FIRST SALTWATER TANK

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ShaneRiordan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 27, 2011
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Chicago, IL
I'm picking up a 30 gallon on Wednesday, and I plan on starting my first saltwater tank. I have a 125 freshwater, so I thought I'd try something new. I thought 30 gallons would be a perfect starter tank, so don't tell me right away to get a bigger one haha. I realize that I won't be able to do much with it, I'm just looking for something simple. Can anyone give me some resources, or some tips to help me start out, or what fish I should be looking at? Anything would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
 
Get a bigger one! lol!
there are a lot of great resources online. I got most of my info form reefland.com.
Biggest (and quickest) tip I can give is to do tons of research and be patient. Patience is the name of the game in saltwater.
 
EastBay said:
Get a bigger one! lol!
there are a lot of great resources online. I got most of my info form reefland.com.
Biggest (and quickest) tip I can give is to do tons of research and be patient. Patience is the name of the game in saltwater.
Click to expand...

Haha well dang it. Patience is not my best quality. I'm familiar with saltwater species, but not compatibility. What kind of fish can I throw in there, IYO?
 
Here are a few quick tips for your initial setup:

  • Keep the specific gravity of the water between 1.020 and 1.025.
    • The SG is a measurement of how much salt is in the water.
    • The SG can be kept on the lower end of the previously mentioned range if the aquarium is to be Fish-Only (FO) or Fish-Only with Live Rock (FOWLR).
    • The SG will need to be kept on the higher end of the previously mentioned range if corals and other sensitive organisms are to be added to the aquarium.
  • Get enough reef-grade aragonite sand to make a layer that's about 0.5" to 1.0" deep.
  • Get as much high-quality live rock (preferably pre-cured) as you can afford.
    • Some people go by the "1 lb. of live rock per gallon" rule, but the quality of the rock matters more than the quantity.
    • Go for porous rock over dense rock; you will not have to buy quite as much since you'll have more surface area for beneficial bacteria and coralline algae to colonize.
    • Dead base rock can be used for the bottom of your rock pile(s) in order to save money.
    • Make sure that the base rock rests firmly on the bottom of the aquarium in order to prevent anything from moving it or burrowing under it.
  • Get an appropriate-sized protein skimmer.
    • I recommend the AquaC Remora.
  • Get a good set of lights.
    • T5 HO fluorescent lights work well for most applications.
    • Metal halide lights may be needed in order to keep most corals and other organisms that need intense lighting.
  • Keep the water temperature in the 76 to 78 degree Fahrenheit range.
Once you do all that, allow the aquarium to fully cycle before adding any livestock (besides what may have hitchhiked its' way in on the live rock). You can add your cleaner crew (snails, hermit crabs, etc.) during the cycle, but you'll experience fewer (if any) losses if you wait until after the aquarium has cycled to add them.

Let us know what you were thinking of for livestock as far as fish(es) go.
 
Fish wise you could go with clowns, gobies, mandarins if you can get them to eat, possibly dwarf angels, blennys, a dwarf lion fish, and some other stuff. If you want more fish, get a good filter. Hope this helps.
 
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