new and need info

[Tim Francis]

I have been keeping tropical fresh water fish for about 5 years now and I am
thinking of making the leap into marine reefs (on a budget). I have always
been put off by the reputation that marine fish keeping is much more
expensive and complicated. On visiting a store that mainly stocked fresh
water tropical, I noticed that there was a small marine aquarium setup in
the corner. This tank did not have the array of expensive equipment that I
have come to associate with marine aquaria. The man in the store informed
me that the only equipment in the tank was an undergravel filter powered by
an air stone and a small pump at the back of the tank that supplied good
circulation. The tank was probably 1m long and 40cm tall. I could see in
the tank a few anemone, a greeny brown polyp, a bottom dwelling fish (brown
but pretty), and a small blue and purple fish.

After my ramblings, here are my questions :) Is this type of low tech setup
a good starting point for a total beginner?

Also how much light will I need to keep anemones and polyps. I have 3, 18w
fluorescent tube fittings (no tubes yet). will this be enough?

When keeping fresh water tropical I can tell the quality of my water simply
by observing the inmates and the algae growth. If the tank is looking a bit
green then it is time to do a water change. I understand that during the
maturing of the tank test kits are necessary but is this the case once
every thing is running smoothly.

Your experience is valued
Thanks
Tim

[Matthew Awbrey]

I swear I've read this very same post a few months ago. Anyhow, I'll to try
and answer some of your questions Tim. Undergravel setups are for the most
part considered to be outdated with the introduction of fluidized sand
filters for the hobbiest along with protein skimming. Also, along with the
use of live rock and/or live sandbeds and/or deep live sandbeds to aide in
the removal of nitrates which undergravel filters do not accomplish well
enough, if really at all. The use of an undergravel filter will work in the
marine fish only aquarium. However, they are considered to be very
maintainance intense. They're fine if one carries out a strict water change
schedule in order to remove the high amount of nitrates that a tank with a
high bio-load or fish load using an undergravel filter tend to produce.
Nitrate levels that many consider to be acceptable for systems containing
fish only, would be too high to successfully keep most invertebrates. Even
though this LFS (local fish store) had anemones and polyps in this
undergravel tank and despite the fact that many such species of polyps and
anemones are able to tolerate higher levels of nitrates, in the long run
these animals would surely suffer because of the presence of nitrates that
water changes alone cannot keep up with. Chances are your LFS did not plan
on keeping these animals for months or years on end. Therefore either he/she
wasn't aware of the stress these animals were most likely under and/or, out
and out did not care to care about. Tim, before you go out and attempt to
care for a reef system, please take the time to understand fully what it
takes to keep reefsystems. For the most part they cost 10 to 25 times what a
freshwater system would cost. Not only in setup costs but in upkeep and
maintainance costs as well. Reefsystems are not for the novice or even the
intermediate hobbiest. Most here had been keeping marine fish only systems
for many years before feeling they possessed the skills and knowledge one
must have to be a successful reefkeeper. Hang out here in the NG for a few
months and you'll begin to understand the amount of money it takes as well
as the complexities involved in successful reefkeeping.
"Tim Francis" <tima...@ukonline.co.uk> wrote in message
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[Jeff Compas]

The post that Matt refers to a few months ago was mine. :o)

I had the same experience as you. The local Petco happens to have a Salt
water section. I was buying supplies for my FW tank, and became enthralled
with the marine fish. I have since then purchased some books and have been
studying pretty thoroughly. This news group is a GREAT source of
information for people like you and me.

Here is my advice to you.

1. Buy "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael S. Paletta. This is a GREAT
book, that has instilled a large amount of confidence in me. The book is an
easy read, the methods described in the book are straightforward, and it is
clear that you and I will be able to keep a marine tank.

2. Don't be in a hurry. From what I have read over the past few months, it
seems that there are a few basic things that you MUST understand about
keeping a marine tank that are very different than freshwater. Taking the
time to really understand these few simple but REALLY IMPORTANT differences
will make all the difference in yours (and I believe my) experience.

3. Don't be intimidated. It seems like there is a TON of information out
there, and it might be easy to get overwhelmed. From everything I have read,
it seems that consistent attention to a few simple things will go a long way
toward having a successful aquarium.

4. Don't give up! The more people like you and me who enter this facet of
the hobby the better.

btw, the local Petco sold me the paletta book. After reading it, I went
back again and was SHOCKED at the amazingly poor treatment of the specimines
in their tanks. Ironic that they helped to educate me about how to keep
saltwater fishes, and they do such a poor job of it!

--jeff

"Matthew Awbrey" <maw...@home.com> wrote in message
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[Matthew Awbrey]

Cheers to you Jeff
"Jeff Compas" <jeff....@claredi.com> wrote in message
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