I want a salt water tank?

Question

I want a salt water tank...I have a fresh water tank with goldfish in it because it's for my 2 year old...but I want a salt water tank for me=) I heard that they are really expensive and hard to keep the water at a certain level...I dont wanna kill my fish from a silly mistake because the fish are expensive..the reason I want a salt water tank is because my kids are in love with nemo so i want a tank with all the nemo caractors..so my question is how do i go about setting one up and the whole prosess that it takes? Is it hard to maintain and keep at a certain level of quality for the fish? Yeah i know that i said the tank was for me and I want nemo characters for my kids but what benifits my kids make me happy so yeah it's for me as in I will be caring for them...

Answer 1

I am not sure what part of the world you people are living in but wow!

Hun, if you want salt it isn't that tough. I will advise, getting a tank with clown fish (like nemo) isn't a reason to get one. I like spuds McKenzie, but I am not about to add another pet to apease my kids.

You can get away with a 30 gallon with clowns. I have them in mine. If you search the want ads and papers, you can probably pick up a 30 with hood, tank and stand for around $100 or less. I actually find them left at the side of the road on garbage day. People who thought they wanted a tank buy it then toss it. My gain. (last one I picked up, a 150 gal w/stand and lights and filter. Don't want to get your hopes up. Right now, walmart of all places has a 55 gallon tank with hood and filter for $99.00 Stand is $69.00 Just what you need.

Patience is the key to a salt water tank. The whisper filter that comes with the tank at walmart is fine for the size. (Until you get the fish bug, it will do its job.) Now before you begin, find a local reputable pet store, Not necessarily PETCO or PETSMART. These are too commercial, won't deal and the 16 year olds that work there don't care. A local small shop that relies on good information and good fish keeping to stay in business. They will help you more than you could imagine.

First you must choose where you are going to put your tank. You want to steer clear of windows and heat registers or it could cause a problem in the future. Be sure you have a powersource close. Word of advie, salt water has a habit of "eating paint". Walls behind your salt water tank should also be part of your cleaning ritule (I have large mirrors to protect my walls from salt residue, it also reflects the corals back into the tank making it seem bigger than it is). With that said, we start the process.

If you choose to go with a 30 gallon tank, I would highly recomend an under gravel filter. These can be purchased for a 30 gallon for $10-$15. They aren't needed, but in a smaller tank, makes clean up a breeze.

You are going to have to decide what you want in your tank. Clowns (nemo's) are great social fish. If at all possiable, get one male and two females. You will have to purchase a few items for your salt water.
Red Sea Salt $15 (You can go with instant ocean, an artificial salt, which is less expensive, and works for what it is needed to)
Which bottom would you wish? Crushed coral/dolamite or live sand. Clowns do not need sand I would recomend dolamite. It is much easier to clean.
An aquarium gravel syphon (gravity fed) depending on size from $5.99 $9.99.
Heater for the size of your tank. These can run from $9.00 for a 30 gallon and up
Chemical Test kit for Salt water This will range with what you get. Choose a better test kit.
Hydrometer for a beginner, I would suggest a level set rather than a floating. $3.99
A clean 5 gallon bucket actually two, used only or your salt tank. $2.99 at Home Depot
Novaqua + (water conditioner) $5.49
If you are using dolamite, you will need to rinse the dolomite (I use a strainer) to remove debris. Clean your tank with clean fresh water and a soft cloth.

Piece of advice, before you fill your tank, put your filter on the rear of the tank and adjust the distance from the wall. Be sure you leave enough room to move the filter or add pieces as your experience grows with your tank.

I do not sugest using a hose to fill your tank. Most hoses are not for drinking water and contain chemical residues. If you must, use a water drinking hose which can be found in the RV section of Walmart. Using a hose for a salt water tank will be rough since you need to disolve salt into it.

I prefer to use a 5 gallon bucket since the salt measuring is more accurate.

Once your dolamite/sand is rinsed (mind you don't rinse live sand) if you have an undergravel filter, now is the time to put it in. Pour your dolamite over the undergravel filter Don't worry about making it even or sloped since your water isn't in yet. Begin disolving salt into your 5 gallon buckets of water. Add your novaqua +. Check your salt levels Using a hydrometer Your goal is a specific gravity between 1.020 and 1.023. Fill your tank with the saltwater, leaving about an inch at the top. Start the filter system. Add the heater and thermometer. Most marine fish do best between 75 and 80 degrees. Let everything run for at least 72 hours and get the temperature settings right and the water moving. Cycle the aquarium. A just-set-up fish tank lacks the bacteria that it needs to form a steady biological cycle. After two weeks to help cycle your tank faster, buy a black mollie $.99. (Yes they live in salt water) Mollies will help cycle the water quickly plus gives you something to look at besides an empty tank. After about 6 weeks, if your water is testing within the right ranges, purchase a damsel. $3.99-$4.99. After another week if he is still doing fine and the water is testing out, go buy your clowns. They will run you around $12.99-15.99 depending on where you buy them. (This is where your pal at the smaller shop comes in. They will work deals with you, especiallyif you take fish when they come in. I purchased my snowflake eel for $19.00, my dog faced puffer for $22.00, and my Hawaiian Trigger for $25.00. If you aren't into the "Fancy fish" don't worry. There are many fish that are not expensive. Also, steer clear of sea horses. Not only are most endangered, their requirements and life span in an aquarium is only around 2 years. Reputable dealers will not sell sea horses. (They are for money making only) If you can find a sea squirt, get him.

When ever you can, when you visit the ocean, bring home a gallon or two of sea water. Rarely will you bring home parasites, mostly you will be suprised at what is in the water you don't see. It will also recharge your tank.

I know this isn't every last detail but I am tired of typing.

If and when you become a serious aquarist

Add your fish when the chemical levels are all okay and the tank temperature is within suggested limits. STEP 14: Buy a powerhead. In saltwater aquariums, water movement is an absolute must. Be careful not to get one so big that it causes a whirlpool effect.

Later Get a protein skimmer, which is a necessity for marine tanks. This removes organic debris from the water before it has time to convert to nitrates.

Had to add: You DON"T need a protein skimmer, you DON"T need two heaters, you DON'T need special lighting if you don't have coral, you DON"T need a 50-100 gallon tank a 30 is the smallest you should go, but I have friends with smaller that do just fine, you DON"T need live sand, or Live rock to have a salt water tank. Your sand if you so choose to use it, you do not want to go deeper than 1.5 inches. 1 toward the front and 1.5 towards the rear. I just hate when people give advice on things they don't know.

Good luck and you can IM me if you have any other questions.

Answer 2

Good for you for doing your research first! Saltwater IS more expensive than freshwater, but if you choose your fish wisely, keeping a marine tank doesn't have to be considerably harder than keeping a freshwater one (as long as you can commit to testing water chemistry and doing tank maintenence on a regular [weekly] basis). Lack of upkeep is the reason most saltwater tanks fail.

Also, look at the fish profiles before you plan an entire "Nemo" set-up. A pair of clownfish, either a blue (hippo) tang OR a yellow tang would be good starters. Puffers are aggressive. Get a heniochus, not a Moorish Idol (Gil) - these look very much alike, but the heniochus is much easier to keep. Skip the anemone for now - these require intense lighting to stay alive and clownfish do just as well without them. Also, be aware that you'll need a large tank (29-30 gallon for just the clowns and one tang, or 55+ gallon if you plan to add more fish).

Here's a link that will give you the info you need to start a saltwater tank:http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm
I also recommend a good book on the subject - I used both of these when I was starting: The New Marine Aquarium – Michael S. Paletta. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-52-1 and The Conscientious Marine Aquarist – Robert M. Fenner. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-02-5 Either one would be a good reference.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I have a few freshwater & brackish water tanks, and am also interested in a marine tank. I am hoping to start with a 75-100 gal tank, but before i do i need to make sure that my floors can handle the weight(at least 750-1000 lbs) My fantasy is sea horses & pipefish, but i know they are a long time comming... I found some really good books "the reef aquarium vol 1-3" by Julian Sprung, J. Charles Delbeek they are about 50 bucks each, but well worth it for the volume of knowledge they offer. It is VERY expensive startup, and it takes several months, so patience is a must. Read all you can, before you spend any money on tank supplies, or hire a pro to set up & maintain your system, until you feel confidant enough to tackle it yourself. Best of luck!

Answer 4

Frankly, I don't think getting a SW tank is a very good option for you. Getting a tank because your kids like a movie is bound to result in cut corners, neglected tank, dead fish - because in 3 years, you'll still have a tank that you spend 1000$+ on, and they'll have forgotten all about Finding Nemo

But to answer your question, a SW tank is a long, expensive, complexe process. It's by no means impossible, but there is lots of stuff to know and lots of stuff to buy.
For starters, you have to be ready for a big tank. SW is much more difficult that FW, in part because the fish and other creatures are so delicate. In a small tank, it is too easy for the parameters to fluctuate (salinity, temp, nitrates, etc) because the volume of water is small. In a larger tank, it's much easier, because the whole thing is just more stable. You don't want to go any smaller than 50 gallons.

Once you have the tank, you have to decide what kind of lighting you need. For a basic SW tank with some basic corals, you could get a Coralife Actinic Compact Fluorescent, which'll cost you a few hundred dollars, depending on if you get it new, or used.

You will also need 2 heaters, one for each side. This means better heat distribution and mroe safety in case one of them breaks.

You will need a protein skimmer. This is a piece of equipment that removes the oily gunk that accumulates at the surface of the water. 50-150$

Then you'll need to fill your tank. As a base, you need sand. They have what is called "Live sand" - which is sand with organisms living in it. It costs 5-10$ / lbs and you need 1-2 lbs per gallon. I suggest you go wtih regular sand and 2-3 lbs of live sand. The live sand will "seed" the regular sand.

You will also need live rock, which is the same concept. It has all sorts of organisms living on it .This is your primary fltration - the organisms eat the ammonia produced by the fish. It costs 5-10$ per pound and you need 1-1.5lbs per gallon.

Then you fill with water, add Instand Ocean (which is salt and other minerals), and you need to let it cycle for 4 weeks. During this time, you should read as much as you can buy books, read articles online and in mags, join an online forum, etc. Then, after 4 weeks, you can start looking into fish.

I don't mean to disuade you, but a SW tank is a long, daunting process. It's not just a matter of putting some salt in a regular tank then sticking the fish in. There's a loooot more to it.

There are some amazing FW fish out there. No, they aren't Nemo and Dora, but some of the colours would amaze you; at a fraction of the price. I suggest you take a tour of your local fish store. Look into fish like cichlids, angelfish, gouramis, mollies... if you decide you like something, always research before you buy.

Answer 5

To properly take care of fish, you need to be informed before you ever buy anything. There is an order in which an aquarium should be set up if you want to do things properly. And, aside from the best argument that you should do it for the sake of the lives of the fish, it needs to be at least done right to save you a wallet-load of money from dying fish. Get informed before a drop of water hits the aquarium. Decide what type of saltwater aquarium you want. Is it going to be fish only, coral only or a full reef aquarium? You’re decisions will determine what type equipment and lighting you will need. You then need to cycle the tank or the water will not be in the proper parameters to sustain the fish. Saltwater cycling is different than freshwater cycling. So, you also need to read up on that as well. I won't go into any details about anything because there is so much to know, so I will only give you this link and ask you to read it and read anything else you can find on properly setting up a saltwater tank. You can also go talk to an aquarist who specializes in saltwater tanks. Saltwater aquarists can give you some very good advice on the set-up that would work best for your needs, cycling and fish for a beginner tank. In fact, if you feel not up to the challenge of doing it yourself, they will set everything up for you, of course, for a price. You can even get them to come out and do regular maintenance on it too if that's something that you feel you don't have the time or desire to do. Maintenance on a proper size and properly maintained goldfish aquarium and a saltwater aquarium is a big job to take on, so be sure that you're ready for both! Good luck and happy fishkeeping.

Answer 6

My husband and I tried a tank when we were first married and due to incorrect advice we ended up throwing away very expensive fish that died on almost a daily basis. Seeing your $65 flame angel on top of the coffe grounds in the garbage is not a pleasant site. About a year ago we befriended a man who owns a primarily all salt water tank pet shop. With his instruction and guidance we have finally succeded. We have a georgeous 180 gallon tank with not just fish but corals, enenmies, and many inverts. It is thriving nicely.
I think the hardest but most important thing to it is patience. You need to set up the tank and let it sit for 1 1/2 to 2 months with no fish, adding the live rock 1 or 2 peices at a time so the ammonia levels do not get out of hand. After that you can add fish, but you still need to do it slowly only about 1 per week or so and don't add fish that are too big. Fish create ammonia, but the tank creates bacteria to handle the ammonia, the trick is not to overload the bacteria so they can't handle the ammonia load at any given time. There is a long break in period for a salt water tank, up to a year and a half before it's considered seasoned. You will also need to seriously read up on your fish species to make sure they are all compatable with eachother and if you are also doing a reef system, they have to be safe with corals and you also need to check inverts and if they are safe with them.
In our tank, we have the Dory fish (hippo tang), extremely tough little thing, got bullied by another fish when first introduced and got stuck on the power head (get covers for them) and soemhow made her way into our overflow where she actually lived and grew considerably for over 2 months. We also have a yellow tang which is one of the fish in the dentist's office, the one who loves bubbles(my kids named her bubbles). We also have an appropriate anenemie (spelling?) for clown fish (Nemos)and are waiting for a mated pair from our fish store guy. Note, a mated pair, when they have eggs are EXTREMELY aggresive to anything that comes close to their eggs so be carefull. Good luck to you, A great guide for fish is Marine Fishes by Scott W. Michael. Feel free to E-mail me

Answer 7

DO NOT SET UP A SALTWATER TANK! You obviously have a LOT of research to do, and do it WELL! Like a couple of months of reading books inside and out. Start with the Marine Atlas series, vol 1 is the best general guide you can get. If you want clowns and tangs you're going to need at the VERY minimum a 75 gallon tank. To start this tank you'll spend well over $4000 and it takes a BARE minimum of 6 weeks to cycle the live rock and filters with no lights. Truly I'd only recommend a saltwater tank to an experienced hobbyist. If you really want a saltwater tank, hire an expert to set it up and maintain it for you until you build the knowledge base yourself. Or like I said give yourself a year to set it up before putting creatures in it.

What you need:

minimum 75 gallon tank with stand - $450 - $900
metal hallide hood and lights - $300 - $600
sump - $100 - $400
protein skimmer - $150 - $400
Canister Filter - $150 - $300
(Strongly recommend diatom fitler, Reverse Osmosis Filter and UV sterilizer - $600 - $1500)
1lbs of live rock/gallon so 75 gallon tank, 75lbs of live rock, usually $7.99 - $8.99/lbs - $600+
Bucket of Salt + Hydrometer - $20 - $60
Suitable sand - $100 - $150
Thermometer - $30 - $70
Powerheads (3-4) $60 - $200

And that is just the basics, all that needs to cycle for 6 weeks before adding anything, I'd actually recommend 3 months. THEN for critters..

Creepy crawlies you need in your reef (as you want reef fish) will cost at least $20 each, for cheap ones. You get a few clean shrimp, feather dusters, snails, crabs, sea cucumber and anenomes you're looking at easily $300. The reef needs to establish itself for another month or so before you introduce fish.

A CHEAP salt water fish you're looking at $20 for a damsel. Tangs and clowns will start around $50 usually, up to $100 easily.

And corals is you decide to keep them are VERY pricey at most places, and difficult to keep.

If you decide to go ahead with it without a hired expert, after you do your research, start shopping and looking at set-ups with

www.garf.org

Best of luck

Answer 8

let me start by saying I have one freshwater tank of 250 gallons and that one has two oscars in it about 8-10' long and three saltwater tanks one saltwater tank in my daughters room that is a 10 gallon with two seahorses, in my living room I have a 120 gallon saltwater tank with 1 Maculosus Angel - Show, 2 Bartlett Anthias, 2 Percula Clownfish - Picasso, 2 Blue Hippo Tangs, and 1 Banana Eel in fish alone in my 120 gallon tank is...
Banana Eel $230.00
2 Blue Hippo Tangs $80.00
2 Percula clownfish $200.00
2 bartlett anthias $64.00
Maculosus Angel- show $129.99
just in fish alone about $710.00
the start up of that tank cost me about $1000.00 but in the end well worth it, all I can say is go bigger rather then smaller, my smaller tanks both 10 gallon saltwater is more upkeep then my 120 gallon, my other saltwater in my bedroom, I have a Hawaiian Blue Puffer he was only about $20.00 but very interesting fish, nosy and always trying to see what you are doing. great fish. but remember you can only add fish once a month, also your tank has to set up for a month before adding fish if you rush it expect your fish to die! hope this helped also check out the links I put at the bottom good links and you will learn all you need to know about starting one!