Started My First Aquarium

So I know jumping in without much research is a bad idea, but that is kinda what I did. My daughter wanted a glofish and I ended up with a saltwater tank...... we will just say I like to spoil her.

Full disclosure I have never had a freshwater or saltwater tank.

I bought a tank that someone had setup and running for 17 years. Here are the details that I know/don’t know…

46 gallon curved front glass
33# Live rock
Crushed coral substrate
No fish, he sold them off separate
Hang on back filter
Big canister underneath the stand that has big hoses that go to an intake and outtake on back of tank but no holes drilled in glass (is this still a sump, or is it considered a canister filter?)
Clear plexiglass protein skimmer that hangs off back, pump in water to feed it.
A power head thing for current
A light assembly with 2 bulbs
2 single line strips of white LEDs 36” long
1 24” blue strip
1 12” blue strip
Glass top
Submerged heaters x2 with dials


I brought it home with all rocks and substrate in buckets with water, immediately put them in tank once it was level and dropped the heater in and got it to 78 degrees or so. It is at 76 now.

I mixed tap water (I know I know) with salt and RO drops/ aquarium starter stuff and put pumps in water for probably 18 to 20 hours and heated each one up to 76 to 78 degrees and poured in. took a few buckets and a couple of nights and the tank was full and salt level was 1.0245

I tested water with kit for everything the kits would test for and also took water to my nearby shop and they said it was good.

They said with old water and rocks the tank was pretty much cycled and ready to go. I waited 2 more days, retested and then added some “disposable” fish. I added:

4 different types of hermit crabs
2 domino damsels
1 4 stripe damsel
1 yellow tail blue damsel
1 Lemon chromis
1 green chromis

I did bag in water for 15 min, poured fish into nets and released and discarded bag water

That was 4 days ago and they seem fine and eating etc now


I am still waiting to see how they do “longer term” but I am getting the tank ready for permanent residents.

I picked up a Koralis current generator that is 1500 gph and placed the power head that came with it on the opposite side of the tank both pointed slightly upwards and at the curved front glass. Fish seem to be swimming a lot more in the open water now.

I would love suggestions. I am ordering an LED light with programs and definitely enough light for coral per my local shop, and an RO/DI filter is on the way for water changes.

The local shop has a 14” tall or so Bubble Tip Anemone with it’s boot about the size of a softball or a bit bigger and a big hunk of volcanic rock (I believe) covered is some type of cool long mossy green polyp but I can’t recall the name of it.

I plan to add a pair of clowns and then maybe one “fun” fish. Not sure what. He recommended a fire angel I believe or one of the other dwarf ones but I want something else I think. Like a scorpion etc but probably not as high maintenance.

Should I get an H Magnifica or do they get too big/ too hard to care for? I didn’t ask him about it

I saw mention of Refugiums or whatever they are called made to be in the tank and I like that idea but not sure how to go about it.

Would replacing the hang on back filter with something else be a good place to throw money or is the one he had used for years do the trick and I would be better off spending the money elsewhere?


I plan this to be a process and the anemone and soft coral on rock thing are gonna be expensive so I was hoping to build up as I go.

Knowing what I know now I would have probably held out for a 125 gallon tank but the price for everything I did get was too good to turn down, so I may very well upgrade filters etc over time so I can directly pump all water to a new tank in a few years and upgrade and already have sufficient filtration etc on my current tank to make less to buy when that time can I do 10 gallon every 2 or 3 weeks?

I feel like the tank is going well, and hope to buy an anemone, rock with green thingy on it and replacement fish in a month or so. I just want to make sure I don,t send the permanent fish to swim with Luca Brassi.

Any tips/suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks

 

I should mention the H Mag would be INSTEAD of the bubble-tip. I know I don,t have room for both

 

So do you have an RODI system or can you buy RODI water from a reliable LFS (Local Fish Store)? Just browsing over your post there are a few issues that need to be addressed outside of the RODI water problem:

1) Be aware that Canister filters are the most labor intensive and trouble prone method of filtration in a marine aquarium. Generally in order of preference it goes Sump, HOB then Canister. I don't know if the intake/outtake hoses are for the canister or if he maybe had an HOB overflow system for a sump and that is what was left of it. I would ditch the canister and just go with a solid HOB Filter (ie Fluval 70 or 110 or Seachem Tidal 75 or 110) as these are wide open and allow for a variety of media or can be modded into a refugium to grow Macro Algae (ie Chaeto) which absorbs nitrates and phosphates.

2) 33 lbs of rock is light for a 46 gallon tank, so unless you want to cycle more rock separately and then add to the tank when done, you will want to go with a lighter bioload in the tank (ie fewer fish). It's generally considered best practice to have at least 1lb of rock per gallon of tank.

3) You will definitely want to remove those damsels before adding any more fish as they will be flat out jerks to ANY new additions regardless of size. Chromis should be okay as singles but don't try and put them in a school or they will kill each other off.

4) Corals are the more expensive and more labor intensive side of the hobby (particularly mixed with fish) and you will definitely be opening up your wallet for lighting as those LED strips will be insufficient for just about any coral (there might be some softies that might work with them but it would be a real gamble, considering the price of corals). If you aren't prepared to spend AT LEAST a couple of hundred on lighting alone, then put corals and 'nems out of your mind.

5) Scorpion fish would be a very bad idea as they will eat your other fish (they are an ambush predator after all). As for the Fire Angel (aka Flame Angel) that is not the best idea in a tank less than 4 feet long. They have big attitudes and need space and all pygmy/dwarf angels are potential coral nippers. A fun suggestion for your tank would be the Cherubfish/Pygmy Angel as they tend to be better than average in their coral nipping proclivities and it would work in a 46 gallon and add lots of activity to the tank:

 

Thank you.

I don’t know if it is an overflow, sump, or canister. I really have no idea



I already ordered an RO/DI filter system



I just read another thread and looked up an Aquaclear 110 on Amazon. Looks like $79 and there is a coupon so it would be only $45 so I think I will pick that up, unless there is a better option

 

Also I plan on ditching all the fish in there before getting new ones

 

Also I plan on another 25lbs of rock. The rock the green stuff is on is 12lbs or so by itself


I wish I could edit and add to my messages vs creating a new one. My ADD mind travels at its’ own speed sometimes


Edit: Apparently I can edit,


So my ADD mind started working and I went back to the store, bought a 19lb rock that had a couple of flower anemones hanging out on it, and brought it home.

I also ordered an Aquaclear 110. The guy at the shop said not to use the carbon in it, and it would be fine with my other filter in use too.

I heard mention of hang off back filters being converted into a sort of refugium and maybe I will think about that for the old one too, or keep looking into an in tank option

 

I found a reasonable affordable hang-off-back refugium I plan to pick up. Put my new Aqua Clear 110 on, and that thing took up a good hunk of space as it is. Was looking into making the old filter (that I have now identified as a Penguin 170) into a DIY refugium, but the price/convenience of the one I found seems too good to pass up.

Another question: Any 'good' digital water testers out there that will test all of my chem. levels with a digital read-out vs. using the test kits and those color-palates?

I found my PH to be 8.2 (confirmed by taking sample to local store), but looking at the sample colors when I tested it myself at home, I couldn't tell if it was 7.8, 8.2 etc..... My ability to discern the colors isn't too great.

I saw some while looking earlier, some around $100 or so, but I would really be interested in the "continuous" type models..... something I could drop a probe in, and just look at the levels whenever I want, and be able to catch any changes as they begin, so I can stay on top of my water.

 

I figured out how to add pictures so here are the planned pick-ups

4C9B86B5-45A4-4C33-9344-A40E19E87658

• Phish_Phan
• Feb 18, 2019

28F88883-104D-4079-B101-E49146838C8B

• Phish_Phan
• Feb 18, 2019

 

Thank you.

I don’t know if it is an overflow, sump, or canister. I really have no idea



I already ordered an RO/DI filter system



I just read another thread and looked up an Aquaclear 110 on Amazon. Looks like $79 and there is a coupon so it would be only $45 so I think I will pick that up, unless there is a better option

Either that or the Seachem Tidal 110. Both are considered the two best options for HOB (which would be fine on a tank of that size). They are wide open and give lots of options for filter media (ie GFO to reduce Phosphates), modded into a refugium with Macro Algae (ie Chaeto that reduces Nitrates and Phosphates) and you can add copepods to the Chaeto which will further help with waste removal/clean up. I would just skip the canister filter and go HOB.

 

I found a reasonable affordable hang-off-back refugium I plan to pick up. Put my new Aqua Clear 110 on, and that thing took up a good hunk of space as it is. Was looking into making the old filter (that I have now identified as a Penguin 170) into a DIY refugium, but the price/convenience of the one I found seems too good to pass up.

Another question: Any 'good' digital water testers out there that will test all of my chem. levels with a digital read-out vs. using the test kits and those color-palates?

I found my PH to be 8.2 (confirmed by taking sample to local store), but looking at the sample colors when I tested it myself at home, I couldn't tell if it was 7.8, 8.2 etc..... My ability to discern the colors isn't too great.

I saw some while looking earlier, some around $100 or so, but I would really be interested in the "continuous" type models..... something I could drop a probe in, and just look at the levels whenever I want, and be able to catch any changes as they begin, so I can stay on top of my water.

Hannah are considered excellent but be prepared to pony up some serious cash up front if you want a variety of them. Even just having calcium, phosphate, etc. will run about $150 for the set. Honestly IMHO the best bang for buck kit is the Red Sea Marine Care Test kit. Doesn't have a phosphate checker but has just about everything else you could want and it's definitely more accurate than that piece of junk known as API:

 

Since first asking, I have added a 19lb rock that came with 2 Rock-Flower Anenomes on it..... one traveled to the back of the tank and I haven't seen it, the other repositioned and has been doing great ever since.

I upped my clean-up-crew to 14 blue leg crabs, 10 Turbo snails, 3 shrimp of some sort that were recommended, 5 Scarlet Hermits.....

I ordered a Refugium, and a Current USA Pro light.


I am pretty set on getting the tank inhabitants out, and going with the Bubble-Tip and a pair of clowns (ugh) for the kids, and then adding 1, maybe 2 other fish, and leaving my tank at that level.

The only thing I am really struggling with now is the temperature of all things!!!!!

My tank sits at 79.2 right now..... I would like to shoot for 76-77 but just can't seem to bring it down. It's 25 degrees outside right now, so It's not like I live in some tropical paradise..... I know the old (old old old) powerhead that came with the tank gets warm to the point where it brings a 5 gallon bucket of water when mixing salt for changes up to 80 over-night no-problem.....

Do you think a power-head is really heating my entire tank? That plus the lights? I have 2 heaters in the water and keep turning them down lower and lower, and my water-temp stays at 79.2

I'm at the point where I may just pull out my heaters!

 

Glad to see I am not the only one who isn't big on clownfish (most overrated fish in the hobby, IMHO), but I get why they are a popular choice. In addition to the Cherubfish I thought of another one that would be a gorgeous addition to the tank. The Lubbock's or Tri-Color Fairy Wrasse would add lots of activity, color and personality to the tank. The picture doesn't do it justice. They also do a cool flutter motion with their dorsal fin (no other fish besides the fairy wrasses do this) that propels them without having to move their other fins.

 

Glad to see I am not the only one who isn't big on clownfish (most overrated fish in the hobby, IMHO), but I get why they are a popular choice. In addition to the Cherubfish I thought of another one that would be a gorgeous addition to the tank. The Lubbock's or Tri-Color Fairy Wrasse would add lots of activity, color and personality to the tank. The picture doesn't do it justice. They also do a cool flutter motion with their dorsal fin (no other fish besides the fairy wrasses do this) that propels them without having to move their other fins.

Those look AMAZING..... Red Coris Wrasse look cool too, but that Lubbock....wow...

Not too sure on the Cherubfish.

 

Those look AMAZING..... Red Coris Wrasse look cool too, but that Lubbock....wow...

Not too sure on the Cherubfish.

The Red Coris is too big for that tank (gets a foot long when fully grown) and the Lubbock's is perfectly fine for your tank,so the choice is pretty easy. Wrasses are bar none the most underrated and overlooked in the hobby. You won't find many fish that brink the individual personality, color and activity to your tank that they will. I don't have a Lubbock's but my tank is bigger and I do have a Melanurus Wrasse and a Blue Star Leopard in my tank (they get too big for a 46 gallon though) and like them for their personality and level of activity. Each one has it's own quirks (ie my Melanurus will do a looping "dance for it's dinner" when I approach the tank, My Blue Star Leopard likes to nip at the surface to try and find extra bits of food and is the ultimate sneak at feeding time). Both of mine also eat dried seaweed (apparently no one told them they are only supposed to be carnivores):

 

Since first asking, I have added a 19lb rock that came with 2 Rock-Flower Anenomes on it..... one traveled to the back of the tank and I haven't seen it, the other repositioned and has been doing great ever since.

I upped my clean-up-crew to 14 blue leg crabs, 10 Turbo snails, 3 shrimp of some sort that were recommended, 5 Scarlet Hermits.....

I ordered a Refugium, and a Current USA Pro light.


I am pretty set on getting the tank inhabitants out, and going with the Bubble-Tip and a pair of clowns (ugh) for the kids, and then adding 1, maybe 2 other fish, and leaving my tank at that level.

The only thing I am really struggling with now is the temperature of all things!!!!!

My tank sits at 79.2 right now..... I would like to shoot for 76-77 but just can't seem to bring it down. It's 25 degrees outside right now, so It's not like I live in some tropical paradise..... I know the old (old old old) powerhead that came with the tank gets warm to the point where it brings a 5 gallon bucket of water when mixing salt for changes up to 80 over-night no-problem.....

Do you think a power-head is really heating my entire tank? That plus the lights? I have 2 heaters in the water and keep turning them down lower and lower, and my water-temp stays at 79.2

I'm at the point where I may just pull out my heaters!

Well since you have the lights I have just gonna give you my expirence so far with these lights. First 2 lights will give you good results I got a small and I mean small frags and in 2 weeks a tree leather grew about an inch and my zoa has 2 new heads. This light IMO doesn't run too hot to give a significant change in temp worth the money .

 

Well. This was basically free so I tossed it in. we will see how it does

 

also asked my local shop about getting a fairy wrasse and they said they were very “difficult” so they don’t keep them in stock but could get them as special orders

 

Really? The Lubbock's or Tri-color Fairy Wrasse is considered to be one of the more hardy species and is pretty cheap to boot. Virtually any vendor site lists their care level as easy and I have not heard a single complaint from any owners about them being difficult to keep (my LFS included).



Certain Fairy Wrasses can be difficult to keep but the Lubbock's isn't one of them.

 

Really? The Lubbock's or Tri-color Fairy Wrasse is considered to be one of the more hardy species and is pretty cheap to boot. Virtually any vendor site lists their care level as easy and I have not heard a single complaint from any owners about them being difficult to keep (my LFS included).



Certain Fairy Wrasses can be difficult to keep but the Lubbock's isn't one of them.

I didn’t specify Lubbock’s to him, so when I am ready I guess I will just ask him to get one and give it a go. How much of “jumpers” are they really? I would really like a topless tank but I may buy a full plexi-glass sheet and cut it to size

 

ALL SALTWATER FISH ARE JUMPERS!!!!!! Sorry, to put it like that but the idea of jumper vs non-jumper is a myth. The correct terms are more prone vs less prone. Wrasses are definitely more prone to jumping though. You will want at least a tight fitting screen top on your tank. Can't tell you how many threads I have seen on the various forums I visit with people with uncovered saltwater/reef tanks who tell the sad tale of coming home just to find their favorite fish dead on the floor (known in the hobby as "carpet surfing") and expressing regret over not having a cover on their tank. No aesthetics of an open top is worth a dead fish on your floor. The bottom line is that regardless of fish you definitely NEED a tight fitting cover on a saltwater tank. I know for a fact my glass tops on my 90 gallon have saved my Leopard Wrasse from carpet surfing TWICE and a Diamond Watchman Goby at least once and that is just what I know for sure.

 

I think I will use the glass top I have then, without the middle “hinge” in place to allow a cleaner look until I get a full sheet of plexiglass

 

I think I will use the glass top I have then, without the middle “hinge” in place to allow a cleaner look until I get a full sheet of plexiglass

That will get to be a pain and you will want some form of ventilation for it. I have hinged tops and a couple of spots cut for wires, but I also have the benefit of getting gas exchange from a sump. It will also get to be a pain to feed as you will have to fit the whole lid instead of just the front portion. Personally I would do a screen top on a sumpless tank that way you get the benefits of a cover, lighter lid, but still have good gas exchange.