From epinions.com
* If you are going to start a saltwater tank, get the biggest tank you can afford and do not get a tank less than 30 gallons. It is possible to have a successful small tank, but only an experienced person can pull it off.
* My recommend natural method uses Live Rock and Live Sand with a well built protein skimmer.
* If you are going to try my method, please only get a glass. A plex-glass will scatch VERY easily with all the live rock in place.
* Do not attempt this hobby if you are not willing to pay at least $1000 for a fully set-up 55 gallon saltwater tank. If not, you will not be successful unless you are a do-it-yourselfer.
* Learning is key, join a online community for extra help. I would recommend REEFCENTRAL.COM and join the Discussion Board to learn more and share your ideas
The BOOK:
* Any successful saltwater hobbist SHOULD get this book: Reef Aquariums Vol.1 by J. Charles Delbeek and Julian Sprung
The Tank:
* For a 55 gallon saltwater tank 48inx13inx20in is the ideal size
* By a high quality stand from a fish store or build one, do not attempted to put the tank on a tv stand because the tank weighs over 10 lbs. a gallon.
* If you want a reef tank, you should consider in building or buying a canopy for the top of your tank.
* If you buy a glass tank, I would recommend All-Glass Aquariums, they are cheapest of the high quality glass tank makers and they sell stands and canopies for thier tanks as well.
* You will need a heater, Visiterm is a great heater to get because of the direct set temperature while Ebo-Jaber is the best heater in the market, but it need to be adjusted a few times before you get the desired temperature. Saltwater tank range from 76-82 degrees Ferinheit
Protein Skimmer, the only filter you should need:
*You will need a well-built Protien skimmer to keep you tank healthy and clean
*For a 55 gallon tank: A hang-on Aqua C PRO HOT Skimmer is the best hang-on skimmer current out on the market for this set-up.
*Skimmers take 24-72 hours to work at full power.
Live Rock as Filtration:
* Live Rock is rock that comes from many different islands. Of all these, Marshall Island rock is considered the best rock. Since you are going to have to cycle your tank, you should get UN-CURED live rock. The best live is the live rock sold online. I would highly recommend getting live rock from these online vendors: Premium Aquatics, Paragon Aquatics, Harbor Aquatics, and Tampa Bay Saltwater
* You will have to cure the rock in you tank to cycle the tank. It will take about 6-8 weeks. Then you should vacuum out the gunk on the bottom and begin to add a live sand bed.
* You will need anywhere from 44-65 lbs. of live rock depending on you application (Fish or Reef)
Live Sand:
* A healthy live sand bed will reduce nitrates in your aquarium as well as feed your fish.
* You will need at least 60lbs. of fine sand (Sugar size)- Personally I have ESV superfine agranite sand (60 Lbs.). This is suitable for a FOWLR set up (Fish Only With Live Rock).
* You should get about 5lbs. of live sand to start your sand cycle. It takes about a year to have a fully functional sand bed.
* Make sure you WASH you sand very throughly when if you purchase fine sand like ESV and Caribsea Agramax.
Lighting:
* You will need at least a dual light fixture for you tank. This is very cheap for a glass tank.
* You will need one 10,000k light and one actinic blue light
* If you want a reef tank, you should get a good lighting system. Power Compact Systems are a good buy and you can buy them online for cheap from these vendors
remium aquatics, Marine Depot, and Jeff's Exotic Fish.
Water movement:
* You will need decent water movement in the tank. Use Powerheads. I would recommend Maxi-Jet powerheads.
* You will need 2-3 powerheads rated at 165-210 Gallons per hour (GPH)
Water Treatment:
* You should get a water treatment system to treat your tap water so you will not get excessive algae growth in your tank.
* Personally I have 2 Aquatic Parm. Tap water purifiers. They work well for me. If you have the money, get a RO system that you can get from online vendors as well.
Test Kits:
* You need: Specific Gravity, Ammonia, Nitrite, Calcium, PH, Alkalinity Nitrate, and Phospate testers.
Buffers and Reef Additives:
*You will need a PH buffer, I recommend Red Sea pHarm PH buffer.
*You will need a Calcium buffer, I recommend Red Sea Calcium +3
*The best beginner additive to buy is B-ionic
The Salt:
* Instant Ocean, Corallife, Red Sea, and Kent Marine are all excellent brands
The Way to go about things:
* Set-up tank in a dark area away from sunlight
* After you tank is set-up, wait 2 days before adding your live rock
* Add live rock
* Cure live rock for 6-8 weeks
* Add live sand bed
* Cure live sand for 3-4 weeks
The Fish and Clean-up crew:
* You will evenually need a clean-up crew (snails & hermits)
* Astrea, Trochus, and Nerite Snails are good buys
* Scarlet hermits are the safest hermit
* Cleaner shrimps are a great buy, very active, will accept hand feedings, and you entertain you with thier personality
* I would say the maxium number of fish would be 4 3in sized fish in a 55 gallon tank. Yes, I know that is little, but that is the key to success
* You must stock your tank in a very SLOW time. I am talking about in course of about 2 YEARS!
* good fish to start out with: Tank-raised clownfish, royal gramma, green chromis, cardinalfish
* DO NOT GET DAMSELS, THEY ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE AND WILL KILL SHY TANK MATES WHEN YOU GROW-UP, AND THEY ARE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF YOUR TANK. They are virtually indestructible on the other hand.
* bad fish to start out with: TANGS!, Angelfish, aggressive fish, butterfly fish
* it is possible to have a aggressive tank with liverock.
THE CYCLE:
* For the first six weeks, you do not want to change the water, only top off evaporated water every week or more if evaporation is excessive.
* For the first 6-8 months, you will various algae cycles ranging from diatoms (brown dusty type "algae"), hair algae, and slime algae. Do not give up.
* It will take a good year for everything in the tank to become balanced
The Fish:
* Tangs require an absolute minium of a 55 gallon tank. Some hobbist object to this and say 75 gallon is the smallest tank. Tangs are aggressive to new tank mates, are territorial, and get sick very easily
* Angelfish of the larger family get very big (10-16inches) and may require tank as large as 120 gallons. Pymy angels are better choices. Some good choices include the Cherub Angel, Flameback, Flame, and Potters.
* Butterflyfish are hard to feed at first. Do not attempt to keep one unless you are experienced. The only begginer butterflyfish is the Klein's butterfly
* Seahorses are difficult to keep unless tank-raised and require a separate tank of their own
* Groupers and Sharks tend to get too large and hungry for most tanks. They require large tanks.
* I like Lionfishes and have never had a problem taking care of one. As long as purchased small and taught to eat frozen food. They will become very friendly and grow large and beautiful. Be careful though, they are poisionous. Very hardy and can be kept in a 55 gallon tank if feed frozen food rather than live food. They tend to snack on smaller fish so in a 55 gallon tank, there should only be one or two fair sized tankmates. I personally kept one for 4 years until I gave him to one of my co-worker who had a larger tank for him (120 gallons).
* Triggers are extremely aggressive but are one of the most interesting fishes. Careful, their teeth are very sharp and their bite is very painful. They tend to get large as well. Only the Bursa trigger is considered ok for a 55 gallon tank. They can be kept in a 55 gallon for a good time, but tend to become to large and to aggressive over time.
* Puffers are most for experienced hobbist.
* Dottybacks are hardy and a good first fish. They stay small as well.
* Clownfish are consider the ultimate saltwater fish. Good looking, fairly aggressive, available tank raised, and will breed in captivity. Do get an anemone for your clownfish. Anemones are VERY DIFFICULT to keep. Only the most experienced hobbist should even attempt to try to keep an anemone
* Blennies are a great first fish, some can be fairly mean through
* DID NOT BUY A MANDRIN GOBY OR SCOTTER BLENNY. They need a healthy sand bed to feed on in a very large tank. A 55 gallon tank is not large enough. They will deciminate your sand bed population and then strave to death afterwards. They require at least a 75 gallon tank with a 4in healthy sand bed to feed on
* If you plan on getting a Firefish or Eel, plan on getting a cover for your tank. Eel are like snakes, they WILL find a way out of your tank one day. My snowflake did it once, but I managed to find him in time. My snowflake in the display tank of my local fish store that I shop at. The only eel I recommend is a Snowflake eel. Eels tend to eat tankmates, so choose the tankmates carefully
* Read reef aquariums vol. 1
* Join a message board on the web: Reefcentral, Aqualink, and About.com are great places to check out
* Know more than your local fish store saleman. Believe me, I used to work at one and I was the only one that knew something
* Doing a 10-15% water change every two weeks or 20-25% water change every month will keep your tank healthy.
* Do not add more than 1 fish per 6 six weeks at a time, yes I know it is difficult not to, but it's your money.
* If you plan on keeping corals, adding them before your fish may be better than fish first, corals later. The best beginner corals are mushroom corals and a colt coral.
* Don't buy Tang, Angels, or Butterflyfish unless you are an experienced hobbist or until your tank is at least one year old.
* Consider cycling a small 10-15 gallon tank for sick fish and new arrivals at the same time you are setting-up your display tank.
I think I have written enough
. If you have any questions, e-mail me or join a discussion board and ask your questions there. There are people on those boards who are experienced hobbist, some over 20+ years! Go to the discussion board before asking your LFS (Local fish store)
