Help with saltwater fish tank?

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brunoalsilva

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I have had a freshwater fish tank for a long time now and I decided to get a saltwater tank because they seem much nicer. I know that there is a lot of work to be done. I have just set up the fish tank on saturday. I decided to start small and if I get it right, I 'll get something bigger. My fish tank is 29 gallons, I also bought a marineland filter that can filter 300 gallons per hour. At the store they told me to buy crushed corals (30 LBS) and they asked me to buy Instant Ocean. So I have that running already, I just need to put more instant salt cuz I only put in half of the bag, and I'm suppose to put the other half later ontoday or tomorrow and keep checking with the meter I bought as well. Here is my questions, I will buy live rocks and the Bacterias this week so I can add to the tank before I put any fishes in. How much rock should I put in? and how long should I wait after I put the bacterias until I can buy a fish knowing it will last? What fish should I buy? I'm thinking about getting a cheap one so I can do a test and start cycling the tank,
Also, how should I decorate it?

thank you for all of your inputs
 
depends on the amount of salt is in the mix, generally it is bad to add the salt directly to the tank, as thats not how water changes are done, so next time mix it outside of the aquarium to into a good habit. use your hydrometer to measure the salinity, must be betwen 1.020-1.025 for most setups.

you want to let your tank run for about 48 hours after getting the salinity right before adding the live rock, if the salinity isnt right than you wil basically be paying alot of live bacteria that will die in wrong salinity.

live rock is recommended at least 1 pound per gallon, you can always get less and add on when funds are more avavlible.

You really shouldnt be adding any fish for 2-4 weeks after you add the live rock, so your tank can cycle. after your tank cycles then you can stock but slowly. in a 29 gallon your really limited on what fishes you can add but two ocellaris clownfish will be fine along with some gobies.

You really want to get a test kit, even if you dont advance to coral reef tanks, you still want ph kits etc....

o BTW did you buffer your water? saltwater needs a higher ph of around 8.0-8.4 In saltwater fishkeeping we use a powder called marine buffer.. i use seachem marine buffer when mixing the saltwater so that i can buffer the ph to 8.3

Along with live rock you can also add dead coral skeltons for decor.
 
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