i am looking into starting a salt water fish tank what is a good tank to start with with?

Question

something maybe with less maintance (cause i know there is alot of maintance) i was told when you have a open top tank you will have a lot of water vaporation but they said you cant have a top on them cause of the lights, what am i am looking at for maintance. this will be my first salt water tank so what is something good to start with size and brand ect

i have also helped my brother-in-law out with his and i know they are a of maintance but the lest amount of maintace wouold be going with the oceanic tanks

Answer 1

Oceanics are nice because they have the overflow and are predrilled so all you have to do is plumb them. But if you want to start smaller than a 75-90 gallon, you can do that too. My first was a 29 gallon Perfecto with a twin fluorescent light an Aquaclear filter and a hang-on Rainbow fluidized sand bed. I had about 50 lbs of live rock in it and added a powerhead for better water circulation around and through the rock. It was a nice tank, but after 6 months, I upgraded to a Perfecto 55 gallon.

I would suggest you start with somewhere from a 29 to a 75, depending on your budget, space, and what fish you want to keep. The only reason to have the top open is if you're using metal halide lighting - these throw off a lot of heat which would otherwise get trapped under the glass cover and heat the water too much. The glass does a lot to minimize evaporation and keep the fish where they belong (a lot of marines like to pretend they're flying fish when they're not), plus they prevent salt from splashing up onto your lights and fixture and causing corrosion (you do have to clean the glass though or any photosynthetic corals, anemones and such won't get the full intensity of the light). The predrilled tanks with the overflow are nice, but only if you're planning to plumb them to a trickle filter or a refugium. If you're using a hang-on or a canister, these can just become tanks with a hole in the side that keeps you from filling the tank up all the way.

If you want something that will cut down on your maintenance, look to a good filter and protein skimmer. For efficiency, a refugium and tickle filter are the best, followed by a canister. Then come a biowheel and a regular hang-on. Will those be the best in that order for you as far as maintenance? Maybe not. A biowheel and hang-on are much easier to clean, so you might be more inclined to do it on a regular basis. A protein skimmer removes the dissolved organic stuff that would otherwise contribute to the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in the tank. With the end product of nitrate, which is a plant nutrient, it can mean less algae to scrape. The amount of stuff these things pull out of perfectly clear-looking water is unbelievable.

And the best way of making the maintenance easier is to just do it. It's far easier to clean one week's worth of coraline algae, diatom, and feather worm growth off the inside of the front glass than it is three weeks worth.

Answer 2

Salt water fish tanks take a LOT of maintenance, no matter WHAT size they are. You can not get away from the daily work to make sure that salination stays on it's narrow band of allowable values.

And getting PLANT life to thrive in a salination tank is hard enough, but to BALANCE that with fish as well takes true dedication.

If you don't want anything that is high maintenance, I suggest you stick to fresh water tanks, or you switch over to lizards of some type (although these have their own special needs as well, they are a lot more forgiving of novice handlers than salination tanks).

I recommend that you go through all the stories of saltwater fish tank care on this site before you even THINK of taking on this project for yourself...
http://www.saltwaterfishpets.com/links.htm

Answer 3

I would suggest something no smaller than 20gallons. If this is your first tank then i would also suggest you do a lot of reading, especially about the tank cycle,Types of fish and test kits.. Maybe take a look at getting a smaller freshwater tank, they are a bit easier to maintain.


There are a lot more factors involved in keeping a saltwater tank than with freshwater. It is very difficult for a beginner but it's not impossible if you do your research and keep asking questions.

Answer 4

Salt water tanks are very expensive and hard to maintain.

But if you're really sure, then 20-40 gallons is a good starter size. Clownfish are also a good starter fish.

~ZTM

Answer 5

* positioned the stand into place and point it, being effective to go away clearance for electric powered connections and kit. * sparkling the tank with freshwater and a delicate textile or sponge. * in case you intend to cover the returned of the tank, paint it a colour you like, or prepare in basic terms a splash synthetic vinyl aquarium background protecting, do it now. * in case you have elected to apply a sump, setting up it interior the cabinet/stand at the instant. particularly regularly it extremely is extra common to insert the sump into the stand in the process the ideal than it extremely is in the process the cabinet doorways. in case you haven't any longer stumbled on a sump yet, a low priced, difficulty-free DIY Sumps could artwork for you. * in case your are going to place in a DIY automated ideal off equipment, do it until eventually now you install your sump (it extremely is plenty extra common than waiting until eventually the sump is interior the cabinet). * in case your equipment includes a sump, a great number of the sump appropriate kit is extra common to place in the sump until eventually now the tank is placed on the stand. * place the tank on the stand, employing an decrease than-pad for cushioning below if necessary, and verify to verify that the tank is point. * setting up potential strip/mild timer.

Answer 6

If its your first tank go no bigger then 20 gals.