How to start a Saltwater Tank?

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Chrisplosion

Chrisplosion

Mean Cat
MFK Member
Jul 10, 2010
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Oregon, it's part of 'Murica!
I am toying with the notion of getting a 30-55 gallon tank off craigslist and starting up a Salt or Brackish water tank. So how would I go about starting a saltwater tank? I know a lot about freshwater.

I am interested in clown fish (no surprise there) shrimp/lobster and damselfish. So what are some good starter fish for that size tank?

What are dos and don't with saltwater fish.
 
well first you buy the tank, get your salt and sand/crushed coral, then your going to want to fill it up add your sand, now this is where the money comes in, buy some live rock enough for your tank i think most people say 2 lbs per gallon iunno i started with 30 and worked my way up, let the tank run and cycle the rock will help you with that, your going to need amazing filtration amazing lighting so stock up on that aswell, yor skimmer should be high quality, your filter also high quality you dont want to cheap out on anything when you go salt because in the end its not worth it, now once you have tested your water params with a proper salt water test kit and it all reads good go and get your first fish i would tell you to get damsels first because they are cheap and you wont cry over them after your 40$ fish dies now once you are confident that your water is amazing and your fish are living great get some of the ones you like, and aswell as any coral you would like, again make sure you read up on what fish work together and what coral they can live around and like your fish check up on any coral you buy to make sure they will suit your tank and what you want lastly save money because it aint cheap:)
 
skimmer is pretty much your best friend when it comes to salt water it injects your water with high pressure bubbles and takes out all the harmful chemicals and most of the poop/junk out of the water disposing it in a cup of foam, you absolutely do not need to do corals you can always do fish only but regardless you should still have some live rock in the tank and since you said you want clowns i would say if so buy a anenome for it as they love them and its great when nemo is happy:P do what i did slowly buy all your equipment and then over a course of about a month when i knew i had everything ready to go start setting up with your water and sand and easy into your fish and corals if you would like to keep corals. for lighting i would say use t5ho lights as they are the best for salt top of the line, and depending on size of your tank a wet dry sump will be your best bet for filtration, also powerheads to circulate your water and im sure you know about heating and all that
 
i started with my 29 gallon i had laying around and then i moved to a 50 tall and now im planning a 320 gallon:)
 
Well I have a 20 gallon and a 5 gallon laying around that I don't use I figure I could use it and start small and after 6 months upgrade to a 55 or 75 if I want to keep doing salt.

I feel retarded asking this but what is a sump?

Is this something I could do, he used a 20 gallon? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yG_bzWd9Zk
 
pretty much what he did but you need a skimmer its not only for coral tanks its for any high volume tank but basically it will help you keep down on water changes so the monwy you spend on the skimmer is paid off with saved water changes you gotta remember each water change is more salt and more r.o water which is more money than your average tap water freash water change, one thing you will need not shown in the video is a light like i said before t5ho is your best bet, and a sump is basically a filter im sure you will find plenty on them if you just look it up on mfk
 
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