Hi, i'm new

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stropdas 

Hello everyone,

 

I like to introduce myself to this forum.

 

I now own a fresh water aquarium for a couple of years, i had different sizes en type of fish. For the last few months i'm orientating on salt water aquariums. I've seen this is an active community so i think i will succeed in my quest for knowledge to succesfully have an salt water aquarium.

 

I'm sorry for my English btw, i'm Dutch

Hello there and welcome to the site!

LOL...you have better English than a few folks that live right here in the USA...At least you are easy to understand, some people it's like figuring out code.

I had FW for many years, and I love SW tanks. I think they are easier, more expensive, but easier to maintain than freshwater.

Most of the FW filters and such can be reused in the new SW tank. You need sand and rock but lights, filters and such are fine to switch over....Unless you want corals, you need different lighting if you want those.

On the top of the New Hobbyist section are a 101 tips for getting started, read through that first, and feel free to ask any questions,
 

Welcome!

And as Flower said, your English is just fine.

i  Wish to like to tell you to be welcome on this the boards ?

Corals are generally for decor and suck up many water nutrients. They are not necessary but some fish are reported to do better in reefs than in FOWLR or FO. (FOWLR equals fish only with live rock FO equals fish only) here is a great useful article http://forums.saltwaterfish.com/a/new-hobbiest-needs-101

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainbow grouper 

Corals are generally for decor and suck up many water nutrients. They are not necessary but some fish are reported to better in reefs than in FOWLR or FO. (FOWLR equals fish only with live rock FO equals fish only) here is a great useful article http://forums.saltwaterfish.com/a/new-hobbiest-needs-101

Speak for yourself.

My tank is a reef tank, with the occasional fish to add some movement. Nurturing these magnificent sessile creatures is my main concern. Keeping coral is the most challenging aspect of this hobby. We do not buy expensive lighting, filtration devices and perform regular tests to maintain "decor".

I love my fish, but if I had to choose between fish and coral, I would be fishless.

And please Mr "Head of my English Group", look up the spelling of "opportunity".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stropdas 

Thanks all. My English is better than i had expected, maybe i just think to mutch about it.

 

@ Flower, I've been to some shops where they say they know all about salt water tanks (is this the correct word for aquarium?) and they told me i need to replace all the filters and stuff. They said that everything you use in Fresh Water is not suitable for Salt water.

 

And can you explain why i should take corals, just for decoratian or are they important for the balance in the water?

Coral are really cool sea creatures, sort of an alien plant if you will. I, like Mr. Slice, likes them better than fish. LOL

Anyway, quite often local fish stores want the money, and are happy to sell you all kinds of unnecessary equipment. You may use the filters from freahwater fish tanks (aquariums, both terms are correct) to saltwater tanks, just wash them up real good. The main thing is rock and sand, these are your natural filters, so plan to fill 1/2 up the tank with (live or Saltwater appropriate)rock...in a nice aqua scape, not just piled. Look around the site for pictures of the tanks others have going. Rock goes in first and then the sand, you can't build on sand because it shifts and could break the tank or crush your critters. make sure the rocks are steady and not easy to knock over. Caves and overhangs are good to have...leave crevices so fish can hide and swim in and out of the rockwork.

Media and filters are not the same thing, for example a canister filter holds different types of media, a sump filter system holds a skimmer and maybe bioballls and or a filter sock full of carbon for media.

The next important thing is water movement. The wave is the life of the ocean and your saltwater tank. Power heads are needed in saltwater. The oxygen is less in the SW tank so water movement on the surface and throughout the tank is important.

You will want your own LAB TYPE test kits. I like the Seachem the best. Each kit tells you where your numbers should be. It isn't hard to keep things where they should be....but that's a lesson for later. Reverse Osmoses water is pure and I highly recommend you get your own unit or use the water from the grocery store refill centers. I don't know where you are located so I don't really know how easy RO water is for you to get.

Any salt mix for fish only, or salt mix designed for reefs or reef crystals if you want coral. 1/2 cup per gallon...you will need a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the salt in the water...the numbers should be around 1.023 to 1.026 on a hydrometer and 35ppt on a refractometer.
 

So first questions:

What size tank?

Fish only or with corals (reef)?

What equipment do you already have?

Welcome to the site!!!

I only have 3 fish in my 120. It's all about the corals! I'm with Slice too.

Welcome to the forum!!! I'm relatively new to this forum as well but have found it to be extremely informational and the moderators are simply the best.  Since april they have helped me create a beautiful underworld. Check it out....

When I first read this I was taken aback by what I preserved to be a shot at us reef keepers.  I was going to fire back as I have been known to do. I thought better of it and let it go. Well IM BACK. Décor now let’s see the most used definition is   “stage setting” wow that is exactly what my corals are. They set the STAGE for my attempt to replicate the amazing beauty that our ocean reefs present. And on that beautifully stage the actors my fish in this case can play out their roles for my enjoyment. So my thanks go to you  the OP for reminding me that my corals do in fact set the stage.

This post is brought to you Pre-drink

Quote:

Originally Posted by florida joe 

When I first read this I was taken aback by what I preserved to be a shot at us reef keepers.  I was going to fire back as I have been known to do. I thought better of it and let it go. Well IM BACK. Décor now let’s see the most used definition is   “stage setting” wow that is exactly what my corals are. They set the STAGE for my attempt to replicate the amazing beauty that our ocean reefs present. And on that beautifully stage the actors my fish in this case can play out their roles for my enjoyment. So my thanks go to you  the OP for reminding me that my corals do in fact set the stage.

This post is brought to you Pre-drink

 

Quote:

Corals are generally for decor

 

The OP for your quote in which case it was me and joe i am going to continue your proverb.

The actors are little more than worthless if the stage is not set. not set to your liking not set to there liking. When you became an aquarist you are the director of a play. You are in charge of everything and the more eccentric you make the stage and the more eccentric you make the actors the more the audience are amazed and wowed. Whether it be to people on these forums or to you and your family if the story, stage, and actors are eccentric and perhaps a bit rare or uncommon the greater the privilege of directing.
 

P.S no offense to the keepers of FOWLR's or FO's.

im sry but the coral to me is just as important if not more important than my fish. I love how the movement and feeding and such comes from the fish but the real beauty imo is the coral! Kinda like the lil kids playing the roles of trees in a play....sure they are part of the background and stuff but they still move and may have small roles in the play!

Welcome to the site too... no questions are un welcome!

Welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy your stay. There is a lot to learn and you will in time. Your English is better then some of the Brits on this forum.

To Rainbow: Decor? Are you serious? I consider my corals as pets, which it is my responsibility to take care of them and provide for their needs. I wouldn't do the same for plastic.

Joe: Have another one, on me, mate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Blitz33 

Welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy your stay. There is a lot to learn and you will in time. Your English is better then some of the Brits on this forum.

 

 

To Rainbow: Decor? Are you serious? I consider my corals as pets, which it is my responsibility to take care of them and provide for their needs. I wouldn't do the same for plastic.

 

Joe: Have another one, on me, mate.

 

 

For all fairness, fish, although a pet, is treated differently then any other. My dogs, aren't fancied up (other then when my wife tourers them with clothing.... uhh, different issue all together), my bird's cage doesn't have anything to make it look more appealing, but my fish tank, it has to look good. It's not like other pets where we have them for them. Fish and their TANK is for ambiance, they add to the surroundings of our houses. Horrible looking tank with healthy fish, doesn't do the same for the aspect of "pet". So we add corals to make our underwater "decor" complete, to be aesthetically pleasing to our eyes. We choose to add living organisms, which our corals are. I don't add corals to my tank that I don't like aesthetically. So I side with the Lil' man on this one, they are a form of "DECOR". 
 

Stop pickin on the lil' guy as Jerth said!

I still disagree, I think decor is the cheap non-living plastic stuff you can buy on the shelf. Corals are living, breathing, feeding and feeling pets that just happen to look "pretty" in a saltwater tank, whom I will spend money on to keep healthy.