I want to set up a 30 gallon salt water aqarium?

Question

How much would it cost. I just wont a few fish and some coral nothing too expensive. Is it really that hard to keep up. This guy at the pet store tried talking me out of it. I really dont worlk much so i would have time. I have lots of expeirence with fish. I have had them all my life.

Answer 1

I bought a Marineland Eclipse 29 gallon tank. It came with florescent lighting and a three stage filter. I bought a marine test it, a submersible heater, wavemaker, skimmer and hydrometer and now have a marine aquarium.
I added two bags of finely crushed aragonite (enough for four inches of substrate) and thirty pounds of live rock. The florescent lighting is adequate for zooanthids, mushrooms, sponges, gorgonians, soft corals and anemones. I only change the bulbs every six months. I do water changes of 5 gallons every week (convenient because buying 5 gallon water jugs of r-o water is easy, I add salt and aerate it over night). And add phytoplankton and rotifers as feed twice a week.

Answer 2

A 30 gallon salt water aquarium is fairly ideal for a beginner. They usually say the bigger the tank, the easier it is, because the water quality will be much much more stable. A saltwater tank can be any size, many people keep a fish and a few pieces of coral in a 12 gallon nano-reef. It's hard to guage how expensive it would be. You would need a 30 gallon tank, stand, heater, filter (either sump, or refugium, HOB filter) and a protein skimmer. You should also add live rock and live sand, they help filter the water as well with their beneficial bacteria.If you want coral, if you want LPS or SPS coral (the hard corals) you will need a very expensive very powerful light. Otherwise you can just get a regular fluorescent light if you want fish only or on that size tank, power compact lighting should be fine for a few soft corals (leather corals, etc..)

If you have the right equipment, are patient, and ALWAYS research before you buy any new fish or coral or equipment, it really isn't that difficult. I've been keeping saltwater fish for about 5 years and currently have three tanks, a 12 gallon, a 40 gallon, and a 75 gallon.

Go to Reefcentral.com and register, you can ask questions on there and hundreds of very experienced aquarists can answer your questions.

And in response to someone above, I would not put a picasso trigger in a 30 gallon tank. For one, they get way too big, they will eat smaller reef safe fish, and they will eat coral.

Answer 3

No matter how much experience you have with fish,the honest saltwater fish enthusiast would probably agree that a healthy tank can take up to two years to establish.You will have to wait at least a couple of months for the water to settle once you've mixed it to even add fish.Get some good literature and read up on this.(Salt water fish for dummies is a good one-no offense)Because for some reason,it seem that all salt water store employees will tell you different things.You won't believe the differences you hear from store to store.Good luck!!

Answer 4

It depends on what you want in the tank on the cost. If you have expeirance then you know you have to establish the tank for 1 week to 4 weeks, then get a starter fish like a domino(they are more hardy to get the levels straight) Now they may have more chemicals to help but I would get it started that way first cuz it could be costly if you don't . Any good shop would tell you that, good luck! They are fun, if you get an eel make sure you fill up every gap in the tank they will jump out! The Picasso triggers are really fun after you get your tank established, I recommended them to stacy king years ago> Have fun

Answer 5

I did a 30 gal but it was for starfish and sea horses the tank and supplies i.e crushed coral, salt, hydrometer etc cost about $500.00 that doesn't include the fish if you want coral and active salt water fish I wouldn't go less than a 55 gal the smaller the tank the harder it is to keep the levels right good luck

Answer 6

ok, first things first. what do you want your tank to look like, as in what do you want in it. If you don't know what you want then how do you keep it? In other words buying a litter box for a great dane just wouldn't work. There are many different types of fish and inverts and they all live in very specific conditions. If you don't provide for your tank mates needs you won't be happy.

My advice get some books go to some stores and see what you like. Make a list and post it. Then people can tell you how they did with different critters on your list or someone like me and tell you want you can do and want you can't do.

The size of marine tanks is not important. I have marine tanks that are 1 pint in size and they do very well. I also have tanks that are 600 + gallons that do just as well. It is all in matching your setup with your inhabitants.

Answer 7

It will work. You'll have to put time into making shure it is clean. I have seen smaller tanks turned into a saltwater aquarium. It might cost you a little though. You need special salt, coral, mabey live rock, and a few fish. I know salt water fish are cool but, DONT OVERCROUND!!!!

Answer 8

i thought saltwater had to be a big tank, like at least 50 gallon or it wouldn't really work