[petlover516]

hi everyone! im doing stress relief project and i need some opinions on the kind of set-up that would be best for relieving stress.
this is the current equipment:
-55 gallon all-glass aquarium with wooden trim
-fish net
-test kits for pH, high range pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate(API)
-hood
-2 standard fluerescent bulbs of ? wattage. any way to detect the wattage of SF bulbs would be greatly appreciated!
-salt mix
-gravel vaccuum

the tank choices are:
Reef
fish-only SW
fish-only FW
Amazon River
Malawi Cichlids

with your suggestion, please include:
list of needed equipment(besides stand) and other items. please also give the preferred company and the cheapest possible price and where u located this price. thanks in advance.

 

[fishfinder]

What is your background in keeping fish, what is your skill level? It would help to know for those who wish to help you with suggestions.

For stress relief, I'd personally choose non-aggressive species which move more slowly, with a less complicated maintenance schedule. In other words, more relaxing and more time to enjoy a peaceful tank. The Amazon River scheme could be very relaxing. A few angelfish, logs and plants would be very pleasing. Just my opinion.

 

[FreeEnterprise]

Welcome,

First off you need a filter, I've had them all, canister, hang on, and sump style. The sump style is best in my opinion, as it increases your water quantity, and allows for wet/dry filtration, its easy to change and add media, and typically pretty quiet. The larger the filter, the easier your fishtank experience will be. I use a SOS overflow box to get my water down there, it works well, and is fairly quiet.

I have a amiricle slim line wet dry on my 46 gallon bow front, I run my heater in the sump so it doesnt' show. I found one that was cracked so I got it for less than $20...

Little bit of silicone, and it is fine, never leaked and I've had it for 10 years. I also drilled mine so that I could run an external pump (to leave space for protein skimmers, and such). I started with a UV sterilizer, but I got rid of that years ago.

Personally I love my reef set up, but they are not cheap... I did mine as budget as possible, I would "buy" loose mushrooms off the floor of my local "jacks" aquarium store, for a couple of bucks, and put them in my tank. For fish, I've found that live aquaria (liveaquaria.com) is the best for the money, their fish have always been perfect, and I buy for other peoples tanks as well, and their fish are always in great shape, and look amazing. Shipping is a little high, and you don't want to "overcrowd" your tank when starting out, so you might want to post an ad on craigslist to see if anyone wants to go in with you on an order... and split the shipping.

For lights, I recommend compact flourescents. Great light for the money, but make sure it has a fan, as with all lights, heat is your enemy. I go full actinic, and half actinic, half super bright in my tank, but with corals you really need a lot of actinic light. The more lights the better in a reef, or fish only tank... And buy some timers, so that your lights come on by themselves.

Good luck, and ask away any questions you might have.

 

[petlover516]

ok well i have been a very active member on this forum for 6 months and my dad has kept fish for 35 years. from this forum, a member told me with live rock and a protein skimmer u will not need any kind of mechanical filter-freeEnterprise what do u say? so far votes talley
1 for reef tank
1 for amazon river tank.
for maintenance im fine with water changes once a week and water quality testing once a week.

 

[petlover516]

i read the lights and there is one 40-watt "perfect-a-light" and a 40 watt "Cool White". my dad has just supplied me with an old whisper power filter with 2 filter boxes which would make a good refugium. i was thinking i just go fish-only SW with a fluval 304, 1 box filter, and a small in-tank filter. thats my dads reccomendations.

 

[FreeEnterprise]

I wouldn't want to risk running only live rock, and no filter... If you had a huge tank, and tons of rock, I could see how it could act as a filter, but only if you have the proper fish to rock formula... And I don't think anyone knows what that would be. (except for God).

Fish only, you will for sure need filtration, the stuff you have should work fine, you will just need to clean it more often than a sump wet/dry. At least once a month. I wouldn't change the media each time, just wash it out in the sink, and change it every six months to a year... Based on how it is holding up.


Those lights are fine for a fish only SW or FW, but would not be right for corals, or FW plants.

 

[petlover516]

ok so do i need the protein skimmer? If so, which kind and price? Should i use the canister regularlu or hook it up to a UG filter? And do i have enough lighting to grow coralline algae on live rock?

 

[FreeEnterprise]

ok so do i need the protein skimmer? If so, which kind and price? Should i use the canister regularlu or hook it up to a UG filter? And do i have enough lighting to grow coralline algae on live rock?

No, you don't "need" a protein skimmer.

No, I wouldn't use under gravel filters in salt water set ups.

Yes, you will be able to grow algae with those lights over time, although you shouldn't "want" that. When algea starts to bloom, and spead all over your live rock, it can kill the live rock. If you are going full fish, then many of the fish will probably eat most of the algea, unless you get your levels out of wack, then you will get a huge dose of algea and probably a fish kill at the same time, as your levels will spike.

Also, if you set a piece of live rock on the bottom of your tank. The side of the rock sitting on the substate will die, causing your levels to spike.

 

[petlover516]

ok thanks again.i once saw a big Sw tank in the local cinemas ridden with CA, but they had 2 yellow tangs and other algae eaters indulging in on it. I really like YTs do u think i could keep 1 in my tank? My final tank decision is false reef.

 

[petlover516]

o and for bottom pieces ur suppost to use base rock-right?

 

[petlover516]

wow everyone has disappeared!for tankmates, i have decided on:
-1 royal gramma
-2 o' clowns
-2 firefish
-1 6 line wrasse
-1 green clown goby
-1 pygmy angel

 

[MediaHound]

Hows it coming along?

 

[JIM]

*w2 Youre doing a great job here, enjoy all your posts

 

[petlover516]

well again, my mind on fish is ever-changing. at the moment, i noticed an old fish tank lying around in the school science room. i asked my teacher about it and she said that someone just gave it to her and she has no use for it and said i could have it with the principal's OK. its a 20l. my mom says she has no room for the 55 to be put as a focal point, so were putting our hamsters in it.