33 replies to this topic

[Trekrider]

My daughter wants to have a couple of Clown fish so I'm considering converting a spare 3 foot (150 litre) tank I have to marine.

Having never had a marine tank before I need some pointers to set me off

Firstly, is a 3 foot (150 litre) tank big enough? If so could she have more than just a couple of clown fish in there - she'd be looking for small, brightly coloured fish I guess.

The tank is still set up as a fully cycled freshwater tank with 700 lph canister. I assume I need to completely strip it down, clean the filter and start again? I was told some time ago that you don't need filters on a marine setup as the live rock does this - is this true?

Any suggestions on where to start gratefully received

Thanks,

[the pulpican man]

i don't know much about marine but it DOES need a filter (pretty sure) but most people run a sump filter on them with a couple of wave makers.
sorry about little info but i don't know much about marine,

cheers, tom

[Iamsam]

i don't know much about marine (pretty sure)

sorry about little info but i don't know much about marine,

than why the hell would you bother answering ?!?!?!?!

[Iamsam]

Firstly, is a 3 foot (150 litre) tank big enough? If so could she have more than just a couple of clown fish in there - she'd be looking for small, brightly coloured fish I guess.

3 foot would be enough for a marine tank, you may just have to watch your levels, as there going to flucuate very quickly in the small amount of water.
A couple of clownfish would easy fit in there, you would also be able to add a few more fish, mayby some small gobys or damsels, nice colours and fairly hardy.

The tank is still set up as a fully cycled freshwater tank with 700 lph canister. I assume I need to completely strip it down, clean the filter and start again?

Absolutly

I was told some time ago that you don't need filters on a marine setup as the live rock does this - is this true?

yes, you can run a marine tank with out a canister filter, however you than want alot of live rock and water movement. i am assuming your not planning on going with corals? than in your sitution with it being a first marine tank i would use the canister filter, it would be more than fine for a fish only tank.

[Trekrider]

than why the hell would you bother answering ?!?!?!?!

I was wondering that

3 foot would be enough for a marine tank, you may just have to watch your levels, as there going to flucuate very quickly in the small amount of water.
A couple of clownfish would easy fit in there, you would also be able to add a few more fish, mayby some small gobys or damsels, nice colours and fairly hardy.

yes, you can run a marine tank with out a canister filter, however you than want alot of live rock and water movement. i am assuming your not planning on going with corals? than in your sitution with it being a first marine tank i would use the canister filter, it would be more than fine for a fish only tank.

Thanks for this. I think I will strip down the tank and clean out the filter as you suggest and start again.

Regards,

[new2marine]

Powerheads and regular water changes and you'll be fine. Clowns are pretty hardy

But obviously you'll have to get the live rock and get the tank cycling for atleast a few weeks before adding any livestock

(heater too if you dont have one already)

Best place for information

http://www.masa.asn....Beginners_Guide

[Matt_1]

I was under the impression that canister filters with standard freshwater media would lead to major phosphate build ups?

[Neakit]

its not necissarily phosphates, detritus is traped and it has both phosphates and nitrates which cause all sorts of problems.

[extend]

150 liters is heaps big. any smaller and the water quality can go down hill really fast if water changer. you might need a protein skimmer as well if you want to keep some thing more expensive. clown fish will benefit some what from a anemone or similar looking type of coral. but not essential. Another good fish to get is a goby that will sift thought the substrate.

[Neakit]

the problem with sand sifters is they don't survive unless there is enough sand critters to eat and the bed is mature

[Trekrider]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I still need to talk 'she who must be obeyed' into letting me move the tank into the house, but I will start setting it up soon.

[Iamsam]

clown fish will benefit some what from a anemone or similar looking type of coral. but not essential.

I'm sorry but this comment bugged me,
Clown fish do not care one way or another if they have an anemone, please tell me how clown fish benefit from one?
Not having one is not going to make them sick nor is it going make them die.
A number of clown fish available for sale are captive breed now a days anyway hence they have never seen anemones etc and many clown fish don't even know what to do when they do see one for the first time.

Your clownfish will be much better off without an anemone than with an anemone with poor lighting which isnt going to survive.

[jordan58]

I'm sorry but this comment bugged me,
Clown fish do not care one way or another if they have an anemone, please tell me how clown fish benefit from one?
Not having one is not going to make them sick nor is it going make them die.
A number of clown fish available for sale are captive breed now a days anyway hence they have never seen anemones etc and many clown fish don't even know what to do when they do see one for the first time.

Your clownfish will be much better off without an anemone than with an anemone with poor lighting which isnt going to survive.

i agree
most clown fish even breed without an anemone.

[Paddy]

the problem with sand sifters is they don't survive unless there is enough sand critters to eat and the bed is mature

Not necessarily true, my two also swim up for a bit of brine shrimp at feeding time.

One of my tanks is 110L, biggest problem I have to watch for is salinity. With the small volume of water the evaporation as a % of the tank can be quite big and just about every 2nd day I am topping up.

[dazzabozza]

Did you end up going ahead with this project Barry?


Daz

[aqua86]

than why the hell would you bother answering ?!?!?!?!

That could have been worded better as he is obviously only trying to help, but yes on the same note, bad advice is bad.

[Tucunare]

wow talk about a conflicting post - poor bugger wont know what to do.
sure clown fish can do with out an anemonie but hey what if he decided to put a trigger or cod or something in with his clowns - atleast they have a safe haven in the anemonie, i think theres a good reason there called anemonie fish so if you can do both id say go for it - not recomending you put clowns with preds but hey ive seen worse.
Cannisters in my opinion have no place in a marine tank, as was stated above these turn into nitrate factories and majore collection points for detrites - kinda like a huge dead spot in your tank which is what you want to avoid- thats the whole point of powerheads, to avoid deadspots- youd be better off getting a decent skimmer and getting rid of the nasties before they turn to nitrates.
as paddy said keep an eye on your salinity, best thing to do is to mark your tank and keep the water at that level all the time, daily check and ro top up will keep that sorted or install an osmolator to do it for you.
live rock+ good water movement +decent skimmer+ strong lighting= a pretty successful marine tank - in a nut shell

[Iamsam]

When i first read his post i assumed a lot of things, one of them being that this is a fish only aquarium with no corals, which if that is the case than a cannister filter would be more than fine, you are absolutly correct that they build up a lot of nitrates, but in a fish only tank i really don't think it matters that much, if hes only going with half a dozen or so fish, i doubt the nitrates would be getting above 20 in a fortnight, no problem there if you ask me, its a first marine tank, personally i don't see the need to rush out and buy $$$ worth of skimmers etc. when the equipment he has got will do the job fine.

When did this tank change from a tank with a few simple clowns to a predetor tank?
Sure clownfish can live both with and without an anemone, i would recomend without in this instance, and again i am assuming that this tank only has basic light (t8's) which an anemone will not be happy under, even with regular feeding.

liverock + cannister + couple of clowns = simple, cheap and easy marine tank in a basic nutshell

[Tucunare]

why have nitrate in your tank at all??? even if its at low levels - that baffles me why youve said that sam.

[Iamsam]

Why not have nitrates? I know for me, and im assuming as well for a number of other peopel, they want a nice simple tank to look after, and having skimmers etc. hanging off the sides and that sort of rubbish turn's me off marine aquariums, why not do it nice and simply, little cost and litte work and have a system that is going to work just as well?
Nitrates will not harm the fish, nitrates will not harm the liverock, hell theres even a number of corals that like and use nitrates (morphs, clams etc.) so why spend so much money and time removing something when it truly dosent matter if it is there in the first place?

are you honestly going to try and tell me steve that not a single one of your marine aquariums, or marine aquariums you deal with have nitrates? becouse if you are, im sorry but i won't belive you.