Starting A Marine Tank

[The young one]

Yes of course it is - we all have a budget of some 'salt' sorry couldn't resist the spelling mistake.

You just need to be careful how you spend your money. Go take a look on ebay, there is a 180 on there at the moment, also several 125 tanks - if you decide to go this way, just ask the seller if they have ever used copper in their tanks

you could then use:
boyu skimmer, cheap but work
refractometer - christmas is on its way
bucket of salt
powerhead - probably a Koralia 2 - get these second hand
the rock - about £5 a kilo from someone breaking down a tank

If you go for a rio, ensure the tank has T5 tubes - the freshwater ones will be fine until you start to get corals

so, see this can be done in stages

buy:
the tank
then the power head - christmas present
refractometer - christmas present
salty water from lfs (borrow or loan the containers from shop)
live rock (my five footer was empty for ages before i found the rock)
test kits - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for now, maybe another christmas present

and away you go to cycle your tank - woo hoo


Don't be put off - its fun and whilst you are waiting you can research

seffie x

You've made it sound alot more simple now, I'll be researching alot over the next few months and I'll try and find the right tank for me.

Thanks alot Seffie
Joe

 

[seffieuk]

Iv'e edited my post above with a bit more info Joe AND why were you not in school young man?

Seffie x

 

[The young one]

lol, half term started on Wednesday.
My birthday is in March so not long after Christmas.

 

[seffieuk]

Ah mine starts on today woo hoo

Seffie x

 

[The young one]

Just told my dad and he seems to like the idea, he said I could move my betta tank downstairs and have the marine tank on the 3ft cabinet.
Could anyone recommend any good books?

Thanks
Joe

 

[seffieuk]

Must admit i got most of my start up info from on here, much chaper and then bought

Scott Michael 500 reef safe fish
a good inverts book, can't remember the name, but to be honest not really needed
a good coral book - Eric Bourneman

the best thing you can do is get yourself a notebook and pen and just read as many journels as you can try and get your dad more interested, he might chip in a bit then

seffie x

ps

shelaghfishface is selling a brand new refractometer

 

[The young one]

My dad seems quite interested so i'll keep giving him reminders about the tank
I'll get a notepad and have a good read of the journals.

Thanks for all the help Seffie
Joe

 

[seffieuk]

My dad seems quite interested so i'll keep giving him reminders about the tank
I'll get a notepad and have a good read of the journals.

Thanks for all the help Seffie
Joe

you are welcome show your dad how organsied you are being and show him you are commited and patient - look what happened when YF did the same his dad ended up on here with his own tank

Seffie x

 

[The young one]

I've asked him to convert our 3ft tropical downstairs to marine but he won't do it.
The juwel rio 125 will fit exactly on my cabinet, I don't think I'm going to go for corals, maybe after a few months I'll get some but they just look too tricky.
Could you please write a list of what I need to buy? Pretty please.

Thanks
Joe

Edit: My dad says that we could convert our tank downstairs to marine after christmas I'll still buy the equipment for it and I'll probably buy an orca to have in my gaming room once I'm a bit more experienced.

 

[seffieuk]

Rio 125 – T5 lights would be good (you will want corals – I bet)
20 kilo live rock
15lbs aragonite sand
Powerhead – koralia or Tunze = 2500 flow
Refractometer
Cheap skimmer (don’t have to have this)
Heater 1 watt per litre
Test kits, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for now
Water containers x2 25 litre
Empty salt water tub for mixing water of bringing up to temp.
Cheap heater for above
Cheap powerhead for mixing salt water (if you are going to do this) - spare handy to have anyway
Magnet cleaner
Salt – probably buy water mixed at shop to start
Fish food, frozen and flake
Siphon
Moonlights – can get them cheaply off ebay

Seems a lot, but most of us have to buy over several months, we just collect bits and then all of a sudden……………woo hoo, we have everything we need to start

Seffie x

ps bound to be something i have forgotten!!

 

[The young one]

Thanks for that, gunna print it off and put it on my board, then tick each thing when I get it.

Thanks
Joe

 

[The young one]

Which koralia powerhead would I need for a 240l tank? One at each end.

Thanks
Joe

 

[seffieuk]

Yes, one at each end - look to get the minimum of 4800 flow - that is 20 x 240

so you might get two x k3 or 1x 3 and 1x 2

seffie x

 

[The young one]

Yes, one at each end - look to get the minimum of 4800 flow - that is 20 x 240

so you might get two x k3 or 1x 3 and 1x 2

seffie x

Ok, I've changed my mind again, i'm going to go for the orca tl450...
I'll have enough money to buy two koralia nanos in 2 months, my dad said he'll get me the tank for christmas, I'll buy the refractometer after christmas and the sand.
I'll then start the cycle and wait until I have enough money for 10kg of live rock, is that the right amount?

Does that all sound ok?

Thanks
Joe

 

[seffieuk]

You will regret buying the 450 - get your dad to buy a second hand 550 instead - you are very limited in the 450

Seffie x