KISS FOWLR - Equipment & Stocking Questions

[ScorpiosWife]

~Hi guys~

No, not KISS the band, although that would be awesome! I'm setting up a K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) FOWLR for my son. I've read through the SW forum but after a while it all runs together cuz I'm still wearing my SW dunce hat. So, I've got some questions & I hope yall will help me.

Equipment so far:
30 gallon tank with standard issue, run of the mill lighting
(2) Marineland 350B HOBs
Dead live rock & sand

Things I know I need:
More salt
SW test kit

I'm trying to keep it simple but functional, without corals, no sump & nothing high maintenance. Since it's my son's tank, hubby wants him to learn to maintain this one, so I need to keep it as easy as possible. I've got 10 running FW tanks & 1 brackish tank so water changes won't be a big deal, I'm accustomed to that anyway.

Is this possible with the equipment listed above?
What media do I need in the HOBs?
Simple future stocking suggestions?
Should I toss in some Mollies to get the cycle started?

Last week I started the tank with new sand & salt (which I ran out of so it's only at 1.010). Also tossed some carbon/zeolite blend & some cycled blue filter pads from the puffer tank (1.019) into the HOBs. Last night I removed the new sand & added live sand & dead live rock.

I'm in no hurry to run out and buy any livestock & will not be running a sump. I'm almost positive there's a lot more to do to ready the tank & I don't want to accidentally kill anything. I don't even have a SW test kit yet. I also need more salt to raise the salinity to the proper level since it's just brackish right now. I started it with a mish-mash of things I already had lying around, except for the rock & sand I bought from EK last night. I also have a mop bucket full of bio-balls I can use if that will be beneficial.

What I already have may be ok, may not, but that's why I'm asking. Yall know much better than I do. Thanks in advance for any suggestions, thoughts or ideas. You guys are always awesome.

Ready...set...go!

[rage]

For FOWLR, you don't need a lot of expensive equipment.
What you have is fine. A tank, live rocks, live sand. Run of the mill light.
Add some pumps to move the water.
You can use the HOB filter or not, up to you. If you do, clean the filter often. You can use the same media you use in F/W. They are for the same purpose, mechanical and biological but you don't have to use these filters if you have enough live rocks, 1-2 lbs/ gallon.
Just get your salinity up to 1.023-1.025 and let it cycle.

For starter, get easy to care and peaceful or moderately aggressive fish (If they don't stress out each other and keep others from feeding, the weaker ones have better chance of surviving) .
Clownfish, small angels, small tangs, anthias, chromis.

Don't use live fish to cycle, your old filter pad should have gotten the cycle to start or you can use a small piece of dead shrimp.
Be patient and make sure the tank is cycled.

Keep the water clean, S/W fish are more sensitive. If your son maintains it, make sure he understands not to put his arms in the water without thoroughly rinsing of any soap residues. Another thing is to not overfeed, you don't want the fish to starve but you don't want the un-eaten food to pollute the water either.

[Hangman]

I know you are doing fish only now, but if you decide to do corals in the future, please note that some corals such as zoas and polyps contain very deadly palytoxins. I am mentioning this since you said your son will be taking care of it. Just something to keep in mind. Also if you decide to keep anemonies and such, some people are allergic to their stings.

[AhKwaB]

Some fish are equally if not, more potent in regards to venom/poison.

[ScorpiosWife]

I know you are doing fish only now, but if you decide to do corals in the future, please note that some corals such as zoas and polyps contain very deadly palytoxins. I am mentioning this since you said your son will be taking care of it. Just something to keep in mind. Also if you decide to keep anemonies and such, some people are allergic to their stings.

Some fish are equally if not, more potent in regards to venom/poison.

Thank you both very much. My plan is to get him easy stuff when I start getting fish. Of course he wants Nemo, etc., but he also wants a starfish & I'm not quite sure how realistic that's going to be. He has Autism, so I'm trying to keep this as minimal as possible but keep his interest at the same time, which is the challenge. Tank is still running empty of fish for now.

[AhKwaB]

Chocolate chip starfish are easy to keep.

[ScorpiosWife]

Cool beanz. I'll write that down & show him what it looks like.

[suicune]

cute!!! I'm all for a nemo set up, let me know how it goes.

[ScorpiosWife]

Tonight we took the little one to see a Chocolate Chip Starfish & learned that he also likes the Lawnmower Blennys, Arrow Crabs & Seahorses. Also a little fish called a Cardinal, I think? They're black & white. At any rate, could he go that route with all/some/any of the above? I think I remember someone mentioning that seahorses aren't easy somewhere in all the information I've read (my brain hurts)...

The tank has been has been running for 25 days with no livestock at 1.014. I added more salt today & the tank is now at 1.023. Do I need to raise it to 1.026?

Probably going to start trying to find stock within the next 2 weeks as long as the parameters and salinity are good.

[mistahoo]

Any pics of the layout?

[ScorpiosWife]

The rocks & sand are in but I just put them anywhere when I started it up. Gonna let the baby decide where he wants what tomorrow & then I'll take a picture when he's done.

[suicune]

I'm so excited for him!!!! getting his first aquarium.!!!!

[ScorpiosWife]

He has had GSP's for over a year, but his interest level has feigned so it was time for something new. I'm excited for him, too!

[suicune]

I like that... teaching your children responsibility and how to appreciate nature.

[ScorpiosWife]

Alright, the baby has done his layout & this is what he came up with...





He wants to start with a chocolate chip starfish, 2 seahorses & a green mandarin goby. He also wanted a snowflake eel but I nixed that idea by telling him it may end up in his bed, lol.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1635+551&pcatid=551

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+528+2967&pcatid=2967

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+40+2419&pcatid=2419

Need input and opinions on his choice of stock and layout!

I tested parameters this morning & everything is 0 except nitrates which are around 20ppm. How big of a water change should I do? 30 gallon tank & has been running 30 days now with no stock.