I'd like to start a marine tank
Trevor
marine tank.
I have a spare 4'x20"x18" tank is this large enough?
What basic necessities are there to keep some very beginner SW fish?
Hold on, what are beginner sw fish?
I am thinking of Clowns are they easy?
Do I have to have a wet/dry filter or will canisters and hang ons do?
What is the best way to get the water.... Purchase SW or I have heard of
additives that make SW?
Ideally, once I get the hang of SW I would really like to keep Sea Horses.
Thanks.
John Bignell
Trevor wrote:
> I currently have many FW cichlid tanks and would like to start a small
> marine tank.
If you can keep Cichlids then you will have no problem with marine. I have
had my first Marine tank set up now for about five months now and have only
lost one crab since I started.
> I have a spare 4'x20"x18" tank is this large enough?
I got a 10 gal. everyone told me that was crazy, and it is because if you
have a problem it spreads fast throughout the system....but I keep my water
clean and watch my nitrates and temp.
> What basic necessities are there to keep some very beginner SW fish?
Clowns are great.....they haven't died on me yet! I would start with some
crashed coral for my gravel and then go get some live rock...not much is
needed. Then let your aquarium set for a week or two....then add fish. If you
can keep the fish alive then started looking at up dating your lighting
system and start adding live coral.
>
> Do I have to have a wet/dry filter or will canisters and hang ons do?
I started with a canister filter and now just have a aquaclear 200 on the
back of the 10 gal.
> What is the best way to get the water.... Purchase SW or I have heard of
> additives that make SW?
buy the bag salt...and mix it yourself
> Ideally, once I get the hang of SW I would really like to keep Sea Horses.
Ya same here I think seashores are cool, but I have since learned that they
are really slow and dull animals to have in the tank. You will enjoy the
clowns they are great to watch. Plus the animals you get on your live
rock....I got snails and starfish.....there is so much life in marine tanks
that I almost sold off my freshwater fish so I could set up marine only
tanks....
good luck...Saltwater fish are great fun ...and really expensive ...but worth
it!
John
Larry Miracle
My personal experience is that keeping fish only systems is harder
than keeping a reef, or reef like tank (rock tank).
I set up five or six fish only tanks only to take them back down after
six months because I couldn't stand the brown algae covering
everything.
Having live rock and a deep sand bed makes a world of difference.
Also being able to keep some easy corals and invertebrates is very
nice.
I've had my current set up for almost two years with no problems.
I have heard that tangs kept in reef tanks are a lot less likely to
get marine ick.
The one I have is very heathy.
Even if you don't want a reef, having live rock and sand is a very
healthy way to keep marine fish and the rocks look very natural and
offer the fish places to hide and they feel more comfortable.
It is expensive but if you shop around and only buy a few pieces at a
time you can fill you tank with rock over time.
Eventually you will want about one pound of rock per gallon of water.
But the fish are small when you start the aquarium and you have time
to add more rock as time goes by.
The rock may be cheaper than a new wet/dry filter.
A lot of people that used to use wet/drys on their reefs are not using
them anymore and there are used ones around that can be bought cheap.
Some places sell "base rock" cheaper that would be great for a fish
only system.
With live rock you don't get the nitrate build up a wet/dry and other
filters would.
I only do 10% water changes once a month in my lightly stocked 95g.
You may want to try easy corals or invertebrates over time as well.
You CAN use sugar fine sand from the hardware store for your deep sand
bed and seed this with sand from a established reef tank.
The folks that work at the fish store may tell you it has to be
aragonite sand (very expensive) but if you do your research you will
find that grain size is more important than mineral composition as
long as the material is inert like silica.
Silica sand will not leach silica into the water anymore than aquarium
glass that is also made from silica.
(This is what they tell you before they sell you $500 dollars worth of
sand.)
Silica sand is inert.
Again, do your research!
There are a lot of people using deep sand beds in the reef group.
They work the same for fish only systems as rock will.
The deep sand (4-6") has similar qualities to the live rock and the
organisms that live in it will eat and cycle uneaten food.
Anaerobic bacteria living in the deeper layers of the sand and rock
will actually denitrify the water.
The only filtration I use besides rock and sand is a good skimmer.
The most important piece of equipment you will buy will be your
skimmer so don't skimp on this.
Most filters remove organic particles out of the tank but the tank
water continues to cycle though the filter as waste breaks down and
they will add ammonia and nitrite right back into the water.
Eventualy they will convert ammonia and nirite into nitrate but too
much nitrate isn't really good either.
A good skimmer will remove organic particles out of the system before
they break down and can go a very long way towards keeping ammonia and
nitrite levels close to zero, without nitrate build up.
Before you buy any fish or start to set up a marine tank, get the best
skimmer you can afford.
Plan on spending $150 -250 for a good one.
Then you could add some sugar fine sand to the aquarium ($5 for 50#)
and a few pieces of live rock to start out.
A few power heads to move the water around is beneficial.
Don't forget to seed the sand with sand from a friends aquarium when
you get a chance.
Larr
jl1...@webtv.net
I'd like to start a marine tank
Group: rec.aquaria.marine.misc Date: Sat, Nov 24, 2001, 1:51pm (EST+16)
From: trev...@hotmail.comREMOVE (Trevor)
marine tank.
I have a spare 4'x20"x18" tank is this large enough?
What basic necessities are there to keep some very beginner SW fish?
For a FO tank, A basic tank and lights, A W/D filter, a protein
skimer, Water test kits, salinity gauge, heater, thermometer, substrate,
and decorations or hiding places, a few good books like The
Conscientious Marine Aquarist, by Robert Fenner and The Marine Aquarium
Handbook by Martin Moe. Also a small Qtank may be invaluble and may save
some lives if needed. Andmst of all lots of patients
Hold on, what are beginner sw fish?
I am thinking of Clowns are they easy?
There really arent any beginner fish. Some are hardier then
others, but they should all get the same respect while in your care.
Yes, Clowns are easy but so are most fish if kept in the proper
conditions. The key is to learn as much about a particular fish before
purchasing it. You need to learn basic conditions and necesaties,
species compatability, and health concerns. You will want your fish not
to just be alive, but to thrive in your tank.
Do I have to have a wet/dry filter or will canisters and hang ons do?
IMO, a WD is much more effective, it will give you much more
surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonise. With a WD you will
utalise a larger pump then with a canister, meaning your water will turn
over much faster. Also a WD will increase your O2 levels, and it never
has to disturbed like a canister. Every time a canister is cleaned you
loose valuble nitrifying bacteria.
What is the best way to get the water.... Purchase SW or I have heard of
additives that make SW?
Depending on your water source, you may only need to add a
comercial salt, like Instant Ocean or equivelant. Get out the test kits
and check out your tap water. Check for chlorine, Nitrates, phosphates.
If your water checks out in accebtible levels then that will be fine for
a FO system. Most people in this hobby utalize an RO system for the
purest water.
Ideally, once I get the hang of SW I would really like to keep Sea
Horses.
Take oe step at a time...LOL. and READ, READ, READ. In this
hobby knowledge is your best tool. Best of Luck...........Jeff
Mikal Fisher
for about 3 months and is filtered with a Bak Pak II skimmer and an
Aquaclear 300 with foam on the intake and filter box.
The mollies have given birth to fry, and everything seems fine. Does
that mean its okay to introduce true salt water fish. Thanks
jl1...@webtv.net
Re: I'd like to start a marine tank Related question
What do your test kits say? When you stock your tank, do it
slowly and you will be fine.
Jeff
Group: rec.aquaria.marine.misc Date: Sat, Nov 24, 2001, 5:56pm (EST-1)
From: Ani...@webtv.net (Mikal Fisher)
Mikal Fisher
and Ph. What others do you suggest. My fresh water tank has been so
stable that I got out of the habit of testing the water.
jl1...@webtv.net
amonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, chlorine (if needed) and a salinity
tester.