Advice & What I Need For A Marine/saltwater Tank

[daniel_2kaii9]

hey, dont know if this is the right place but i was wondering if you could give me some advice & what stuff i'll need for a marine/saltwater tank this is my first time and i'll be useing a 9 US Gallon tank is this ok ?

thanks

~Daniel

 

[ben1987]

you cant keep much at all in 9 gallons, i wouldnt reccoment a newbie starting anything less than 25-30 gallons

 

[daniel_2kaii9]

ah

still could someone tell me what i would need to setup a saltwater tank ?

 

[seffieuk]

Daniel to the salty side of the forum

We can help you with what you need for a salt water tank but it really will depend on what you want to keep and how big the tank is?

The tank you talked about is too small to keep anything but a dwarf hermit and if you have lighting some mushrooms.

However, if you go up to the bigger tank, as Ben suggested you can start to keep a pair of clowns and a couple of other smaller fish, along with hermits, shrimps etc. T8 lighting would mean you can keep some mushrooms and t5 means you could keep most soft corals and some a few hard corals. However, you may not want corals, you may or may not be planning on live rock as your filtration?
So, many questions

So, I will assume you want a reef set-up of approx 20/30 gallons (edit for silly mistake pointed out by Ben!)

Refractometer to check sg of water
two power heads to give approx 15 x turn over round your rock
sand - aragonite
good magnet cleaner, blade is best
heater
water container
spare heater and powerhead to heat and or mix salty water
salt or buy salted water
live rock
on a 20 gallon I would have a skimmer, but doesnt have to be a great big expensive one
phosphate remover
probably nitrate remover
test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphates, ph

So, hope that helps - what are you thinking?

Seffie x

 

[daniel_2kaii9]

Daniel to the salty side of the forum

We can help you with what you need for a salt water tank but it really will depend on what you want to keep and how big the tank is?

The tank you talked about is too small to keep anything but a dwarf hermit and if you have lighting some mushrooms.

However, if you go up to the bigger tank, as Ben suggested you can start to keep a pair of clowns and a couple of other smaller fish, along with hermits, shrimps etc. T8 lighting would mean you can keep some mushrooms and t5 means you could keep most soft corals and some a few hard corals. However, you may not want corals, you may or may not be planning on live rock as your filtration?
So, many questions

So, I will assume you want a reef set-up of approx 20/30litres

Refractometer to check sg of water
two power heads to give approx 15 x turn over round your rock
sand - aragonite
good magnet cleaner, blade is best
heater
water container
spare heater and powerhead to heat and or mix salty water
salt or buy salted water
live rock
on a 20 gallon I would have a skimmer, but doesnt have to be a great big expensive one
phosphate remover
probably nitrate remover
test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphates, ph

So, hope that helps - what are you thinking?

Seffie x

thanks for the info Seffie

i'd have live rock in the tank

i got 2 pet shops by me and one hasnt got saltwater fish but one has got some not alot but a few

i'd have to look in the paper to see if there's any tanks for sale before saying how big it will be

would all that stuff be expensive ?

 

[ben1987]

She means 20/30 gallons not liters

It would be pretty expensive, not much in this hobby is cheap

 

[seffieuk]

Well, i suppose it is all relative, but its not cheap - however it can be real fun collecting the stuff over time whilst you plan (Ben has been doing just that). there are some great bargains out there at the moment However stay away from ready made set ups, you often end up with stock you dont want and all sorts of problems

Take a look at second hand orca 550 and rio 125

Seffie x

 

[daniel_2kaii9]

well i can get a 28 US Gallon tank from the pet shop that will cost £40 i think (i got the same tank and im useing it for tropical fish)

would i get this stuff from pet shops ?

Refractometer to check sg of water
two power heads to give approx 15 x turn over round your rock
sand - aragonite
good magnet cleaner, blade is best
heater
water container
spare heater and powerhead to heat and or mix salty water
salt or buy salted water
live rock
on a 20 gallon I would have a skimmer, but doesnt have to be a great big expensive one
phosphate remover
probably nitrate remover
test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphates, ph

 

[seffieuk]

From a good one, but most of us buy on-line, its cheaper and you get better choice

Seffie x

 

[Doph89]

I have a 40litre nano reef tank which has been happy and healthy for 6 months now (with fish, spent 6 months before adding stuff/setting up). I just added seachem matrix, seagel, and purigen into the filter. I don't do water changes, just a top up occasionally and change the filter media as per box.

I put live sand in and live rock and have a few corals, 2 peppermint shrimp, a blue eyed tiny dartfish and a psychedelic dragonet.

I take some water to my LFS about once a month to check salinity etc, this means you can avoid buying a lot of test equipment, but test nitrite every week at home.

I don't use a skimmer, but this depends on what you feed I think as some food seems to make water a lot 'dirtier' than others.

I wouldn't buy too much to begin with, just start with the basics and buy extra things if you feel you need them, for example, only buy a skimmer if you think your water quality is too poor without one, don't put one on just for the sake of it.

 

[seffieuk]

to TFF and the salty side of the forum

With the greatest of respect your tank and maintanance routine is a disaster waiting to happen!

It is true to say that small tanks do not need a skimmer as water changes take care of removing undisolved organics etc but on a larger tank a skimmer imo is a must!

It is also true that you can save money by going to the lfs for test results, but many of us would only ever do this to check our own results as they are not exactly reliable in some places

You have a dragonet in your tank - please consider rehoming before it starves to death unless of course you have a large copepod culture set up?

You mention you should test nitrite at home every week - if your tank is cycled you shouldn't have any nitrite!!

Thank you for posting but please be careful about the help you give to new salties

We would love you to introduce yourself and your tank, tell us all about your plans

Seffie x

 

[Doph89]

First off, I understand your shock - most people react the same way to lack of wc, but I have set this tank up the way it is on the advice of my LFS who has had the same tank with the same maintenance successfully for 2yrs+, my water is extremely stable, hence why I only test every month. Also, the nitrite test is done weekly to make sure uneaten food etc isnt causing it to creep up on me due to the small size of the tank.

There is no way the dragonet is going to starve as it is eating extremely well, fed on live copepods, and also loves the live brineshrimp i put in for the dartfish, sometimes choosing this over copepods. It also has its pick of nauplii and rotifers (all live) that go in for the corals, along with phyto.

I know it sounds like a disaster and I was as unsure as you about it when it was recommended to me because it goes against the way I've always done things with fish in the past, but when I saw how much faster the tank stabilised and remained healthy without wc and how much happier the fish are without being disprupted every week I decided to keep it up. I waited 2 months before putting anything other than rock and sand in to make sure it was all ok and then introduced first corals, then inverts, then fish, all very steadily and have had no casualties or problems (except a nasty crab that snuck in and ate some polyps).

I'm curious as to what you expect to crash, do you have a lot of experience with nano tanks? Any potential hurdles I should be aware of I am extremely grateful to hear about!

But please be open minded and I feel that maybe using the LFS for tests etc is a cheaper alternative to purchasing a lot of equipment that would be a waste if someone decided not to pursue the hobby, these are things that can be bought at a later date when you're sure saltwater tanks are something for you.

As far as plans go, I think I'm about stocked up for the mo, but am considering upgrading to a 100litre or so and putting a few seahorses/pipefish in with current stock

 

[-Nemo-]

First off, I understand your shock - most people react the same way to lack of wc, but I have set this tank up the way it is on the advice of my LFS who has had the same tank with the same maintenance successfully for 2yrs+, my water is extremely stable, hence why I only test every month. Also, the nitrite test is done weekly to make sure uneaten food etc isnt causing it to creep up on me due to the small size of the tank.

There is no way the dragonet is going to starve as it is eating extremely well, fed on live copepods, and also loves the live brineshrimp i put in for the dartfish, sometimes choosing this over copepods. It also has its pick of nauplii and rotifers (all live) that go in for the corals, along with phyto.

I know it sounds like a disaster and I was as unsure as you about it when it was recommended to me because it goes against the way I've always done things with fish in the past, but when I saw how much faster the tank stabilised and remained healthy without wc and how much happier the fish are without being disprupted every week I decided to keep it up. I waited 2 months before putting anything other than rock and sand in to make sure it was all ok and then introduced first corals, then inverts, then fish, all very steadily and have had no casualties or problems (except a nasty crab that snuck in and ate some polyps).

I'm curious as to what you expect to crash, do you have a lot of experience with nano tanks? Any potential hurdles I should be aware of I am extremely grateful to hear about!

But please be open minded and I feel that maybe using the LFS for tests etc is a cheaper alternative to purchasing a lot of equipment that would be a waste if someone decided not to pursue the hobby, these are things that can be bought at a later date when you're sure saltwater tanks are something for you.

As far as plans go, I think I'm about stocked up for the mo, but am considering upgrading to a 100litre or so and putting a few seahorses/pipefish in with current stock

You test for nitRITe but not nitRATe? NitRATe will be the one to slowly creep up especially with all the nutrients you seem to be putting into a very small tank.

Water changes do not just reduce your nitRATes, the salt also buffers your pH and KH, adds calcium and other trace elements into the tank that things like the corals need. Without adding those and corals and everything else using it up along with a steady rise in nitRATes, that will be what eventually crashes your tank.

 

[Doph89]

I am not a newbie to the hobby, just to the site and saltwater tanks. I do know the difference between nitrite and nitrate. In my experience fish can tolerate a higher level of nitrate than nitrite, and nitrite normally rises before nitrate giving a good indicator if there is a problem about to occur, hence why I test that weekly and everything else monthly.

I know corals need supplements and I have a very good understanding of nutrition. I supplement my tank with a range of things such as strontium and iodine in order to keep my corals happy.

I know the feeding seems on the heavy side, but due to everything being live it does not just sit there polluting the water if it doesn't get eaten, it just carries on swimming around until it is eaten. Also, I know I feed a large variety, but not a huge amount of each thing.

Also feel I should add that my nitrates are consistently 5ppm and my nitrites undectable, with the water having been tested at LFS yesterday. They have been stable at these levels since 2months after set up (thats 10 months now), and I only experienced a very slight increase after the introduction of new livestock with it dropping back down after 2-3 hours.

I do appreciate advice, but again, can people please try be open minded!

Thanks

 

[RadaR]

I think it's an interesting method, Doph89. Hope it all works out for you (seems to be so far).
Just like say to the others (although I'm sure you do know this) that Mandarins can live in small tanks successfully if they are used to taking frozen/live food. All the Mandarins we used to get at the LFS from TMC quite happily took food added to the tank. Fat little buggers they were too. TMC would keep them until the Mandarins had learnt to do this.

The only thing I can see a problem is if you're only topping up with RO (yes?) and not doing water changes then slowly the total alkalinity would fall if no additives were introduced?