first saltwater attempt

flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by huntin4stiles
http:///forum/post/3078536
ok so each water change would i need more RO water? and i dont even know how to a water change of this magnitude

Don't get intimidated!
Water changes are easy! You only want to replace 10% to 20%. You take the big tub (garbage can..mark it FISH ONLY) I mentioned and fill it with RO water, heat it up with a heater, then add your salt according to the measures it has on the package...place a power head in the tub to help keep it mixed, wait 24 hours...remove some of the water from the tank and add the new mixed water back into it, using the tubing and pump to make it easy on your back.
Some do it more often, others less...I do it about once every month or two. I got to the point as I look at my tank, I know when it's time to do it.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by huntin4stiles
http:///forum/post/3078553
and also i dont know what substrate i should get

crushed coral is very chunky and it gets algae on it pretty bad...I do not recommend that.
Live sand is the best but expensive...You can by dead sand which is cheaper and seed it with live sand. (Say for example use 1 bag of live sand and 2 bags of dead sand.)
Saltwater is very different from fresh...in saltwater tanks, critters do all the work...you get a type of critter to eat algae, another type to clean the rocks, another to keep the sand clean and so on. There are lots of choices on what critter you want..price, color..how well it can get along with what you already put in it, and so on.
These are all the wonderful things about the hobby that a book would explain in detail...also there are books to give you info on what critter gets along with what, and what they do to help your tank.
And before I forget...when you arrange your rock...leave space on the side and front at least so a magnet that is used to clean the glass can fit...basically place your rock in the center of your tank...you want the power heads to create flow over them to keep the tank clean and healthy and be able to clean the glass so you can see your mini ocean in action.
I know you have a million questions...You will learn most from a good book on the subject...I am not passing you off, it will help you to know what questions to ask and help you get up and started.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by huntin4stiles
http:///forum/post/3078611
ok then one more question. what books do you reccomend?

  • Saltwater aquariums for dummies. By: Gregory Skomal
  • Saltwater aquariums make a great hobby. By:John Tullock
  • The new marine aquarium. By: Michael S. Paletta
  • The conscientious marine aquarist. By: Robert M. Fenner
    On fish and coral keeping, what goes with what, and where to place them in the tank, and what they eat...
    Corals (A quick reference guide) By: Julian Sprung
    Marine Fishes. By:Scott W. Michael
    Marine invertebrates. By: Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D.
These are the list of books I use, the marine fishes and marine inverebrates books are the ones the fish store people used to give information to me when I asked for it...So I just bought the books. Now I know as much as they do... LOL
 
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