Setting Up A Salt Water Tank.

[eltz21]

I have a tropical fish tank and it has been running for around 4 years now. but my latest additions to the tank have brought a bad case of whitespot and over half of the population has died. As a result of this tragedy, i feel it is a good time to find my remaining tropical fish a new home (once fully recovered) and change my tank into a salt water tank (which is what i have wanted to do since the start). My tropical tank has been a success as i only recently lost my 'starter fish' from four years ago (to white spot).

Is it much more difficult to keep a salt water tank than a standard tropical tank? how do i go about the transition?

Any initial pointers for setting up the tank would be helpful.

 

[Betta5]

I have a tropical fish tank and it has been running for around 4 years now. but my latest additions to the tank have brought a bad case of whitespot and over half of the population has died. As a result of this tragedy, i feel it is a good time to find my remaining tropical fish a new home (once fully recovered) and change my tank into a salt water tank (which is what i have wanted to do since the start). My tropical tank has been a success as i only recently lost my 'starter fish' from four years ago (to white spot).

Is it much more difficult to keep a salt water tank than a standard tropical tank? how do i go about the transition?

Any initial pointers for setting up the tank would be helpful.

It all depends what you want from your tank. Just fish. Fish and live rock, or a full blown reef tank.

 

[eltz21]

I guess just fish to start. not gonna go for a full blown reef. my tank is not that big either. just a few fish i think is a good place to start.

Is a salt water tank easy to set up and maintain etc? does anyone know of any good websites for me to do some research?

 

[seffieuk]

You would probably better off going for a reef - the reef or live rock is your filter and the heart and lungs of a salty box

I don't think it is difficult to set-up or maintain a simple understocked reef as long as you are prepared to do the maintenance and that is part of the fun.

What size is your current tank and what lighting do you have?

Grab yourself a pad and pen, take a few hours off and sit and read through the many start up journels - they have a wealth of info in them

The salty world has several differences to the freshwater water world - the cycle is differnt as is stocking to name but two differences, also helps if you are slightly 'barking'

We can help you along the way, you need patience and a good sense of humour but you will be rewarded with a lovely ecosystem and great friends on here

Seffie x

 

[madness]

sorry to steal your thread!

but im starting a reef tank soon, seffie youve seen the tank im getting, and i was wondering if i set the tank up for a reef tank eg lighting etc, but to start with just buy some live rock rubble, enough to fill the first chamber of my sump, then place it in the tank and let what free life im going to get come out, then place the rest in my sump as filter media, then cycle the tank put in a few 'ornaments' and get a few fish, until i can afford to start filling the main tank with big pieces of live rock.

would this work just to ease me into marine?

 

[eltz21]

thanks for the info. I will do my research and speak with the people in the fish shop. they seem to know a lot about the fish they sell.

I gotta find my current fish a new home first after nursing them back to recovery.

cheers

 

[seffieuk]

would this work just to ease me into marine?

Sorry Madness, no it wouldn't work - you need to filter your tank, so you have to have either live rock (enough to filter the whole tank) or an internal or exteranl filter. The problem with adding a small amount of live rock first and then adding rock to it is the firstly there will not be enough live rock to filter your tank and secondly every time you add more live rock you are likely to get at the least a mini cycle. Much better to wait, save up and buy all the live rock at once. Look for a reefer breaking down a tank, you should then be able to pick up good rock at a fraction of shop bought, usually about £5 a kilo

Seffie x

sorry for hi jack

 

[eltz21]

I have been looking at a lot of threads on this and other websites over the past couple of days. I have really enjoyed, and learnt a lot from, the set up journals. cant wait to get stuck in!!!

The only problem is the size of my tank. I have a 55l tank 23.5x12x12. I have read that you should have a 40+ gallon. Is this right? I am not looking to stock my tank with lots of fish just a few 3-5.

Also i have a few questions to ask from reading the threads, (they are all probably stupid ones)

Wat does CUC stand for?

Where can i get RO water from?

Do i need a sump and a pwowerhead or do i need one or the other?

Thanks for any advise, i am sure i will have plenty more to ask soon.

 

[-Nemo-]

With a 55L, you will only be able to do 2-3 fish (fish size and filtration dependent).

CUC = Clean Up Crew. It generally consists or varying amounts of inverts such as snails, hermits, crabs and shrimp which just help to keep the tank clean in various ways!

RO water can usually be obtained from various markets, or check your LFS! Many sell it. You could also invest into a RO unit but they can be quite pricey.

Sump and powerhead do completely different things (generally speaking). A powerhead is adding water flow into your tank which is very important, and definitely needed. With just fish you won't need too much, but with some corals they like a lot of flow. A sump is a separate tank connected (plumbing-wise) to your main tank. Its purpose is to add extra water volume to the tank and addition filtration and is also where you would store equipment such as a protein skimmer. They can also include areas such as a refugium. They are not required, but recommended. If you are using such a small tank, You would probably be better off not bothering with a sump. You could always look into one of those nifty HOB refugiums

 

[eltz21]

Oh ok. so it is possible then?!?! Do you think its a good idea to start small and then maybe expand to a larger tank in the future? or would it be worth me starting a bit bigger now?

Do the 2-3 fish include the CUCs or not? and would a sump allow me to add more fish?

 

[-Nemo-]

I would definitely start bigger. Bigger tanks are much more forgiving. With the 55L depending on the filtration you have, you will have to so water changes just about every week. Larger tanks allow you go much longer without water changes, and the salinity is also easier to maintain.

that fish amount is not including the CUC.

A sump COULD potentially allow you to add more fish, but a sump on a 55L is pretty unrealistic for several reasons IMO.

 

[eltz21]

ok thanks for the info.

I have had a quick look at tanks and have come across this one. what do u think on the size? and the repaired crack that is mentioned?

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/312449-3ft-tank-and-stand/

 

[-Nemo-]

Pretty good size, but IMO you should just buy a new tank. You don't want to end up with someone else's headache...

 

[eltz21]

After doing lots of reaserch i have decided to buy a brand new tank. I want to get the juwel rio 125. I have seen it online with cabinet for £220. My LFS does the Roma 125 for the same price, not sure about the cabinet tho. is there much of a difference between the two?? think i will wait off and see what i can get in the janurary sales tho.

 

[seffieuk]

Good idea to see what you can pick up in the new year sales, however must admit I wouldn't buy a new tank unless I was buying a custom build one - there are plenty of really good second hand bargains around, without cracks

the rio 125 is a perfect small size starter tank for a reef imo I wouldn't go any smaller than that

Good luck

Seffie x