Thinking about trying out a simple saltwater tank

[Skip]

ok.. this is what i want..

Firefish.. no coral
bb
20 gallon tank.. have aquaclear filter..
i have coralight.. that takes 18" blubs..

what do i need to start?

[Skip]

ok.. this is what i want..

Firefish.. no coral
bb
20 gallon tank.. have aquaclear filter..
i have coralight.. that takes 18" blubs..

what do i need to start?

[RAVEN]

Be carefull, your little tank might turn into this if you have any addiction problems.

[Skip]

ok.. i am doing it.!!

i have a 29 or 37.. i only really want fire fish.. small little 3" fish.. don't want any reef stuff.. i want to get DRY ROCK and some live sand and then let the tank sit for a couple of months.. it seems like a safe thing to do..

[judy]

I went from a 10 gallon nano to a 125 with 40 gallon sump for two protein skimmers and a refugium. Addicting--? Hell, yeah. As much as discus or more so...
For your 55 gallon, live rock and live sand both will provide the most stable biofiltration. Get some base rock, as has been mentioned, and mix it with the LR, and get a few cups of live sand to mix with some bagged stuff, and your price point will be somewhat reduced. With live sand, you won't have to clean it. The life slithering around in it will keep the sand clean, and of you get a sand-sifting goby, that'll do the job on the surface, as well as providing a constantly changing, intersting sandscape.
The only additional equipment that is absolutely necessary is a good protein skimmer, powerheads for current (three in your tank would be good) and a good light. The 3watt CREE LED light banks that have finally shown up on the market (it took forever to get good LED lights for reefs) are the best lights, even for the price, which can be up there. They last for a decade, run nice and cool (and therefore are quiet-- no noisy fans) and provide great quality light-- and you will weaken and end up getting some corals. A FOWLR tank gets boring real fast. If you do go for a FOWLR, the light isn't as important-- and you can grow coral with T5HOs-- four over the 55 would be good. Maybe start with two and go to four if you move on to corals.

[Skip]

FOWLR = FISH ONLY WITH LIVE ROCK.. LOL>. i get it


yes, i think it would get boring.. BUT i need start basic then move up..

i can get a good light later.. since the ROCK and LIGHTS are the most expensive part

there is a pretty good CORAL ONLY place here in austin, only open on sat. 1-4pm.. so i want to check that out..

i do have an empty 75 and 125.. they could be good salt.. but i DON"T want to start with them..

i do need to save a LITTLE.. since i do have some FUTURE plans in the works with my soon to be Better half lol

[dadecountyalan]

my dream tank is a 120 fowler tank. just fish and live rock. with all different types of angel fish. to me those are the most beautifull fish out there. but for now im going to stay with my discus

[judy]

ok.. i am doing it.!!

i have a 29 or 37.. i only really want fire fish.. small little 3" fish.. don't want any reef stuff.. i want to get DRY ROCK and some live sand and then let the tank sit for a couple of months.. it seems like a safe thing to do..

If you use your HOB filter as a small HOB refugium by filling it with live rock rubble, it is much cheaper than live rock and will seed the rest of your rock and sand quite quickly...

[Skip]

If you use your HOB filter as a small HOB refugium by filling it with live rock rubble, it is much cheaper than live rock and will seed the rest of your rock and sand quite quickly...

do you need to worry about any nasty bugs? by mixing the source

[judy]

Unlike with freshwater, almost never are there nasties. The more varied the rock source, the more varied the potential population of good bugs, bristleworms, even copepods and amphipods (tiny snacks for fish). If you have room in the HOB and can out a small light over top of it, you can also keep chaetomorpha, a very good macroalgae, which will provide a home for those pods and for phytoplankton (great for corals if you should get one or two). The only nasties you might accidentally import are hitchhikers like gorilla crabs (evil eaters on small fish), which skulk about in the dark. But that's very rare.

[alleykat0498]

SW is worse than smack!

I started a ten gallon fowlr and six months and thousands later...

And

And then

And then of course


Search for a local reef club and save yourself tons of $ on everything from rock to equipment and sometimes livestock.

[judy]

local clubs are a godsend for saving money... everything from equipment to cheap, good live rock to coral and fish. here is this addict's money-sucking tank...

http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/...t=MVI_0226.mp4

[Skip]

there is a website for AUSTIN REEF CLUB>. i am getting contacts now

[DerekFF]

Skip I think rather than a local reef club you need a local aquatics anonymous addictions club ;-)

[nwehrman]

Lol - that's pretty funny!!