# general saltwater information



## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

1-so i have a overflow box and i was wondering what would work to suck the air out of the siphon. On the directions it said to use a 250 gph powerhead but that seems like a lot for my tank. will a 130gph powerhead work?

2-I am checking out my options for providing curculation in my 15 gallon tank and i was thinking about haveing the flow from my sump(prolly 300gph) mixed with the flow from a magnum 250gph filter mixed with a powerhead.will this create the rite kind of current in my tank?

3-When i do a water change is a gravel vac nececary or can i just siphon the water from the main tank and sump? 

4-What kind of mantainece does lr require? I heard you should scrub it once in a while.

5-What would be a good cleaner crew for a 15 gallon(reef safe of course) sea cucombers look like detrus eating machines.-but what about crabs stars and snails?

that will be all.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

1. I've set up many of those overflows as you mentioned. All I did to get them running was to put the piece of tubing on the fitting and suck the air out. When the box is full of water it will continue to siphon, never breaking. But you will need to plug the tubing or lay it back in the overflow box to keep it submerged. I never understood why they tell you to run it to a powerhead. Running it to most any powerhead like a Maxijet will do it as well.

2. Sounds like you will have a good amount of concurrent flow. Meaning it will come from many directions instead of one.

3. I personally do not gravel vac but then again I can't because of my rock work. I do hand turn it from time to time. 

4. I've done nothing ever to my live rock. Make sure it is cured before adding it to an established tank or buy all you can and cure it during the cycling process.

5. I really like my tiger tail cukes. You should think of a shrimp or 2. I'd look at getting about 2 cerith and about 20 nassarius snails. Maybe between 5-20 tiny hermits. A small serpent star or white sand star might be acceptable. I recommend shopping online for "cleanup crews" to save a buck.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

so i bought my tank today! It is a 20 gallon high with oak trim. It is a tetrafin. I was a little disipointed that it was not a all-glass but it looks of good quality.
I know high tanks are not the best for saltwater tanks but i plan on placing my high light corals up top. I will still have 6.25 wph so hopefully a clam is still an option.
1-it came with a hood and a flourecent t-12 light bulb can i buy a 65k bulb and use that light to grow cheato in my sump?

any sugjestions on what i should do with my tank? (as far as coral rock and inhapentents go)


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

well as far as inhabitants go there is not many....you can have either oscellais or percula clowns, most gobies, some blennies. However some gobies and blennies can be difficult because they are pickey eaters and only really eay live food. you could also try a damel if wanted or a Pseudochromis.

In our 20 gal. we have 2 oscellaris clowns, a 4 stripe damsel and a purple firefish goby. so this is kind of an example, although you can get what you want.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

As far the as the sump I use a regular flourescent bulb because for 10000k broke, but that 65w will be good


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

i need to repait a broken cpr overflow box what would be the best glue to use? I was looking at the glues at a local hardware and i found some epoxys that said for marine use but i did not buy it cause i dident know if it would be fish safe.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

''well as far as inhabitants go there is not many....''

I wouldent say that, well maybe if i followed the recemended tank size per fish that the seller recemended than i would be limeted. 
Buy reely if i wanted to i would put a flame angle in here i would. I would put a small angler. I would put a dwarf lionfish. And going against what mike told me i would put a garden eel in here. These are just some examples(not that i plan on putting these in my tank.)

As far as what is going in my tank this is what i planed on.
30 pounds lr
a whole bunch of corals(brains,polyps,shrooms,soft, anthing good lookin
a bulb tip ananomone.
for the fish and inverts i plan on putting in here are 1fire shrimp,1cleaner shrimp(skunk),one pistol shrimp,one pepermint shrimp,1 sexy shrimp,1lawnmower blenny,one shrimp goby(not sure the exact one yet),1-2 clown gobys,2 clowns,1 court jester goby, 

I know when i go to my lf im going to see something and want it so i will prolly end up with more fish than that.
What do you guys think of a spotted box fish?-my lf had one and it was beutiful.(they stay small)


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

I wouldnt recommend putting a bubble tip anemone or any anemone rather in a 20 gallon tank, esp. if you plan on keeping corals. The bubble tip can grown alteast 12 inches in diameter, which would be to large. Not to mention the fact that anemones tend to move quite frequently and will more than likely sting whatever corals you put in your tank.

And just another recommendation is waiting untill your tank is well established before putting in any type of goby or blenny. They tend to be finiky eaters and some will only eat live foods.

I hope this will help some with your plans for your tank.


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

I also forgot to add that a boxfish is not a good choice, they will eat invertibrets.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

Thinks for the info  
i still need to know what kind of glue i should use to glue my overflow?-will normal epoxy work,or will it leach chemicals into the water.


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

well i will ask my husband and have tell you because he used types of epoxy and glue on our sump.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

If i cant keep a bulb tip anenomane is there any kind of clownfish host that i can keep in a 20?-I know some fish host in corals but i would rather hace a anenamone.


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

Well honestly it all depends on the fish. There are many people out there who have the right anemone and the right clownfish, and the clownfish would not want anything to do with thier anemone. There are not many anemones that stay small in size. Condys could work in your tank but they move ALOT, and because they are from the carribean they may eat your fish. I have heard of this happening. I have sceen oscellaris hoasting in mushrooms more than any other corals, i have even scene a maroon clown living in a giant maxima clam. But there is no real guarantee, they dont really need an anemone to survive. I cant really give a sure fire anemone for you because they will all eventually grow large.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

> a bulb tip ananomone.


I would not get one of these because I have one and when he is fully opened he is about 6-7" long and 8-9" wide. This type of anemone will also sting everything it touchs. I had to recently move my SPS corals around because my bubble tip decide to up and move on me and kept stinging all my SPS as it moved. I have two oscellaris clowns in my little 20 gallon that mad there home in a candy anemone that I never seen get to big they just like to move around.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

TR if you keep ignoring the great advice you get this will then be my last reply.

Weld-On is the best acrylic glue. You can get it from any specialty plastic wholesaler listed in your local yelloow pages for about $10.

Your entire fish keeping list borders on criminal for that tank size.

I hate to be so blunt but you ignore great advice and sooner or later others will avoid your posts if you continue doing so. Put an eel in that tank and I guarantee it will climb out. Small anemones quickly get large. The only anemones you should be thinking about in a tank that size are flower anemones. Fish do not host to them. Now if you are an established reefer I would say that you could squeeze out a nice BTA, but you'd need to be willing to slice it in half once every few months.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

Im sorry mike for making it seem like I dont care about the advice you guys give its just that I cant take all the advice you guys give me Its not that i dont agree a 20 gallon is too small for a eel its just that its my tank and I have the choice to put whatever i want in it. Heres what i meen.
You tell me not to put a eel in a 20 gallon i will listen to you, but this website says a can. Who do i belive?-me. I want a eel in a 20 gallon so i will belive this website.
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/livestock/product_info.php?id=2352
Once again i will tell you i have no intentions of puting a eel in this tank. I do apreciate any advice given be anyone.


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

I do understand what you are saying, but you cant always listen to the web sites. They dont ALWAYS have the best information.


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