Experienced freshwater keeper looking to delve into salt...

[Amsterdom]

Hey guys,

I recently picked up a great deal on a 120g. It came with a canopy and is a very nice display thank. https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ap5oqjmqZ12LhbIhFiGjIWfFH0YHAw

It also came with an inline heater, and an Eheim 2080 (their largest model, that has 2 input hoses and the output is insane). Really the only thing I need to purchase is a proper light, and a couple of good power-heads.

This setup seems like it would suit saltwater well, because of the circulation the filter provides, as well as the overall look of the tank.

My saltwater knowledge is very basic (salinity measuring, circulation is important, and what live sand and rocks are), so I'm coming here to get as many tips as you fantastic people are willing to provide.

My biggest questions; how much salt do I need to add, and how do I go about doing water changes efficiently? And, what are my limits for stocking? I want invertebrates as well as fish and coral.

Thank you in advance!

[Darth]

so how much salt you add is going to be dependant on the brand and what level salt you plan to keep.  i suggest you get a refractometer you can get them on amazon relatively cheap. hoxing day is a good day to stock up on salt. if you plan to keep coral you want to aim for an salinity of 1.023-1.026 i prefer 1.026 for reasons i heard 20 years ago its what coral prefer. live rock and water movement are going to be your main source of filtration. i suggest checking Kijiji you can a lot of time find rock between $2.50-$4 per pound there. Will you be running a sump? canister filters need good matinence. invest in a good skimmer . either hob or a good in sump depending on your set up. lights there are so many options depending on your budget. stocking is again dependent on what you want to keep.  i suggest to check out brs 52 weeks of reefing on YouTube.  really good beginners starting point

[Amsterdom]

so how much salt you add is going to be dependant on the brand and what level salt you plan to keep.  i suggest you get a refractometer you can get them on amazon relatively cheap. hoxing day is a good day to stock up on salt. if you plan to keep coral you want to aim for an salinity of 1.023-1.026 i prefer 1.026 for reasons i heard 20 years ago its what coral prefer. live rock and water movement are going to be your main source of filtration. i suggest checking Kijiji you can a lot of time find rock between $2.50-$4 per pound there. Will you be running a sump? canister filters need good matinence. invest in a good skimmer . either hob or a good in sump depending on your set up. lights there are so many options depending on your budget. stocking is again dependent on what you want to keep.  i suggest to check out brs 52 weeks of reefing on YouTube.  really good beginners starting point

I've already got some Instant Ocean, so I figure I'll stick with that for the future.

I'm hoping to find some live rock/sand on Kijiji for cheap, otherwise I'll probably grab it at Al's.

I was going to try to run this tank without a sump, mainly because I'm lazy, but also because this particular filter is probably the best choice for the job (rated for a 330 gallon tank). I'm currently running 7 other canisters, and have had no issue keeping up with maintenance (I do all my tanks on the same day, every week)

Agreed, a skimmer is probably a good idea. I'm going to try and find one I can route through one of my intake hoses. Those Eheim ones need cleaning too often.

I'll definitely check out that series. YT is the best for aquarium knowledge it seems.

Thank you for your advice!

[Darth]

so you are looking for a recirc skimmer to put inline. as far as lazy sumps are easier for mantinence. you cansister is rated for 300gal freshwater canisters dont really have the same function for marine tanks. they really at this point just serve as added water volume.  good for running carbon once in while. i would run any filter floss or anything. just fill it with some rubble or marine pure balls. it will mostly be just a refuge for pods..for flow id look into a glamorca gyre.  or some mp-40s. and since you dont want a sump look into a good hob. like reef octopus. bubble magus hob skimmers suck and overflow all the time in my experience. 

[Dxpert]

I'm also keeping both freshwater and saltwater tanks at the moment. I'll admit that my saltwater tank gets more attention and money than my freshwater tanks.

For my salt mixing station I've setup a 20gallon rubbermade brute trash can in the basement. https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.20-gal-brute-trash-container.1000405734.html
I have a small hydor power head in the bottom of the container that stays on 24/7. When the salt water level gets down to the top of the power head and I hear it sucking air I put 10cups of salt into the trash can and fill it almost up to the top. I then check the salinity with a refractometer. Here is the one I have: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/refractometer-for-reading-salinity-with-calibration-fluid.html
I am certain you can find one cheaper on Amazon or locally. I change about 1 gallon a day with an automated water change system.

I think your idea of running with a canister filter is a great one, you will likely need to add a few more power heads to really get the flow your marine tank will need.

I would be happy to have you over and show you my setup and how I do things. I'm confident that others on the forum would offer the same.

[Amsterdom]

I definetly need to stock up on equipment haha.

There's a few good deals on Kijiji I'm going to jump on. I like the idea of using the rubbermaid for mixing the water. Also good for meds and stuff too.

This is clearly going to be a project, and not something I'll have running soon.

I keep thinking about giving up and just going with Africans again, but I know I'll be happy once I have it up and running.

Thanks again to everyone for their help. I'll be back with more questions as I progress.

Merry Christmas!!!

[Amsterdom]

Got a super good deal on a ton of equipment the other day.

I now have enough maxi jets to get my circulation where I need it, and I also picked up a couple of 250hp submersible pumps for mixing the saltwater, and doing water changes (combined with my existing python)

I suppose now is the time to start looking for live rock and sand.

Can I add salt now? or is it better to wait until after hard-scaping?

[Dxpert]

Great news on the used equipment, I hope it all works well for you.

If you are using live rock for your hard scape then you will want to add salt now and let it rest for a while, you can even start to cycle your tank now if you would like.

If you are planning to use dry rock to start your tank then I would recommend doing it dry the adding water (and salt) after.

Are you going to use fine sand or larger grains? I found the fine sand blew around my tank too much.

[Sharbuckle]

Mixing saltwater in the tank, (dry rock or live rock) is not a great idea. I would 100% reccomend mixing in a different vessel. Even if you have to fill it up a little at a time. You'll be able to mix the salt way easier and get the perfect salinity.