Newbie here w/ questions

Joe923667 · 04/27/2006, 11:57 PM

Hello to all and I have been lurking for a bit, you have a nice site here.

I have a freshwater and I am looking to get a saltwater aquarium but I am having a hard time getting a good answer on what I am going to need. I would like to state before I ever start a reef tank i want to start on something small with just some fish. My question is what dry goods am I going to need? I know to start I will need a heater,filtration (active charcoal,live rock, and filter), hydrometer, and probably an air pump. Should I get the water balanced correctly before adding live rock? I really would like to start buying all the materials but I don't want to waste money on things I am not going to need. Also what is a good fish to start with? I am eventually wanting to get a Volitan Lionfish.

bertoni · 04/28/2006, 12:00 AM

To Reef Central

This thread is a good place to start:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=239848

Joe923667 · 04/28/2006, 12:45 AM

what is a good water temp to start with and/or maintain fish. My freshwater is kept right around 80, should i do the same for salt?

mg426 · 04/28/2006, 01:25 AM

80 is a good number

Sk8r · 04/28/2006, 08:56 AM

The method of reef-keeping most use now with corals is liverock/deepsand filtration with a sump and skimmer, with inverts. For a FOWLR tank (fish only; live rock) you need less light than the corals; I have a corner 52 which I find a good size (until you try to get anything into the stand!) You need enough live rock to make a good big rock structure: with the guy you want, I'd give him a lot of wide ins and outs to create 'folded space' ---though lions hover a lot: mentally, I think critters fare better where they're given mild surprises, like another tank occupant swimming in and out of the rockwork. You'll need saltwater test kits appropriate for a FOWLR. You won't need a cannister filter except on rare occasions if you use the live rock method: spend that money on a skimmer and sump. For a sump, you need a downflow box, and a tank either pre-drilled or drillable...ie. non-tempered glass bottom. I believe there is also a hang-on downflow, but I've never seen one in operation. Downflows are noisier than filters; you do have to like the sound of moving water---which is about a gallon of water in free-fall at any one instant.

04/27/2006, 11:57 PM	#1
Joe923667 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: St.Charles MO Posts: 2	Newbie here w/ questions Hello to all and I have been lurking for a bit, you have a nice site here. I have a freshwater and I am looking to get a saltwater aquarium but I am having a hard time getting a good answer on what I am going to need. I would like to state before I ever start a reef tank i want to start on something small with just some fish. My question is what dry goods am I going to need? I know to start I will need a heater,filtration (active charcoal,live rock, and filter), hydrometer, and probably an air pump. Should I get the water balanced correctly before adding live rock? I really would like to start buying all the materials but I don't want to waste money on things I am not going to need. Also what is a good fish to start with? I am eventually wanting to get a Volitan Lionfish.

04/28/2006, 12:00 AM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	*To Reef Central* This thread is a good place to start: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=239848 __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/28/2006, 01:25 AM	#4
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	80 is a good number __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

04/28/2006, 08:56 AM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The method of reef-keeping most use now with corals is liverock/deepsand filtration with a sump and skimmer, with inverts. For a FOWLR tank (fish only; live rock) you need less light than the corals; I have a corner 52 which I find a good size (until you try to get anything into the stand!) You need enough live rock to make a good big rock structure: with the guy you want, I'd give him a lot of wide ins and outs to create 'folded space' ---though lions hover a lot: mentally, I think critters fare better where they're given mild surprises, like another tank occupant swimming in and out of the rockwork. You'll need saltwater test kits appropriate for a FOWLR. You won't need a cannister filter except on rare occasions if you use the live rock method: spend that money on a skimmer and sump. For a sump, you need a downflow box, and a tank either pre-drilled or drillable...ie. non-tempered glass bottom. I believe there is also a hang-on downflow, but I've never seen one in operation. Downflows are noisier than filters; you do have to like the sound of moving water---which is about a gallon of water in free-fall at any one instant. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/28/2006, 12:45 AM	#3
Joe923667 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: St.Charles MO Posts: 2	what is a good water temp to start with and/or maintain fish. My freshwater is kept right around 80, should i do the same for salt?