i am thinking of having a small marin tank so i want to know if i have live rock and live sand do i need a skimmer...? and how can i make live sand...?
please help me....!!!
2007-05-21 07:39:27 · 4 answers · asked by jone 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
How can i make live sand: live sand can be made my tanking it from a mature saltwater system. this means that it has all the bacteria already in it. you can use a skimmer with any saltwater setup the only constraint that you would have is room. i have a 3 gallon nano reef tank at my desk, it has several small pieces of live rock and live sand all taken from my main display tank at home. i don't have a skimmer on it just a HOT (hang on tank) filter but because i don't have a skimmer i MUST do weekly water changes otherwise my levels will go out of whack. the only thing that happens fast in saltwater tanks is disaster. once i set up my tank i let it run for 6 weeks before i put anthing in it that way it has time to cycle.
2007-05-21 08:23:10 · answer #1 · answered by Scott M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you don't want a small marine tank. You need a bigger one. With a bigger tank it is not going to have great fluctuations to kill your fish. The minimum I would recommend is 40 gallons for a marine tank. You won't need a skimmer unless you want a mini reef. Also with marine tanks. You have to let the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite rise(chemicals: another reason for a big tank), they are all pretty much connected together. (Where one is they all are) You have to let them peak and then come down. If you have cured live rock and sand it will take a month. If you don't it could take up to 6 months. You should go ahead and buy live rock at one LBS per gallon and sand and 2 LBS per gallon. This will make it take about a month-45 days.
2007-05-21 15:44:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All "live" means is that it's got bacteria that convert the ammonia and nitrite in the tank to nitrate. If you buy the live rock, you won't have to get live sand. The bacteria from the rock will reproduce and go into the sand. And you don't have to buy all live rock. I get the dry reef rock as a base and stack the more expensive live rock on top and in the fron t where it will be seen.
A protein skimmer is still a good idea to use.
2007-05-21 14:48:51 · answer #3 · answered by copperhead 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
by adding live rock, you just started your sand. in time you can call it live. as for a skimmer i believe every salt water system can and will benefit from a skimmer!
2007-05-21 14:44:57 · answer #4 · answered by the fish guy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋