nanotank.com/

It is best to do some research before starting a marine tank. It is an expensive hobby and 1 that needs constant monitoring. Some people do not travel abroad at all because of their marine tank.

[greenhorn]

Hi BFG ,

Thanks a lot! It is a lot of help you have given me.

[nim75sg]

Let me try to answer your questions in-line ...

1. Have you got to change the salt water once every two weeks? Or you just have to top up the evaporated water ?

There are 2 schools of thoughts here ie some say must change and some say there is no need.

Personally, if the tank is mature (more than a year) then it is not necessary to do so as long as your replacement water contains all the necessary trace elements.

2.What do you do to maintain the water parameter? Is it necessary to have sump tank for marine setup?

It is strongly recommended to have a sump tank as it is so much easier to do maintenance on the equipment like (skimmer, FR, etc.)

3.How can you maintain your Corals from decaying and what are the various chemical you added in your tank?

Depending on what type of corals are you having, you have to dose the respective "coral food" as their different dietary needs.

4. What do you feed anemone ? When the water deteriorate it turns slimy and pollute the water. How do you maintain good water without using RO.

There are "food" for anemone and likewise they will contaminate the water if they perished. So having a good skimmer is important.

Use DI water instead of RO ....

5. Can corals survive without chiller? If yes, which type of corals.

Certain hardy corals can survive with chiller eg mushrooms but not without lighting

6. Are we suppose to scrup the LR after we bought them(i.e. cure them)?

You can buy "treated" LR @ $7 a kilo where you don't need to scrup them. Try smelling it and you will know the difference between "treated" and "untreated" LR.

7. Can you list the things to do to maintain a healthy marine nano tank? Aside from cycling the tank, what other things must you do regularly.

If you can afford .. go for the largest tank if possible as the parameters changes are miminal as compared to a nano tank resulting in less tolerable conditions for the livestock.

9. What am I suppose to do to keep up with a healthy nano tank without giving up in 6 to 8 months because of PURE DEFEAT in maintaining the marine tank.

Have a healthy nano tank is a challenge as it takes alot of strict regiment to ensure the water parameters are within tolerance. Prior to taking this road .. research thoroughly otherwise you will belong to those who give up the hobby due to failure in maintaining a marine tank.

Thanks in advance

Bear in mind that marine hobby is also o "money sucking" hobby too but the success of having a beautiful marine tank outweighs everything.

[lonerboi84]

I'm agree that marine hobby is very costy. I'm a student. My classmate also facing a problem maintain a marine tank.

[hirowen]

y not u juz have a nano marine fish-only tank..i have setup one for 4months already...but only with 1 domino damselfish and three tube worms...i used LR and some coral(died and harden ones) as decoration..till now i still havent do any water change...i using 2 filtration system(undergravel and hanging filter)

[nim75sg]

Is marine fishkeeping expensive?

At first, it may look as if it is more expensive but closer look it is only a small premium by having a marine tank.

The basis equipments are the same for freshwater but the setting up stage need the extra dollars because of the "live rock" plus the essential saltwater ($3 for 25l of seawater) plus extra lighting.

Additional equipment is the protein skimmer.

With all these in place, you can start a Fish Only With Live Rock at a low cost unless you want to have a total system having corals, clams and fishes which will eventually need specialized equipment.

[greenhorn]

Hi nim75sg,

I quote "essential saltwater ($3 for 25l of seawater)"

Where do you get your seawater? You mean you don't just mix water with salt?

Thanks in advance.

[nim75sg]

What I meant essential saltwater is basically natural sea water which you can buy from most marine LFS eg Pasir Ris L35 or Jalan Kayu T95

If you are having a 3' tank with water capacity of 250 Litres, it is more economy to buy 250L of sea water for only $30. The setback is to carry them to your car and then to your apartment which can be very tough unless you got strong biceps.

This is only good if you have a small tank not greater than 4ft otherwise it is not worth the trouble.

Getting marine salt and mix with water is the best option ....

[lonerboi84]

I saw my friend place a fan. Freshwater does not need that. The cost is much more expensive than freshwater a lot... Salt water need to purchase from LFS and so on... Me no money lehz.. Poor student...

[nim75sg]

Bro .. I converted a 2'x1.5'x1.5' marine tank and is running with a Eheim 2028 with a surface extractor for almost a year which acts as a quarantine tank. Likewise using the same PL lighting.

The total cost: $20 for Live Rocks and $12 of natural sea water.

All filter media liked the filter wool, BioHome red, Eheim Ehfimech and substrat pro are from the previous freshwater setup.

So you see .. don't need alot of money and who say marine fishkeeping is expensive. Right?

[greenhorn]

Hi nim75sg,

I saw your photo gallery on the equipment and your very elaborate marine setup at arofanatic forum. How much do you spend on the equipment? Is it possible to give the break down price of your setup. Are all the equipments you used available in Singapore? Got a lot to learn from you. How frequent do you change water after all these modern gadgets? Once a year or not at all?

I am very impressed with your arsenal/life support system of equipment .

[nim75sg]

Hi Greenhorn

This is the approx cost:

a) Tank & Cabinet = $1800 nett
b) Deltec T5 Lights = $800 nett
c) American PinPoint pH & Temperature Monitor = $240 nett fm Hong Kong
d) 4 x Ocean Runner Pumps = sbout $1300
e) 2 x Dosing Pump = $480
f) Denitrator with Demiball = $800
g) Deltec FR = $290 nett
h) UV Sterlizer = $140 nett
i) Protein Skimmer Turboflotor 5000 = about $1300
j) Kalk Reactor = $600
k) Chiller = $1600 nett
l) Tubby = $130 nett
m) George Fischer piping = $400 nett

95% of the equipment are purchased locally and at time of writing this, no partical water change has been done since commissioning the system except replacing water loss due to evaporatin from the top-up reservior of DI water.

Don't save on the basics as this is only false economy and once the basics are in place then it is just plain selling. Being able to see the fruits of our labor is a great pleasure and it is entirely up to you how much investment and time you spend on maintenance.

With the equipment in place, the time taken by routine maintenance is relatively small as compated to the time enjoyng a healthy aquarium.

Whereas without equipment, it still works but you need a strict regiment and maintenance schedule to keep the tank in tip-top condition.

[greenhorn]

Hi nim75sg,

Wow! all the equipment total up to S$9,880. But I think it is still worth every dime to be maintainence free or at least minimum maintenance. Very very nice job I must say. . I definitely too stingy to spend this kind of money all at one time. You must be loaded. Close to S$ 10K man. Your tank is so big , leaving the changing water hassle out those equipment really can save you on your water bill.

[nim75sg]

Bro .. Not loaded lah and don't be fooled by the total cost as it took almost 9 months of saving before embarking on this project.

I took a big bite on the bullet without the knowledge of the Home Affairs OC and it is very rewarding to see my family enjoying it too.

[BFG]

Nim75sg, you took 9 month? I have been slowly accumulating my stuff since last year. My next purchase will be the chiller, lights and finally the tank. The new Teco series looks promising and the price is rather attractive. There's some stuff I would like to get from the internet but I'm still looking elsewhere 1st. Got no Paypal account.