jguitarm15

Hi im new to the forum I have a 40 gallon saltwater fish tank, Im new to the saltwater fish so i dont really know anything about it. I just got a tank that my friend gave me,he didnt want it anymore. the tank came with two fish which one died already and i want to keep the other one alive but i need to get the filter running that came with it (which i dont know what brand it is or how to set it up). I would really appriciate any help since i have no idea how to do it. i have posted some pics of the tank and the filter i just hope that helps i will try to find any brand names on the filter but until then i hope the pictures will be sufficient.

thanks!!

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jguitarm15

This one says MAXI JET 900

MAXI JET 600

GreenMan13

Thats a wet/dry filter. It most likely was home made too. They are kinda an outdated filtration method for saltwater.

Is that all the water you have from when he had it set up? Where is the fish now? What kind of fish is it? Is there any live rock? How long has the filter material been out of the water?

I would call up some fish stores by you and ask them if they can take your fish before it dies since it will most likely not survive long if you haven't had stuff set up for a while. This will also let you have time to learn how to take care of a salt water tank. We can help you with all this but it will take time.

Sorry to hear your friend didn't help you set it up or at least tell you how to. Looks like a nice tank and sump(the smaller tank that will go under the main tank with the panels in it) though.

GreenMan13

Guess I really didn't help with the filter though...

First off - the clear box with the tube out the bottom hangs on the back of the filter. It is a external overflow box. The black one hangs on the inside of the tank with the U tube connecting them together. The water flows into the black one through the tube into the clear one and into the sump on the higher sectioned off side.

The sump should be below your tank. This is where most of the equipment goes to hide it from view. This will have the filter material in it for now until you can get a skimmer at least. The water flows out the pipe over the orange part to spread out the water and through the floss and sponges, under the plastic separator, and over the last separator into the return chamber.

In the return chamber the return pump will suck in the water and send it back to the main tank. This uses the clear tube you have with the gray pipe on the end. I think this goes to the first pump you you have posted(the blue and gray one).

The other pumps go in the main tank to keep the water flowing. They should be set up to have flow moving all over the tank so debris does not end up settling.

The heater (you need one if you don't have one) can go anywhere but most go in the sump to hide it from view.

Other things you need...
Test kit for ammonia nitrate and nitrite
Tester for specific gravity to make sure there is the right amount of salt in the water before the fish go in it.
Marine Salt
Skimmer

jguitarm15

yes thats all the water i have from where it came from, but im already mixing more water so that i can add it. it came with a blue fish very small ( i dont know what kind it is but i think it might be a Blue Damselfish) and like about 4 hermit crabs. he gave sold most of his live rock but im thinking on buying some more. the filter has not been running for about 2-3 weeks.

Jesses89

hi, welcome...
very nice tank...
but first of all.. that damsel is very hardy.. fill that tank with water and put him in there.. itll be fine til u get things up and running....

second... youre going to need to put a good amount of live rock in that....
also.. after u fill it with water... heres what id do...
id put the maxijet 900 on the right side at the top... point towards the water surface so it could move your upper water...
id put the maxijet 600 on the left side sort of at the middle... pointing straight.. so it could move your water down there...

as for the filter...
thats not a wet/dry.. its looks more like a sump? kind of incomplete...
looks like its missing the water pump? or was that first powerhead? looks like... a water pump??
can we get a pic of all of it together?

GreenMan13

Looking at it more...it definitely is a home made wet/dry filter. Wet/Dry. If you look on the tall section there are some white strips. Those are to hold the white grate that you have. The bioballs and filter floss go on top of that with the water trickling down. I'm not saying it's a well made wet/dry but im sure thats what it was meant to be.

Glad to hear it is most likely a damsel. Can we get a picture?

Glad to hear you have also started mixing water too. How is the set up going?

jguitarm15

thanks for all the help!! i got it running even though it isnt as good as i thougth it was going to be at least is something for now. I went to the fish store and they told me that a filter like that shouldnt be used with my tank since my tank is too small for that filter and because it will also get too complicated in the long run. They suggested to buy one of the filters that hang on the back of the aquarium with filter media. I like that better i guess it seem easier than that one i have. Now I'm really thinking on buying one.

as for the fish i tried to get a picture of him but he gets scared with the camera but I did my best

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sirdarksol

I disagree with the fish store on the filter. I disagree with them because no filter is "too big" for a tank. It may produce too much current, but that can be fixed by adjusting the flow rate. They just wanted to sell you a filter. Many fish store employees are more concerned with a sale than doing right by the customer.
However, I agree with your reasons for liking the HOB. It is far more simple than a wet/dry setup where you've got to get the flow right and everything. I would be going the same route, unless I were going to have a complicated tank (like a reef tank, where having backups aren't just good, they're a necessity)

A note on some stuff that was said above. You do not need live rock. The stuff is the best biological filter you can have, but if you just plan on keeping your damselfish and the hermits (there is a simple beauty to understocked tanks, and that fish is gorgeous), live rock is not a necessity.
Be aware of water parameters. It's possible that, even if the sand stayed wet, that the tank de-cycled. Whether or not the damsel is hardy, it's cruel to allow it to sit in water that has high ammonia/nitrite readings. Partial water changes will help keep these ratings down. The good news on this is that with only one fish and three little hermits, there isn't all that much of a waste output.

GreenMan13

If you are already thinking of getting live rock the other big cost of going to a reef would be the lighting. But looking at your light, it looks like it is a metal halide which would be great for a reef tank. So i would go with a skimmer in the sump then you can have corals down the road too. If you want corals that is.

Also I would like to reiterate sirdarksol's comment on a filter cannot be "too big."

jguitarm15

yes it is a metal halide light can anyone tell me what can I use this light with?

GreenMan13

How many watts is it? And how deep is the tank? That will make the difference on what you can have in the tank in term of corals. You will need Live Rock for coral though. It should be fine for what ever type of fish you have in there.