New To The Saltwater

[Wateveryousay]

I have just recently gotten the saltwater bug, I am experienced freshwater owner and would like to get into the saltwater thing.
I would like to have an anemone or some other thing that the fish would interact with.
I would like to know what kind of filter i need to get, i know i need a skimmer, but can someone provide me with the rundown on what i need?
I would like to go with live sand and rock.

 

[greech]

A lot of the info you are looking for is on several threads on the front page of this forum. I shared some info with another user (see below link) looking to get started and it seemed to help him. Give it a read and ask any other questions you might have. Just know that there is no one-size-fits-all in this hobby. What works good for one person may not be best for others. The only sure fire constant in this hobby is the constant draining of your wallet

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208220

Also, I would not recommend an anemone until your get some experience under your belt. A pistol shrimp/goby combo might be something to look into if you want to observe a mutual relationship. Have fun!

 

[Wateveryousay]

This is the setup I am getting.

http://austin.craigslist.org/for/1417332906.html

I wanted to get one of those crabs that puts its surroundings on its back? would that be ok for this size tank?

 

[Amphiprion]

The size won't be an issue, but the other inhabitants will. Decorator crabs aren't known for being very safe with many things, including anemones, corals, etc.

 

[Wateveryousay]

Ah ok, well my heart wasn't set on those, i just want some interesting creatures, and maybe an alive enviroment.

 

[Wateveryousay]

Oh yea the guy said the starfish is gone now, just fyi

 

[OgreMkV]

Hey, I live in Austin too, so if you need some advice or help setting things up, let me know.

You might also check out my build thread... it's not totally similar, but it might help.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201280

 

[Wateveryousay]

Oh cool, I'll keep everyone updated, what LFS do you use? I would like to get a angler, the ones i have seen are all semi-aggressive except for the Striated, but this one gets larger than others, do you think it will be ok in a 20 gallon? Any suggestions on other anglers or other fish? Is semi-aggressive a problem?

 

[Wateveryousay]

Also, with adding new water, how do i do that? can i just treat tap and add salt then add it to the water?

 

[OgreMkV]

Use RO water for top-offs. Aquatek and River City have water for sale. RO is 25 cents per gallon and salt is a buck twenty five per gallon. For that small a tank, it just makes sense to buy the water you need. I spend about 1.25 per month on water.

Do you mean Angel or Angler? AS far as I know, there are no anglers available. And sorry, but there's no way even a dwarf angel will work in a 20 gallon tank. Stick to nano fish like a small goby, the smaller clown fish, that sort of thing. And keep in mind that stocking in SW is way, way less than stocking in FW. A 20 gallon tank in FW might have 4 or 5 fish (2-3 inches). A SW tank should have 1, maybe 2 if you are very careful.

Read extensively about the fish you plan to buy. All of the LFS around here want to sell fish and they might not have the best information about them. It just depends on who you talk to in each store. Know what you are buying before you do so (personal experience here, trust me).