HELPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kidcapri33]

Hello all, I am venturing on2 a new hobby. I have a 55g tank....and a stand.... and thats it!! I tried researching the internet in hopes of finding exactly what I need 2 start off. I was wondering if some1 can just tell me what I need realistically. I know I want saltwater fish... I am not too crazy about coral because I am not looking to spend mega money but I just want a nice addition to my living room! WHAT EXACTLY DO I NEED B4 I PUT ANY FISH IN THE TANK PLEASE HELP!!!! : ) THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gemmy]

Welcome! Read the recommended threads at the top of the new hobbyist forum.

 

[travelerjp98]

Welcome to the addiction... I mean hobby... and to the site!!!
For new hobbyists like you, I always recommend READING, READING, and READING MORE, as Gemmy pointed out!
Here are some threads to get you started:
These are all found at the beginning of the New Hobbyists Section:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/301033/101-tips-to-beginning-and-maintaining-a-saltwater-aquarium
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/264597/a-list-of-extremely-helpful-threads-for-all-hobbyists
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/386044/lets-talk-about-cycling
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/352258/aquarium-safety
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/atype/0/Articles (5 pages of articles to look through here!)
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/388776/snakes-methods
Another must have for new hobbyists is A LOT of books:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/387791/books-for-new-to-advanced-aquarists
Hope all of this helps. For any questions that you may have, feel free to PM me.....

 

[adonis311]

If you don't want to read the recommended threads at the top, here's what my tank consists of. Its a copy from an old post of mine but it's a typical reef setup.
"""75 gal saltwater
Filtration: 2x Emporer biowheel filter, reef octopus 800 p. skimmer
Nitrates: 0.0
Ammonia: 0.0
Nitrites: 0.0
PH 8.4
Salinity 1.022
(tested moments before this post)
KH=10
and blah blah blah reef specific tests are all normal.
106lbs of live rock, plus 2 inches of live sand.
Lighting is a coralife beast that cost me $800 but i cant remember the name
tank is 2 months old.
Tankmates:
Lyretail chromis (acting passive)
Blue-green Chromis (top level swimmer, no interest in the bottom, ever)
Royal Gramma (territorial, but the goby in question is no where near his turf)
Sixline Wrasse (merely inquisitive, shows no signs of harassment)
Short spine sea urchin, the usual host of crabs and snails in a reef tank, some tiny starfish, and a few patches of button polyps and a brain coral."""


NOW, seeing as you dont want a reef. you dont need more then a pair of blue and white T5 lights (makes the fish's colors stand out). Strongly recommend at least one biowheel filiter of any kind. I swear by those things. You will need a heater, and probably a nice current generating fan to prevent stagnent water.

As far as the fish go, you want easy, pick the 3 meanest fish of the same size at your fish store, DO NOT BUY THEM RIGHT THEN, go home, or go on your iphone like i do and do some research. ask to see them eat, look them over for anything that might be bad for your tank (IE white specs, damaged fins, pale colors, them scratching them over everything, red puffy gills, etc. ) Now I say the meanest fish, but any aggresive fish is in my opinion the easiest type of fish to take care, they're full of personality, and usually arent very demanding. (BTW I LOVE TRIGGERFISH AND PUFFERS). Seeing as your tank is a bit on the small side as far as seawater tanks go, just stick with a few (2-3) fish and you won't have to yank hairs to keep it under control.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kidcapri33 http:///t/389322/helpp#post_3440127
Hello all, I am venturing on2 a new hobby. I have a 55g tank....and a stand.... and thats it!! I tried researching the internet in hopes of finding exactly what I need 2 start off. I was wondering if some1 can just tell me what I need realistically. I know I want saltwater fish... I am not too crazy about coral because I am not looking to spend mega money but I just want a nice addition to my living room! WHAT EXACTLY DO I NEED B4 I PUT ANY FISH IN THE TANK PLEASE HELP!!!! : ) THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As a minimum you need salt, water, and macro algae. And you will probably have to protect that macro algae but you get the idea.
You can spend a lot more but those basics will allow you keep fish.
my .02

 

[deejeff442]

imo ,2 inches of sand .50-60 lbs of lr.2 #4 korilia pumps and time.simple and has always worked for me.add a skimmer and gadgets later.get the cycle done and add a few live critters and fish.
adonis you can lose the biowheel with all that live rock you have.

 

[adonis311]

yeah i could. the tank set up in less then 24 hours. but since i'm not seeing any over filtration issues coming up it's better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. helps with the oxygen gas exchange as well.

 

[deejeff442]

yes it does but if you dont have a sump it also makes annoying noise when the water level lowers from evaporation.they are also handy to stuff carbon or phosphate remover in .

 

[adonis311]

Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///t/389322/helpp#post_3440168
yes it does but if you dont have a sump it also makes annoying noise when the water level lowers from evaporation.they are also handy to stuff carbon or phosphate remover in .
I inhereted this tank as a filthy glass cube from a friend of mine.. Sooooo did not want to drill holes in it for a sump and didnt think it would be much more then a place for my rect trigger to bite me but it's well on its way now. Sort of too late for a sump but it has all it needs for a decent reef tank, plus the bioreactor i just ordered. What do you think? A sump or no sump?

 

[deejeff442]

i have a 250 ,i plugged the holes on the bottom and run an overflow.never had a problem with the overflow on any tank.i ran a 90 gallon for 20 years with an overflow also.all my 90 had wa a rubbermaid tote as a sump.i put rock rubble and the heaters in it.yea i had a blue throat trigger.one time i put my hand in to add some seaweed and he bit me.i pulled my hand out on he came with it.he hit the floor but he was ok.they are a tough little guy.even if you dont plan all the things like macro,scrubber etc. in a sump it still adss volumn to the tank.always a good idea.plus it adds alot of o2 to the water.i just dont like how much tank the drilled overflows take up in a tank.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kidcapri33 http:///t/389322/helpp#post_3440127
Hello all, I am venturing on2 a new hobby. I have a 55g tank....and a stand.... and thats it!! I tried researching the internet in hopes of finding exactly what I need 2 start off. I was wondering if some1 can just tell me what I need realistically. I know I want saltwater fish... I am not too crazy about coral because I am not looking to spend mega money but I just want a nice addition to my living room! WHAT EXACTLY DO I NEED B4 I PUT ANY FISH IN THE TANK PLEASE HELP!!!! : ) THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Realistically...
tank
stand
canopy
salt
pure water source
some live rock
some base rock
dry aragonite sand
shop light with "special" bulbs to make your fishes color "pop"
a couple powerheads for water flow
a filter
a skimmer
a submersible heater
fish
clean up crew
A complete knowledge and understanding of the basics of saltwater aquariums.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///t/389322/helpp#post_3440197
i have a 250 ,i plugged the holes on the bottom and run an overflow.never had a problem with the overflow on any tank.i ran a 90 gallon for 20 years with an overflow also.all my 90 had wa a rubbermaid tote as a sump.i put rock rubble and the heaters in it.yea i had a blue throat trigger.one time i put my hand in to add some seaweed and he bit me.i pulled my hand out on he came with it.he hit the floor but he was ok.they are a tough little guy.even if you dont plan all the things like macro,scrubber etc. in a sump it still adss volumn to the tank.always a good idea.plus it adds alot of o2 to the water.i just dont like how much tank the drilled overflows take up in a tank.
Could just do a standpipe/weir with a maggie muffler. It wouldn't take up as much space in the tank. You could also maybe drill the tank with one standpipe hole, and then "baffle" it off with some silicone. Sure you would see the overflow/standpipe through the glass, but it would get covered in coralline over time... I'm just saying, there are ways... lol Ah, better yet, drill a couple of holes at the top waterline of the tank and use a couple of 90 elbows and put a maggie muffler on it. Wouldn't take up much space at all, and would be fairly invisible if painted with some black Krylon.

 

[coralman05]

Your gonna be spending money no matter what! mind as well make your tank coral ready if you change your mind,., just saying