Taking The Saltwater Plunge!

[Ludwig Venter]

The scenario is that I want to do it, but I do not think I'm qualified,... (only 40 odd years' freshwater experience)...... I am willing to experiment on small scale first (I've got a standard 3ft available)... I'm far from any centres where any stocks are available... (so may be time consuming between steps)....

The punchline is that you are going to guide me through the whole process, & I'll give the feedback when the next step is in position... (anyone with a spare 3ft tank can join in and also follow the process)

Step 1..... I have an empty 3ft tank. Suggest to me, what gravel, heaters, filters, water chemicals, and other "starter" issues I should get......(Once I get it, I'll proceed to Step 2... setting it up)

 

[Truck]

YAY i knew you would ludwig i think this will be a great move and once this one is running im sure youll make use of ANY spare tank

firstly you should look for

coral sand
power heads equating to roughly 20-30X turn over
live rock (will go in once water is in)(but if you go fish only you wont need any as you will use a filter)
seeing as your in SA and im guessing the trip to your LFS is far? you should buy and RO unit if you wish to keep corals
you will need good lighting if you want corals
salt (reef salt if you want corals)
a protein skimmer (optional but may inhibit algae)
a spare power head for mixing salt
refractometer
an algae magnet
a bucket for mixing salt
water carriers if necessary
Phosphate remover


the live rock acts as filtration so we need a volume before we can say how much LR you need.

Ludwig...i believe this will be one of the best choices you ever make in fish keeping, it will bring hours of entertainment, but will drain your resources money wise so buying second hand is always better.

if theres anything ive missed somebody will fill me in

 

[bronzecat]

Hi Ludwig

Welcome to the salty side The first thing you need to decide is what do you want to keep? FO = fish only; FOWLR = fish only with live rock, or a Reef with corals.

This will determine what equipment you will need

 

[seffieuk]

Well I never did - you are coming over to the salty side

Seffie x

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Hi Ludwig

Welcome to the salty side The first thing you need to decide is what do you want to keep? FO = fish only; FOWLR = fish only with live rock, or a Reef with corals.

This will determine what equipment you will need

I did mention that I've got a 3ft setup available for the experiment,.... so suggest ... Should it be a FO, or a FOWLR??.... & please... since I'm a newby... the abreviations should be limited....

 

[Truck]

Hi Ludwig

Welcome to the salty side The first thing you need to decide is what do you want to keep? FO = fish only; FOWLR = fish only with live rock, or a Reef with corals.

This will determine what equipment you will need

I did mention that I've got a 3ft setup available for the experiment,.... so suggest ... Should it be a FO, or a FOWLR??.... & please... since I'm a newby... the abreviations should be limited....

FO=fish only
FOWLR=fish only with live rock
but my personal fave is reef!!
so if you went fowlr and later decided you wanted corals, just make sure your lighting is enough for that coral and you should be able to keep it dependant on difficulty etc

LR=live rock
RO=reverse osmosis

albeit more expensive a FOWLR will make it easier to add corals in the future

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I know my wife is absolutely hooked on the little Mandarin, so anything in the line which would accommodate these.

 

[Truck]

I know my wife is absolutely hooked on the little Mandarin, so anything in the line which would accommodate these.

IMO a Fowlr would be good for a mandarin as it gives them places to perch and places for cope pods to thrive. you will need to wait a year before adding a mandy, and you will need to have an established colony of pods ready for feeding

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I know my wife is absolutely hooked on the little Mandarin, so anything in the line which would accommodate these.

IMO a Fowlr would be good for a mandarin as it gives them places to perch and places for cope pods to thrive. you will need to wait a year before adding a mandy, and you will need to have an established colony of pods ready for feeding

Huh!!!.... a year!!???.... already I'm loosing interest!!!

 

[Truck]

I know my wife is absolutely hooked on the little Mandarin, so anything in the line which would accommodate these.

IMO a Fowlr would be good for a mandarin as it gives them places to perch and places for cope pods to thrive. you will need to wait a year before adding a mandy, and you will need to have an established colony of pods ready for feeding

Huh!!!.... a year!!???.... already I'm loosing interest!!!

worth every minute in some peoples opinion, and i bet you want clowns too

 

[Ludwig Venter]

[/quote]
worth every minute in some peoples opinion, and i bet you want clowns too
[/quote]

Obviously!

 

[Truck]

worth every minute in some peoples opinion, and i bet you want clowns too

Obviously!

nobody can resist clowns!

theyre a good hardy starter fish and contrary to belief do not need an anemone

 

[bronzecat]

Hi Ludwig

Welcome to the salty side The first thing you need to decide is what do you want to keep? FO = fish only; FOWLR = fish only with live rock, or a Reef with corals.

This will determine what equipment you will need

I did mention that I've got a 3ft setup available for the experiment,.... so suggest ... Should it be a FO, or a FOWLR??.... & please... since I'm a newby... the abreviations should be limited....

Thats why said what each meant

 

[Ludwig Venter]

YAY i knew you would ludwig i think this will be a great move and once this one is running im sure youll make use of ANY spare tank

firstly you should look for

coral sand
power heads equating to roughly 20-30X turn over
live rock (will go in once water is in)(but if you go fish only you wont need any as you will use a filter)
seeing as your in SA and im guessing the trip to your LFS is far? you should buy and RO unit if you wish to keep corals
you will need good lighting if you want corals
salt (reef salt if you want corals)
a protein skimmer (optional but may inhibit algae)
a spare power head for mixing salt
refractometer
an algae magnet
a bucket for mixing salt
water carriers if necessary
Phosphate remover


the live rock acts as filtration so we need a volume before we can say how much LR you need.

Ludwig...i believe this will be one of the best choices you ever make in fish keeping, it will bring hours of entertainment, but will drain your resources money wise so buying second hand is always better.

if theres anything ive missed somebody will fill me in

OK then... Looking at this recommended shopping list, what would I be catering for???.... FO, or FOWLR?

 

[Truck]

YAY i knew you would ludwig i think this will be a great move and once this one is running im sure youll make use of ANY spare tank

firstly you should look for

coral sand
power heads equating to roughly 20-30X turn over
live rock (will go in once water is in)(but if you go fish only you wont need any as you will use a filter)
seeing as your in SA and im guessing the trip to your LFS is far? you should buy and RO unit if you wish to keep corals
you will need good lighting if you want corals
salt (reef salt if you want corals)
a protein skimmer (optional but may inhibit algae)
a spare power head for mixing salt
refractometer
an algae magnet
a bucket for mixing salt
water carriers if necessary
Phosphate remover


the live rock acts as filtration so we need a volume before we can say how much LR you need.

Ludwig...i believe this will be one of the best choices you ever make in fish keeping, it will bring hours of entertainment, but will drain your resources money wise so buying second hand is always better.

if theres anything ive missed somebody will fill me in

OK then... Looking at this recommended shopping list, what would I be catering for???.... FO, or FOWLR?

FO:
filter (external)
Coral sand
power head small
another spare for mixing salt
marine salt
algae magnet
PO4 remover
NO3 remover (cheato)
water carriers
RO machine
buckets
test kits for ammonia nitrite, nitrate, PH and phosphate
FOWLR:
the above plus (excluding marine salt and filter (external))
more power heads
LR
editmarine salt thanks rabbut


anything ive missed people will fill in