I am a beginner - A few questions.

[oscarlikesfish]

Hello! I have recently (as in the last week or two) been interested in buying some saltwater fish. I have already watched a lot of youtube videos to know that it will require regular maintenance. I have not bought anything yet, however I am very interested in a Nano tank that is 63 liters, (around 16.5 gallons for Americans.) It is priced at 1,050 dirhams which is 285 dollars. It comes with a skimmer, LED lamp, glass cover, filter and it looks very good in my opinion.

(Sorry the layout messed up) So my question here is: Is this a good tank for a beginner? Yes, I know that freshwater is easier and better for beginners but I am dedicated to constantly maintaining the tank/fish/coral etc.

Sorry this is so long, but one more question. Can anyone suggest some fish that look nice, (I know that keeping fish is not just for that), also have a good lifespan (preferably 5 years+ ) and lastly not too much maintenance as I am still a beginner? Thank you so much! If anyone wants to just in general give me some tips that would be great! I am only 15 so please don't be too harsh xD (Yes I have time for cleaning tanks and etc)

 

[LindaJanie]

I've never done saltwater, but I've been keeping fish for 50 years (started in elementary school) & have learned a few things.
Number 1: Read, read, read ~ not what's online but what's been written by the experts. There is too much misinformation or incomplete information online. When I was your age, I poured over the books of Dr. Herbert Axelrod (we had no internet, hah hah). To this day, I use what he taught me.
Number 2: Learn your ideal water parameters, and then test your water daily as if it were your religion. Bad water causes more "disease" than we have room to talk about.
Number 3: Practice all your test procedures & get the routine DOWN before you put a living thing in your tank.
Number 4: Figure out the best saltwater fish store in your area and USE it. Listen to the experts there, especially for advice on fish compatibility. Other people's experience can spare you many heartaches.
Number 5: Start small with a few inexpensive species. You've got your whole life ahead of you to specialize & get into the difficult & exotic species.
Number 6: Resist the temptation to overfeed (I still have to remind myself of this).
Number 7: Watch expert videos on YouTube. Don't be shy about starting with the ones aimed at "beginners." In fishkeeping, we're all beginners of a sort; I'm dealing w/ a surprise tank of blue gourami fry (hundreds of them) & freely admit I've never raised anabantid fry before!
Number 8: Practice tank cleaning & maintenance BEFORE you buy any fish. Number 9: Make sure your tank is properly cycled & settled before adding living things.
Number 10: Avoid overcrowding. This is both to insure water quality and also to minimize stress on your creatures. Looking at others' tanks, I sometimes think they underestimate how stressed many species are in a tank with inadequate hiding places. Stress kills people, and it kills fish, too. There's a professional on YouTube who says his success began when he learned to 'think like a fish' ("become the fish" is his saying). Mine, too. Some species need to swim a lot. Others need extra hiding places. Fish who need to school, well, they need to school. Fish who hate their own species need to be kept alone.

I know that's a lot, but if you do it right from moment one ~ once again ~ you've got decades upon decades to enjoy it more and more. My fish bring me the same joy now as they did when I was ten years old, only more so. Best of luck to you, Linda.