noobie

misterj · 10-09-2006, 11:16 PM

hey guys im new to the salt water thing
i have no experience in salt water tanks.
i just started my 40 gallon. setup up
i already put the instant ocean mix
and added 2 powerheads.
i also have 3 fishes in their to speed up the
cycle. my lfs told me the fishes puts healthy bacteria in my water.

i was wondering can i put a bio bag in a salt water tank?
can i use filters? i have 2 40 whisper filters on but its jst to break water tension on the surface. i was wondering can i add the bio bag on the filter? bio meaning carbon. .
sorry if these are really stupid questions..

wolfie · 10-09-2006, 11:19 PM

Welcome to TRT.

Please return the fish to the LFS and deman your money back.
You don't need anything in the tank, but LR and water. You could put in half shirmp if you want to speed thing up.

wolfie · 10-09-2006, 11:20 PM

Btw what are your plan?

Are you going reef, or FWRL?

pyron88 · 10-09-2006, 11:21 PM

Welcome. Wolfies right you don't need live fish to cycle the tank. That's how I got this yellow tailed damsil. I've had it so long I can't get rid of it and it seems that it just won't die.

Fly Guy · 10-09-2006, 11:22 PM

1. Take the fish back politely and when you have succeeded at getting your money back, tell them they are @$$es and walk out.

What is it you are trying to accomplish with this tank??? A fish only or a reef tank??

Do you have any live rock??

Evil McToast · 10-09-2006, 11:25 PM

maybe your LFS didn't tell you that cycling with live fish does damage to them. There are other ways to speed things up. It isn't your fault, so don't think we mean to be mean. I started my tank that way, too and by the time I found out I was hurting the fish, my damsel had long been dead. It is a valuable lesson to do lots of research before doing anything in this hobby.

WELCOME!

Fly Guy · 10-09-2006, 11:30 PM

How rude..i didnt realize it was post #1. : ) Welcome to TRT!!

To elaborate....any LFS that sells you three fish right out of the gate and tells you misinformation that they will help with your cycle is a business that practices poor business and just wants to make a sale wiothout care for your success or the animals well being. They most likely dont know the right answers themselves to begin with.

We will wait until you let us know what your goals are with this tank and then we can give you some insight to get you moving in a positive direction. : )

misterj · 10-09-2006, 11:38 PM

the fishes were a dollar each!! lmao. . its okay.
i just want to have fish in the tank.

i was wondering can i use filters with the carbon cartridge??

misterj · 10-09-2006, 11:40 PM

Thanks for the welcomes. .

Evil McToast · 10-09-2006, 11:43 PM

It's not that the LFS is just tryng to make a sale. It's the fact that it is cruel to put fish in a new tank. The cycle will burn their gills and they will have permanent damage. So, you may want to take them back for humane reasons, not for the $3.00.

Hardhead Cat · 10-10-2006, 08:01 AM

It's much better to start your cycle with Live Rock (LR) and/or live sand if you have the $$ for it. Fish will die or be hurt during the cycling. Saltwater takes more patience than freshwater but in my opinion is much more rewarding!

Welcome to TRT!
HHC

ChrisPrusha · 10-10-2006, 08:14 AM

Other reasons to take them out now: getting them out later will be next to impossible (so do it now while the tank is empty), and keeping them in will limit what other creatures you can put in there.

The Whisper filters are okay...but I think you will want to get a HOB (hang on back) skimmer when you get rolling here.

Also, welcome to TRT!!!! w00000000000000000000t!!!

And there is no such thing as a stupid question!!

Geoff · 10-10-2006, 08:27 AM

Welcome to TRT!!!

a tank of that size really should have a skimmer on it. you can get away without a skimmer on a smaller tank fairly easily, but once you get bigger than a 20 it becomes more work than it is worth. you actually do not need any of the filters you got with the tank. they can actually cause more water problems than they solve. keeping one to just run carbon in it is ok, but carbon is the only thing that should be in it. any of the other media will just raise your nitrate levels once the tank has cycled.

look at hang on back skimmers rated for at least 75g tanks, 100g would be better. this is the main source of filtration in a SW tank.

when aquascaping make sure to have as little LR touching the substrate as possible. that way it is easier for you to siphon out the detritus once a week during the water changes.

Good Luck, it is a tough but rewarding hobby!!

G~

tdwyatt · 10-10-2006, 09:13 AM

Welcome to TRT misterj!

If you're planning to have a system with only fish, then some liver rock and a skimmer, possiby some bioballs if the fishes are big carnivores will be fine, however, if you plan to add corals down the road, then this will change everything.

I agree with returning the fish, although by now they have already sufferred whatever bad is going to befal them, so you might as well keep them. How big are the fish, what are they, and how do you feed them (estimate how much and how often) ? The marine aquarium is a careful balance of inputs and exports, how well you're able to keep this balance and how maintenance-intensive the system will be will depend on what happens this first few months, and how you control nutrient flows into and out of the system.

HTH, again, Welcome to TRT.

BLEEZY · 10-10-2006, 05:37 PM

WELCOME!!!
ammonia burns the gills of fish and it is cruel to do that.
imo any lfs that sells you three fish off the bat is not one you should take advice from.
also i would like to say to listen to tdwyatt.