Thinking Of Setting Up Marine

[jenny6165]

ive currently got a 30 gallon freshwater community tank, and plan to set up a brackish tank for my puffers.

ive decided i have space for a trigon 350, about 76 UK gallons, or 79 US gallons. i understand this is a good size for a marine tank.
question i have is, how much will it cost to set up, not inc the tank, cos the tank will cost me about £700.
is it far more expensive than freshwater setups?
also, could i use the filter media from my freshwater aquarium to help cycle the tank?

now so far ive done no research into this as of yet, so have no idea what type of fish i would even like to keep, altho i do like the look of the lion fish?? but to be honest i havent researched it, so maybe its not much of a community fish or gets too big.

id quite like something of an oddball setup, but how realistic is this.

anyway, if anyone can give me some advice, its not something i have the money for just yet.. im waiting for an insurance settlement on a motorbike i had stolen in september, so should be getting about £1000 for it. but i will have extra money by then from xmas etc and my own wages. but thats a base starting.
im looking at more the cost of setup minus the fish.

 

[Marcos]

Hi, I'm pretty much in the same position as you. I think is a bit more expensive in terms of equipment required, (protein skimmer, sump) water changes (RO water may be required) and the fish seem to be more expensive. Can anyone tell me if salt is required for new water during a water change?
I have been told live rock isn't neccesary to start with as long as you have plenty of biological filtration. (the standard Juwel filter won't be enough by itself) If this is so I've been wondering like yourself if the biological filters can be jump started using filter media from a tropical filter?
I was also told that RO water isn't absolutely neccesary if the total disolved solids in your tap water is less than 10ppm? I've just ordered a TDS meter so I can find out.
I know live rock is the best filtration and I'd like to gradually build a collection of it until I can loose one of the biological filters but I can't afford a huge amount straight away.
I've read about various products for cycling the filter (I assume ammonia based) and that black mollys are one of the few fish that can be conditioned to live in a tropical or marine setup. With this in mind once the filter was cycled I was planning of adding (conditioned) black mollys and ensuring they were quite happy before I added anything more expensive!
Sorry about the hyjack, I thought they be questions you are also interested in!

 

[jemram]

You could go about it three ways. One thing you will need is an RO unit for water (around £100, maybe less).

The cheapest way would be to just add a good 'hang on back' protein skimmer (£200ish), run the Juwel filter and change the light tubes for marine white and actinic (blue) tubes. I've run a fish only marine tank (Juwel Vision 260) in just this way successfully, but there are two better ways.

Firstly the natural method:
I'd keep the Juwel fliter in place, but use it to provide mechanical and chemical filtration if and when required. For biological filtration you can use liverock. For a 350 litre tank you will need around 50kg of live rock (around £500). Add to that a good protein skimmer, two or three powerful powerheads to circulate water and change the light tubes and you should be set. The liverock will need to cycle the same as any other filter.

Secondly the less natural method (and for a fish only marine tank my perferance):
Remove the Juwel filter and have an overflow box installed in the back corner so you can run a sump. In the sump fit a skimmer and a good biological filter unit. Something like the Aqua Medic Marin 500, which comes with a good skimmer, would do a great job CLICKY. Then after the filter in the sump I would add a couple of fluorescent freshwater tubes over an area to grow 'cheato' macro algae. This will control nitrates and phosphates from the water (a problem in a fish only tank) and you just prune the macro algae when needed. This method will also give you alot more swiming room.

Lion fish are great community fish other than they will eat smaller fish whole. The smaller fish dont have to be alot smaller than the lion either to be eaten. They are also venomous, the spines on there back are like hypodermic needles. Most likely not fatal but VERY painful. You are unlikely to get stung, they dont go for you.

You cannot use matured freshwater filter media to help cycle as it's different bacteria.

Can anyone tell me if salt is required for new water during a water change?

Yes you do, you need to mix the new water to the same salinity as the tank water.

this is so I've been wondering like yourself if the biological filters can be jump started using filter media from a tropical filter?

No you cant, the filter will cycle on it's own though with no need to add media from a mature filter, just as freshwater will.

I was also told that RO water isn't absolutely neccesary if the total disolved solids in your tap water is less than 10ppm? I've just ordered a TDS meter so I can find out.

You WILL need RO. They only cost around £75 anyway.

 

[sparklefuzz]

Firstly, 76 uk gals is more like 90 us gals... but anyways...

I'm setting up a 40 uk gal tank, no sump, a skimmer, liverock, RO unit, aroganite sand.. and the rest of the usual bits and pieces... my list so far (not including tank) tallies to approx £650.

You have a bigger tank, and liverock is your main expense... mine for 40g is £190... so you can add another £180 ish to the £600 for you.... you'd need a bigger skimmer... more sand, more powerful powerheads etc etc etc, I reckon, at a guess you'll be looking at at least £1000. If you're wanting a sump... even more money. This is all before you add livestock..

I hope this helps.

Oh, and yes, salt is needed for every water change

 

[SkiFletch]

Firstly, 76 uk gals is more like 90 us gals... but anyways...

I'm setting up a 40 uk gal tank, no sump, a skimmer, liverock, RO unit, aroganite sand.. and the rest of the usual bits and pieces... my list so far (not including tank) tallies to approx £650.

You have a bigger tank, and liverock is your main expense... mine for 40g is £190... so you can add another £180 ish to the £600 for you.... you'd need a bigger skimmer... more sand, more powerful powerheads etc etc etc, I reckon, at a guess you'll be looking at at least £1000. If you're wanting a sump... even more money. This is all before you add livestock..

I hope this helps.

Oh, and yes, salt is needed for every water change

Some fantastic advice there, and probably right on the money price wise. Check your kidney's at the door

 

[sparklefuzz]

Firstly, 76 uk gals is more like 90 us gals... but anyways...

I'm setting up a 40 uk gal tank, no sump, a skimmer, liverock, RO unit, aroganite sand.. and the rest of the usual bits and pieces... my list so far (not including tank) tallies to approx £650.

You have a bigger tank, and liverock is your main expense... mine for 40g is £190... so you can add another £180 ish to the £600 for you.... you'd need a bigger skimmer... more sand, more powerful powerheads etc etc etc, I reckon, at a guess you'll be looking at at least £1000. If you're wanting a sump... even more money. This is all before you add livestock..

I hope this helps.

Oh, and yes, salt is needed for every water change

Some fantastic advice there, and probably right on the money price wise. Check your kidney's at the door

Why thank you, I do try. (oh, and I sold my soul, not my kidneys )