what do I need to get started in this great hobby?

rdskns71

rdskns71

New Member
I have been doing freshwater for several years and am starting to get interested in doing the saltwater thing now and everywhere I go, except the lps, I keep hearing, ask ask ask. So I pose this question what would you suggest for equipment to start a new 55 gal fish only tank(not very familiar with acronyms so put the meaning after so I can learn please!!). Also any advice for starting out, cycling techniques, how long to wait before adding fish, testing kits and water conditions, etc. etc. would be greatly appreciated.
 
northreef

northreef

Member
Welcome Skins! I just joined a while back as well, I would first reccommend above all else books, & research! Use the boards for information and also the book "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert M. Fenner. You can purchase online from this site. I have read it cover to cover and it is a wealth of useful information. Also everyone has their own opinions so you will have to sift through it and make your own judgement. I would try specifics but I do not have enough experience to advise others...
Good Luck!
 
weberian

weberian

Member
Two or three powerheads, but in sizing them you will want to know what kind of flow you want, medium flow, hight flow, etc. Fish only doesn't usually require quite as much flow as an SPS (small-polyp stony corals) tank.
A good protein skimmer. If you want big carnivorous fish or a snowflake moray, you will want to oversize your skimmer, since their feeding habits put more organics into the water.
Decide whether you want a "sump" which is a separate tank usually below your main tank. It can hide all your gadgets such as skimmer, heaters, refugium, macro-algae for nitrate uptake etc.
I like some kind of mechanical power filter for tank cleaning and maintenance. I have a Magnum 350 canister (350 gallons per hour) and a Whisper 60 (330 gallons per hour) that I can swap in whenever necessary, with or without carbon.
more, more, more....
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
fowlr means fish only with live rock look through the boards at pictures of tanks live rock make the tank look natural besides being a natural filter.
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
¡Hola! WELCOME TO THE BOARDS!

Originally Posted by Northreef
"The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert M. Fenner
 
fraggle_a

fraggle_a

Member
MONEY some MONEY and a little MONEY would be a good starting point. Oh, and a little MONEY would be good too....
;-)
 
saltfan

saltfan

Active Member
Get your tank, 75 lbs of Live Rock, and a sump for under your tank, much better than hang on stuff. 160gallons of salt, a 250watt heater, a refractometer and water tester kit, and 2 inches of either live sand or crushed coral or a combo of both, make sure the crushed coral is x-fine, almost as fine as the sand. Start your tank up, then in the 6 weeks it takes to cycle the tank, you'll know everything you want to know by coming to the sight, and reading your homework book.
 
theweirdo

theweirdo

Member
Originally Posted by Fraggle_a
MONEY some MONEY and a little MONEY would be a good starting point. Oh, and a little MONEY would be good too....
;-)

Well, that stuff's all good and important, but he should also have some MONEY.
 
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