OK...I've had freshwater tanks for quite some time and I want to step out and try a saltwater tank for the first time. I've been doing some research and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for where to start with for a saltie amateur. I'm thinking about going basic with a 30gal tank and just doing fish only for now. I want to go less expensive if I can considering it's my first go-round, but I also want to do it right.
Is it really necessary to buy live sand or can I buy regular sand and just seed it with live rock? Besides a protein skimmer, filter, lights, and heater is there any other major equipment I'd need? How important is it to have a quarantine tank for introducing new fish? Anybody want to ballpark a price for me?
Starting from square 1
9 posts
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blueshoes2208 - Posts: 1077
- Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:01 pm
i guess its my turn to step in and take this one. First of all the bigger the tank, the easier it will be to control your levels, I.E nitrate, ph, nitrite, ammonia, etc.... Fish only or FOWLR is alot easier than doing a reef, your FOWLR wont require intensive lighting or great water parameters but it will be necessariy to still have a good size skimmer. Yes you can buy bagged sand I.E caribsea argonite or whatever and seed it with a few good pieces of live rock. Depending on where you live, you might not need a heater, my tank stays no lower than 76 and i have concerns with over heating so im screwed if i have to buy a chiller which is in excess of 500 $ as to where a heater is less than 100$ , I dont have a quarantine tank, idk if other people on here think it is important or not. Well.... i run a reef tank, 70 gallons, deascent lighting, excellent filtration, few corals , clean up crew, good skimmer, no sump or fuge (refugium) and my tank has cost me approximately 3500$. Your 30 gallon FOWLR im guessing around 1500$....... idk maybe less, no lower than 800$ for sure. What other questions do you have
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jweb - Posts: 318
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:45 am
A quarantine tank will literally save you a lot. If you don't quarantine each fish before you put them into your main tank you can transmit ich into your main display and screw your entire tank over.
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charismarl - Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:05 pm
Thanks so much for your reply- I'm sure you experienced folks get REALLY tired of answering the same mundane questions from newbies like me...it is surely appreciated though.
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jnelson1983 - Posts: 38
- Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:39 pm
Charismarl, blueshoes put it best when he said that bigger tanks are easier than smaller tanks. That turd from your fish may raise your nitrate levels by 0.0001ppm in a large tank vs 3ppm in a small tank. Not exact on the numbers, but I'm sure you get the point.
You were pretty good on the live rock and fitlration, but one thing I would suggest, would be to try a deep sand bed if you won't be doing a refugium tank. As long as you put a semi-coarse layer of sand/substrate on top, you shouldn't have to worry about the sand being kicked up. So the lower levels where the nitrate eating bacteria would live (due to no oxygen in the water) would be shielded by the heavier, more coarse sand on the top level.
Above and beyond that, just make sure your filter(s) are sized a little bigger than they should be, and you'll do fine.
You were pretty good on the live rock and fitlration, but one thing I would suggest, would be to try a deep sand bed if you won't be doing a refugium tank. As long as you put a semi-coarse layer of sand/substrate on top, you shouldn't have to worry about the sand being kicked up. So the lower levels where the nitrate eating bacteria would live (due to no oxygen in the water) would be shielded by the heavier, more coarse sand on the top level.
Above and beyond that, just make sure your filter(s) are sized a little bigger than they should be, and you'll do fine.
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blueshoes2208 - Posts: 1077
- Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:01 pm
yeah charismarl, last august i was in your shoes on this very website, i bascially posted the exact same post you did and look where i am now. Instead of being in square A im in square B haha.
ive been kinda busy with work, im working consistent 40-45 hour weeks, yes i know its not 80 like some of you assholes haha, but between that and the gym and my tank, thats my life... even xbox live is suffering
ive been kinda busy with work, im working consistent 40-45 hour weeks, yes i know its not 80 like some of you assholes haha, but between that and the gym and my tank, thats my life... even xbox live is suffering
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newbie916 - Posts: 375
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:12 pm
Wait till you throw two kids, a mortgage, a few car payments, insurance, and a wife to the mix... What's a Xbox...haha That's when you become an asshole that has to work 80 hours a week..lol
The guys are right regarding larger tanks. I have a 95 gallon reef and a 24 gallon aquapod with MH. I only have two little fish in my 24 gallon and I do weekly 5 gallon water changes to make sure my water stays clean. It's mostly a lps and invert tank with Acans, candycanes, polyps, and zoanthids. I have to do 20 gallon water changes every other week on my 95 gallon because of the fish load. I've got some big tangs and they eat and shit up a storm. If you want to try out the hobby at the least amount of cost, I would look at craigslist. I only paid $425 for my 24 gallon and it came with 150 watt MH's, 30 of live rock, and over $1000 in corals. I paid less than 1/4 of the price if I bought it new. That's how I started out in the hobby with a 100 gallon with all of the LR and some fish and corals. Got really involved in the hobby and upgraded to my current 95 gallon wave tank with MH's and transfered all of the livestock from the old tank. Saved me over $3k from buying everything new from the LFS. Anyways, good luck and I would probably start off with a 34 gallon. If you could handle a small tank you could handle a big tank, plus it'll cheaper to get your feet wet. Good luck
The guys are right regarding larger tanks. I have a 95 gallon reef and a 24 gallon aquapod with MH. I only have two little fish in my 24 gallon and I do weekly 5 gallon water changes to make sure my water stays clean. It's mostly a lps and invert tank with Acans, candycanes, polyps, and zoanthids. I have to do 20 gallon water changes every other week on my 95 gallon because of the fish load. I've got some big tangs and they eat and shit up a storm. If you want to try out the hobby at the least amount of cost, I would look at craigslist. I only paid $425 for my 24 gallon and it came with 150 watt MH's, 30 of live rock, and over $1000 in corals. I paid less than 1/4 of the price if I bought it new. That's how I started out in the hobby with a 100 gallon with all of the LR and some fish and corals. Got really involved in the hobby and upgraded to my current 95 gallon wave tank with MH's and transfered all of the livestock from the old tank. Saved me over $3k from buying everything new from the LFS. Anyways, good luck and I would probably start off with a 34 gallon. If you could handle a small tank you could handle a big tank, plus it'll cheaper to get your feet wet. Good luck