I am toying with the idea of switching my fresh water tank to a salt water tank. I have a 20 gallon with a 20-50 power filter, heater, gravel and plastic decorations in it at the moment. I was wondering if anyone knows from experience what else I will need, how to make the switch, upkeep, all that jazz..All I know about salt water tanks is that it's better to use sand, live plants, something to produce more current ect. I'm viewing my options here and I was wondering if anyone had some tips, or ideas that could help me. I would really appreciate your time and opinions!
Switching from freshwater to saltwater
- Thread starter easyflow
- Start date
i did this but the other way and changed my tanks for FOWLR to all fresh...
you should try to find out more and read what type of salt tank you want, weather you have just fish and live rock, or if you want a full reef setup...
from what i've been told it's easier when learning salt to do it in the biggest tank you can...then there is a matter of equipment you would need, maybe for sure a sump/refuge, a protein skimmer, extra pumps/water movement...etc...
then you probably would want to decide on the water supply, weather you are gonna mix your own salt, or depending where you are use real salt water...
i know there is still a lot more and you should get more replies if there are any reef heads on here...gl
oh...one more thing i wanted to add that's very important is your lighting. depending on what kind of salt tank you want, i would suggest going to one of our reef forums or internet and read up on the lighting choices for saltwater setups...
you should try to find out more and read what type of salt tank you want, weather you have just fish and live rock, or if you want a full reef setup...
from what i've been told it's easier when learning salt to do it in the biggest tank you can...then there is a matter of equipment you would need, maybe for sure a sump/refuge, a protein skimmer, extra pumps/water movement...etc...
then you probably would want to decide on the water supply, weather you are gonna mix your own salt, or depending where you are use real salt water...
i know there is still a lot more and you should get more replies if there are any reef heads on here...gl
oh...one more thing i wanted to add that's very important is your lighting. depending on what kind of salt tank you want, i would suggest going to one of our reef forums or internet and read up on the lighting choices for saltwater setups...
If you are doing Fish only with live rock (FOWLR) the requirements are really not all that different from freshwater. You can get by with standard lighting, filters, etc. Additional things you would need are salt and a couple additions to your test kit. A protien skimmer is not essential, but will save some money on salt mix because you will have to do water changes less frequently.
If you are thinking reef that is where it is a whole different world. Here you ideally will have a sump, upgraded lighting, powerheads, skimmer, greatly expanded test kit, etc.
I would not recommend even trying a reef in a 20g if it is your first tank.
If you are thinking reef that is where it is a whole different world. Here you ideally will have a sump, upgraded lighting, powerheads, skimmer, greatly expanded test kit, etc.
I would not recommend even trying a reef in a 20g if it is your first tank.
the best advice i can give is read, read, read, and then read more. 20 gallon saltwater is a little small, but can certainly be done. deeboi was right, you should figure out what kind of tank setup you want first, and then research as much as possible. The more research you do first, the less the project will cost in the long run.(well that's not true because you will always want to upgrade)
20 gallon salt water is tough for a beginner. There is greater fluxuation in water parameters in a smaller tank. Do the research. Know the fish you want to get. A biowheel filter, HOB refugium, and uv sterilizer ar important on a small tank to help minimize changes in the system and if there are changes, the sterilizer will help keep the fish healthy. My first FWOLR was 48 gallons and made lots of mistakes while learning, lost lots of fish! Patience is the key. Research, Research, Research!
I recently went saltwater with a 20 gallon high FOWLR set up after doing freshwater for years. It's not all that difficult if you're not keeping corals. One thing nobody told me before I started is that saltwater, besides being a bit more expensive to set up, is more upkeep than fresh. Algae and whatnot grows a lot faster in salt water and the chemical balance of the tank is a bit more delicate. I find myself cleaning surfaces, changing water, and testing water a LOT more frequently than with my freshwater tanks. If you can keep up with all that it's a very rewarding project, though. Good luck to you.
sorry for the double post but also check out these forums for great info
http://reefcentral.com/
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/
http://www.reef2reef.com/
and probably look up a local club/organization in your area for help/gear to get you started
http://reefcentral.com/
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/
http://www.reef2reef.com/
and probably look up a local club/organization in your area for help/gear to get you started