What is a good way to start a salt water aquarium?

Question

I love tropical fish and want to own some really bad. The thing is i want to do it on a budget and i want to know all the details, the amount of work and things like that. Did any of you have a tank? Was it a good/bad experience?

Answer 1

You can get away with a 30 gallon. I have fish in one of 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.

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.

In short: 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

The best way to start is just they way you are - with research! Here's a website with some info: http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm. From my own experience, go with at least a 29-30 gallon tank. Any smaller, you won't be able to keep as many fish. Smaller tanks are also a lot harder to maintain, and water chemistry and temperature are less stable.

That being said, go for the largest tank you can afford. It doesn't have to be new - you can get one used, just make sure it holds water and doesn't have too many chips in the glass.

Good filtration and circulation is a must! Get the type that hangs on the back or a cannister filter. A powerhead is also a good investment to keep everything stirred up so the filter can remove debris. Undergravel filters are really not for saltwater.

Unless you're keeping corals, you can just use the standard lighting for tanks, but a 10,000k or 50/50 fluorescent brings out colors better.

You will need a heater unless your tank is somewhere where the water can be a consistent 76-80o. Unless your tank is a 30 gallon or smaller, I do recommend 2 heaters. Two keeps the water a more even temperature throughout the tank, plus these only have a lifespan of 5-7 years. If you only have one heater and it goes bad, what happens to the fish?! With a second heater, it has an automatic backup. Heaters should be rated for 3-5 watts per gallon, so if you have a 30 gallon tank, you should get either one 100 or 150 watt heater or two 50 or two 75 watt heaters. The filter and heater are the two items where you shouldn't skimp!

Of course you'll need salt. And a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity (amount of salt in the water). If you're only keeping fish, this can be 1.020 - 1.024. If your interested in some invertebrates (shrimp, crabs, sea stars, snails, etc.) the sg should be 1.024 - 1.026.

You don't absolutely have to get a protein skimmer - these are good, but if you do regular water changes and remove and "film" from the top of the water, you'll be doing the same thing. Just make sure water changes are regular (weekly) and about 25% of the tank volume.

You don't need the live rock for a fish-only tank, but I'd recommend it with invertebrates. It will act as a biological filter, give the animals a hiding place, plus it comes will all sorts of "critters" on it already if you get it from a good source.

A water testing kit is a good idea. Stores will test freshwater samples for you, but not many of even the larger chains will test saltwater for customers. You'll want to keep an eye on the water chemistry at first to adjust the pH and watch the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate as the tank cycles (explained on the website).

The hardest thing about saltwater is being patient. If you get live rock, you'll need to wait several weeks before you can add fish.
You can use a fish to start the tank cycle, but be aware if you start with a damsel (the cheapest fish), it will terrorize just about anything else you try to put into the tank. Exceptions are the blue reef and green chromis. Both of these are peaceful schooling fish. If you get clownfish it's best to get only one or two. If you get more, two will pair off and harrass the others. And if the pair lays eggs, they will harrass everyone in the tank.

Other than a few outbreaks of algae and having to move my tank a few times, I'd have to say having saltwater was a good experience - I'm still doing it 8+ years after I started!

Answer 3

my favorite subject.
Start small as this way you will not loose fish as fast as you would if you used a large tank. I say that because the fish are more expensive.
I have been doing this for many years and I know.
So start with a 10 or 15 gallon tank. They are not as impressive I know but you need to learn the system first. When you get all that you need to start the tank, do not buy any fish until you do the test to make sure that they will survive. Fresh water fish are not any way near as fussy about the water condition, but salt water is a very fussy thing. They really need near perfect water condition. You need to get a kit from your local fish store so that you can take test of the water FIRST. The fish store, if it really knows what it is doing can to the test for you if you take a small sample to them. Once the water is good, then you can get a couple small fish. Make sure that they are cheap ones at first. If they survive, the first month or two, then you are doing what you need to get to larger tanks.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED TO DO IS GET A REALLY GOOD BOOK AT THE FISH STORE AND READ IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Then follow through with what you have learned. It is most rewarding and fun even though there are times that you will fret as sometimes things are not going as well as you wish, but the rewards are so awesome. Hang in there. !!

Answer 4

Do your homework. Know what kind of salt water tank you want (fish only, coral, or both) and go for it. Be prepared to spend money, don't go with the cheap stuff either. You get what you pay for. You'll want quality. Did I say do your homework? Doing your homework will save you money down the road. I have a 40 gal fish and coral tank. I know I could of saved some money and time if I did more homework and not learn from my ill planning.