Marine setup

[tropicaldream]

Thanks for the link Whacky but I think that I will need to save my money for quite a while first or get things bit by bit.

Speak soon

 

[whacky]

Doh scared em all off

Dont let that price list scare you off it can be done cheaper

 

[tropicaldream]

I am not scared off just a bit skint at the moment so will need to save or get bit by bit.

 

[Great Lakes]

Donna, bit by bit, that is how I did it. Before you know it, you have enough stuff to start....

 

[William]

I intend to also set up a reef tank but it's always in the future 3 fish tanks in a flat is not good so I'll have to wait.

 

[tropicaldream]

GL

What is the minimum equipment that i would need to be able to set the tank up.

Many thanks

 

[Great Lakes]

Donna, let me check some UK sites to see what is available. Are you/do you have a handy person to do a little building, say for a light hood?

 

[tropicaldream]

GL

Yes i do have a handy person when i let him out that is lol

Speak soon

 

[Will]

Hi if you want a marine tank, i would say go for it,
Here is some info for anyone thinking of setting up a marine tank
Setting up a marine aquarium, the basic outline

The thought of setting up a marine aquarium can be rather daunting. However , there is a lot of help available in one way or another. Before setting up your marine aquarium I strongly advise you to read one of the many books available on the subject, this will help you if you are not 100% sure you can manage to keep a marine aquarium.

Having read about the subject, the next stage is to decide whether you feel confident enough to own and maintain your marine aquarium. The aquarium must be sited away from draughts and room heaters, as these can cause the temperature to fluctuate in the aquarium, which can greatly affect the health of the fishes and invertebrates. Do not position the tank in direct sunlight as this will cause unsightly algal growth and the temperature to rise. To make sure of even support to the base of the aquarium it is recommended that you place your aquarium on a layer of polystyrene at least 12mm (half an inch) thick. The minimum recommended size for a marine aquarium is 36"x12"x18". The greater the size the better, the more water you have in your aquarium the more stable the conditions are likely to be.


Lighting available for the aquarium is most commonly metal halides which are expensive to run, and easy to install. The lights should be switched on for approximately 10 hours per day.
Most marine occupants require a water temperature of 26°c. It is important to choose the right size heater for the size of aquarium. Heater thermostats should be placed at the back of the aquarium at an angle of 45° in an area of good water movement to ensure that the heat is distributed evenly throughout the aquarium,or in a sump

Filtration in the aquarium has two main functions. Firstly it removes pieces of suspended debris from the aquarium water. Keeping the aquarium water clear (a process known as mechanical filtration). Secondly, it also removes harmful pollutants from the water, fish waste (a process known as biological filtration). The second will only work in a mature filter. It can take 8-10 weeks for a marine aquarium filter to mature, only at this point is it advisable to add any fish.


Most filters work in very much the same way, by water being pumped through the filter media where it takes out the suspended matter and secondly the media provides a large surface area on which friendly bacteria live. It is these friendly bacteria which remove the harmful fish wastes from the water. You will need more filtration in a marine aquarium than you do in a normal tropical tank. External filters have more room for different types of media. These are placed outside the aquarium.

A protein skimmer is a must for a marine aquarium. This will remove pollutants that other filters will not remove. Position the equipment towards the back of the aquarium. Heaters and filters should be attached to the glass using the suction cups provided. The wires from these can be connected to a cable tidy to reduce the number of unsightly wires and plugs needed. Air pumps should be positioned above the level of the water unless you are using a Check Valve in the air line to stop water from siphoning out of the tank into the air pump.
When landscaping the tank try to hide any equipment in the tank using the rocks. Fill the aquarium using R/O water.There is an alternative to tap water----This is R.O. water ( reverse osmosis water) which is devoid of all impurities. You can add the salt at this point or wait until the water has reached the correct temperature, it is best to not put too much salt in at first as you can add some more later, the water will read different salinity levels at different temperatures, it will take approximately 48 hours for the salt to fully dissolve. This is checked by a hydrometer. When setting the aquarium up from new, you can add maturation fluid to help start your filter more quickly with the friendly bacteria.

Once fitted, all of the equipment should be turned on and left running for 24 hours a day except for the lighting. Do not switch on the heater until it is fully submerged. First check the salinity and temperature after 24 hours, and again at 48 hours, from here adjust the temperature and salinity until the desired levels are achieved. You must not add any fish in to the aquarium until the maturation period is complete, then you can only add one or two at a time, you have to build up your stocking level over a period of time. You will need to test the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels during the maturation process, the ammonia and nitrite level will both rise and fall in turn during the maturation process, after the nitrite has risen and fallen back to 0ppm it is only then safe to add any fish.

Hope this helps

cheers will