Newbie Tank Ready to Begin

[Deepseafisher]

The sump I intend to use on my 29 gallon FOWLR system is now empty. Will I be able to begin the process of setting up my system by cycling the sump independent of the normal tank? I was going to set it up with 15 gallons of Refugium, and 5 gallons of sump. I intend to put a DSB in the refugium, and divide it from the rest of the sump and restrict the flow of water in and out of it. Do I need to have the whole tank ready before I start the cycle, or will I be able to do it with a bit of LR and LS?

[Deepseafisher]

Well, it turns out I won't be getting started for a while yet...O well. My question though, is this. The guy at the LFS suggested I use a Skilter 250 filter and protein skimmer combo for my tank. The skimmer is "rated" for a 120 gallon tank, and the filter for a 55. Is Skilter a decent brand? Or should I just turn him down on the offer. I'll be able to get the skilter for $75 after tax, is this a good deal, or do I need to see if he'll go down a bit? Have you got any experience with Skilter? Do they make a decent skimmer, or is it a piece of crap? Any suggestions are appreciated.

[junior]

No, don't get a hob the filter. Just spend more money on putting powerheads, so you can keep the waste suspended in the water column and get an remora(type of skimmer). It will work a lot better than anything the local fish store will have.
You have to remember to take the lfs advice with a grain of salt. It's just that they are going to try to get you to spend more money.
I never trust a fish store tell I truly know the owner/employee. Even then I don't trust them that well since at the end of the day they have to make ends meet.

Good Luck
JR

[Deepseafisher]

So whats wrong with the Skilter? Is it a P.O.C? My "skin-flinted" side started to kick in when I heard "new skimmer and filtration for 67 bucks". Yeah, I know better than trust any info from him straight, thats why I came here. Will the skimmer part not get the job done for a 29 with a sump? I'm thinking that if I want I can just take out the filtration, and maybe put some LR or something in there.

One of his selling points was that he had one of these filters hooked up to his 80 gallon Live Rock tank. Does that mean anything? You don't really need a skimmer just for live rock, do you? Thanks for the help, man.

[junior]

what he is using that skimmer for on the live rock tank, is to cycle the live rock, aka cure it. Now any skimmer will work on that setup because you want higher nitrates, if you notice in that system there is no corals or anything sensitive, he was showing you that tank hoping that your inexperience wouldn't pick out that point. Ask him to show you that skimmer working on a large show tank, with sps's or any corals for that matter.
Personally I don't like any of the skimmers from lfs's none of them run a down draft system, they all rely on multi chambers to help with air to water contact time. I know this is over your head but hang with me. the longer the little air bubble stays in contact with the water the more dissolved organics(bad stuff), it attracts, now higher end skimmer use a system where the water is traveling down and the bubbles want to go up, so you have a HUGE amount of contact time.
Now the skimmer you are looking at is most likely using a system where it runs it through multipule chambers to increase contact time, while this does the job, it really can't hold a candle to a good down draft.
Now I have never heard of a skilter, so not thinking its a major brand, next time you go in take some pics of it close up. If you can do this I will look through them and tell you if its a good buy or not. I can spot a down draft easily because the exit for the water will be at the bottom and it will have one huge main chamber nothing more.

Thanks
JR

[Deepseafisher]

Okay, heres a pic I found online...not sure if this helps, but here goes.
[img]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/SrEskimo/Skilterskimmer.bmp[/img]
Is that what your talking about?

[Deepseafisher]

How is a Red Sea Prizm Deluxe Hang-On Skimmer? Here's a picture, if it helps.
[img]http://www.cichlidfish.com/photogallery/showphoto.php?photo=1549&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500[/img]

[junior]

prizms are alright I have used them many times, they do the job but will take constant adjustment.

as for the picture in your post before, I suggest not using that it look a lot like the cheap hob's that won't do anything for you.

Good Luck

[Deepseafisher]

Okay, then. A red sea prizm from Big Al's it is! Works for me, I guess. I'll keep ya posted as I go on with making the tank.

[DrOctagon]

I'm planning on setting up a 29 gallon FO tank. What are the first steps I need to take as far as cycling goes? How much salt do I have to put in the water? I don't have another tank to have a refugium and no sump so what other options do I have for filtration? In another post I think it was you who said to use 2 Maxi-Jet 900s.
For the skimmer I plan on using the same one as deepseafisher. How many pounds of sand do I put in the tank and when should I put the Live Rock in? After that happens, how long until I could add fish? And how do I maintain the tank after that? I know it's a lot of questions, and maybe I could read a book, but I'd rather get the info here.

[Deepseafisher]

One really good book to read is Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies (thanks for that advice, Junior). Another really good site with some info on this stuff is a thread by WaterKeeper on another forum. Here is a link -> [url]http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239848[/url]
Theres a whole lotta good advice all in one place. I would still suggest going out and buying a book on Salt tanks, as its always good to have something like that on hand.

Good luck with your tank, man.

[Deepseafisher]

Hot Dog! I've got my first salt tank set up, at long last. The live sand is going in today, followed by some live rock (which will go in Tuesday or Wednesday, whenever the Skimmer comes in from Big Al's). This is just going to be a 20 high with a pair of Saddleback Clownfish (amphibron sebae) (not sure about the spelling), a deep sand bed and some liverock so I can get a little experience under my belt. I've already got some sand in there, and now I just need to get some Live Sand to seed it. I'm so excited. The tank is running, water is at a specific gravity of 1.025, and I'm off to buy the sand!

I'll keep you posted.

[jaypython]

Hi would be cool to see a pic of your new saltwater set up.im well behind on setting mine up due to lack of room.and yet i have everything ready to go...im jealouse!!

good luck and keep us posted...

jay;)

[Deepseafisher]

Yeah, its not much to look at just yet. I've got a DSB with an inch of some brand of Aragonite sand that is supposed to be shipped from the carribean covering three inches of standard run-of-the-mill playsand from lowes, a heater, and two 1 pound pieces of base rock leftover from an African set-up (the base rock works really well to chemically adjust freshwater). It may just be my imagination, buy I could swear that there is already stuff growing on the base rock. I checked the UPS site, and the skimmer isn't scheduled to be delivered until the 18th. Bummer. I don't intend to get any Live Rock in the tank untill I have the skimmer-I figure I'll save all of the life from the Ammonia spike that I'm able to. Is waiting for the skimmer a necessary precaution? If it'll do me any good, I have no problem with waiting.

Well, looks like I get to go hurry up and do some more waiting. Oh, well. Gives me something to think about at any rate, right?

See ya around.

[Deepseafisher]

WooHoo! The skimmer FINALLY came in. Its in the tank and skimming as we speak. Nothing managed to collect in the collection cup, but we'll see how that turns out as its had some time to "break in". Have you got any advice for the fine tuning part of it?

I'm gonna go get some live rock sometime soon (need another paycheck...that comes sometime this week). I can hardly wait.