Lighting

[dustyboy316]

Just fish for now. I will have some coral later, but I'm on too much of a budget right now.

For the fish is the light just there to simulate day time, or do they need a specific light for any chemical reasons? Because I might just buy a spot light or w/e if it's to simulate day time.

 

[Bifferwine]

For fish, it's just to simulate the natural rhythms of night and day.

 

[dustyboy316]

For fish, it's just to simulate the natural rhythms of night and day.

Ok, and the live rock don't need anyh extra lighting then either?

Because I'm selling some stuff and even with my low budget I can get this started up for when I have the money to buy fish and skimmer and some other products.

 

[Bifferwine]

No, the live rock will still fulfill its purpose -- it doesn't need any special light. Any corals that hitch hiked in on it would probably die without high lighting though.

 

[dustyboy316]

ok. There is an overflow drilled into this, is it mean for a sump? I don't really understand it's purpose.

 

[reeffreak]

Yes,the overflows drains water to the sump.A return pump brings it back.

 

[dustyboy316]

Yes,the overflows drains water to the sump.A return pump brings it back.

Ok, so if I'm not using a sump (now) do I just block the overflow off and it shouldn't matter?

 

[nudy6969]

Ok, so if I'm not using a sump (now) do I just block the overflow off and it shouldn't matter?

yes, block the overflow.

 

[reeffreak]

You will need to cap off the drain and return hole.

 

[dustyboy316]

This sucks, I'm low on money, so I definetely won't be getting fish or a skimmer until around christmas.

Ok after mixing the water and salt in a bucket, I just pour it into the tank, then let it sit right. Then I would add sand, wait for it to settle then add all of the rock?

 

[dustin_P74]

once you mix the water i would let it sit overnight so all the salt dissolves, then pour the sand in there and then you can aquascape. but if you bought any live rock you need to keep it fully submerged at all times

 

[Bifferwine]

Or you can add the sand to the bottom first, then gently pour the water in. The sand-water or water-sand order doesn't matter.

 

[dustyboy316]

Or you can add the sand to the bottom first, then gently pour the water in. The sand-water or water-sand order doesn't matter.

Yah, thats what I kind of want to do. I'm going to let the salt dissolve for lik 24 hours probably.

 

[dustyboy316]

how many power heads do you recommend, and whhere do you place them?

 

[nudy6969]

how many power heads do you recommend, and whhere do you place them?

2 power heads. get 2 maxi jet 900s

 

[dustyboy316]

Is there any site that ships live rock cheap to Canada. There's one that sells 15 lbs, but I thin kI want 10 lbs live rock and 20 lbs of base rock.

or if I get live sand, will the base rock turn live?

 

[dustin_P74]

i might be wrong but i think you need live rock to seed base rock

 

[dustyboy316]

i might be wrong but i think you need live rock to seed base rock

Ok, would you think if I got 5 lbs of live and waited it would all become live, or should I mix it 50/50. I'm trying to get in between 20-30 lbs, just want to save some money if I can.

 

[daugherty]

yes you can seed the base rock with 1 pound if you wanted but you will get better results if you go with a 50\50 mix. just for the fact there will be more live critters in the tank from the rock already being live

 

[dustyboy316]

ok, sounds good. I'll probably try and get a 10 pound mix of each. I probably won't be adding fish or anything for 2 months after, so I'll have time to wait for it to cycle ande become live.