New Tank Set Up Help/questions

[rosschris10]

hi there i have recently moved house and wish to start up fish keeping again with saltwater/marines

i like the modern look and design of this tank http/www.petsathome.com/shop/fluval-c ... store-only)-78651  if link dont work its a 

Fluval Chi Aquarium Set 19L

its modern looking so blends in with the front room and funky to look at 

all i would like to keep is a salt water tank with a clown fish or two at most and some corals

questions i have are 

1. Is this tank ok for salt water marines i have seen them set up in shops the look fab with the lights etc
2. do i really need a skimmer i have been researching for months some people say yes some say no
3. i know i will need a heater is it a case of just getting one them little circular heaters for this and i guess the filter on this will help keep water clean 
4. how much live rock would the tank need
5. any help i would greatly appreciate and sorry for the silly questions

 

[techen]

First place I would start is, No on the clown fish. Min tank space for a clown fish is 100litres. You can push smaller but not by much.
 
You could run it with marine but the lights wont do wonders on hard corals like SPS or LPS. Soft corals it might be okay but I very much doubt it would give you effect growth.
 
I would use a skimmer yes, Because you are handling hardy any water volume mistakes  can happen and it will wipe out your tank very very easily. A skimmer will help the tank stay clean and healthy.
 
You'll not need a filter for this, but I would add a small powerhead to keep the flow up, The live rock is the marine filter anyway.
 
I would say maybe 1-2KG of live rock would be fine in this tank but you can add as much as you see fit.

 

[rosschris10]

ok so the tank design i am after is something modern and funky looking like the fluval chi what would you recommend
 
 i have seen clown fish in groups of 2/3 in small tanks under 100 ltrs in shops though???

 

[techen]

If I was going to recommend anything. I would buy a 100litre clearseal tank. You can get these at pets at home for cheap. You'll then want to get it drilled with PVC pipes in it. Get a sump under it and go down that marine route.
 
You could then have a pair of clown fish in there among a few other things and do whatever you like with it as it will be a custom build.
 
Fish stores are different... They don't buy fish to keep, They buy fish to sell them within a week or two. They are not kept in these tanks long term. Also, There filters are huge and there water is really really clean.

 

[rosschris10]

hi thansk for that i have seen the clearseal aquariums online i dont have the room for a sump tank as it is going ontop of 2 cabinets in the living room and the cabinets are full of stuff already so it would need to have a filter/skimmer on the top
 
with regards to the clearseal i see they have platsic hoods can i get a decent light fitting under there 

 

[rosschris10]

ah right a friend has just told me they have a tank which is 80 ltrs and i can have it it has a hood with a sunglo light inside (god its bright lol) will this do ok
 
so i have the tank hood and bulb what else do i need i know i need a heater,filter, anything else for marine

 

[CezzaXV]

What type of lighting is it? I'm guessing it's either a T5 or T8 bulb, in which case it should be quite easy to replace the bulb(s) with marine ones.

You don't need a filter, as has already been said your live rock is your filter. You will need at least one power head, though two is better.

All I can say is really do your research, as there is a hell of a lot more to marine tanks than freshwater and there are a lot of differences.