I'm really interested in starting a salt water aquarium. Does anyone have steps? Or the necessities?

Question

P.S. I know I could ask the petstore people.

Answer 1

I'll agree with the research - and don't do it by asking pet store employees.

There's really a lot of info to cover on this subject, so I'll just hit some of the main points and give you some links where you can get more information.

Everything you get should be based on the fish you want to keep, so that's a good starting point. There so many kinds you can choose from! Three things you need to consider early - adult size of the fish, temperment, and activity level. Obviously, the bigger the fish ,the bigger the tank you'll need. Some fish don't get that big, but they're active swimmers and need a lot of space to swim (fast!). And saltwater fish aren't as peaceful as most of the freshwater types (not that there aren't some), but many are territorial and will be aggressive to any fish that invades their "space". You can reduce some aggression by your choices for fish. Try to avoid getting different fish from the same family, of the same color, or that have the same body shape. The less fish look alike, the less the chance that one fish will consider another a "rival".

Saltwater fish are also less tolerant of poor water quality, so the larger the tank, the more water to spread out any wastes, so water quality and temperature are more stable. A 30 gallon tank is usually the smallest you'll see recommended for a beginner, and even larger is better, but the larger you go, the more expensive it will be.

Another thing for you to think about is if you want to try keeping animals other than fish (snails, shrimp, anemones, corals, crabs, seastars, etc.). Some fish aren't considered "reef safe", meaning they'll eat these. If you plan to keep any of the corals, anemones, or clams (not a good idea at the start, but you may want to try them in the future), you'll need special lighting that's more intense than the usual aquarium hood. Look into compact fluorescent or metal halides.

Once you have an idea what animals you intend to keep, you can start figuring out the size tank you'll need. Your tank size will determine things like the size of your filter (and maybe the type - wet/dry and cannister types are the best, but if your tank is small, you might just need a hang-on type). A protein skimmer is highly recommended, but not absolutly required for fish. You should use one for a reef tank, as they'll help with water quality. I'd also include a few powerheads to maintain good water movement throughout the tank so stuff gets picked up by your filter/skimmer.

Live rock can also be a part of your filtration. The "live" refers to bacteria that break down the waste and convert it from toxic products to non-toxic ones. You usually get a lot of other cool organisms on it, too. You can get some cheaper dry reef rock to use as the base, then put better quality live rock on top to cut your costs - you can stack it into caves so your fish have places to hide, which is a more natural environment to them. Don't bother with live sand if you use live rock. Get an aragonite shell material to use as your substrate - this will help keep your pH raised.

You should also plan on a heater or two unless you can keep the water temperature a consistent 76-80o with room temperature. If you're keeping a reef tank and the temperature will go over 85o frequently, you'll need to invest in a chiller to keep corals, anemones, and clams alive. For fish-only, it's not as critical.

A hydrometer (to mix saltwater to the correct salinity) and water test kit (you want to be able to test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate at the very minimum) are a must.

Get a good book on the subject. I highly recommend either of these: The New Marine Aquarium by Michael S. Paletta. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-52-1 or The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert M. Fenner. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-02-5 There are several books by Julian Sprung as well. These will always be availble to you for future questions.

Here are some websites you can look at for additional advice on equipment, fish, and saltwater aquariums in general:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/
http://www.peteducation.com/index.cfm?cls=16
http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm

Lots of info, and your head may be spinning, but that's why it's better to research now than after you get a tank and fish - you'll find that the more you know and plan in advance, the fewer problems you'll have in the long run.

Good luck, and welcome to the saltwater hobby!

Answer 2

i actually just got into the saltwater hobby 8 months ago. let me tell you, it takes much research. i recommend going on forums such as reefcentral.com, fishgeeks.com, wetwebmedia.com. then pick up the book "the Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner. I took two months of research before actually buying any of my equipment. so before anything, read up. thats the most important step. remember you want to start it off right.

also pet store owners are not the most reliable people to get information from. remember these are people trying to make a sale. i am not saying that they are all like this, but through experience, more than 50 % of the information that comes from there mouths are either misleading or just plain false. if in doubt always refer to a book or the forums, there are people always willing to help.

in order for you to succeed just make sure you have the time, the patience, and especially the money. a complete 55 gallon setup will easily run you over 2000 dollars.

Answer 3

Please do not venture into such a complex hobby without first doing alot of research. To be a successful aquarist you must study,study,study! Knowledge is your best friend. Establishing a Marine tank is a bit of a science. I do not want to see you fail. Before you begin you must first realize the cost involved here. It is a very expensive hobby to say the least. My suggestion to you would be to start out with a freshwater tropical community tank. Again, you must do your research. You will fail miserably if you think that you can just throw a bunch of fish in water and hope for the best. I suggest a tropical community tank only because everything about it is cheaper even the fish!! If you enjoy the hobby and the routine tank maintenance then this is the hobby for you. You can eventually venture into becoming a Marine Aquariust. Good Luck to you......laceyemerill

Answer 4

You probably dont want to hear it, but this will save you tons of money! Start out with a freshwater tank. After you learn everything you can and STILL ENJOY IT...... say a year or two... then you can move up to saltwater fish. Saltwater fish are way more expensive than freshwater fish. The setup itself is more expensive. You need to learn the whole cycling process and maintenance. Best to start with cheap fish and work your way up to the more expensive fish.

Answer 5

not to scare you or anything but a salt water tank is not for begginers. maybe you need to do a bit of reasherch befor you get it. also make sure the water is salt not the one that you eat. start out with some cheap fish (salt water fish is not cheap) cheap fish last long and easy to care for. that is a lot to know go to google and type in how to sart a salt wather aquarium

Answer 6

Grab a cuppa and relax in front of the computer and read up about it.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/startinganaquarium/How_to_Start_a_Saltwater_Aquarium.htm

http://www.petuniversity.com/fish/saltwater-fish/setting-up-an-aquarium/

Answer 7

Check out www.janetsreef.com