I Have A 30g Tank

[keesh121]

i know its recomended i have bigger for a starter marine tank

but i am just searching options for the tank at the moment

i have no equipment for it so can people please advice as what costs/outlay i would have to look at for starting a tank please

 

[Jodie]

Hi Keesh121,

I think the first thing most people would do is suggest reading, reading and more reading. There are some really good stickies at the top of this forum for beginners.

I have just set up my first marine tank which is 33 gallons, and although it is daunting, as long as you do alot of planning and research I don't belive it would be to small.

You will need to be prepared for quite a bit of setup cost though.

In addition to the powerhead and heater which came with my tank I have had to purchase:

1 x protein skimmer - £90
1 x additional powerhead - £15 your tank needs to turnover about 12x total volume per hour, about 340gph
2 x additional heaters - £10 each. 1 for a backup and one for mixing your saltwater
1 x RO (reverse osmosis) unit. Not essential but highly recommended. - £60
At least 30lbs of Live Rock (I think 1 - 1.5lbs per gallon is recommended. This acts as your filtration
2 x additional light tubes (1 - White, 1 - Actinic) - (If you want to keep Coral you need to look at Metal Hallides (V Expensive).

You will also need:

Sand
Salt
Hydrometer (to measure the water salinity/specific gravtity) - A Refractometer is preferred but they are alot more expensive
Patience
Patience
Patience

Something which is also important to take into account is the cost of the fish compared to FW. You are looking at about £15 for a small fish like a Clown, upwards to £40 for a Tang (although you wouldn't fit one in a 30gal). If you want to keep corals they can also be quite expensive.

Having said all that, I definately think it is a worthwhile investment. I have only had my tank set up a few weeks and I love it. Can't wait until its started to mature.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Navarre]

good advice from Jodie.

Remember that the larger tank you get the much much higher the initial expense insetup will cost. I think 30 gallons is a good starter size. My first tank was 40 gallons (UK) and its ideal for a beginner. You only pit trap is to find the right fish for a tank this size. Its all to easy for thelocal shop to sell you a fish that seems small but its requirements are totally unsuitable for a tank of this size. Always be mindful of the requirements of the stock you are getting and the tank will reward you for it.

 

[keesh121]

good advice from Jodie.

Remember that the larger tank you get the much much higher the initial expense insetup will cost. I think 30 gallons is a good starter size. My first tank was 40 gallons (UK) and its ideal for a beginner. You only pit trap is to find the right fish for a tank this size. Its all to easy for thelocal shop to sell you a fish that seems small but its requirements are totally unsuitable for a tank of this size. Always be mindful of the requirements of the stock you are getting and the tank will reward you for it.

i only want a few clown fish i think they are the cutest

 

[Jodie]

From what I understand, in a small tank, it is best to only keep a pair of clown fish, as they are known for being hostile to others (clown fish that is).

There are plenty of other smaller fish you can keep. Probably no more than 5 though in a 30gal.

Something like:

Royal Gramma
Six-Line Wrasse
Firefish?

I would always advise that before you purchase any new additions, that you ask or research into their compatibility with the other fish you are keeping.

Of course you can also keep quite a few inverts, crabs, snails, shrimp, starfish etc...