Enquiry On New Marine Tank

[sunny03]

hihi

as i read up a lot on setting up new marine tank. it always state that it need to cycle the tank but most of you all are turing FW to SW. however i am staying near the sea so i think of if i could use the SW and the sand collected there to cycle the tank so it might shorten the cycle time as i believe. however i knew that there is a risk of taking them as the sea might contain harmful pollutent etc. so question is it worth the risk of it or not. cos some ppl told me it ok to take from the sea you put in a few fish to try first if nothing happen den it save ??

another way i could think of is some farm are selling SW at 1.5 to 2.0 dollars per bag so i think of mix them with the SW that i collected as when i mix it does not contain so much of pollutant etc.

and if i collect the sand from beach can i wash it with FW and warm water to kill the germs first (that wat i do from my FW tank) den put into the tank but if i wash it with FW and warm water will the bact. on it die?? which i believe it will

that all teh question i would like to ask now as i planing to change to marine fish

[[P]owder Blue]

Sunny03, pls name the beach that you are near 2. IMO, it is still better to buy SW than to collect them, as most of our water from the beach are dirty. Think about the MacDonald's cups that is floating aroung there ... The sand at the beach is too big and ugly 2 ..

[sunny03]

i staying at sengkang so the sand collected will be at pounglo end there as they have just reclaim the beach and the sand if i not worng are brought from indo or malaysia the sand is pure white and very fine depend on which area of the deach you collecte it as for the water at certine time of the month the water there is very clean and clear that have to depend on the tides. because i go there often

[oshkosh]

and if i collect the sand from beach can i wash it with FW and warm water to kill the germs first (that wat i do from my FW tank) den put into the tank but if i wash it with FW and warm water will the bact. on it die?? which i believe it will

Washing the sand using FW and warm water will surely kill the bacteria population.

If you want the sand to retain its bacteria population, you can try to rinse the sand using sea water.

[diabolus]

i dun understand ur questions...

if u wanna try use sea water and sand from the sea...by all means...

if u succeed...do keep it a secret...

u'll be a very rich man soon.

[SpiderOne]

Natural sea water is not exactly overpriced.. neither is sand.. why risk introducing pollutants and harmful bacteria into your tank ???? i dun get it. have u seen singapore sea water??? i wouldnt even go swim in it.

[DaY]

i seen LFS collecting and using local sea water at some part of Singapore beach to run their whole tank. But u need to have suitable equipment to filter them and u need to know where to collect the sea water..

All those LFS don't really go and waste $$ and time to mixes marine salt with water..

And not all LFS has access to outside sea to collect the water.

[piero]

water maybe not. But sand has been tested in my tank before and it works. IMO, it is finer than grade "0" sand, very good for DSB.

[changfra]

Since we are all in the topic of SAND, Can someone tell me how to wash the Sand? I just bought a bag from the LFS and need some advise as on the procedure to was the sand, many thanks.

[Dazza]

Just a word of caution about collecting sand from reclaimed places. If i m not wrong it is illegal to do so. No one uually enforce it but just be careful.

[sunny03]

changfra for me i usually wash the sand with FW a few time den use warm or hot water to rinse the last time but from some books they suggest to boil the sand that for your info

as for Dazza i collecting the sand from the beach so far using it for my 2 4ft tank about 2" deep still ok just that it very heavy if no car , me taking bus so need to traval lot of time to get the depth of sand i wan

[Dazza]

Yeah lah like i say no one enforce it but its illegal lah. U can also go to Labrador Park n collect corals wothout getting any grieve from teh ranger but it sstill illegal. So just a word of caution tahts all.

[SharkBait]

i dun think you should collect sea water there is the risk of pollutants in it.i just scooped a pail of water from the sea today and tested the salinity,its way too low to use in out tanks.Oh btw,its stinks too.

[sunny03]

ok noted thanks for the reminder corals buy better and nicer maybe go dive for live rock better when the tide it right

[stanleyt]

When I first started keeping Marine fish, I get water from the sea. But it looks green to me (like a tint). If i add the price of water and Marine salt vs the effort and time to collect water from the sea, I rather mix at home. Save the trouble.

Yeah and sea water has a funny smell.

[sunny03]

ok maybe i just get the live sand and rock from sea but is those rock with barnacles is it consider LR or must those with alger or corals on it den consider LR

[Clownfish]

I thot sand from beaches contain high proportions of quartz which is not beneficial in the long run?

[SpiderOne]

Dont spoil our natural environment. Please. Sand and water aren't exactly Overpriced. $6 for 10kg better than dragging 10kg of sand from the beach . The sand is clean and meant for aquarium use. Water?? just buy $30 tropic marin salt and start out with that. natural sea water is not exactly high in trace elements . $30 for 50 gallons. is way better than draggon 180+ litres back. that is 180+kg . u work it out yourself. is it worth it?? If u have no money to buy sand or water. Starting this hobby is not for you. try keeping terrapins in a goldfish bowl

[Achilles Tang]

Spidey, don't be rude... tsk tsk!

[diabolus]

feeling effects of the tiger beer already?

tsk tsk tsk...

[SpiderOne]

i cant edit my post .

possibly. i got eye ache. but it really went well with the bbq sotong. SHE WAS SO DAMN FINE MAN!. I NEED TO FIND AN AH LIAN AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

HHHH

[diabolus]

if u can get past dat "oh so busy" michael jackson wannabe...

maybe taking off ur clothes in record time might impress her...but u'll need another cockroach.

[sunny03]

SpiderOne just to let you know the sea is near my house i can affort to go everyday if i dont take the sand sooner over the years they will sent a dradger to dradg the sand away

it not that i cant affort it just that if you can save why not as for the environment den why dont you keep try keeping terrapins in a goldfish bowl yourselve cos you also keeping reef fish and corals ... dont tell me the corals can repoduce in farms ??? if can. can it support the whole lots of ppl buying it? as a word no demand there is no supply you just paying money to ppl to collect those LR and coral for you if you can save and i dont mind the effort to take the sand and water why not

sorry guys is not that i wan to say this it is as i rear FW for so many years and as a newbie trying to save as much as i can trying to ask is it ok to take sand and water from sea in the end being frame it not being helpful at all

[oshkosh]

Ok guys. Temperature is way too high at the moment. Lets cool it for a while.

Sunny, I think you've got your reply. If you want to take sand, by all means. Some of the reefers are using it. Of course, there is the legal issue.

As for the sea water around Singapore, many feel that it's not up to scratch, and not to mention, smelly. Use at own risk. It would be better if you filter it first.

By the way, it is no joke carrying a lot of water home. If you are making trips over several days, you must aerate those that you have taken home to prevent it from "going stale".

[mUAr_cHEe]

nothing more satifactory than your own tank of personally mixed water....

sense of accomplishment.... if u noe wad i mean....

com'on... lets make love... not war...