First saltwater tank... what do i do?

kickapebble

kickapebble

Small Fish
#1
Dec 5, 2007
22
0
0
Roseburg, Oregon
#1
I would like to get a 29G tank and use it for a saltwater tank. I like the simplicity of Wallmarts tank kits, though I would never buy fish from wallmart, unless to save em. The 29 kit comes with everything I need... for a fresh water tank, ie filter, heater, water conditioner... And all for a resonable price, $60.00 I love the local pet store here and I firmily believe in supporting it rather than the wallmart machine, but for prices, you can't beat wallmart. ( I do buy everything else from the pet store) Anyway, I would like to do this rite the first time so, can anyone give me an idea of everything I need? I want to do a mix of coral, polyp, anemone as well as fish, specifically 2 Ocellaris clown fish, one green and one spotted mandarin, 1 or 2 algae blenny, as well as some shrimp and crabs. Is this possible in a 29G? Thank you for all your help and Merry Christman and Happy New Year
 

BalaShark

BalaShark

Large Fish
#2
Dec 5, 2005
171
0
0
#2
Buy a tank only from your LFS, as the rest you'll throw away as it is useless for a SW setup.

To start, get yourself 2 heaters (100W each), ocean salt mix, live sand (enough to cover 3" of the tank bottom) & live rock (approx 1lb/gallon). Get yourself a saltwater refractometer (rather then a hydrometer, as you will replace it sooner then later).
Get a RO unit for good water quality, or buy you RO water for starters at your local grocery store. Believe it or not, I have been running my tanks for yours on well water, and will not switch to RO, but it depends on your water quality.
For a 29g tank, I would recommend a AquaC Remora™ Hang-on-Tank Skimmer, but then, it worked for me, and is only my advise. Get the tank home, put in the sand, LR, mix your SW to have a SG of approx 1.024 and fill the tank (water temp about 74dF).
Now you can start reading this forum , you have a lot of time while your tank cycles. :)

BTW, I don't think you have to get a drilled tank for a 29g, and the reason I say that is once the SW bug bites, you are on the dark side. Once there, you will find yourself upgrading to a much bigger tank and end up using your 29g for a sump tank or "hospital tank"

I forgot, get yourself 2 powerheads (MJ600's) are a good start. you'll need flow in your tank. A thermometer will come in handy as well.
 

Last edited:
Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#4
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#4
and for seconds and thirds. Do some reading and you will realize that your choices of both fish and anemones is not a prudent one. Two ocellaris clowns are fine in a 29g. The mandarins are defintely out as they will starve to death in short order in that size tank that isn't mature and doesn't have the pod (small plankton like food source for mandarins) population to keep one mandarin let alone 2. Next, clownfish do not require an anemone and ocellaris are symbiotic with carpet anemones and even then there is no guarantee that they will host in one. Carpet anemone get huge and become fish eaters so really aren't a good choice. Other anemones such as bubble tips, sebaes, long tips etc are very finicky and need pristine water conditions and high light intensity to survive long term in captivity. The water conditions in a 29g can swing easily in that low volume and unless the tank has been set up for at least a year I wouldn't even harbor the thought of trying to maintain an anemone it would be foolish at best.

Now go back to the top of the forum and read all the stickies, then read some more and more and more......then think about the long term committment and costs and we will see you here to answer any questions.
 

TRe

TRe

Elite Fish
#5
Feb 20, 2005
3,645
1
0
ft. lauderdale
#5
aside from the tank itself all that other stuff is useless ..... to start aside from the tank youll need a few powerheads, a minimum of 30lbs of liverock, and sand...... next the tank will have to cycle somewhere around a month ..... in that time if you plan to do corals of any kind you need to upgrade your lighting ;) btw that fish selection wont work .. you can do the pair of clowns and the blenny but not the mandrins or the anemone :p
 

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