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mbjos

salt water tanks

18 years ago

Hi, First time on this forum. Just switch from fresh water to salt water yesterday. Put aragamax on bottom of tank, filled with appropriate salt water mixture. 24 hours later tank very murky still. I did rinse aragamx before putting into tank. Will this Clear Up! Also any suggestions,tips etc. would be greatly appreciated. No fish in tank yet(at least for 72 hours). Also have some lime rocks from fresh water tank. Can I clean them(how?) and put them in this tank. Can't find any info in my book on that.

Thanks, Mary Beth

Comments (3)

  • 18 years ago

    I'm not familiar with the substrate you are using, having always used crushed coral, but I would invest in an Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate test kit and monitor the Nitrogen Cycle.

    I don't know what the lime rocks would do, other than maintain some alkalinity.

    I wouldn't put multiple fish in there yet, but I would put one, expendible fish, like a black molly, to help cycle the tank, or a cheap crab. Basically, what you want to be doing with a new setup is get the filter media to be cycled so that it can handle the wasteproducts.

  • 18 years ago

    You don't even need to add any critters, just go get a cheap piece of live rock - it has all the beneficial bacteria and life already in it. once your tank goes through the various cycles you will have a plethora of life in there. Even if you do not want to keep reef inhabitants (coral, inverts, etc.), keeping live rock with desirable fish like tangs, buterfly fish, and angels will be more beneficial than the stark white limestone rocks that will be covered in undesirable algae over time. Their natural diet will grow from the live rock and you will not have to worry about thier nutrition needs and be burdoned by trying to keep the dead corals white...just my opinion...on what works. Copy nature and you will do fine.

  • 18 years ago

    Aragamax I am guessing is an aragonite-type substrate, which is what a lot aquarists are using nowadays instead of crushed coral. It helps to keep the alkalinity more stable and has more porous surface area than crushed coral for beneficial bacteria, and better for the tiny creatures that make the substrate home. bradarmi is correct by saying that you don't need fish to do the cycling, using live rock, even a few small pieces is better for cycling than fish. It'll be boring looking at an empty tank for the weeks it'll take for it to cycle, but at least you are not putting any fish in any danger while it does. Patience is key to a successful aquarium, fresh or saltwater. And yes, the water will clear, if it hasn't already.

    Karen