Live rock and live sand.

Hello I have a 29g long freshwater tank and I was wanting to convert it to a salt water tank. It is not a bio cube. I currently have a Fluval c4 and an undergravel filter. I know that a ug filter won't work with sand. If I were to buy salt what kind would you recommend? Also, since I don't have fish in it do I need to let the salt mix over night? then does the salt mixture have to be exact in order to grow bacteria on the rock and sand? I mean like does it have to be in the certain range? thanks!
Also, with the c4 do i need to put like a mesh or sponge cover for the intake valve so it doesn't ruin the impeller?

 

Welcome to 3reef.

You can mix the salt in the tank as long as you have no live stock as you stated above.
I would add your sand first, added the salt mix allow it a few days to mix. If you are using dry base rock you can add that as well.

Unless you are moving sand established in a current running systems I would not worry about the killing any beneficial bacteria.

If you are using LR I would wait to add that until you have correct the SG to the appropriate values between 1.024-1.027.

Myself I have never covered an pump to protect it from sand particles. I always use a medium gauge aragonite sand.

Salt mix, Instant Ocean has been good to me over a long time as has Reef Crystals and they are not too terrible expensive. Just my preference.

 

Thanks! I have been going to the pet store and checking out everything and I priced it out as about $170-240 so I am slowly building. Would you suggest live sand, regular sand, or crushed coral? The ls and cc are about the sane price but the regular sand is about 10$ cheaper. Then would you suggest the bio starter supplements? like bio-spira?

 

Then I have been wondering if using tap water is alright? that is after I use all the chlorination and all. But I think it will still have the metals in it.. Will it work if I go to the grocery store and get the water out of the machines there? Is that water safe?

 

If you want to have any success in this hobby. ONLY Reverse Osmosis Deionized water, reading 0TDS( total dissolved solids) water should be used. Use any other water and 99% chance youll get an algae outbreak.

Welcome to 3reef too btw.

 

Can you buy the RO water without buying the system? because that is pretty pricey. Will distilled water work?

 

LFS sells RO/DI water..[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

distilled water, not mineral water, from the grocery store, but this could quickly become cost prohibitive[/FONT].

 

Ok I just contacted by lfs and they said that they carry RO water for $.50 per gallon or $1 per gallon for pre mixed salt water... But if I would use the pre mixed salt water how would I control by salt levels. Because if I add the salt water wont that raise the salt content? Or would I just need to constantly mix fresh water to it?

 

Any advice for starting out? I'll take anything you have. I'm going for a fowlr tank with damsels then upgrading to clowns.(not having them both at the same time.)

 

I'd go clowns, but that's just me...