I need help with a salt water tank setup?

Question

I'm working on starting a saltwater tank. I'm going to do a trial run in a 10 gallon tank and just have a few clown fish in it. In a few weeks though I'm going to be getting a 72 gallon bow front and turn it into a saltwater tank. The problem is with a tank that big I have no idea what I need just yet. Ive been reading around and some of this just doesnt make sense. Can someone tell me what i would need to start this thing up, what brand is the best but affordable (i dont have money coming out of my you know what) Can someone help me please?? Thank you

Answer 1

You can do a lot with a 72 gallon tank. Here are some of the basics:

SUBSTRATE - you want something made of aragonite to help keep the pH from changing, I like the smaller shell material that Carib-Sea puts out - it doesn't have to be live sand, either. Some folks like crushed coral, but the particle size is bigger than I like, and it tends to have a lot of dust that never rinses completely out. Another very fine grained material is oolitic aragonite (looks like small white balls) and aragonite sand. These two are good if you're going to get any fish or inverts that like to burrow.

SALT MIX: If you're only keeping fish, you can go with one of the less expensive brands of synthetic sea salt. If you're planning invertebrates, switch to a better quality mix before you add them. These cost a little more, but you won't need to be using aditives for the trace elements they need either.

HYDROMETER: This measures the amount of salt that's dissolved inwater. There are two kinds you can get, one made of glass that floats on the surface (more accurate, but easy to break) and a plastic container that has a needle that rises and falls as the amount of salt changes (less accurate, bubbles attaching to the needle gives false readings). For fish only, you want the specific gravity to read 1.020 - 1.026. If you're keeping inverts, you want it to be 1.024 - 1.026.

FILTER: Lots of choices, this will really depend on budget, what you're trying to keep, and personal preference. I'd consider the best to be a refugium or wet/dry trickle filter. Next best would be a canister, followed by a biowheel, then a standard hang-on-tank. You want to be able to filter at least 5-10 times the volume of your tank per hour, so check the GPH rating for any filter you consider. Unless you're using sand or oolite, you can also use an undergravel filter to supplement filtration, but I'd suggest powering it with a reversible powerhead to blow the water up through the substrate (prevents stuff from building up under the filter and clogging it).

POWERHEAD(S): To provide more water circulation in hard to get to places.

HEATERS: For a 72, I'd suggest getting 2 and putting one on each end. This will provide more even heating, and your tank has a back-up if one dies. Two 175-200 watt heaters should be enough (figuring this as 5 watts per gallon divided by 2 heaters). If you need to heat the water more than 10 degrees above the room temperature, go one size higher.

LIGHTING: If you never want anything but fish, you can use the standard lighting and hood made for your tank. You might want to upgrade the lamps to a 10,000K tube, since this approximate what lighting an underwater reef around 30 feet or so deep would get. If you're going to try corals, anemones, etc., go with a compact fluorescent, metal halide, or combo system - these will provinde more intense light that they'll need for photosynthesis.

WATER TESTING KIT: minimum of pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.

CLEANING SUPPLIES: elbow length gloves, gravel vacuum, 5 gallon bucket, large plastic container and powerhead for mixing the salt (to be done well ahead of water changes), algae scraper, razor blades (for coraline algae and diatoms that like to attach to the glass).

WATER CONDITIONER: for remiving chlorine or chloramine from your tap water (unless you plan to use a reverse osmosis filter or buy RO water).

The following are optional, but strongly suggested:

PROTEIN SKIMMER: This removes dissloved and small organic materials that would normally contribute to the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in your tank.

GLASS COVER: This reduces evaporation and keeps the fish inside the tank, although with a metal halide lighting system, it can overheat your tank.

LIVE ROCK: This give the tank a more natural appearance, provides hiding places for the fish and inverts, and increases tou biological filtration. Not to mention, you get all kinds of cool critters that hitchhike into your tank.

That should cover most of the basic items. All this probably seems like a lot more complicated than the aquarium you originally asked about yesterday, but that's why those sell - so peopple don't have to think about these individually - but then if something goes wrong, you can replace the "one piece" of equipment easier, plus you'll have a better idea of what each piece does, and should be able to tell sooner when something isn't right.

Answer 2

Since you have a 10 gallon test run you are off to a good start. As far as brand, one is as good as the next. NO big deal here.

You will need a substrate, be it sand or crush coral (Dolomite) enough to cover the bottom by 2". A filter if you don't have the extra money for a protein skimmer, I would suggest until you do, get yourself a good filter. Some come with a protein skimmer attached like the back packs around $150 for a 75-90 gallon. You take out two birds with one stone.

If you choose live rock go for it.

Either way, I always suggest going with the good salt not the manmade stuff. Red Sea salt I found for my tanks is a great salt to use. Powerheads (2) for water movement, a heater a good one, a floating thermometer and a good salt water test kit if you don't already have one.

Of course a hood for the tank. Everything else like the hydrometer and gravel vac you should already have.

Feel free to email

Answer 3

hey man good thing your asking it will save you alot in the long run. there is so much to discuss its hard to really tell you all of it on here i would be glad to help with this if you want someone to walk ya through everything feel free to message me i would be glad to help out with anything you need. by the way if your doing a trial run on a 10gal. don't be discouraged if that is hard your 72 will be much easier 10gal. can be way more difficult to maintain due to their small size, not saying it can't be done just saying its tougher, but anything you need feel free to message me.

Answer 4

10 Easy Aquarium Set Up Steps

Clean the tank with freshwater and a soft cloth or sponge.
Apply a background, if you plan to do so.
Put the stand into place and level it, being sure to leave clearance for electrical connections and equipment.
Set the tank in place with an underpad for cushioning underneath, and level the tank.
Prepare all the equipment to be used and install it.

Step 2: Test the System
At this point you can option to run a system wet test as outline below, or go on to Step 3 and Start Up the System
How to Test the System
(Although this step may be considered optional, it doesn't hurt to take the time to check and see that everything is in working order before putting anything into the tank.)

1 ) Fill the aquarium with a prepared saltwater solution, or make it up inside the tank itself.

Tip: If you choose to make-up the saltwater in the aquarium, once it is mixed and ready for use, be sure to allow the solution settle out, and then siphon out any white residue that might be present on the bottom of the tank.
2 ) Start all the equipment, and let the system run for a day
During this wet test run time you can:
Check for leaks.
Set and adjust the heater(s) to the desired temperature.
Balance out the salinity of the water if needed.
Test all the equipment to insure it is operating correctly. If you are going to be using a protein skimmer, there will be no waste produced, but you can check for bubble production and test out the pump that will be used to run it.

Step 3: Start Up the System
Based on how you have decided to set your aquarium up, here are your choices of what to do next:
If the tank is not yet aquascaped and you are going to be using live rock:
Go to Step 4 >> Prepare the Live Rock
If the tank is not yet aquascaped and you are not going to be using live rock:
Go to Step 5 >> Aquascape the Tank
If you have already aquascaped the tank either with or without live rock and the system is now running:
Go to Step 6 >> Let the Tank Cycle
Tip: Something that needs to be considered either now or later is putting together a QT
Although many aquarists choose to bypass using a quarantine tank to place new fish into before introducing them into the main aquarium, in our opinion, and from experience, this is not wise because it can open your whole system up to a wide range of potential diseases that can be spread by stressed, sick or contaminated fish. We highly recommend that fish be placed into quarantine and observed for about 2 weeks prior to putting them into the aquarium, so now is an ideal time to start putting together a QT setup to have it ready for when you need to use it.
Step 4: If Using Live Rock, Prepare It
If you have live rock cured and ready for use, or you are not going to use live rock at all, go on to Step 5 and Aquascape the Tank.

If you have not yet purchased live rock you are going to put in your aquarium, now is the time to buy and prepare it for use, which can be done in several ways:

Option 1 ) The standard method is to fully cure live rock is in a separate curing setup.

Option 2 ) If you intend to "cycle" the aquarium with live rock, are adding it to an established system, or just don't want to wait, of course you can opt to bypass the rock curing process altogether and put the live rock directly into the aquarium and start aquascaping. However, if you do so it is recommended to "at least" take the time to do any one of the following things first!
Preclean the rocks before placing them into the aquarium.
How To Preclean Live Rock
Preclean the rocks, and allow a few days curing time in a separate curing setup.
How To Cure Live Rock in a Separate Setup
Preclean the rocks and place them into the aquarium, BUT allow the rocks to fully cure or at least give it a few days curing time in this way first, before you aquascape the tank.

Step 5: Aquascape the Tank
BEFORE you begin aquascaping the tank, read these helpful how to's and tips for working with rocks and substrate:
Prepare the Live Rock
Arranging Non-Living & Live Rocks
Raising Rocks Off-the-Bottom of the Tank
Preclean Live Rock Before Using It
What Live Sand Is and How it is Used
When Should Live Sand or Other Substrate Be Added?
How To Aquascape the Tank

If the aquarium is already filled with saltwater, first do steps 1-3.

If the tank is empty, start with step 4 below.
1 ) Turn off any equipment that may be running.

2 ) Remove any pieces of equipment that could get in the way.

3 ) Siphon out and save about 1/2 the saltwater in the tank and set it aside
Step 6: Let the Tank Cycle
In whatever way you have decided to cycle your aquarium, whether by using cured or uncured live rock and/or live sand, by adding fish at this stage, or by means of another alternative method, once you have aquascaped the tank it's time to allow the tank to cycle.

The 3 Phases of the Cycling Process

What Water Tests to Perform and When
Tank Cycling Tips

Tip 1 ) Cycling an aquarium naturally without adding some source of living nitrifying bacteria can take around 30 days or so, but there are ways to help speed-up the process and shorten this cycling time.

Tip 2 ) If you have not already decided on what livestock you want in your aquarium, take the time while you are waiting for the tank to cycle and plan out a species community.

Tip 3 ) NO water changes should be performed or ammonia destroying products of any kind be added WHILE THE TANK IS CYCLING, as this only delays and drags out the completion of the process.
However, when cycling the aquarium with live rock, if there is a noticeable accumulation of organic matter collecting on the bottom of the tank from live rock organism die-off, you can lightly siphon out just this material and top-off the water level.

Step 7: Get the Tank Ready for New Livestock
Once the tank has completed the cycling process, it's time to get the tank ready for adding some new livestock.
1 ) Do a partial (20%) water change as soon as possible or at least within about 5 days after the ammonia and nitrite readings drop to zero.

2 ) Perform some basic cleaning tasks:

Lightly siphoning up any loose waste and/or nuisance type algae that may be present on the bottom of the tank. This does NOT mean to siphon clean the substrate, but only remove any accumulated organic matter that has settled on just the surface of the substrate.

Clean off the front panel of the tank.

Rinse out or replace the materials used in any type of "mechanical" water filtering devices, such as flosses, cartridges, sponges or pads.
Basic Maintenance Tips


Mechanical water filtering devices are only intended to be used to collect and remove excess debris or free-floating particulate matter from the aquarium water, which is a food source for nitrate. Therefore, it does no harm after the tank has cycled to rinse or change such materials regularly. For example, we change the micron pleat catridge in our Magnum 350 canister filter when the water output starts to diminish, which is at least once a week.

If nitrate begins to build up as the aquarium matures, siphon out any loose debris or organic matter present and/or do one or a few 25-50% water changes to bring the nitrate down to a level that is acceptable for either a fish-only or reef tank system. By keeping the nitrate under control it will help to keep algae blooms that can occur at this stage as well as throughout the lifetime of your aquarium from becoming a big problem.

Step 8: Make Any Needed Adjustments
While you are doing the water change and tidying the tank up to get it ready for the first few new or additional pieces of livestock, it's a good time to make any aquascaping changes you desire.

Once done and the system is restarted, let the tank run for a day or two to allow it to settle out. During this run time check and make adjustments to parameters of the aquarium water that may be needed, such as the temperature and salinity.

Step 9: Add Some New Livestock
Once the tank has been cleaned up and is ready for some new livestock, one of the biggest and most often made mistakes at this stage of a newly cycled aquarium is that one tries to cram too much into the tank too quickly or all at once.
It is important for you to be patient and go slowly to prevent causing problems from overloading the system, which can be avoided by not only adding livestock to a new but even an established aquarium as described here.


Whether it is fish, corals, or invertebrates, you should only choose and add 1 or 2 of the animals from your species community list into the aquarium at any one time.

After your selection has been placed into the tank, you need to allow the aquarium's nitrifying bacteria base to adjust to the additional bio-load.
This means you DO NOT add anything else at this point, and over a week's time you should test the aquarium water daily for any appearance of ammonia and possibly nitrite. Zero readings will show you when it is safe to add the next 1 or 2 pieces of livestock. Better yet, even when the test results are showing zero, wait another week or two before continuing on.

Step 10: Take Care of Your Aquarium
Now that you have put much time, energy, and money into getting your new saltwater aquarium setup and running, it is of the utmost importance for you to:


Establish a regular aquarium care maintenance routine.
What Maintenance Tasks Should be Performed, and When

Continue to read and learn more, as you can never know too much about saltwater aquarium keeping. It's an ever-expanding experience!

Take pride in what you have accomplished!

Take good care of your aquarium and wet pet friends!

Sit back, relax and enjoy your aquarium!