Not even a newbie yet

emtguy

emtguy

Member
Hey guys and gals,
Im wanting to get in the salt water realm but im totally new to this. I have fresh water tanks but rom all my reading thats about comparing apples and oranges.
My question is this for all you in the know. If you had to do it all over again what would you purchase if money was not a option? Im guess i meen if you were starting up please list what you would consider essintial to having a good looking tank and ease of maint. Please include everything from test kits to tank size....this will give me somewhere to start my research and learning process...heck i dont even know the correct water levels as far as ph etc...
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by SAMBASAM
buy one of the cubes (jbj,biocube,nano) their built for SW and are super easy to use!
Don't forget unforgiving. When something goes south it happens fast. There is more cushion with a larger system.
I'd start with a 48" wide 55gallon because you have some room to expand. 48" fixtures fit 75 and 90 gal tanks as long as they are 48" wide,too. I'd build a sump/fuge from the beginning. (something I regret) A 55 gal will fit on a 48" wide stand designed for a 90 with room to spare.
Read and research as you are now. Read Robert Fenner's book, "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist."
 
emtguy

emtguy

Member
Thanks for the info guys.
I have been reading about the 29 nano and it looks to be my best choice for a novice. The prob. i am having is that there is so much info. out there on the net that it is all running together.
I can order a nano and sand and live rock but after that im done...cant seem to find any basic info as far as wat kind of salt mix. to order or for that matter even how to mix it properly. I have learned to be patient and let tank cycle for 3 or 4 weeks but even then i dont know how to set it up to start it cycling.
I have no local pet stores to get info from either, all my stuff will have to be ordered online and i'll have to take ya'lls advice on what to order and when.
all this info is overwhelming to me so just be patient with me and someday i'll get to be patient with another noob.
 
kclester

kclester

Active Member
im still quite a newb myself but after a few months of reading and researching and talking to the wonderful ppl on here i have a 29 up and running now. I will list a few things that you will need to get started
1. Two large tubs to mix your salt water and to cycle your new LR for a day or so
2. Hydrometer to test the level of slat in your water
3. To start you will need 4 basic test kits PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate you will need to do a fair amount of readeing to understand what these are and what they can do to your tank
4. If you are gunna go with the 29 gallon i would buy the bag of instant ocean salt its good for 50 gallons so it will get you started
5. The setup you are talking about has a built in filter and skimmer i beleive, but you will need 3-4 powerheads 2 for your DT and the other 2 for cycleing your new lr and pre mixing your salt water
these are just a few basic things you will need to get started but if i were you i would READ READ READ and understand everything b4 you get started i had to learn as i went. Welcome to SALT WATER
 
cosguy23

cosguy23

Member
Alway use RO water..........NEVER tap...... that was the biggest mistake I made when I first started......... it almost made me not want to have anything to do with this hobby cause unwanted stuff grows (algae, etc) and the stuff you want to grow don't
 
isistius

isistius

Active Member
if money wasn't an option - don't skimp on anything. yes, you can build lots of things, if you're a vaery handy person, but if not, you get what you pay for in this hobby. jmo.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
If I had to do it over again and money wasnt an issue... 90 gal no doubt. Same length and width as a 75, just a little taller. I love my 29 cube dont get me wrong, but the bigger the better IMO.
Refractometer for testing your salinity, throw the hydrometer away, IMO.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by kclester
im still quite a newb myself but after a few months of reading and researching and talking to the wonderful ppl on here i have a 29 up and running now. I will list a few things that you will need to get started
1. Two large tubs to mix your salt water and to cycle your new LR for a day or so Using tubs to mix your water in for your regular water changes is a good idea, a power head to circulate the water and setting up your water change at minimum 24 hours in advance is good, a week is ideal.
2. Hydrometer to test the level of slat in your water REFRACTOMETER ditch the hydrometer, especially if your gonna have a reef tank
3. To start you will need 4 basic test kits PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate you will need to do a fair amount of readeing to understand what these are and what they can do to your tank
4. If you are gunna go with the 29 gallon i would buy the bag of instant ocean salt its good for 50 gallons so it will get you started
5. The setup you are talking about has a built in filter and skimmer i beleive, but you will need 3-4 powerheads 2 for your DT and the other 2 for cycleing your new lr and pre mixing your salt waterIf its the biocube it does not have a skimmer, however thats not an issue IMO. Typically 2 additional power heads are sufficient, however adding them is usually done after your tank is set up as different LR configurations will determine the need for more powerheads.
these are just a few basic things you will need to get started but if i were you i would READ READ READ and understand everything b4 you get started i had to learn as i went. Welcome to SALT WATER
Suggestions in red.....
 
salty blues

salty blues

Active Member
From my relatively brief experience I learned that if you decide to use a skimmer, don't waste your time and money on the cheaper models.
 
emtguy

emtguy

Member
Thanks a ton guys, this is helping. I have decided to go with a nano and luckily my cousin has had a tank 4 two years and i do have somekinda know how available. What kinda mods should i do to the nano to make it perform at it's optimal performance if any?
 
emtguy

emtguy

Member
nevermind mods, i have decided on a 28g nano HQI. Hope thats a good choice for a noob. Any tips are welcome.
 
emtguy

emtguy

Member
How long should i cycle tank? i have seen from 2 to 6 weeks in my readings, what is a normal period?
 
brandan

brandan

Member
Originally Posted by emtguy
How long should i cycle tank? i have seen from 2 to 6 weeks in my readings, what is a normal period?
With LR and LS, you are usually looking right at two weeks or so. With dead rock and just regular sand, you are looking at 4-5weeks. Lots of people are against using fish to cycle the tank, but do what you want. People do it with FW fish all the time. You can use a dead piece of shrimp, crab, or whatever from my frig or local market, but it is up to you. If you are going to use fish, I would use Blue/Green Chromis, they are part of the Damsel family, but they are not nearly as territorial as most Damsels. This way after the tank is cycled, you don't have to worry about them picking on the other, less aggressive fish. I hope this helps. Just my 2 cents.
 
L

lsu

Guest
Brandan said:
With LR and LS, you are usually looking right at two weeks or so. With dead rock and just regular sand, you are looking at 4-5weeks. Lots of people are against using fish to cycle the tank, but do what you want. People do it with FW fish all the time. You can use a dead piece of shrimp, crab, or whatever from my frig or local market, but it is up to you. If you are going to use fish, I would use Blue/Green Chromis, they are part of the Damsel family, but they are not nearly as territorial as most Damsels. This way after the tank is cycled, you don't have to worry about them picking on the other, less aggressive fish. I hope this helps. Just my 2 cents.
Yowza! There is no reaon to use fish to cycle your tank. This is an old, outdated practice. The same effect can be accomplished by ghost feedings or by using dead shrimp. Please search the old threads for the nitrogen cycle.
Thanks,
Jordan
PLEASE do not use fish for you cycle!!!
Click to expand...
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by emtguy
sorry for ignorance but whats ghost feeding?
Lightly feeding your stockless tank to establish bacteria. Takes longer and you may cycle again after adding livestock, but not always and may just be a small spike. Using a cocktail shrimp will ensure a hard cycle and establish enough bacteria to handle your bio load in less time.
 
emtguy

emtguy

Member
So let me see if i got this right,
After getting my nano set up i need to add de-ionized water and salt mixture. Once thats been done and my salt levels are 1.025 then i can add LR and LS and a peeled shrimp and then let it go for 2-4 weeks checking all my levels daily. Once they're all good then i can start adding a cleaning crew and live stock ?
Sorry for all the questions but i am a novice and my only help in getting started will be from the advice of this forum.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top