I have often thought about starting a saltwater aquarium, can someone give me information on how difficult they are to maintain, what is the minimum size tank required and overall cost involved. I currently have a 29 gallon freshwater aquarium. i appreciate any information given, jerry557
starting new marine aquarium
- Thread starter jerry57
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if you research saltwater tanks, and ask plenty of questions, than its not much harder to keep than freshwater.
a 29 gallon tank sounds perfect for a first saltwater.
the cost and maintenance all depends on what kind of tank you want.
FOWLR, or fish only with live rock is exactly what it sounds like. no corals or anything of the like. thats what i would recommend, and if you do want to keep a reef tank, you can just upgrade the tank you already have
oh, and welcome to AC
a 29 gallon tank sounds perfect for a first saltwater.
the cost and maintenance all depends on what kind of tank you want.
FOWLR, or fish only with live rock is exactly what it sounds like. no corals or anything of the like. thats what i would recommend, and if you do want to keep a reef tank, you can just upgrade the tank you already have
oh, and welcome to AC
Maintenance involves:
1. Mixing/purchasing saltwater. Mixing will require a heater, mixing pump (usually just a small powerhead), a seperate mixing container (unused trashcan or tote), and some means of measuring the salinity of the water (preferably a refractometer). Also you will have to use purfied water, most common is using RO (reverse osmosis) purifier or purchase purified water locally by some means.
2. Now be prepared to at minimum change some percentage of water on a monthly basis.
3. Equipment such as a skimmer will require cleaning. Depending on your skimmer you could be cleaning a collection cup on a weekly basis or more.
4. There is always a chore of topping off the water in the tank, sometimes depending on your tank you will have to do this every few days to every week or so unless you invest into a sump of some sort with a top-off system or have enough room in the sump to get you buy for several weeks. But the water in saltwater evaporates a lot faster than freshwater.
5. If you invest in a reef and depending on your corals you will have to supplement the tank akalinity and calcium levels to approiate levels. Things like a calcium reactor will automate this. Most will use limewater or two part solutions. Again depending on the corals you select you could be adding supplements on a daily basis!
Anyone have anything to add?
1. Mixing/purchasing saltwater. Mixing will require a heater, mixing pump (usually just a small powerhead), a seperate mixing container (unused trashcan or tote), and some means of measuring the salinity of the water (preferably a refractometer). Also you will have to use purfied water, most common is using RO (reverse osmosis) purifier or purchase purified water locally by some means.
2. Now be prepared to at minimum change some percentage of water on a monthly basis.
3. Equipment such as a skimmer will require cleaning. Depending on your skimmer you could be cleaning a collection cup on a weekly basis or more.
4. There is always a chore of topping off the water in the tank, sometimes depending on your tank you will have to do this every few days to every week or so unless you invest into a sump of some sort with a top-off system or have enough room in the sump to get you buy for several weeks. But the water in saltwater evaporates a lot faster than freshwater.
5. If you invest in a reef and depending on your corals you will have to supplement the tank akalinity and calcium levels to approiate levels. Things like a calcium reactor will automate this. Most will use limewater or two part solutions. Again depending on the corals you select you could be adding supplements on a daily basis!
Anyone have anything to add?
Does anybody think 2 perculas, orange spotted goby, fire shrimp and pistol shrimp, citron clown goby and a midas blenny is too much for a 20 gallon FOWLR
Trying to think back to when I was a newbie…what I should have known comes to mind.
Initial Start Up Costs will vary depending on your choices.
Fish Only
Fish with soft corals
Complete Reef Garden
I can list many ways to start off but it really depends on “what you want in the end”. The other problem is there really is no end in this hobby. I started off with 10 gallon that had one clown and anemone for kicks. Now I have a 72 gallon Reef Tank. See where that got me? =)
Basic purchase:
Tank, Lights, Filtration, Heater, Substrate, Water Chemistry Book for Marine tanks,Quality Test kits, and Salinity measurement tool. OH forgot Power Heads for flow.
You have the tank covered …
Filtration:
Live Rock or Dead Rock and cure it in the cycle (dead to live during cycle will save you cash).
Skimmers for coral tanks recommended ..Fowlr you can get away with not having it. I still recommend skimming.
Estimated costs:
Live rock is at 10.99 lb for me locally. Dead base rocks are 1.99 lb
Skimmers: 150-250 for some good hang off the back skimmers or sump based. Could spend more but we are trying to save you money and not have you buy junk either.
Lights:
That is dependent on your tank style choices. Fowlr can get away with simple lighting which is not very costly at all.
You choose to have corals and photosynthetic life (Anenome) you will have to invest in some good lights.
Estimated Costs:
Basic Light with Compacts you are probably looking at 50 bucks counting the hood and lights.
Power Compacts: 100-200 dollars
High end lighting Like Metal Halides: 300+ dollars
Substrate: Barebottom, Sand, Crushed Coral…I would say Fine Sand… but that’s me.
Estimated costs: 20 bucks for the sand for a 29 gallon tank..rough estimate.
The other part of this equation will you have a SUMP or NOT. This is important because adding a sump is very beneficial but comes with more costs to set that up also. You can go without a sump and add one later. It’s not a must but does require more purchases of things.
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[FONT="]That depends on the clown. [/FONT]Oscilarsomethinsomething …cant spell it… They stay small. So yes.
Just to give you an idea I first started off with PC lights made by Coral Life and it sat on my 10 gallon perfectly.
I had one clown and a Seabae Anenome. That’s about all it could hold though. And using a BioWheel 100 model for filtering. Tanks this size just do very large water changes once a week and you are good. 50% changes.
But remember this warning:
Small tanks vs Large is like a Cup of Water vs the Ocean. You can spit in the Ocean and not affect the water parameters. Spit in the cup and its gone all outa wack. This applies to small fish tanks.[FONT="] [/FONT]
