OK so I want a saltwater tank

[smb7676]

I have a few fresh water tanks but what I really want and have wanted for ever is a salt. But everytime I start to look into it I get frustrated and my head feels like its going to spin. I keep hearing how easy saltwtr tanks are now days but any reading I have done doesn't make it look that way. So how hard is a salt water tank And how much cash should I have ? My LFS said I'd need a proten skimmer and qoted me like 500 dollers for one. If this is the min you can get one of those things then I think I'm out before I start.So what equipment do I need that is dif than fresh water ? Any info would be great !!!!

Ok I just read the pinned "MY very own nemo fish" and now I have not a clue how or why any of you salt water guys do it!!!!! The fish are way cool but oh my god!!!! More power to all of you. I think I'll just buy a yellow tang costume for my neon tetras.

At least until I can rob a bank and marry a chem major.

But I really love those mandarian fish. Maybe I'll bump my head tonight and forget that $ equals food and go buy me a setup.
Still if you have anything to add I'd love to hear it cuz I'm not sure how long I can pretend to not want one

 

[ess17]

Well, I just started a 29 Gallon and it doesn't have fish in it yet, so I don't want to tell you that it is easy quite yet . I will say though that you should read parker 313's thread titled "Nano Tank Diary" (or something close to that). Parker has done a great job of listing how much the trips to the LFS were. You won't be able to talk yourself out of it so get as big of a tank as you can afford, but make sure you plan some money in to the budget in case something happens. I had a tank crack this weekend and had to replace it immediately

 

[chkltcow]

$500 is about right for a skimmer...... to run a 500 gallon tank For a small tank, you're looking at somewhere around $100 for a skimmmer probably... including the pump to run it. It's cheaper than that if you use something like a Red Sea airlift skimmer.

Equipment cost isn't the problem on saltwater tanks.... it's what's INSIDE that adds up

 

[steelhealr]

Hi SMB....I am two weeks into setting up my 24G Nano Cube....and YES..it is much more work than FW, but, you can get yourself into a rhythm to do it. Let me give a few examples how SW differs:

1) you must mix up SW and heat it prior to every change (you CAN make up some in bulk and store it to save time)
2) evaporation causes the salt concentration to increase so you must 'topoff' the tank with pure water during the week (however, there are automated topoffs)
3) SW livestock and corals need attention...some feeding techniques are required if you desire certain corals
4) unless you buy your 'pure water', you must make it first to mix the SW
5) requires more equipment with a price tag

just a few examples...the cost is much more that FW. My FW tank is on autopilot...besides feeding, my weekly water change is it (well...for the most part).

As a side...a mandarin goby can be one of the most difficult fish to keep in a small tank. If I can be of any help, let me know.

Parker DOES have a great link...I set one up as well if you want to get an idea of how to go about it. Good luck. SH

 

[smb7676]

As a side...a mandarin goby can be one of the most difficult fish to keep in a small tank. If I can be of any help, let me know.

Yeah I heard the a mandarian fish was a bit tricky. But that is my luck I only fall in love with the hardest, or pricest fish out there!! When I started my FW I fell for the roseline shark. about $30-40 US and they are a shcooling fish.

My lfs said a mandarian was tricky cuz it ate something (can't remember the name) that only really happens in a well established tank. and then on top of it I was told you could only have a pair!! But I like both the pychadelic ( spelled way wrong) and the spotted. So I have to choose one, get a huge tank or setup 2 tanks is that right?

I guess I'll have to start looking at some equipment prices and prob start this ball a rolling!!

 

[chkltcow]

Mandarins only eat "pods"..... copepods and amphipods. Both require a well established tank, and hopefully a refugium where they can hide and increase their numbers. I've never heard of Mandarins having to be kept in pairs though. All the fish stores around here have them by themselves in tanks.

 

[Navarre]

you will need a huge amunt of liverock to sustain a single mandarin let alone a pair! Mandarins usually need around enough liverock for a 100 gallon tank so i usually recomend 100 gallons worth of established tank for a mandarin. you can of course keep them in less if you have an endless supply of pods. A pair is perfectly acceptable in a tank but they have to be male female (female has a lower less pointed dorsal fin). IF you have 2 fish of the same sex then they will fight. its great to have a pair of mandarins because you then get to see their courtship dances and these are fascinating to watch.

 

[smb7676]

you will need a huge amunt of liverock to sustain a single mandarin let alone a pair! Mandarins usually need around enough liverock for a 100 gallon tank so i usually recomend 100 gallons . you can of course keep them in less if you have an endless supply of pods.

OK
Thats like a 1000.00 just in Live rock!! OMG You said that I could go with less if I had an endless supply of pods. How would one go about that. Cuz if I can't find a supply of pods. I may be going to the lawn and garden section of my hardware store and getting a folding chair and just bringing it to my LFS, and sitting in front of the mandarian tank. I'm sure they wouldn't care.
I read the post that said you would sink a ton of $$$$$ into a SW tank but a 1000.00 in rock I'm not sure my heart can take that.
S

 

[Navarre]

Liverock is mainly used as a filter. Now in a tank that is roughly 30 gallons this means about 30lbs of liverock.But the problem now arrises with adding a mandarin.. They require specialist feeding and this means Copopods and Amphipods. (Its possible to get mandarins on frozen food buts its extremly rare and hard to do).

Now as this fish eats only 1 food source this means it feeds all day long grazig on any pods its finds (they really are greedy little eaters).
100lbs of liverock is usually considered the nomral requirement for a mandarin because any less will allow the mandarin to wipeout the entire pod population to a level where the mandarin will starve itself to death.

Yes there are ways around this. A refugium is the best way (i dont advise sumps as the pods simply wont migrate) as this gives a place for pods to breed and mulitiply in safety without fear of predation from fish. As the refugium is higher than the tank then a simple gravity feed means that a regular suply of pods will always filter down into the main tank without getting mashed by impeller blades from a sump pump.

If a refugium is not possible and you cannot afford the quantity of rock, perhaps a search for a mandarin that can be seen as feeding before you purchase would be the next best bet. If you have your heart set on this fish then its important above all other fish you will add to make sure its feeding requirements are addressed before adding.

Lastly.. If you do decide to get a mandarin then wait for about 6 months for the rock to settle and pod life to stabalise before introducing one. Adding one too early can unbalance the delicate life cycles of these pods and cause starvation.

 

[steelhealr]

SMB....welcome to the deep pocket world of marine tanks. This is NOT a cheap hobby. Just look at your water changes...you now have to add salt to the water and salt mix costs. Unfortunately, there are just some areas here that you can't cut corners...lighting is one. You can make your own live rock if you want, there are many links to find out how, or buy an online pdf file (http/www.thelebos.com), but, I don't think that there is anything better than real LR (if my wife saw my charges for my tank, I'd be sleeping on the couch, LOL). SH

 

[canyoubelieveit]

Unfortunately, there are just some areas here that you can't cut corners...lighting is one.

Lighting doesn't matter too much if you don't want a reef. I'm running my tank on fluorescents for now and everything seems fine... of course I'm only beginning!

I do plan to upgrade my lighting as soon as I feel my tank has matured properly...
Look around for cheap prices on LR. I found 2 people in my area that are getting rid of their tanks and they are selling their LR for 3 dollars a pound!
So... 100 lbs. of LR = 300 dollars! I have read that 75 lbs. of LR is enough for a mandarin, so... 75 lbs. of LR = 225!!!!! (of course, this is if you are patient enough to wait for a good deal!)

Start buying things little by little and eventually you will have everything you need to get going!

Good luck!