Switching to SW

[XguppyX]

I am getting sick of my 55 gallon and i'm thinking about turning it into a saltwater tank with maybe a snowflake eel in it.

I just have a basic setup, so i need to know what i have to buy to get started.

also, what kind of substrate should i use? and do i need a protein skimmer?

Help me out!!

 

[KROSYS]

Do yourself a HUGE favor and buy an RO/DI unit. You will be SOOOOO glad you did later. Cant go wrong with a skimmer. As far as substrate... I have 1/2 inch of fine sand but you may want something different

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

if it is just for a basic setup for a snowflake moray, then I would only add a fine substrate and use a protein skimmer, otherwise not much difference from FW if it is fish-only.

 

[VLDesign]

Skimmer is always a good idea. (Rated 2x your tank size)
RO-DI? Nah. A waste of money uness you are giong to be doing a coral reef.
Sand for the substrate.
Live rock for your BIO filter (120+ pounds will work for you)

 

[Sic_Maggot13]

Skimmer is always a good idea. (Rated 2x your tank size)
RO-DI? Nah. A waste of money uness you are giong to be doing a coral reef.
Sand for the substrate.
Live rock for your BIO filter (120+ pounds will work for you)

ro water a waste? if you dont drink your tap water what makes you think your fish want to live in it? stuff is gross

 

[BIGgourami]

what's wrong with tap? yuppy...

as long as there's nothing seriously wrong with it.. copper deposits, high nitrates, high phosphates, etc tap is perfectly fine for use in SW tanks... and for drinking

 

[VLDesign]

ro water a waste? if you dont drink your tap water what makes you think your fish want to live in it? stuff is gross

Well here in Chitown we can drink our tap.. Not sure what kind of water you have in Cali but around here tap is just fine.

 

[XguppyX]

I think im going the sand route, and i'll just buy a skimmer. would a bamboo shark work in this tank? or would you even reccomend it?

 

[alcohologist]

no. definitely not. it's just a wayyy undersized system. maybe for hatching an egg, then a few weeks at most, but you'll need a 500+ gal tank for one of these animals.

 

[XguppyX]

wow i didnt think they got that big.. There is a lfs that would buy it off me once it outgrew my tank. but it probably wouldnt be worth having it for only a couple weeks. ha any suggestions for other fish that won't outgrow my tank quite as fast?