Anyone Have A Saltwater Aquarium?

[jlbenedict]

Anyone have a saltwater aquarium?

Any experiences and/or stories, advice to share?

 

[imported_Trippin315]

I would guess that is a now.

 

[Journer]

http://www.bestfish.com/saltg.html
http://faq.thekrib.com/sbegin.html

i dont have one but came close to buying one once and did a fair amount of research...
i guess two small things i have two say are:

1) do NOT get a filter that goes under the rocks
2) dont mix and match fish that arent compatible

ill try to find some of links to some good sites...there is a wealth of info out there

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: Journer
http://www.bestfish.com/saltg.html
http://faq.thekrib.com/sbegin.html

i dont have one but came close to buying one once and did a fair amount of research...
i guess two small things i have two say are:

1) do NOT get a filter that goes under the rocks
2) dont mix and match fish that arent compatible

ill try to find some of links to some good sites...there is a wealth of info out there

Thanks!
I think my wife bookmarked that first site for me the other day.

Mixing & matching causes territorial issues, correct? At least from what I've gathered so far..

 

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: jlbenedict

Originally posted by: Journer
http://www.bestfish.com/saltg.html
http://faq.thekrib.com/sbegin.html

i dont have one but came close to buying one once and did a fair amount of research...
i guess two small things i have two say are:

1) do NOT get a filter that goes under the rocks
2) dont mix and match fish that arent compatible

ill try to find some of links to some good sites...there is a wealth of info out there

Thanks!
I think my wife bookmarked that first site for me the other day.

Mixing & matching causes territorial issues, correct? At least from what I've gathered so far..

The fish will kill and eat each other.

 

[keeleysam]

I used to have one.

Don't do it, as it is a total pain in the ass.

 

[isekii]

Honestly you should start out with a Fresh Water Tank. Cheaper to start and maintain.

Starting out with a Salt Water tank is a huge task and a $$$$$$ hobby. Not only are the fish expensive, but the equipment can be very expensive.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I'd love to do one, I just don't have the time to commit and I travel for work too much. Getting somebody to feed the dogs is one thing, finding somebody with the knowhow to care for a reef tank for a few days is next to impossible.

If you're considering starting one, make sure you have both the time and the money. It's not something you can do on the cheap and it's not like a goldfish where you toss in flakes once a day and clean the water once a week. Caring for a saltwater tank is somewhere between caring for a puppy and a newborn baby. It's a lot of work and you can't take a vacation from it.

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: isekii
Honestly you should start out with a Fresh Water Tank. Cheaper to start and maintain.

Starting out with a Salt Water tank is a huge task and a $$$$$$ hobby. Not only are the fish expensive, but the equipment can be very expensive.

Word.

Successfull aquariums are very hard to do, I highly recommend shopping at a actual aquarium store and join a local club.

 

[axia55]

YHPM

 

[trmiv]

I keep a 90 gallon saltwater reef aquarium with stony corals, clams, a few soft corals and fish. I also have a 12 gallon mini-reef with just soft corals.

Please, do all the research you can. I would suggest visiting Reef Central and joining the forums there. Reef Central is the largest saltwater forum on the net, and a wealth of great info. If you haven't already, I would also suggest a decent book, like The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists

Honestly, if you get the right equipment, and have good basic husbandry practices, it can be quite easy to keep a fish-only saltwater aquarium. The key is regular maintenance, and patience. It's not really that difficult though if you approach it right.

 

[MulLa]

Not to put you off but I totally agree with isekii. If you do not already have a freshwater tank or some fish keeping experience I strongly advice against starting with saltwater.

People tend to overstock their tanks when starting off (getting more fish than the tank's cycle can sustain) leading to sick / unhealthy / dead fish. Marine fish are more sensitive to being overstocked and need more space than their freshwater cousins.

Not to mention the more $$$ that has to be spent on a bigger tank! I hardly see any decent marine tank below 90Gal or so in capacity. Maintaining such a large tank can be a PITA if you're just starting out. Personally I've started with a 10Gal freshwater tank, moved to a 55Gal in about a year's time and now I have a 120Gal planted tank that I absolutely love

A lot of freshwater tanks can "look" impressive too when compared with salt water tanks. Especially the planted freshwater tanks to me look just as good or if done properly can sometimes appear better than marine tanks. Me = still wondering if I need a landscaping person to do my tank to make it look good

If you're determined then doing reasearch and reading on the net really does help and is a good first step.

Having said all that I suggest this forum http://www.aquariacentral.com/ I mainly go to the fresh water section but they do have a marine section too.

Good luck & have fun!!

Edit: spelling

 

[Kaido]

1. Expensive
2. Time-consuming
3. Requires patience

If those don't bother you, jump right in! If you have the patience, time, and budget for it, you can do a great tank. Just remember, the smaller the tank, the harder it will be to maintain. Do all the reading you can and try to find someone you can actually talk to about it. I know a couple people who do this and have learned a lot from them.

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: trmiv
I keep a 90 gallon saltwater reef aquarium with stony corals, clams, a few soft corals and fish. I also have a 12 gallon mini-reef with just soft corals.

Please, do all the research you can. I would suggest visiting Reef Central and joining the forums there. Reef Central is the largest saltwater forum on the net, and a wealth of great info. If you haven't already, I would also suggest a decent book, like The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists

Honestly, if you get the right equipment, and have good basic husbandry practices, it can be quite easy to keep a fish-only saltwater aquarium. The key is regular maintenance, and patience. It's not really that difficult though if you approach it right.

Thank you for those links. I registered at Reef Central; nice and loaded site.

 

[Qianglong]

I have about 8 years of fishkeeping experience. If you are just starting out into the hobby, i STRONGLY suggest you to stay away from saltwater. It is much more complicated than freshwater tropical - which is complicated enough by its own sense.

For saltwater, water quality is of the absolute importance as sea fish aren't very tolerant of water chemistry change. This translates to lots of $$$ for equipment and good knowledge of water chemistry.

 

[spidey07]

Don't listen to people telling you to go freshwater. Saltwater isn't hard. My only fish tank is a saltwater reef.

1) read, read, read, and then read some more. The initial setup of your tank is crucial.
2) Add any livestock very little at a time 5-6 weeks after your tank has been up and cycled.
3) don't skimp on your skimmer
4) purchase a quality RO/DI unit and tds meter - know what is in your water
5) don't add anything to the water other than calcium, alkalinity and possibly magnesium
6) get quality test kits for the following - alk/calc/mg/phosphate
7) get a refractometer to measure salinity
8) get a good electronic pH meter
9) don't skimp on the lights
10) feed sparingly
11) research any animal/coral before you buy. Corals frequently attack each other and release toxins into the water
12) definately have a refugium

You should be all set. Figure about 50 bucks per gallon just to get the tank going. So a 100 gallon tank is around 5,000 - without any livestock/corals.

 

[Qianglong]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Don't listen to people telling you to go freshwater. Saltwater isn't hard. My only fish tank is a saltwater reef.

1) read, read, read, and then read some more. The initial setup of your tank is crucial.
2) Add any livestock very little at a time 5-6 weeks after your tank has been up and cycled.
3) don't skimp on your skimmer
4) purchase a quality RO/DI unit and tds meter - know what is in your water
5) don't add anything to the water other than calcium, alkalinity and possibly magnesium
6) get quality test kits for the following - alk/calc/mg/phosphate
7) get a refractometer to measure salinity
8) get a good electronic pH meter
9) don't skimp on the lights
10) feed sparingly
11) research any animal/coral before you buy. Corals frequently attack each other and release toxins into the water
12) definately have a refugium

You should be all set. Figure about 50 bucks per gallon just to get the tank going. So a 100 gallon tank is around 5,000 - without any livestock/corals.

Exactly, i am not saying saltwater is hard. But for someone new into the hobby, it is very expensive and risky. Testing the waters with freshwater first will get the hobbyst more accustomed before moving into the more complicated saltwater tank

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Don't listen to people telling you to go freshwater. Saltwater isn't hard. My only fish tank is a saltwater reef.

1) read, read, read, and then read some more. The initial setup of your tank is crucial.
2) Add any livestock very little at a time 5-6 weeks after your tank has been up and cycled.
3) don't skimp on your skimmer
4) purchase a quality RO/DI unit and tds meter - know what is in your water
5) don't add anything to the water other than calcium, alkalinity and possibly magnesium
6) get quality test kits for the following - alk/calc/mg/phosphate
7) get a refractometer to measure salinity
8) get a good electronic pH meter
9) don't skimp on the lights
10) feed sparingly
11) research any animal/coral before you buy. Corals frequently attack each other and release toxins into the water
12) definately have a refugium

You should be all set. Figure about 50 bucks per gallon just to get the tank going. So a 100 gallon tank is around 5,000 - without any livestock/corals.

:thumbsup:
This is going to be an ongoing, long process. The $$ amounts do not scare me too much, since this will be done overtime...

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Don't listen to people telling you to go freshwater. Saltwater isn't hard. My only fish tank is a saltwater reef.

1) read, read, read, and then read some more. The initial setup of your tank is crucial.
2) Add any livestock very little at a time 5-6 weeks after your tank has been up and cycled.
3) don't skimp on your skimmer
4) purchase a quality RO/DI unit and tds meter - know what is in your water
5) don't add anything to the water other than calcium, alkalinity and possibly magnesium
6) get quality test kits for the following - alk/calc/mg/phosphate
7) get a refractometer to measure salinity
8) get a good electronic pH meter
9) don't skimp on the lights
10) feed sparingly
11) research any animal/coral before you buy. Corals frequently attack each other and release toxins into the water
12) definately have a refugium

You should be all set. Figure about 50 bucks per gallon just to get the tank going. So a 100 gallon tank is around 5,000 - without any livestock/corals.

I don't think this guy is looking to do a reef off the bat, so not all of this is important for him, but it's great info for a reef keeper.

But, the four I've bolded are important for a fish only or reef. Not matter how tempted you will be, don't skimp on the skimmer. Trust me. Everyone who comes into this hobby tries to "get by" with some cheap skimmer. Then upgrades to a slightly better one. Eventually they purchase a really good one. With the money they spent to finally figure out they needed a good one, they can just get a good one from the start.

I currently have a Deltec AP600 on my reef, and although you don't have to drop that kind of cash ($620) for a skimmer that will work, do get a good skimmer. Look into an ASMor Euro Reef. Or for cheaper skimmers that are working very well, look into Reef Octopus or Coralife Super Skimmers.

Also, RO/DI. Save yourself the hassle and buy a unit from the start. Most people start out buying RO/DI water from their local fish store and lugging it home. I did this for a few months when I started, it's a pain. Plus after you get a TDS meter you'll find most fish stores aren't maintaining their filters very well. Do yourself a favor and get an RO/DI unit. I got mine on ebay from Aquasafe for a great price.

EDIT: Number 7 is good advice for a reef or fish only tank as well. You can get by with a swing arm or float hydrometer with a FO tank though. As long as your specific gravity is at 1.021-1.026, and you keep it at one value consistently, you're fine. With a reef tank you want that value minimum 1.025, better at 1.0265. I keep mine at 35 ppm on a refractometer.

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: trmiv

Originally posted by: spidey07
Don't listen to people telling you to go freshwater. Saltwater isn't hard. My only fish tank is a saltwater reef.

1) read, read, read, and then read some more. The initial setup of your tank is crucial.
2) Add any livestock very little at a time 5-6 weeks after your tank has been up and cycled.
3) don't skimp on your skimmer
4) purchase a quality RO/DI unit and tds meter - know what is in your water
5) don't add anything to the water other than calcium, alkalinity and possibly magnesium
6) get quality test kits for the following - alk/calc/mg/phosphate
7) get a refractometer to measure salinity
8) get a good electronic pH meter
9) don't skimp on the lights
10) feed sparingly
11) research any animal/coral before you buy. Corals frequently attack each other and release toxins into the water
12) definately have a refugium

You should be all set. Figure about 50 bucks per gallon just to get the tank going. So a 100 gallon tank is around 5,000 - without any livestock/corals.

I don't think this guy is looking to do a reef off the bat, so not all of this is important for him, but it's great info for a reef keeper.

But, the four I've bolded are important for a fish only or reef. Not matter how tempted you will be, don't skimp on the skimmer. Trust me. Everyone who comes into this hobby tries to "get by" with some cheap skimmer. Then upgrades to a slightly better one. Eventually they purchase a really good one. With the money they spent to finally figure out they needed a good one, they can just get a good one from the start.

I currently have a Deltec AP600 on my reef, and although you don't have to drop that kind of cash ($620) for a skimmer that will work, do get a good skimmer. Look into an ASMor Euro Reef. Or for cheaper skimmers that are working very well, look into Reef Octopus or Coralife Super Skimmers.

Also, RO/DI. Save yourself the hassle and buy a unit from the start. Most people start out buying RO/DI water from their local fish store and lugging it home. I did this for a few months when I started, it's a pain. Plus after you get a TDS meter you'll find most fish stores aren't maintaining their filters very well. Do yourself a favor and get an RO/DI unit. I got mine on ebay from Aquasafe for a great price.

Correct; I'm planning on fish only.

 

[trmiv]

I would also suggest looking through the articles at Reefkeeping magazine. You can find it on the reef central site, but here is a direct link.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: jlbenedict
:thumbsup:
This is going to be an ongoing, long process. The $$ amounts do not scare me too much, since this will be done overtime...

Well if you're gonna do it, I highly suggest you spend the next month just reading and learning before you go and buy anything. reefcentral has tons of good information - read the newbie stuff and the "new to the forum" section. Decide if you want corals or other invertibrates. Also after you've read everything, plan your tank ahead of time.

Fish only isn't too big of a deal, but having the rock and corals and movement of an actual coral reef is very interesting to maintain - it's a fully selfcontained ecosystem.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: jlbenedict
Correct; I'm planning on fish only.

Aww c'mon. At least get some live rock as well (acts as biological filter). Gives the fish some safety.

Then when you've got that all going you're gonna see all these cool shrimp, anenomes and corals you want.

Then bam! You've got the bug.

 

[lokiju]

My old roommate had one and it was a pain in the ass for him to keep up with as far as cleaning, feeding the fish (he had a lion fish and some sort of shark) and keeping the PH just right was always a chore also.

But it looked cool, he had a decent amount of live coral which made it real nice.

Just lots of work though.

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: jlbenedict
Correct; I'm planning on fish only.

Aww c'mon. At least get some live rock as well (acts as biological filter). Gives the fish some safety.

Then when you've got that all going you're gonna see all these cool shrimp, anenomes and corals you want.

Then bam! You've got the bug.

I second this, if you are doing fish only, use live rock. You don't have to have corals, but using live rock will make your life a lot easier.

Also, check out the Marine Depot forums not as big as RC is, but a lot of the former experts from RC are there now (long drama filled story). Specifically look at Anthony Calfo's forum, he has a lot of great info. Some great advice of his, which would be awesome for a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) tank would be to use a remote deep sand bucket. A lot of people are having success using those to keep nitrates at 0. And since they aren't in the main tank, they are a snap to replace when they fill up with gunk.