salt help
- Thread starter chuckie
- Start date
leopard_babe
Active Member
Welcome!!
I am new to this hobby, and I did not know where to start. I bought a 50lbs bag of Oceanic salt. It was about $14. I use 3 cups of salt to every 5 gallons of water. I mixed it in a bucket in my bath tub. Then I let it sit for a day. Saltwater is more stable after one day. I have been told to use RO or RO/DI water. It is very cheap, at about 30 cents per gallon at meijer. i had a freshwater tank and converted. there are some other decisions that you need to make. Is this a fish only tank, or a reef tank. what do you want in it? Will there be live rrock and live sand? This saltwater tank is just as easy to take care of as my freshwater. I hope y ou enjoy the hobby!!!
Sarah
I am new to this hobby, and I did not know where to start. I bought a 50lbs bag of Oceanic salt. It was about $14. I use 3 cups of salt to every 5 gallons of water. I mixed it in a bucket in my bath tub. Then I let it sit for a day. Saltwater is more stable after one day. I have been told to use RO or RO/DI water. It is very cheap, at about 30 cents per gallon at meijer. i had a freshwater tank and converted. there are some other decisions that you need to make. Is this a fish only tank, or a reef tank. what do you want in it? Will there be live rrock and live sand? This saltwater tank is just as easy to take care of as my freshwater. I hope y ou enjoy the hobby!!!
Sarah
wablondie98664
Active Member
to start a cycle you can add a raw shrimp, this will create ammonia. after the ammonia goes down you will see a spike in nitrites and when they go back to 0 you can start adding fish. the whole procees usually takes 4-6 weeks
hth
hth
bang guy
Moderator
Hi Chuckie! Welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!
My first suggestion is to get a good SW book and read it cover to cover...twice.
There may be a few similarities between FW and SW but not as much as you would think.
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist is a good book to start with. I don't agree with the book 100% but it's a great start IMO.
Get the book....
Guy
My first suggestion is to get a good SW book and read it cover to cover...twice.
There may be a few similarities between FW and SW but not as much as you would think.
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist is a good book to start with. I don't agree with the book 100% but it's a great start IMO.
Get the book....
Guy
dreeves
Active Member
Dont start this hobby...find a magazine, cut out a picture of a nice looking reef tank...and tape it to the fron of your FW tank...it will save you tons of cash, headache, frustration...oh and did I mention cash and headaches?
If you are insistent...then do what BangGuy says...except a couple of different books by a couple of different people will give you a couple of different perspectives...
Search online, here, everywhere, read, read, and then go ahead and read some more prior to even starting.
I think besides a few process (denitrification), gills, and water...they are two completely different monsters (FW vs. SW)
Good luck, tank some tylenol...and enjoy!
Oh, and did I mention reading?
If you are insistent...then do what BangGuy says...except a couple of different books by a couple of different people will give you a couple of different perspectives...
Search online, here, everywhere, read, read, and then go ahead and read some more prior to even starting.
I think besides a few process (denitrification), gills, and water...they are two completely different monsters (FW vs. SW)
Good luck, tank some tylenol...and enjoy!
Oh, and did I mention reading?
leopard_babe
Active Member
I have bee n reading some great books too!!! my dog was so jealous that he ate one while I was gone. this is an expensive hobby. if he keeps eating libraary books I am gonna be in major debt.