Hello Im New and would love your advice :)

[skylorvivo88]

Hello my names Sky and im very new to this scene. I have been reading alot and was wandering if i could get some help. This is a list of my setup im going for . please let me know what you think

Tank-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CA7W7E/?c ... _lig_dp_it

Marine Salt- what levels do you guys do?
https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Ocean-Aq ... arine+salt

Water-
Distilled? not to sure

Cycle-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G25IAOK/?c ... _lig_dp_it

Refractometer-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01487UDJI/?c ... _lig_dp_it

Substrate-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDYZQ8Q/?c ... _lig_dp_it

Lava Rock-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075S8L7K7/?c ... _lig_dp_it

Appliance Timer-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVFF59S/?c ... _lig_dp_it

Source of Calcium Carbonate-
Im not really sure on this one. Can i get some advice please and where to buy

Fish food-
Not sure either what they eat exactly. Maybe someone could show me what they had sucess with

Opae Ula-
https://www.petshrimp.com/product/supershrimp/

Snail-
https://www.petshrimp.com/product/brack ... s-10-pack/

Macroalgae-
https://www.petshrimp.com/product/super ... acroalgae/

Please any advice is great! im kinda wingin it :p Thank you!

[skylorvivo88]

sorry i just dont want to buy everything and be like damit i messed up hahah

[LittlePenny]

Hi Sky!
I’m fairly new as well, so I’m only going to tell you about the items I am 100% certain about and leave the rest to the more experienced shrimp keepers.

Tank- looks like a very nice choice
Salt- I think that’s good, I also used instant ocean but made sure mine said marine salt on it. Either way, I think you’re good there too (50 lbs of salt is massive amount. Remember you are going to use half of the recommended amount on the package to create brackish water.)

Water- definitely buy distilled. You can find it in a gallon jug at any grocery store.

Cycle- I would skip that stuff you linked. Let nature do it’s thing. Let the tank cycle naturally (and with the help of Mustafas snails and macro algae) and you will be good.

Light and fish food- my setup is very basic and I don’t have a light with a timer so can’t help you there. I never fed my tank (they are ecosphere survivors that have been freed in December. Still no food and they are doing great. Food can cause issues and I will let others comment about that. Also there are many threads discussing feeding and I would recommend for you to read those.

Source of calcium- I put a few simple sea shells I found on the coast years ago and a few tiny shells that came with the ecosphere.

Set up your tank and let it cycle for at least several weeks until you see visible algae and/or biofilm on the top of the water. Those will be your signs that the tank is ready.

I hope this helps! Welcome and good luck.
Keep things simple

[skylorvivo88]

Thank you so much!!!

[skylorvivo88]

Do you use water conditioner? Or you don't have to because it's distilled water

[Varanus]

Do you use water conditioner? Or you don't have to because it's distilled water

I don't think it can hurt to put a little in, but its not a requirement.

Anyway, this should also answer/clarify most of your questions: https://www.petshrimp.com/set-up-a-supe ... tructions/

[skylorvivo88]

So it's OK to use conditioner?

[Super Jess]

I'd skip it, and I'd skip the cycle stuff too. Less is more with these guys. Additives just create more opportunities for things go sideways.

If you just follow the instructions in the link Varanus posted your tank will succeed!

Oh, also you do not need 15 lbs of marine salt. You're going to be mixing to half strength, then just topping off with distilled water over time, so buy the smallest amount you can find. Maybe this one: https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Ocean-Sa ... AQGII?th=1

You can set your tank up and add the snails and macroalgae (and the water they ship with) pretty much right away. They will help your tank cycle naturally.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

[skylorvivo88]

Is distilled better than RO?

[Super Jess]

Nope, they are interchangeable for this. Use whichever is more convenient for you

[skylorvivo88]

With crushed coral how much do you put? Do you just scatter it on the sand?

[Varanus]

Yup, just scatter some about. I don't know about the minimum amount but you don't have to worry about using too much.

[skylorvivo88]

Do you need to add calcium if you use argonite sand?

[Super Jess]

No, the aragonite is the source of calcium carbonate.

[skylorvivo88]

O awesome!that kills 2 birds with one stone. Do you feed the snails?