# hey i need all your help



## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

i have an extra 55g laying around and i want to make it saltwater
what do i need to set it up and maintane it
i have a penquin 400 can it be used for salt water
and i also want to fill half the the tank with live rocks
how many lbs would i need


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

:laugh: i forgot that there is a saltwater section now


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

ummm not too sure, and its late here, I'll investigate this tommorrow


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

to set it up it's just like any freshwater tank, except add salt, so you'll need a hydrometer to measure the salinity. Cycle the tank with 8-10 damsels.

to filter the tank people would probably suggest either an undergravel filter and/or a canister.

as for rocks, I've always been told 1lb/gallon. You don't need live rock though, if I was going to do a SW tank in a 55 I wouldn't add rock. Look locally for a deal, but around here it's $6/lb, there's some website that you can order it for a lot less (like $3/lb), but I don't remember what it is anymore.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

from what I know live rock is good as it helps keep the water in good condition, it is for this reason that I personally would use it, not too sure if I would fill half the tank with it though.


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## DrewBoOty (Nov 23, 2002)

will you be adding corals? or just fish only?

btw, dont use a UGF, unless you wanna clean it out every month?









live rock: 1.5lbs/gallon for fish only is what I reccommend.. for reef, 3lbs/gallon is for the most part a _must_ have amount.


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

Drew said:


> will you be adding corals? or just fish only?
> 
> btw, dont use a UGF, unless you wanna clean it out every month?
> 
> ...










cool thanks drew
im thinking of putting the rock only on one side and half way up
kinda like a slope
and its gonna be a fish and invertabrate tank


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## heckel (Sep 2, 2003)

Death#,

Live rock acts as your biological filteration. basicly you will need about a pound to a pound and a half a gal. whether reef or fowlr.. Forget about the canisters the undergravel filters and the like. Concentrate on a good protein skimmer and a few powerheads for circulation or either a closed loop. Also like said above get a good hydrometer and good test kits like salifert. And don't cycle the tank with damsel's once in the tank you won't never catch them if you ever get tired of them.

HTH


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