thinking of going saltwater

[Fishywishy]

I've never done a saltwater tank before. I would really like to take this 100gal I bought (acrylic) and make it a saltwater tank I think, but I know nothing.

I have the tank, stand, and a "up to 100gal" filter (which is relatively new, still has box,but had been used for a couple of months with goldfish)

Make a shopping list for me, so I can check online prices and see costs please. I'm ready the sticky and it's just going in my brain and muddling around not making much sense. (I don't mean fish... let's say I planned on putting a few clown fish(nemo) and a couple of those blue or yellow fish (dory) (sorry don't know the names of fish) What I'm looking for is a shopping list compared to what it would cost me to set up this tank as a fresh water.

What's a protien skimmer? (I mean it's purpose)

Give me an idea of care level. Like 25% water change once a week or every 2 weeks? Check same water parimeters as on fresh water every day? Check salinity once a day? I guess I'm looking for the level of care versus the fresh water.

One other thing, how do you mix the salt and water before you put it in the tank when doing a water change? Do you do 5 gals at a time with a bucket?

Sorry these probably sound like really dumb questions to you experts, but I'd rather know what I was getting into before I decide "oooo pretty fish, let's do salt water" and then end up killing a few fish, getting frustrated and turn it into a freshwater because I can't hack it.

Thanks!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

You probably won't want to use the filter, just some powerheads for moving water around. The majority of the cost is from the live rock (you want approximately 1lb/gal.) and protein skimmer. Depending on where you are, you will most likely do much better getting live rock from the internet rather than a store, since you can get it much, much cheaper online. Other things that you need for SW but not fresh are a good SW book, marine salt (obviously), hydrometer or refractometer, and a SW test kit.

A protein skimmer physically removes nitrates from the water, by making a bunch of bubbles which the nitrate "sticks" to and then bubbling them out of the water and collecting them for you to remove them. In other words, it actually takes them out of the water column, rather than just collecting waste in the filter but still having the nitrates present in the tank.

I use a 10g tank for mixing water for changes, you can also use a big rubbermaid tote or a strong, clean (ie, new) garbage can.

 

[kaihonu82]

as great as this forum is (and as much as it's helped me), I would also suggest going to the library and reading and re-reading any books on marine aquariums as you can.

the more you understand about salt water before you get started, the better

good luck!!

 

[kevin4052002]

...going to the library and reading and re-reading any books...

Make sure they aren't too outdated. This hobby has evolved quite a bit in the past few years.

 

[Lorna]

I agree with those who say read and research. If the information in the stickies is confusing you, you have not done enough research yet. This is a hobby not for the feeble of mind or pocket. It can be very expensive and if you make a bunch of mistakes it becomes more and more costly. This hobby should be a major committment. We are here to help as much as possible. I would suggest two books to read.... "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael Paletta and "The Concientious Marine Aquariust" by Robert Fenner. Both of these books are great for the beginner and give detailed equipment lists and explain everything that you need to know. Once you have read these you should have a clear idea of what equipment you will need. At that point approach the forums for opinions on prices and quality of equipment. We have all made foolish purchases and bought cheap equipment and can steer you in the right direction. It doesn't have to be intimidating or overwhelming, but research will save you both money and time in the end.....

 

[Fishywishy]

I agree with those who say read and research. If the information in the stickies is confusing you, you have not done enough research yet. This is a hobby not for the feeble of mind or pocket.

most offensive thing I've ever read on this board, no crap I haven't done enough research, if I had, I'd probably know what a protien skimmer was, this however doesn't mean I'm feeble minded, nor feeble pocketed. Because a person has a budget does not mean they are poor, it means they make wise decisions with their money and tend to make their money go further. A feeble minded person doesn't ask questions. Also, I think I read the stickies about as well as you read my intial post. See the part of the subject line that says "Thinking", it doesn't say I've decided. Where exactly am I asking for opinions on equipment or prices, I just wanted a shopping list so I could take a median price and come up with an average start up cost and figure out to start what exactly I would need versus what the books are going to tell me I need. A feeble minded person would either choose all the most expensive equipment (and every thing on the market) or all the cheapest equipment (and the bare minimum) (makes me ponder about how feeble minded you are if you made a bunch of foolish purchases and then preceed to call someone feeble minded for asking general questions before doing in-depth research and spends time answering questions even though they aren't really interested in helping)

To everyone else that replied, thank you. I planned on doing an indepth research and definetly either buying or borrowing books if this is the route I decide to take with this tank. I figured I had plenty of time to do indepth research on a salt water aquarium, if I decided on that route for this tank, considering I don't think that tank will actually have water in it until late January or Febuary, possibly later if I decide to do a marine aquarium. I just don't think the holidays are a good time to add any animal to a household, too much activity to add something else into the mix.

 

[Dadstank]

I bet you feel better after typing all that
Just do your research and ask lots of questions along the way, you will do just fine.

 

[Lorna]

I humbly apologize as I meant no offense and I am sorry that you took my comments so personal. I read every day people who have done no reading at all and come online and want to know everything there is about this hobby. Personally I researched this for over a year before I bought my first piece of equipment and because of this I made some very good choices though even with all my reading I still wish I had done some things differently.

Again, I meant no offense, I welcome you to this hobby as it is one of the most rewarding that you can delve into. It IS expensive and it does require a lot of research and is more demanding than you can imagine, in fact I doubt you would find even the most experienced hobbyist tell you they know everything......Unfortunately there are more people out there who think they can just grab a 10 g tank and fill it with saltwater and then throw a bunch of poor fish into it and call it a marine tank. Then after their fish start to die they want to know what they did wrong. I am not lumping you in that boat, I am just pointing you to two very good books.......

 

[Lotus]

The New Marine Aquarium (Paletta) is probably one of the best books to get. It gives you step-by-step instructions, as well as things like stocking lists and equipment lists. It bases its tank setups on live rock, which is how most people currently set up their tanks.

I'd say your startup costs before fish will be somewhere around $1,000 for live rock, skimmer, powerheads, salt, testing stuff, etc. The cost varies a lot based on how fancy you want to go, and what equipment you get. For example, if you want to go reef (with corals) eventually, you could easily spend $700 on lighting alone.

 

[SALTY WATERS]

Basic hardware for 100g
Protien Skimmer
Power heads (x4)
Lighting
Heaters & Thermometer (x2)
LR (Live Rock) 1-2 lbs per/g
LS (Live Sand) 1 lbs per/g

Clean-up Crew
100 hermits
25 Cerith and/or Nassarius snails
25 Trochus and/or Turbo snails
2 Serpent Sea stars, 1 Sand Sifting Sea Star
4 Peppermint Shrimp

Supplies for mixing Salt
Salt mix
RO Water
Bucket
Heater
Powerhead
Thermometer
pH/Alk Test

Various MUST have others
SW Multi Test Kit
Syphon & Bucket
Net


Suggestions
Get the tank drilled and set up a sump and refugium system were you can grow macro algea and/or mangrove to help in filtering excess organics from the system. As well it is a good place to put most all of your mechanicals like heaters, Pskimmer etc. (powerheads still in main tank for flow)

A Protien skimmer removes excess organics from the water by producing mass amounts of micro bubbles, the protiens then bond to the bubbles and are forced upward as bubbly scum into a collection cup which you then clean out.

Sorry I'm in a rush so I can not get to into detail and I will have to check again later if I missed something or I'm sure someone out there will point out soon enough.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

most offensive thing I've ever read on this board...

*laughingc if thats the most offensive thing you have read you must not read the boards much!

 

[Lorna]

Salty you did forget a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the salinity.

I would pass on the sand sifting star until the tank is well established as they eat fauna from the sand bed and if it isn't established it is bound to starve to death.

Aim for about 30x turnover rate if setting up a reef tank and the flow needs to be random to imitate ebb and flow of a reef. A lot of the life on a reef is dependant on food being swept to them as they are immobile....ie. most corals etc. Again start with the books I suggested and go from there.

Another tidbit of advice, do not take everything told to you by the pet store or lfs to be the word of gospel truth. I have found that a lot of them do not even have the basic information necessary and unless they keep a reef themselves are not the best sources of information. Some are grossly outdated in their methods and others are just plain not up to speed to be giving advice. I am not being bashing or trying to offend anyone.....there are a few on this forum who work in lfs' and they are great fountains of knowledge.......too bad there aren't more of them out there....There are a few on here who know their stuff.......even if their words come across sometimes as harsh, remember it is in your best interest.....they have no other motive ............ or agenda

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

Aim for about 30x turnover rate if setting up a reef tank and the flow needs to be random to imitate ebb and flow of a reef.

there are powerheads that sweep back and forth. they are pretty cool, and would help with the random flow. i have 2 in different sizes and love them.

 

[Lorna]

good suggestion YFK.......they also make wavemaker timers for maxijets that only run about $50

 

[SALTY WATERS]

Salty you did forget a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the salinity.

I would pass on the sand sifting star until the tank is well established as they eat fauna from the sand bed and if it isn't established it is bound to starve to death.

I knew I would miss something I was in a rush at the time. Yes a hydrometer or refractometer is a MUST.

As for the Sand siftng sea star, as long as the tank is cycled and the water perameters are stable it should be okay to add. They are Omnivors and aside from eating detritus and leftover food, you can suppliment feed them with small meaty items if needed.

 

[Lorna]

I don't know....I have read many articles on the failure of sand sifting stars.....

"Good looking, hardy and utilitarian, a Sand Sifting Star, Astropecten polycanthus. As with dealing with all sizable burrowing animals, make sure your rocky habitat is securely placed on the bottom of the tank (not the substrate). And beware re stocking these subterranean sifters... they are rapacious feeders on all interstitial fauna... denuding systems of only hundreds of gallons. "

I have heard recommendations of 1 for every 48 sq inches of bottom and only in well established tanks

 

[kevin4052002]

I'd say no less than a standard 75 footprint with 2" minimum. They can strip your sandbed badly if they aren't needed for removing wastes.