starting
- Thread starter Childofthebrine
- Start date
Read a few recently published saltwater books, especially the boring parts. Then, once your head is spinning with questions, come back and ask them. Also check out the sticky posts at the top of the forums for FAQ's and more.
Research, research and then some more research! You can never know too much about this hobby. I'm only a year in and there's still so much I'm learning day to day. I know a book that's helped me that i don't actually own but I've read through is "The Reef Aquarium: Volume 3" written by J. Charles Delbeek and Julian Sprung.
After you think you've done your research and are ready to start just go back and do a review. I know it may sound tedious but it'll help you out in the long run.
After all that's done set yourself a budget and what kind of tank you want to do: FOWLR(Fish only with live rock), Pred or a Reef. After that's done look at what kind of fish you want if you're going to do a FOWLR or pred and design your system around that. If you decide to do a reef tank that's a lot more demanding because of the lightning needed to sustain different types of corals among other things.
After you think you've done your research and are ready to start just go back and do a review. I know it may sound tedious but it'll help you out in the long run.
After all that's done set yourself a budget and what kind of tank you want to do: FOWLR(Fish only with live rock), Pred or a Reef. After that's done look at what kind of fish you want if you're going to do a FOWLR or pred and design your system around that. If you decide to do a reef tank that's a lot more demanding because of the lightning needed to sustain different types of corals among other things.
Reading...not just online, but books and magazines. Books will be a great resource. Even if it something like marine aquariums for dummies.
Wet web media on the internet is a great place to ask specific questions, and to just read up, its basically a huge FAQ or troubleshooting guide.
Get your specific questions, then come back here and ask them.
Wet web media on the internet is a great place to ask specific questions, and to just read up, its basically a huge FAQ or troubleshooting guide.
Get your specific questions, then come back here and ask them.
Start reading everything you can on the net. But I also recommend looking into safe reefing. Topics like GFCIs, probes, stray voltage, circuit breakers, circuit loads, etc... are important if you aren't already familiar with it.
like the others have said do your reasarch well to be honest i didnt do my reasarch in books i done it all online but it just depends on what you would driver do read a book for days or search the net for weeks
any way heres a basic need list
1. aquarium between 10g & 50g i would say for a bigginer
2. 1-2 power heads depending of the aquarium volume/dimensions
3. filterasion the best would be a sump i can draw you a plan for 1 if your not shore or a very good internal filter can be used
4. substrate mmm! well when i first set up my 15g i used coral sand but it quickens up the cycling prosses to use live sand
5. rock when i first set up my 15g nano i used ocean rock but if your not on a budget go for live but ocean can be used
6. heater (im shore you already nown that)
7. lighting mmm! it depends on what set up your having predatory, reef, fish + live rock all of these set ups can have a regular flourecent acept the reef a reef needs all different lighting needs to grow the corals different corals need different lighting needs the best lighting on the market now is LED but thats quite expensive the other good lightings are halids but these are agen very expensive their are a few corals that i have managed to grow under regular flourecents but its a hard job and your limited to species
8. lid + condension tray that fits aquarium
their the basics im going to be righting a thread on setting up and choosing a nano marine aquarium
any way heres a basic need list
1. aquarium between 10g & 50g i would say for a bigginer
2. 1-2 power heads depending of the aquarium volume/dimensions
3. filterasion the best would be a sump i can draw you a plan for 1 if your not shore or a very good internal filter can be used
4. substrate mmm! well when i first set up my 15g i used coral sand but it quickens up the cycling prosses to use live sand
5. rock when i first set up my 15g nano i used ocean rock but if your not on a budget go for live but ocean can be used
6. heater (im shore you already nown that)
7. lighting mmm! it depends on what set up your having predatory, reef, fish + live rock all of these set ups can have a regular flourecent acept the reef a reef needs all different lighting needs to grow the corals different corals need different lighting needs the best lighting on the market now is LED but thats quite expensive the other good lightings are halids but these are agen very expensive their are a few corals that i have managed to grow under regular flourecents but its a hard job and your limited to species
8. lid + condension tray that fits aquarium
their the basics im going to be righting a thread on setting up and choosing a nano marine aquarium
Childofthebrine;4553892; said:
It's definitely overwhelming when you start reading and researching, but don't let it discourage you. The hours you spend sitting in front of your new reef tank when it's up and running is well worth the learning curve.