My First Saltwater Tank

[newfishaddict]

Hi, I have 4 fw tanks now. I am trading my 29g for a 55g and I am considering making it a salt water tank. I have read 4 books and lots on the net about salt water tanks. I TRIED, unsuccessfully, to convince myself that I like fresh water tanks better due to cost but now I have received a promotion....

I think I want a reef tank with appropriately stocked amount of fish.

Is a 55g ok?

What filter etc? would you get?

I have a rena xp3 in my 55g fw tank now, I have considered using that for a filter to save money, then adding two hang on the back filters for my now running fw tank....

 

[Lynden]

GO FOR IT. Setting up a saltwater tank was the one of the best things I ever did.

FW fish: 10000 species.
SW fish: 15000 species.

As well as there simply being more species of fish, the variety of saltwater far exceeds that of freshwater. Also, many of the unique freshwater species, such as Elephant nose or Knifefish, simply do not go well except by themselves. Many marine animals also have some of the most interesting and intruiging relationships of all animals, those which go far beyond the predator-prey relationships- called symbiosis. The only symbiosis I can think of in freshwater is bitterlings and oysters- not very many.

And the part about "all of the invertebrates you can put in freshwater"
If I even began to explain why this is incorrect, it would put freshwater invertebrates to shame.
There are around 3 million species of known animals on Earth... around 97% of these are invertebrates... around half of these are found in saltwater... almost all the other half are in terrestrial jungles.

Also, like Die_Grinder said, it's true, you get more life on a kilogram of LR than in 40 gallons of freshwater.

I do love my freshwater fish, but marines are better in all but one way: expense.

-Lynden

About the filters, you should get a new filter for saltwater. The nitrates that build up in freshwater filters will hurt marine tanks. For my 55 gallon (which is a fairly good starter size) I have 2 300 gph filters, one being an Aquaclear and the other being Whisper.

However, if you have the money, get a sump tank instead of filters. I don't like filter media, and in my AC 300 I have a mini-refugium, and I use Live Rock and sand for medium, instead of foam. In the whisper, I use charcoal, and temporarily Bio-Spheres. It's temporary because they work too well for the nitrogen-making bacteria to handle!

For saltwater, Live Rock (LR) does most of the filtering. You need at least 1 lb per gallon for proper nitrification and filtering. However, you must still provide the flow. You need at least 2 sources of turbulence in reef tanks. Also, you should get a protein skimmer for a reef tank. It helps the water.

Keep it up
-Lynden

 

[newfishaddict]

GO FOR IT. Setting up a saltwater tank was the one of the best things I ever did.

FW fish: 10000 species.
SW fish: 15000 species.

As well as there simply being more species of fish, the variety of saltwater far exceeds that of freshwater. Also, many of the unique freshwater species, such as Elephant nose or Knifefish, simply do not go well except by themselves. Many marine animals also have some of the most interesting and intruiging relationships of all animals, those which go far beyond the predator-prey relationships- called symbiosis. The only symbiosis I can think of in freshwater is bitterlings and oysters- not very many.

And the part about "all of the invertebrates you can put in freshwater"
If I even began to explain why this is incorrect, it would put freshwater invertebrates to shame.
There are around 3 million species of known animals on Earth... around 97% of these are invertebrates... around half of these are found in saltwater... almost all the other half are in terrestrial jungles.

Also, like Die_Grinder said, it's true, you get more life on a kilogram of LR than in 40 gallons of freshwater.

I do love my freshwater fish, but marines are better in all but one way: expense.

-Lynden

About the filters, you should get a new filter for saltwater. The nitrates that build up in freshwater filters will hurt marine tanks. For my 55 gallon (which is a fairly good starter size) I have 2 300 gph filters, one being an Aquaclear and the other being Whisper.

However, if you have the money, get a sump tank instead of filters. I don't like filter media, and in my AC 300 I have a mini-refugium, and I use Live Rock and sand for medium, instead of foam. In the whisper, I use charcoal, and temporarily Bio-Spheres. It's temporary because they work too well for the nitrogen-making bacteria to handle!

For saltwater, Live Rock (LR) does most of the filtering. You need at least 1 lb per gallon for proper nitrification and filtering. However, you must still provide the flow. You need at least 2 sources of turbulence in reef tanks. Also, you should get a protein skimmer for a reef tank. It helps the water.

Keep it up
-Lynden

Thanks for the reply! I think Im gonna do it but man! even the price of live rock is high... I wonder if I got 30lbs of high quality live rock, then add 30 lbs of "dead" but highly porus and permiable rock and let them cure for 5-6 months, does this make any sence?

Also what did you mean by "and temporarily Bio-Spheres. It's temporary because they work too well for the nitrogen-making bacteria to handle!" didnt understind this"work too well"

 

[Mr Miagi]

This thread is useful for understanding the use of external filters on marine aquaria.

If you cant afford all the Live rock, there are different grades of it available. Many hobbists buy "base rock" which is already seeded for underneath the expensive "top grade" live rock, which yoiu then place on top of the base rock.

You can buy dead, blanched, dead rock, but as youve noted, it takes many many months to gain the same amount of life as the real stuff. Not impossible though.