I Have Some Questions On Starting A Tank And Need Help

[jake15]

Hi, I am 15 years old and I want to set up a Saltwater Tank really bad. I have $200 to spend and I dont know If I need anything else besides the live sand, fish, live rock, and so on. Right now I have a 45 gal. tank, dual filtration system(filter with two waterfalls) Under Water Filter, 2 Heaters, 2 lights, Stand, and a 4 port air pump. Thats it i think. All this was giving to me by a man who was moving and didn't want it anymore so I asked for it and he gave it to me
I have some questions!
Is my tank big enough for saltwater fish?(45 gal.)
If So Should I do Reef or another type of set up?
And the stuff he gave me is kinda dirty and I would like to clean it what do I use to do so?
Thanks

 

[brownleaf]

Welcome!
What you got there are Freshwater set-up. Most of the stuff you don't need.
You can safe the Tank, stand, and heaters.
You don't want the under gravel filter and air pump.
The light you can use if the tank is going tobe Fish-Only. They are not enough for Reef.
$200 will only get you very little in Saltwater.
To clean, use vinegar and water will do it.
Goodluck!

 

[toasterman]

dont use soap!!!

 

[jake15]

Ok, So I Have Fresh Water Stuff, What kind of Filter do I need? I have lots of pumps we have a 50 gal and 3200 gal out door ponds with gold fish so pumps are plentiful but dont know if those are what I need.
Could you maybe give me a list of some things i need?
Thanks

 

[rbmount]

You could probably run a wet/dry under it fed by an overflow. And put your skimmer in the filter. That would hide things nicely.

 

[hondo]

the 45g is big enough for a salt water tank. You will want to do a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) since to do a reef would require buying better lighting and with only $200 you don't have the money. Things you will need,
Skimmer - get a hang on the back type since it appears your tank does not have a built in overflow for a sump. Many to choose from so do a search on this site for various brands.
Live rock - you will need 30 - 50 lbs at least and it can get expensive so this is where most of your money will go but it is worth it. This site sells good live roock so you can check the prices and see what you can afford.
Sand - Use some sort of argonite sand for substrate, do not use crushed coral as it does not do as good a job at filtration as a fine grade sand. The sand will become live after a month or more in the tank with your live rock so no need to by live sand.
Filter - you can add a filter or use your LR and sand for filtration. Several good hang on the back filters on the market and they are not real expensive.
Test Kits - Nitrite, amonia, are a must. If you get into corals later you will need additional kits. you will also need a hydrometer to check the salinity of the water.
Power heads - a couple of maxi jet 600's are cheap and will keep the water in the tank moving.
After all this you need salt and then some fish. Take your time and do not rush into anything until you can afford to do it right. cycle your tank with a peice of shrimp and not a fish and good luck.

 

[jake15]

Thank You For Your Advice Update You In A Week Or Two

 

[zap800]

you forgot one of the most important things. a good book. do a web search for fenner and pletta. those 2 authors have some real good stuff written on this hobby. if you want to go cheap then forget the filter and skimmer, for now. after you save up some more money you can get a good skimmer. the evil of this hobby is, if you go cheap you will have cheap junk. if you cant aford a good product dont waste your money on junk. lastly if you can not afford this hobby dont get into it. these might only seem like fish to some people but they are living creatures and might have found a good home somewhere else.

 

[scoobydoo]

"Filter - you can add a filter or use your LR and sand for filtration."
Is he saying you don't need a wet/dry filter at all?

 

[dskidmore]

Originally posted by scoobydoo
"Filter - you can add a filter or use your LR and sand for filtration."
Is he saying you don't need a wet/dry filter at all?
People who are going reef don't like wet-drys. The live rock does the same job the bioballs do, without as much need for dilligent maintenance. Live rock (around 1 pound per gallon), Live sand, and some powerheads should be sufficient filtration for a fish-only tank. If you want any reef critters, the protien skimmer is a must.

 

[dskidmore]

Originally posted by chriscobb
Bioballs have more surface area than live rock, live rock depends on the age and what is on the live rock as well???
Not if it's good live rock. Good live rock is porus, so the bacterial can live in the depths of the rock, not just on the outer surface. As far as age goes, for bacteria the live rock won't age any slower than the bioballs, and the good quality stuff comes with full colonies of bacteria (and detrivores) to start with.