Marine fish: Is a canister filter (with only a little biological media) for a small setup ok?

[Zaphod]

Hey everyone,

I've just begun setting up my first marine tank. It's only a little one (2 foot x 1 foot x 1 foot - 50L). I've got the intention of only having only a few small fish, and eventually a few corals and live rocks.

This is where I am right now:

A 600 litre per hour canister filter, with some ceramic tube media I took from my other freshwater tank. A 2 x 20 watt light system (one of the globes periodically starts flicking badly - is faulty and I'll have to take the whole thing back) and 100W heater.

I added the required amount of salt and coral sand earlier today. I forgot to wash the sand - is this a big deal. I was thinking it might make the pH too high for a while? I tested pH read at 8.5 ish.

I've got two little baloon mollies in the tank at the moment to get the nirogen cycle up and running properly before I add more expensive fish (they seem as though they can handle the high pH for the moment, yet they're a bit inactive and swimming at the bottom of the tank which I thought was weird for mollies. I'll check for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate in a a week or so.

Ok. So my main question is - will my $50 AUD filter be ok for this tank, biologically speaking. At the moment I can't fit too many ceramic noodles in it, but I could remove one of the foam strips and fill that space up with more ceramic media, would that be necessary? Any other pointers as to what I'll need in the next few weeks.

[redpaulhus]

Alot depends on what you want to do long term - personally I find canister filters a major PITA for marine tanks - too hard to keep the nitrates down.
I prefer about a pound of liverock per gallon of water, and a simple Hang-on protein skimmer (for a small tank like this).

Especially if your thinking of keeping corals or most other inverts - they will need the low nitrate levels.

Also - you're going to need a pretty hefty lighting upgrade for corals - I'm assuming that you've got normal output flourescent lighting - I'd look into power compacts, maybe a twin 65w unit, or one of the nice 96w units(powerquads).

On the other hand, if you're just going to keep fish and liverock you may be fine with the two lights.

[Zaphod]

Thanks for the tips. Ok, I'm not going to worry about corals, that'll solve the problem of not having to get a really good light system (96W for a 2 foot long and 1 foot high tank is just too much for my budget). Also won't need to worry about keeping nitrates down as much if I just have fish, so I will go the canister filter.

I will get liverock though. Remember I'm Aussie and I don't use pounds and gallon anymore.

Oh yeah, I just got home and found a cleaner wrasse in my tank!!!!!!!!!! My sister bought it for me as a present! Crazy girl! My tank has only been cycling for a few days with some mollies in there. How am I going to keep it alive!!!!!!!!! They eat parasites off other fish, will he be ok food wise? What else do I feed him?

Please help!

[Fishfirst]

cleaner wrasses don't do well in small tanks with few fish. Even with the best care they rarely make it past 2 years in an aquarium environment. These fish are better left in the ocean... I'd take it back, explain that it wouldn't be good for the tank. And from NOW on tell everyone you are friends with or people who get you presents/surpises, to consult you before buying ANYTHING for the tank. I had a friend buy me a green brittle star, and a 3 stripe damsel, they both were bad buys. (the brittle will eat fish, and the damsel is so darn aggressive that I cant have much in my tank.)

[Zaphod]

Hmmm.. Yeah, I won't be able to take him back for a few days.

Also, I tested the pH again today. I think it's way too low for my cleaner wrasse - about 7.8-8.0. I've got coral sand in the tank which helps keep pH up, but what else can I do? How will the fish cope at this pH for the next few days?

The tank has only been running a few days (some filter media was already cycled), Is it likely to experience an ammonia spike in the next couple of days. Should I only feed my fish very little?

[Fishfirst]

pH will rise with water changes, or the addition of liverock. Whats your specific gravity? If its too low it can have that affect on your water parameters. A STABLE pH is ALWAYS BETTER than a fluctuating one. Slowly raise the pH through small water changes over the next few days or by bringing your salinity up slowly if its too low. To control ammonia you will need to do water changes to keep it below lethal levels, and feeding the fish less will definately help. Also, have you ever considered QT??? I would highly recommend it.

[Zaphod]

Specific gravity is pretty much spot on (1.022 I think)

By QT I assume you mean quarantine tank? Well pretty much my wrasse is in a quarantine tank cause he's the only fish in there (apart from two mollies which I will take out to reduce ammonia levels). My pH is getting a bit better, at about 8.0-8.2 now. Should I get live rock at this early stage in the cycle process? Is it live rock that doesn't mind nitrate as much as ammonia and nitrite or is that coral?

Oh yeah! My saltwater ammonia chart went missing, I tested it and it came out almost grass green (a little jade green). I think this means it is bad right?

[Zaphod]

Just tested nitrites, 0.1ppm. Does this mean ammonia is higher or is it difficult to say (remember I can't check cause I don't have a colour chart for saltwater!)
Anyway just did a water change to maintain low levels

[Fishfirst]

Quarentine tanks are different than the main... even thoug its the only fish in there... you still need to quarentine. In quarentine he should be dosed with meds for ich and other parasites, and also a bacteria/fungis med such as primafix and melafix. This is so they don't bring anything into the main that would harm any of the other fish when things might go wrong.

[Zaphod]

Yeah, I don't feel as though I'll be needing a quarantine tank. The benefits received from having one in my case would be outweighed by the capital costs required to set one up (tank, filtration etc.

Yep. I took my cleaner wrasse back today and got store credit for him. I've noticed lots of fish stores sell this type of fish and I've been reading everybody's opinions about these fish are better being left in the sea - I think I agree. I only hope there is an abundant supply of them along the Great Barrier Reef, from whence they came.