converting to salt

[tdins_2]

i have a 25g tank and i want to copnvert it to salt but i have limited funds and i was wondering what i would need and some prices in canadian but i would like the easier stuff to care like i heard u can use crushed coral instead of live coral what would i need and some prices would help and i also heard u need a sump for salt water, is this true?

i have a aquaclear 300 and a 20w aqua-glo light

 

[ostrow]

Somebody ought to put a big sign up that says, "READ THE PINNED ARTICLES" before posting. Read those, your questions will be answered, and you'll learn not to bother with a 25G if you are new to salt, which you clearly are.

Please, read the pinned articles.

 

[vantgE]

I'm not thinking of salt but why not a smallish tank, cause if i were thinking just everyone sayin no withouta reason wouldn't stop me, I understand that they are harder to keep constant levels of watter quailtiy, but if you are not completely new to fish cause tdins obviously isn't and willing to commit the time a bit of money why not?

I'm sure there is a reason just can't think of it on my own cause i know nothin about salt

 

[tdins_2]

i found a website that answered almost all my questions

http/saltaquarium.about.com/cs/bcorsetti.../a/aa091201.htm

 

[Adrinal]

29 with limited funds.... forget about it.
Read up
prepare for future

 

[Landlocked]

How limited is "limited funds"?

 

[ostrow]

It won't answer all of your questions but that is a good site. GLs articles here would have answered most of what you needed though on converting, except he did not write about setting up a nano tank which is what yours would be (in fact I consider mine to be nano and I have 75G. Though most don't call tanks that size nano, it seems to me that anything smaller than about 250G qualifies).

In any case, people who keep nanos under 50G successfully are people who tend to have already done salt for years.

 

[tdins_2]

well since bigger is better i was thinking converting the 70g instead how much work is salt actually and what filter is best i can spend about $200 and i already have a powerhead for the tank and multiple heaters but what filter is most effiecient and fairly in expensive

 

[ostrow]

You need to wait until you can spend more, I am afraid. It will take you at least 3X that amount just to get started. Salt, protein skimmer, sump and return pump or more powerheads in tank (yuk), calcium and other additives. And this doesn't include live rock and live sand which, frankly, you need if you want a setup you would want to look at. Do as GL said, enjoy your f/w tanks and save your pennies (or pence, as the case may be) until you can do it right.

 

[Adrinal]

ostrow is of course spot on.

In addition I would like to add an IMO

as far as Fish only tanks go

cichlid taks > than SW:

get slightly nicer wattage /bulbs for the cichlids and they can look amazing.

they have alot of the same character

You can fit way more into the same space

Care can not be more simple (if you use ro water )

.........
without the expensive lighting SW tanks are drab (I guess you could put in plastic plants and all the stuff from a FW tank... but that does defeat the purpose no?)

Also you need more pumps for the stuff that needs more lights... oh see here we go switching from FO to reef.... guess you will need that LR after all... OH crud we are at 2.5 k for the tank...

 

[Adrinal]

Opps didn't finish

Unless you have a specific fish you are aming at DO NOT go for SW just for the sake of saying you have a SW tank.

SW tanks really shine and take off in the reef area. For this you need good money. To save any money you need LOTS of experience and a good comunity to support you with LS LR and Frags. Doing this alone ( like me) will cost you tons of cha ching... worse.. you will probably try to cut corners and end up costing you more cha ching down the road.

ONCE again in All areas FWFO beats out SWFO (ok less as has been said you have a MONSTER tank 6ft long min).

 

[RamJet]

I have a 75 gallon, my start off cost was around $1,500.00 (US)
I spend around $100.00 a month, this month $400.00.
I will be ordering a custom made stand from Woodharbor, $2000.00
My old stand is giving out due to the weight of the tank along with a little water damage. Over all so far without the new stand, I have put over $4000.00 into my set up. I am sure it can be done for less money, but this is what it takes to do a reef the right way. If you have to save up to spend $200.00, SW is not something you want to do.

 

[Landlocked]

For $200 you could perhaps start a 10g. quarantine tank . . . not much else, though

 

[euclid]

you should be able to convert it just fine..Just watchout for the bioload..Stay on top of your water changes and it should be fine here are some quality articles on setting up some small marine aquariums...Some even as small as 5 gallons!!! Even the small one can look just as breathtaking as a 100+ gallon..Maybe not as busy but just as breathtaking..Good Luck!!!

Here you are:
http/www.petfish.net Check out their series of articles on setting up a small saltwater tank.

An article from Aquarium fish magazine http/www.aquariumusa.com/aquafish/reference/as6.asp

I'm sure you can find even more if you search hard enough..

 

[Adrinal]