hi guys im thinking about setting up a sw tank. ive had freshwater tanks for years now and i want a change. i was wondering what kind of tanks you guys have set up and how you have done it. i know there is a lot of work involved in a saltwater tank but im up to the challenge. i was thinking about getting a 55g or something bigger but i have no clue how to stock these things so if you guys ciould share your tanks with me that would be great!
Saltwater Tanks
- Thread starter fishfanatic1415
- Start date
well right now i have a 10 gal tank with 8 lbs of live rock and 10 lbs of sand, its still cycling. just got some crabs in it.
55 gal should be a nice setup, are you thinking of going with a reef or FOWLR? youll be spending alot of money and youll be waiting a really long time, just keep that in mind.
55 gal should be a nice setup, are you thinking of going with a reef or FOWLR? youll be spending alot of money and youll be waiting a really long time, just keep that in mind.
if your going to have a 90 gal, your gonna need alot of LR, at least 1 lb per gal, and for filters, im not sure exactly what model, but your gonna want a big filter that flows alot of water, and youll need a couple powerheads
im relatively new to the sport, so im not sure of evertything, but i have read alot about what other people have done and stuff like that, reading always helps
im relatively new to the sport, so im not sure of evertything, but i have read alot about what other people have done and stuff like that, reading always helps
Nothing comes cheap when it comes to saltwater. A good ballpark figure I have seen tossed around is about $30 per gallon, but that can easilly double or triple depending on how you go about it.
What kind of equipment really depends on what you plan to keep, as Phantom already said. If you want a FOWLR setup, lighting isn't really much of a concern. If you want a reef, you will need metal halide (MH) lights with a tank that big. A protein skimmer is also pretty much a "must have" item, too.
There are many good books on the subject, and I urge you read at least one or two before you get started. There are a lot of things that come into play with saltwater that have little or no bearing in freshwater.
I'm not trying to discourage you, I just want you to know what you are getting yourself into.
What kind of equipment really depends on what you plan to keep, as Phantom already said. If you want a FOWLR setup, lighting isn't really much of a concern. If you want a reef, you will need metal halide (MH) lights with a tank that big. A protein skimmer is also pretty much a "must have" item, too.
There are many good books on the subject, and I urge you read at least one or two before you get started. There are a lot of things that come into play with saltwater that have little or no bearing in freshwater.
I'm not trying to discourage you, I just want you to know what you are getting yourself into.
i too have a 90g 350L tank that i want to setup as a sw tank one day, i currently have a eheim Pro II 2128 on order (has a heater in it) as soon as i get that ill serisly start the sw (about 2 months or so time <<getting it cheep from malaysia>>) my tank has a built in hood with 3 40W fluros i was talking to my LFS and they siad that i should get 3 marine glo (i think thats the name blue colour) in and it should be ok)
do i still need MH
and whats a FOWLR setup?
cheers
aron.
do i still need MH
and whats a FOWLR setup?
cheers
aron.
FOWLR means "Fish Only With Live Rock"
As the name implies, the main emphasis is on the fish, instead of the corals and other invertebrates that are found in reef tanks.
If you are leaning towards the FOWLR, your 3 flourescents should suffice. I would probably go with 2 x 10,000K and 1 x Actinic. Another good choice would be the so-called Actinic White or Coralife 50/50.
If you want to go reef, you would need at least 2 x 250 watt metal halides. 6-7 wpg is a good target.
As much as I like this website, I encourage anyone who is interested in getting salty check out some of the forums that deal with this subject in more depth. Click on the Aquarank Button, vote for this site and then check out some of the saltwater or reef specific sites.
I haven't really kept up with the advances that have been made in saltwater for quite some time. I used to have a 75 gallon fish only and a 20 gallon reef. I occasionally check in this forum to see if I can be of any help.
As the name implies, the main emphasis is on the fish, instead of the corals and other invertebrates that are found in reef tanks.
If you are leaning towards the FOWLR, your 3 flourescents should suffice. I would probably go with 2 x 10,000K and 1 x Actinic. Another good choice would be the so-called Actinic White or Coralife 50/50.
If you want to go reef, you would need at least 2 x 250 watt metal halides. 6-7 wpg is a good target.
As much as I like this website, I encourage anyone who is interested in getting salty check out some of the forums that deal with this subject in more depth. Click on the Aquarank Button, vote for this site and then check out some of the saltwater or reef specific sites.
I haven't really kept up with the advances that have been made in saltwater for quite some time. I used to have a 75 gallon fish only and a 20 gallon reef. I occasionally check in this forum to see if I can be of any help.
i cant seem to find anything about underwater MH, so i was wondering can you say have 2 or 3 MH pointing at a angle(45deg or whatever) from the top OUTSIDE of the tank through the glass and down there would be some sort of cover that would have to be made to cover the outside of the lamp and touch the glass to direct the light. would this work.
cheers aron.
cheers aron.
I can honestly say thet I've never even though of underwater MH lgihting. It doesn't sound a great idea. The moving plate/lights to simulate daylight cycle is done though be some people.
Do a bunch of research before you blow a few hundred dollars Aron, don't run before you can walk. Don't overcomplicate
Do a bunch of research before you blow a few hundred dollars Aron, don't run before you can walk. Don't overcomplicate
Even if you went with power compacts (which would cost more both in initial investment and long-term), you would need to cut some holes and provide a couple of cooling fans at the very least. Remember, we are talking about 500+ watts of energy here.
Like Wayne said: This is a serious undertaking and a substantial investment that shouldn't be taken lightly.
Like Wayne said: This is a serious undertaking and a substantial investment that shouldn't be taken lightly.
(i'm am in shock and deep envy) all pearls of wisdom have escaped me at this pointI have a 55 with FOWLR, It was freshwater, but I bought most of the stuff I needed to upgrade to salt off of e-bay. The only problems I had were the damsels I used to cycle..they ended up dying.....The fish I transfered from my 30 gal are doing great. I use Marin bio-calcium to promote crab molting and anenome health, plus you don't have to drip medicate it (just don't sprinkle it on snails directly or they get shocked).