beginner

Andyneored5

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Mar 12, 2004, 3:12:48 PM3/12/04

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I have kept cold water and tropical fish with some success, and i really
want to go into marine keeping but only really have room for a three foot
tank, i have spoken to many people who have kept marine fish before and they
always say bigger is better.. I just wanted views from other people... I
really don't know where to start apart from the fact that i want to keep
anemone and clown fish along with having live rock.....

How hard is it really to keep marine fish?
What kind of equipment will i need?
Is there a site for beginners on starting up?

Thanks

Andy

Kelly

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Mar 12, 2004, 5:16:35 PM3/12/04

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> How hard is it really to keep marine fish?

I went from tropical to marine and I wouldn't say it is
harder but it is more of an investment for equipment and
live stock.

> What kind of equipment will i need?
> Is there a site for beginners on starting up?

A great site for information is http://www.reefcentral.com
this is really the best on the net also check Marcs page it is
a goldmine of info http://www.melevsreef.com/

Welcome!
Kelly

Chris Taylor

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Mar 12, 2004, 3:19:08 PM3/12/04

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Welcom to the NG

"""How hard is it really to keep marine fish?"""

Not as difficult as people think. A three footer is at the lower end of the
scale, my first was around 120 liters (about 30 Gallon). But...As the water
is full of salt, it is less likely to absorb other polutants and requires a
little more effort in the area of testing and water changes. Also mixing
seawater can be time consuming ( a few hours every couple of weeks). Algae
outbreaks are also more common, and more of a nuisance. Disease cannot
easily be controlled as in freshwater as the chemicals used tend to kill
corals and amenenenenomes (I'll get it right someday). It is more rewarding,
as are most things that take a little more effort. Best you visit the local
library and do some reading before stepping in though, just so that you can
pick up on the variancies from your existing experience. You'll find that
many here also started out with freshwater and made the transition.

"""What kind of equipment will i need?"""

The best you can afford usually. It can be done with plain old canister
filters (like mine) although some here (with the room) prefer to use a sump
arrangement. Some on this NG have links that should describe the sump
arrangement (http://www.melevsreef.com/make_a_sump.html) , if not it should
be in that book at the library

Lighting is really important. If you are using an existing freshwater tank,
you may need to modify the lid to accomodate more intense lighting, or
alternatively you will need Metal Halide (MH) if going for light demanding
corals; MH can be expensive.

"""Is there a site for beginners on starting up?"""

http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/melevsreef/overview.htm
http://www.reefaquariumguide.com/
http://reefcentral.com/

Good luck with the hobby.

Regards

Chris

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Chris Taylor

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Mar 12, 2004, 3:22:31 PM3/12/04

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And I forgot:- You'll be needing a protein skimmer to remove some of those
fishy induced polutants.

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PaulB

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Mar 12, 2004, 9:52:23 PM3/12/04

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It depends on how you define hard. You need to learn a lot, but it isn't
much work really.

A 36" tank could be as large as a 65 gallon.

http://www.alysta.com/books/fishtank.htm

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reefman MC

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Mar 12, 2004, 10:49:08 PM3/12/04

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I think practice makes perfect when it comes to keeping fish. You may
kill a few things your first few tries, but you'll get it in time. Also
be very careful buying corals and fish can be very addictive and may
take a toll on your finances.

--
reefman MC
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Marc Levenson

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Mar 14, 2004, 5:52:17 AM3/14/04

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Andy,

You've already taken a step in the right direction. Coming here for feedback to
your questions is very smart on your part! Several people pointed you to my
site, and I do hope it helps answer some of your questions.

I've had a 29g tank for over 6 years. It is 30" wide.

Marc

Andyneored5 wrote:

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Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com