After reading a bunch, I recently took the plunge into collecting what I need for a FOWLR tank. I've had freshwater tanks, but this will be my first SW tank. Some day I might upgrade to a reef tank, but for now I want to focus on the basics of keeping fish alive.
I have a 37-gallon column tank (20x18x24). I started reading various articles & forums, quickly got overwhelmed, so decided to go to a LFS and ask for help. I told them the tank I have, and they piled up "everything I need" to get the tank started and cycling. I have no intention of getting fish until early July (assuming the tank is ready for them) at the earliest, but I want to get the tank up and running and cycling.
I walked in there ready with questions about water & equipment, but I feel like what they said I need/could do was not in line with what I've read, so now I'm just completed lost.
Here is what they sold me:
Fluval 307 Canister Filter
Marineland Precision Submersible Heater 150 watt for up to 40 gallons
A 15 lb bag of Instant Ocean Sea Salt
40 lbs of CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Sand
Seachem Marine Buffer
Seachem Prime
API High Range pH test kit
According to them 1. That's all I need to get started, and 2. Using tap water with the buffer/prime is totally fine for FOWLR tanks. From the reading I did, nothing mentioned canister filters and everything said no tap water. Since then I'm seeing that you CAN use canister filters, but they aren't ideal? Still a little uncomfortable with the tap water, but they were pretty adamant that it would work so went with it.
I realized after I drove off that I didn't buy any rock, but I would assume it is best to start the cycling with that already in there? I'd love some advice on what else I definitely need to start, do I need to return some of this, etc. As I'm sure every one of you knows, start-up is expensive, so I'd like to keep costs down whenever possible, but not at the expense of significantly impacting my chances for success. There are SO MANY products and SO MANY options I'm totally lost and I haven't even put water in a tank yet! Help please!
I have a 37-gallon column tank (20x18x24). I started reading various articles & forums, quickly got overwhelmed, so decided to go to a LFS and ask for help. I told them the tank I have, and they piled up "everything I need" to get the tank started and cycling. I have no intention of getting fish until early July (assuming the tank is ready for them) at the earliest, but I want to get the tank up and running and cycling.
I walked in there ready with questions about water & equipment, but I feel like what they said I need/could do was not in line with what I've read, so now I'm just completed lost.
Here is what they sold me:
Fluval 307 Canister Filter
Marineland Precision Submersible Heater 150 watt for up to 40 gallons
A 15 lb bag of Instant Ocean Sea Salt
40 lbs of CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Sand
Seachem Marine Buffer
Seachem Prime
API High Range pH test kit
According to them 1. That's all I need to get started, and 2. Using tap water with the buffer/prime is totally fine for FOWLR tanks. From the reading I did, nothing mentioned canister filters and everything said no tap water. Since then I'm seeing that you CAN use canister filters, but they aren't ideal? Still a little uncomfortable with the tap water, but they were pretty adamant that it would work so went with it.
I realized after I drove off that I didn't buy any rock, but I would assume it is best to start the cycling with that already in there? I'd love some advice on what else I definitely need to start, do I need to return some of this, etc. As I'm sure every one of you knows, start-up is expensive, so I'd like to keep costs down whenever possible, but not at the expense of significantly impacting my chances for success. There are SO MANY products and SO MANY options I'm totally lost and I haven't even put water in a tank yet! Help please!