what do i need to start a salt water tank and to maintain the Eco system?

Question

might get a new tank but a salt water though

Answer 1

.- Maintaining a fish-only tank isn't too hard once it is started. You do weekly salt-water changes of about 10% of the water, and replace evaporated water with water only (salt doesn't evaporate). Feed whatever is appropriate to the fish in the tank. Other then mixing the salt water, it is as much work for me as my tropical tanks.
- hard corals are what makes it a huge expense and challenge as they need metal halide lights, skimmers, refugiums, chillers etc. not too mention the supplements and feeds.


-Fill a tank with salt water ( specific garvity should be around 1.021 - 1.025 and a new filter (you need somthing that moves at least 10 gallons/hour for every gallon of salt water. Use only Reverse Osmosis cleaned water, regular water (even dechlorinated) will cause huge slime and algae blooms.
-Add a few inches of crushed aragonite, shells or sand
-Add at least 10 pounds of live rock (cured is best, you can tell if it isn't if it has a stong smell) for about a 40 gallon tank
- You will need to have floescent lights (one floescent and one actinic tube is better and you channge one every six months so that niether is ever more then one year old)
- A heater is probably a good idea depending on what fish you have
- Set up your Eco system accoridng to the directions, it really depends on what type you have bought but generally you fill the bottom with mud and push some strands of calurpa attached to small pieces of live rock with rubber bands into it.
- Test the water daily, Like a freshwater tank the ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels will all take a turn at rising, then subside to normal levels. When the levels are no longer spiking, it is time to start slowly adding fish. This can take a few months to a year - depending on how lucky you are.

http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/html/News.html
http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/sbegin-set...
http://www.bestfish.com/breakin.html.......
http://faq.thekrib.com/sbegin-setup.html...

Answer 2

A really good book, decent sized tank, good lighting and bio filtration, and it wouldnt hurt to find a "mentor" at a pet store. Salt water aquariums are very expensive and time consuming in the beginning, but well worth it. Its not like a fresh tank, but once up and running my opinion is its easier to maintain, a lot nicer to look at.

Answer 3

You need a termometer to measure the temperature in the water and another gauge to measure and maintain the density of the salt content in the water.
You also need a good pump system to keep the water cycling good or it'll just be as good as the water in the dead sea.

Answer 4

alot of work to keep up with! I asked what I needed to do to set a small tank for sea horses and they named a bunch of things i would need and that I would need to wait over 2 months before i could put anything in there so the water could balance itself out.

Answer 5

a GOOD sump filter system. NOT canister!!!
Live rock
live sand
Protien skimmer
Chiller(not nessicary)
Chemicals
Pre-mixed salt water (usually local petstores carry it)
Or use Reverse Osmosis water and mix your own using Instant Ocean salt mix

do NOT add fish! until its setup. for at least one month