help with a new saltwater tank?

2 Comments

1. cc_woman says:

   March 10, 2010 at 12:12 am

   I am not an expert on compatibility in marine fish, but check out this link for it http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/compatibility_chart.cfm.

   What you will need is the tank, a protein skimmer, at least 2 powerheads or wavemakers, heater, something for biological filtration (live rock works the best for this, 1-2 pounds for every gallon) substrate (live sand or crushed coral) ,marine salts, a couple of buckets for mixing salt solution, good lighting (depending on what corals or inverts you will have) a filter (either sump, canister, or HOB) for mechanical filtration, a hydrometer or refractometer for measuring salinity, a parameter testing kit (nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, pH), It is also best to use RO water, so you should have an RO system. And I think that’s just about it for supplies you will need.
2. jtrusnik says:

   March 10, 2010 at 12:12 am

   If this is your first marine tank experience, set your sights lower. Reef tanks are the culmination of the hobby, not something you just jump into. Reading over this, I’m saying way too little live rock, no consideration of filtration systems, a virtually non-existent cleaning crew, and fish that will die within days without a mature tank to support them. I don’t consider myself to be ready for a reef set-up, but I can at least spot that much information just based on a list.

   If you wish to build your skills up to reef-level, grab "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Bob Fenner and start with just fish, or maybe fish that are compatible with some of the hardier invertebrates.

   But please, save yourself frustration and hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars of equipment. Dream big, but start small.