well, ive noticed alot of people coming on here with no clue at all as to what you will need to start a saltwater tank, so i hope this will help anyone that reads it, and maybe it could be stickied so people would be able to access it whenever they want without digging through old posts. i will try to make this as helpful as possible, and if i forget anything then please feel free to add something to the list.
Tank - bigger is better, most people prefer long deep tanks as opposed to short, thin and tall tanks, you have more room to aquascape and fish will enjoy the extra lateral swimming space.
Stand - you want to make your tank look presentable, so you will need a stand, most people like stands big enough to put smaller tanks in for a sump or a refugium, also its nice to have a place to store all of the food, treatments, and other things that will be scattered about.
Hood/Lights - if you are using the original hood for your tank, it will probably not be enough light to keep corals, it may however be enough light if you are looking to set up a fish only tank. there are retrofit kits available that you can squeeze a couple compact flourescent light bulbs into that you could use for lowlight corals. there are also light fixtures available that have the compact flourescent light bulbs all in 1 fixture and you can order legs that will fit your tank, so no hood is needed except for a glass barrier between the tank and the light.
Salt/Water - this one is kindof a no brainer, you are going to need salt, and water for the tank. for most brands of salt they require about a 1/2 cup of salt to every gallon of water, RO/DI (Reverse osmosis/Distilled) water is preffered over tap water, as tap water may contain elements that can harm your tanks ecosystem. remember to follow directions on the salt, different manufacterers vary with their amounts and times needed to mix salt.
Hydrometer/Refractometer - Hydrometers and Refractometers are used to measure the salinity of the water, hydrometers are cheaper and less reliable (you will more than likely have to takeseveral tests to determine the correct salinity) and refractometers are more expensive but they are alot more reliable, however, from time to time you will have to have them calibrated.
Test Kits - you will need some sort of test kit for testing the different levels in your tank. most test kits come with a way of testing for ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. you will also need to test for PH, and calcium levels.
Heater andThermometer - most climates would need your tank to have a heater, most tanks should be between the 76-80 degree range (farenheit)
Substrate - sand or crushed coral, most people will choose sand over crushed coral. the reason is crushed coral can, over time, disrupt your levels and cause swings. another option is going bare bottom, no sand or crushed coral at all. alot of people have used this method with great success but it is not as popular as having a substrate.
Live Rock - live rock is rock taken from the ocean, that is, well, live! it has small organisms and other creatures living on it that eat various sediments and wastes in the water, and act as a biological filter. there are many different styles, sizes, and locations to get live rock from. live rock needs to be cured on arrival if you are ordereing from an online retailer. if you buy live rock from your LFS and they have had it in their tank, it should already be cured, and if you dont have it out of water for more than hour, your cycle and curing process should be minimal.
Protien Skimmer - a skimmer is sortof like a filter. it mixes air and water to produce a foam, the foam is then overlfowed into a collection cup where you can dump it out. the foam contains nutrients and wastes in your aquarium. a skimmer is not needed but is generally considered a necessity for a reef tank.
Power heads - a powerhead is a small submersible pump used to create currents in your tank. you will need to have a decent amount of current to prevent 'dead spots' in your tank, these places that get no current may be overrun by cyanobacteria. most corals and fish appreciate a good current.
Optional Equipment:
Digital Camera and/or Good Scanner - i wanted to put this at the top of this list, but it is not neccesary to keep a succesful SW tank, but if you need and ID on something and need to ask for a 2nd or even 3rd opinion, pictures are worth more than a thousand words, and it is another way to show off your tank.
Calcium Reactor - a calcium reactor is generally not needed unless you have a large tank with lots of corals. CO2 is injected into a tube that contains material that is rich in calcium (pretty much crushed coral). with the addiciton to the CO2, the PH is lowered to about 7, at this PH the calcium dissolves into the water and the water is then added to the system with a large amount of calcium added.
Sump - a sump is a seperate tank, generally attached to a Refugium (see below). the sump contains a return pump, water from the tank flows into the sump/refugium via overflow and then is pumped back into the tank. sumps are a good way to add water volume to your system.
Refugium - a refugium is generally attached to a Sump (see above) and is a safe place to produce amphipods and copepods and house beneficial algae that you may not want in your tank. generally considered a 'safe house' there should be no fish or predators in the refugium. a reguigum is also a good place to hide equipment like skimmers, heaters, and other misc. things you may not want cluttering up your tank.
Quarentine tank - or 'hospital tank' , is used to house new fish before adding them to your main tank, or to treat sick fish/corals.
Thick wallet - SW can be expensive, well, it IS expensive. smaller tanks can be made on a budget, you can get alot of good equipment that has been used by other people that are getting rid of their tanks, you may even be able to score a whole setup for cheap from someone who is looking to get out of the hobby, but i think it would be more fun to build your own system.
Patience - patience is key. a good quote that i read somewhere goes like this 'nothing good ever happens fast in a saltwater aquarium' the person who said that is absolutely correct. allow 4-6 weeks to add fish from the start of your tank, less if the rock is cured. use your test kit to tell when ammonia and nitrates are at 0.
i tried to make this an un-biased and informative as possible, no 'i did this' or 'this worked for me' because i feel that is not a good indication of what is good practice of a saltwater tank.
if i forgot anything or made a mistake please feel free to add on to the list or correct me. i hope this helps!
-David
Tank - bigger is better, most people prefer long deep tanks as opposed to short, thin and tall tanks, you have more room to aquascape and fish will enjoy the extra lateral swimming space.
Stand - you want to make your tank look presentable, so you will need a stand, most people like stands big enough to put smaller tanks in for a sump or a refugium, also its nice to have a place to store all of the food, treatments, and other things that will be scattered about.
Hood/Lights - if you are using the original hood for your tank, it will probably not be enough light to keep corals, it may however be enough light if you are looking to set up a fish only tank. there are retrofit kits available that you can squeeze a couple compact flourescent light bulbs into that you could use for lowlight corals. there are also light fixtures available that have the compact flourescent light bulbs all in 1 fixture and you can order legs that will fit your tank, so no hood is needed except for a glass barrier between the tank and the light.
Salt/Water - this one is kindof a no brainer, you are going to need salt, and water for the tank. for most brands of salt they require about a 1/2 cup of salt to every gallon of water, RO/DI (Reverse osmosis/Distilled) water is preffered over tap water, as tap water may contain elements that can harm your tanks ecosystem. remember to follow directions on the salt, different manufacterers vary with their amounts and times needed to mix salt.
Hydrometer/Refractometer - Hydrometers and Refractometers are used to measure the salinity of the water, hydrometers are cheaper and less reliable (you will more than likely have to takeseveral tests to determine the correct salinity) and refractometers are more expensive but they are alot more reliable, however, from time to time you will have to have them calibrated.
Test Kits - you will need some sort of test kit for testing the different levels in your tank. most test kits come with a way of testing for ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. you will also need to test for PH, and calcium levels.
Heater andThermometer - most climates would need your tank to have a heater, most tanks should be between the 76-80 degree range (farenheit)
Substrate - sand or crushed coral, most people will choose sand over crushed coral. the reason is crushed coral can, over time, disrupt your levels and cause swings. another option is going bare bottom, no sand or crushed coral at all. alot of people have used this method with great success but it is not as popular as having a substrate.
Live Rock - live rock is rock taken from the ocean, that is, well, live! it has small organisms and other creatures living on it that eat various sediments and wastes in the water, and act as a biological filter. there are many different styles, sizes, and locations to get live rock from. live rock needs to be cured on arrival if you are ordereing from an online retailer. if you buy live rock from your LFS and they have had it in their tank, it should already be cured, and if you dont have it out of water for more than hour, your cycle and curing process should be minimal.
Protien Skimmer - a skimmer is sortof like a filter. it mixes air and water to produce a foam, the foam is then overlfowed into a collection cup where you can dump it out. the foam contains nutrients and wastes in your aquarium. a skimmer is not needed but is generally considered a necessity for a reef tank.
Power heads - a powerhead is a small submersible pump used to create currents in your tank. you will need to have a decent amount of current to prevent 'dead spots' in your tank, these places that get no current may be overrun by cyanobacteria. most corals and fish appreciate a good current.
Optional Equipment:
Digital Camera and/or Good Scanner - i wanted to put this at the top of this list, but it is not neccesary to keep a succesful SW tank, but if you need and ID on something and need to ask for a 2nd or even 3rd opinion, pictures are worth more than a thousand words, and it is another way to show off your tank.
Calcium Reactor - a calcium reactor is generally not needed unless you have a large tank with lots of corals. CO2 is injected into a tube that contains material that is rich in calcium (pretty much crushed coral). with the addiciton to the CO2, the PH is lowered to about 7, at this PH the calcium dissolves into the water and the water is then added to the system with a large amount of calcium added.
Sump - a sump is a seperate tank, generally attached to a Refugium (see below). the sump contains a return pump, water from the tank flows into the sump/refugium via overflow and then is pumped back into the tank. sumps are a good way to add water volume to your system.
Refugium - a refugium is generally attached to a Sump (see above) and is a safe place to produce amphipods and copepods and house beneficial algae that you may not want in your tank. generally considered a 'safe house' there should be no fish or predators in the refugium. a reguigum is also a good place to hide equipment like skimmers, heaters, and other misc. things you may not want cluttering up your tank.
Quarentine tank - or 'hospital tank' , is used to house new fish before adding them to your main tank, or to treat sick fish/corals.
Thick wallet - SW can be expensive, well, it IS expensive. smaller tanks can be made on a budget, you can get alot of good equipment that has been used by other people that are getting rid of their tanks, you may even be able to score a whole setup for cheap from someone who is looking to get out of the hobby, but i think it would be more fun to build your own system.
Patience - patience is key. a good quote that i read somewhere goes like this 'nothing good ever happens fast in a saltwater aquarium' the person who said that is absolutely correct. allow 4-6 weeks to add fish from the start of your tank, less if the rock is cured. use your test kit to tell when ammonia and nitrates are at 0.
i tried to make this an un-biased and informative as possible, no 'i did this' or 'this worked for me' because i feel that is not a good indication of what is good practice of a saltwater tank.
if i forgot anything or made a mistake please feel free to add on to the list or correct me. i hope this helps!
-David
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Great post phantom
