Looking For Marine Tank Advice Please!

[helpsavesharks]

I have recently decided to purchase a marine fish tank, which is going to be built into the wall of my new home. I currently keep tropical freshwater fish, but know this will be a big jump.
As I am completely new to marine tanks, I was looking for some advice. They are obviously very expensive, so I had done some research and think I might get a Rio 400 tank which is 151L x 62H x 51W cm or (60.4" L x 24.8" H x 20.4" W). I have been asking around different suppliers and have been told to turn this tank into a marine tank I will require:

MCE600 Skimmer
T5 I Bar Light system with tubes
Tunze Turbellestream 6100
Magnet & Controller
Coral Sand

and either Salt and a RO Unit or Nutri Seawater (which is much more expensive).

I was just wondering if any of you marine experts could answer any of these questions for me please! Sorry to ask so much, but in the shops there seems to be very few people who actually know what they are talking about or keep marinr fish themselves, so I thought this would be the place to start.

1) Is all the equipment required to convert this tank into marine listed? Is there anything else I would need? What do these things do? Are they good enough for the size of the tank?
2) What is better the salt and RO unit or Nutri Seawater?
3) I have limited space in my flat, so was just wondering how water changes should be done? Does this require mixing tanks?
4) Once the tank is set up, is it quite self sufficient? Can if be left during holidays if automatic feeding eqipment is sorted out?
5) Do you think the size of the tank is suitable for marine? As I have been told if might be too narrow?
6) What is the difference between live rock and coral?
7) I will only be stocking my tank with captive breed species, as I do not believe we should be encouraging their removal for tropical reefs. Do you know of any good suppliers?
8) Can you recommend any better tanks suppliers? or books to help me?

Thank you so so much, your help and time really is much appreciated.

 

[SkiFletch]

1) Depends on what you want to keep in this tank? Fish Only, Fish Only With Live Rock, or a reef?

2) Salt and RO unit for sure.

3) Water changes do require mixing tanks. You can use whatever's convenient. Buckets, plastic bins, pretty much anything that's not steel

4) It CAN be left while on holidays. 2-3 day trips usually are no big deal, week and up holidays can get a little dicey depending on the livestock. There are means of automation out there though, and again, livestock choices will dictate how easy it is to leave the tank.

5) A very suitable size actually. Its a little bit on the narrow side, but I'd say it's just fine You may be slightly limited in aquascaping but nothing like trying to do that same length/height with a mere 12" width which I've seen some try...

6) Live rock is just rock full of algaes, sponges, bacteria, and other beneficial organisms to filter your tank. Corals are living invertebrates. Tough to really detail the differences without a book

7) In what part of the world?

Best beginners book if you ask me is "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner

 

[helpsavesharks]

Hi,

Thank you so much for your advice!

I'm looking to start by putting fish with live rock in the tank. and hopefully hope on to more then I get more experienced. I was planning to start with just clown fish, as I believe captive breed ones are easier to come across than other species, and they are quite hardy? but I would really like a puffer fish one day! i love them from diving! I would like to factor in the size of the equipment now though because the tank is being built into the wall, I need to plan to expansion!


I live in London, so would be looking for a supplier around the south-east of England. I believe most fish come off the reefs, does most of the coral sand and live rock too?

Oh O.k. I do understand the difference, between live rock and coral now. I just didn't know if it was an aqaurium term or not.

Thanks for the book reference I will look it up right away. Do you know any books which have references to how to built a marine tank into the wall? I have been given a quote to install it for £5,000! so I'm keen to try and do it myself!

Thank you once again

 

[@ombomb]

Clown fish, in general, are pretty hardy.

If you can be more specific about where you are I may be able to recommend a good shop or two.

 

[helpsavesharks]

Cool, I was hoping they were! I am SW11, between Clapham and Wandsworth common. Thank you

 

[@ombomb]

heh i used to live on Lavender Hill

Do you have a car?

If so, the best marine shop I've ever been to is about 25 minutes from you* in Wallington, Heritage Aquatics.

Maidhead Aquatics in Morden is fairly easy to get to from Clapham, you can get a bus from outside Clapham Junction station or get train to Morden if you don't drive.

*traffic permitting

 

[helpsavesharks]

Yep I do drive, so thats great thank you! Will try and visit on Sunday.

Thanks for your help, it makes a huge difference knowing where's worth going to!

 

[@ombomb]

You're right, the people at heritage are all very helpful and knowledgable, good stock, lot's of variety.

I used to live 5 minutes up the road from wallington, but moved about an hour away and will still drive up there specially to go to that shop.

 

[SkiFletch]

As for the whole building the tank into the wall thing, there's really no book on it and 5grand sounds a little expensive to me. With enough diy no how, you can figure it out. You basically build up a really strong wall and stick the tank in it. Easier if you have access to the foundation or course...