Brand new to salt....

[Yamaha1634]

New to the forum and new to salt water!
Kept freshwater tropical for a while now.... Always fancied a go at salt and decided now is the time!

So I have been searching for an all in one for a while, don't have a lot of space so couldn't get anything too large and didn't want to spend a fortune as it's my first attempt.... I have read good things about the Fluval Sea Evo 52l and have seen some other users amazing set ups using this as a base. I found a good deal online so took the plunge. Also decided 52l was large enough that i would hopefully spot changes in water quality before it got out of hand but small enough that regular maintenance is easy to keep on top of.

So far I've purchased:
Fluval Sea Evo 52l all in one aquarium
Fluval CP1 circulation pump

I intend to use a sand or crush coral substrate and a selection of live rock, keep it looking as natural as possible. Then add fish and basic corals, I know the standard light on the Fluval Sea Evo is a common upgrade but would like to choose things that will be happy in the standard tank before choosing upgrades layer on if needed...

Stocking i fancy based on googling hardy nano fish and what I've seen locally in stores:

Pair of clownfish
Pajama or Emperor Cardinal
Royal Gramma
Cleaner shrimp

Questions (and there will be many!)

1. What heater should i use? Is any 50w heater that will fit in the rear compartment suitable?

2. Should I use a protein skimmer? The Fluval PS2 that fits this tank is relatively cheap but don't want to waste money if not needed.

3. Can i use filter media from a tropical freshwater tank to speed up a cycle in a salt water tank?

4. Am i overstocked with 4 fish and a shrimp? I'm not 100% sure on marine stocking.

5. What corals should i be looking at? Hardy, happy under the standard lighting, inexpensive but beautiful would be a good start....

6. Is it possible to glue smaller sections of live rock together to create the shapes or forms i want? If so what do i use as glue?


I have a location for this tank but need to move some furniture around so it will be a while before it gets wet. Got plenty of time for planning

Any pitfalls for me to avoid or advice you guys have would be useful

 

[tharbin]

Welcome to R2R!

Pick a good quality heater. They are on of the leading causes of tank crashes. Ebo-Jager (Eheim) is a good choice but there are others.

I would personally not a protein skimmer at first. After it has been up for a few months you can revisit that idea.

Freshwater and saltwater bacteria are different but related strains. Better to start with bottled bacteria (Bio-Spira, Dr. Tim's, Fritz, etc.).

4 and 5 depend on your goals. Fish load is probably okay. Wait on the corals because you may need to upgrade lighting depending on your choices and desires.

Go to the BRS Investigates YouTube channel and look for their aquascaping videos. Short answer: Yes.

 

[Sean Clark]

Glad that you are here. Welcome.

 

[Yamaha1634]

Welcome to R2R!

Pick a good quality heater. They are on of the leading causes of tank crashes. Ebo-Jager (Eheim) is a good choice but there are others.

I would personally not a protein skimmer at first. After it has been up for a few months you can revisit that idea.

Freshwater and saltwater bacteria are different but related strains. Better to start with bottled bacteria (Bio-Spira, Dr. Tim's, Fritz, etc.).

4 and 5 depend on your goals. Fish load is probably okay. Wait on the corals because you may need to upgrade lighting depending on your choices and desires.

Go to the BRS Investigates YouTube channel and look for their aquascaping videos. Short answer: Yes.

Thanks for the info!

So no protein skimmer. A lot of people upgrade the standard return pump, do I need to do this if I have an additional circulation pump in the tank?

I've just watched a few of the BRS videos, mainly about different types of live rock (dry and wet) and aquascaping. than a few about cycling....... I know I'm going to open a can of worms here as everyone cycles differently. But does the below sound like a reasonable idea?

1. set up aquarium and hardware.
2. add live rock (probably dry rock to avoid unwanted critters)
3. add live sand
4. add salt water
5. get it up to temperature and get the circulation going
6. add a bottle of dr tims or similar
7. wait a week with lights off
8. add 1 fish (clownfish probably)
9. keep an eye on water parameters for 3-4 weeks
10. if all is well, add 1 more fish
11. repeat steps 9 and 10 until all the fish are in

 

[Yamaha1634]

So I've also been looking at fish stocking. Thinking of paring it down a little as to not overstock.

Pair of clowns
A blenny of some description, maybe tailspot
Cleaner shrimp
Red legged hermit crabs
(Not a fan of snails, or at least my wife isn't!)

Also been thinking of some LPS, zoa's etc to grow on the live rock. Anything to look out for? Like the thought of some bright colours and some flowing polyps if i can get them! Want some movement in the flow! Bearing in mind i will be using the standard lighting for as long as i can...

 

[Uncle99]

So I've also been looking at fish stocking. Thinking of paring it down a little as to not overstock.

Pair of clowns
A blenny of some description, maybe tailspot
Cleaner shrimp
Red legged hermit crabs
(Not a fan of snails, or at least my wife isn't!)

Also been thinking of some LPS, zoa's etc to grow on the live rock. Anything to look out for? Like the thought of some bright colours and some flowing polyps if i can get them! Want some movement in the flow! Bearing in mind i will be using the standard lighting for as long as i can...

List is fine but I’d rethink any crabs.
ALL crabs, are opportunistic feeders and which eat whatever it can catch.
That includes, LPS, SPS (some) slow moving things, other crabs, whatever.
They do mostly zero, for any algae clean up.
Snails are simply the best and never cause any trouble ever.

 

[Uncle99]

duplicate

 

[Willhersh34]

Welcome to R2R!

Pick a good quality heater. They are on of the leading causes of tank crashes. Ebo-Jager (Eheim) is a good choice but there are others.

I would personally not a protein skimmer at first. After it has been up for a few months you can revisit that idea.

Freshwater and saltwater bacteria are different but related strains. Better to start with bottled bacteria (Bio-Spira, Dr. Tim's, Fritz, etc.).

4 and 5 depend on your goals. Fish load is probably okay. Wait on the corals because you may need to upgrade lighting depending on your choices and desires.

Go to the BRS Investigates YouTube channel and look for their aquascaping videos. Short answer: Yes.

+1 for the BRS investigates series, as well as the 5 minute guides. I watched those a ton before taking the dive in to a full reef and it has helped me avoid serious problems. Depending on how things go you will likely run into some things you didn't expect. For me it was a cyano outbreak after introducing my first coral. It's all a learning experience and I also agree that freshwater stuff isn't going to help here. Better to start your cycle with chemicals and, as I'm sure you know, absolutely invest in RO/DI. I started with tap water which was fine for my fish. Not until did I replace my water with RO/DI did my reef start looking like, well, a reef! I think I spent like $200 on a unit from BRS and it was well worth it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[3429810]

I have one as a coral qt/grow out tank zoas and a few sps. you don’t need to upgrade the return pump on it if you have a power head/wave maker in the tank. I was using the stock one and the smallest hydor power head and everything from softies to sps seems to be happy in there right now. The stock one lost pretty much all power one day and after cleaning it nothing changed so I swapped it for a sicce syncra 0.5 which is around the same flow rate I believe, tight fit though.

I just got an aqua knight v2 light recently and so far the light spectrum looks way nicer and the birds nests have started growing even faster than they were. I’ve had it on for only a few weeks so can’t say for sure if it’s good but definitely a cheaper light to keep in mind when/if you want to upgrade.

 

[Yamaha1634]

List is fine but I’d rethink any crabs.
ALL crabs, are opportunistic feeders and which eat whatever it can catch.
That includes, LPS, SPS (some) slow moving things, other crabs, whatever.
They do mostly zero, for any algae clean up.
Snails are simply the best and never cause any trouble ever.

May need to throw a few snails in when she's not looking then

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Yamaha1634]

+1 for the BRS investigates series, as well as the 5 minute guides. I watched those a ton before taking the dive in to a full reef and it has helped me avoid serious problems. Depending on how things go you will likely run into some things you didn't expect. For me it was a cyano outbreak after introducing my first coral. It's all a learning experience and I also agree that freshwater stuff isn't going to help here. Better to start your cycle with chemicals and, as I'm sure you know, absolutely invest in RO/DI. I started with tap water which was fine for my fish. Not until did I replace my water with RO/DI did my reef start looking like, well, a reef! I think I spent like $200 on a unit from BRS and it was well worth it.

I intend to buy salt water premixed from my LFS and RO water for top ups from the same LFS. Just feel that's one less thing for me to possibly get wrong. I may start making or mixing my own later down the line.

Question, how long will mixed salt water or RO water last in a plastic container? I'd always want some to hand in case of emergency water changes etc but wouldn't want to buy it for it only to last a few weeks before i throw it out?

 

[Yamaha1634]

I have one as a coral qt/grow out tank zoas and a few sps. you don’t need to upgrade the return pump on it if you have a power head/wave maker in the tank. I was using the stock one and the smallest hydor power head and everything from softies to sps seems to be happy in there right now. The stock one lost pretty much all power one day and after cleaning it nothing changed so I swapped it for a sicce syncra 0.5 which is around the same flow rate I believe, tight fit though.

I just got an aqua knight v2 light recently and so far the light spectrum looks way nicer and the birds nests have started growing even faster than they were. I’ve had it on for only a few weeks so can’t say for sure if it’s good but definitely a cheaper light to keep in mind when/if you want to upgrade.

Good tip on the light. Will be something I look at eventually as I do like an open top tank rather than the standard hood. But for initial cost and also a little help with evaporation I'll stick with the standard for now!

 

[Willhersh34]

I intend to buy salt water premixed from my LFS and RO water for top ups from the same LFS. Just feel that's one less thing for me to possibly get wrong. I may start making or mixing my own later down the line.

Question, how long will mixed salt water or RO water last in a plastic container? I'd always want some to hand in case of emergency water changes etc but wouldn't want to buy it for it only to last a few weeks before i throw it out?

I can't tell you per se how long to expect but...........I know of people who fill one of those brute trash cans with the lid, mix the salt, and draw from that for water changes for months, like 6 months at a time. The key is keep the lid on it and while it's not absolutely necessary, drop a circulation pump in it every now and then. There's no real reason for the pump scientifically speaking, it just "feels" like you should circulate it every now and then.

The point is as long as you have it sealed (mostly, air tight as much as you can) it will keep for quite a while.

 

[Yamaha1634]

I can't tell you per se how long to expect but...........I know of people who fill one of those brute trash cans with the lid, mix the salt, and draw from that for water changes for months, like 6 months at a time. The key is keep the lid on it and while it's not absolutely necessary, drop a circulation pump in it every now and then. There's no real reason for the pump scientifically speaking, it just "feels" like you should circulate it every now and then.

The point is as long as you have it sealed (mostly, air tight as much as you can) it will keep for quite a while.

Thanks for that. With it being a small tank and standard water changes being only 5-6 litres weekly i intend to keep two 25l containers, one RO and one salty so I'm ready for top ups or emergency water changes when needed. Should easily use through both within 6 months so no worries there. Both will also be kept with lids on.

 

[Yamaha1634]

Any specific snails go well in this size tank? Haven't started looking at snails as i didn't think I wanted any.

 

[Sean Clark]

Any specific snails go well in this size tank? Haven't started looking at snails as i didn't think I wanted any.

Red Banded Trochus Snails because the can flip themselves right side up when they fall wrong side down.

 

[Uncle99]

Nassaurius for sand, (and you won’t see these much) Nerite for small areas, Astrea for glass/rock.

 

[3429810]

Good tip on the light. Will be something I look at eventually as I do like an open top tank rather than the standard hood. But for initial cost and also a little help with evaporation I'll stick with the standard for now!

The standard light was doing fine for me for about 2-3 months with everything I put in there so other than it not looking the nicest on white it will do the job. I think as long as you manage your parameters and have good enough flow you are off to a good start with that setup.

 

[Yamaha1634]

How does this sound for a cuc?

Scarlet Skunk Shrimp
2x banded trochus snail
4x nassarius snail
2x astrea snail

May also add a hermit crab because she desperately wants one! But if I add one and a hand full of empty shells do you think he will be too aggressive?