Hi, New member and new to saltwater fishkeeping. Help me with my fish addiction?

[Yarok]

Hi, I am a new member. I have a lot of experience keeping fresh water fish but I would really like to get into saltwater fish keeping/corals and inverts. I apologize in advance for the million questions I will be asking. I currently have a 36 gallon bowfront with 2 Marineland HOB penguin 280s. I was wondering If I could convert this tank to saltwater with some equipment changes. The LFS tried selling me a HOB refugium/protein skimmer but it seemed really small, it was quite expensive and I was worried about how effective it would be. Is a 36 gallon too small? My tank is not drilled, would that be a problem? Should I invest in a bigger tank and if so 75 vs 90? I am trying to do this in the most cost effective way possible because I don't have a ton of money to spend. Can I use tap water or do I need an RO/DI thingamajig (I have a vague idea about how that works). Refugium or wet and dry? I have done quite a bit of research but I still feel like I don't have a complete picture. As far as I know I need: Live sand, Live rock (pound per gallon), refugium, protein skimmer, some serious lighting, test kits, salt, water (I assume I can't use regular tap water and water conditioner). Any advice on specific equipment I might need or which brand names to use for refugium, filter, protein skimmer, etc... I will do more research on coral types and fish later on but for right now I would just like to get a tank started the right way.

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

Go as big as possible.. Sure u could find a set up for dirt cheap here on mr.. U going in the right direction on asking questions which u could Prob find
Out on Google on your own but better two answers then one.. The 36 is a bit small but I seen plenty of people with smaller tanks that r happy with what they have so its what u like.. The more water volume the easyier it is to stablize water and more stuff which in this hobby could never have to much.. Good luck

 

[thirty6]

Welcome! The more you read and the more you ask the better off you'll be. I would think that based on $ part of your post you should use your current tank to start with. An external skimmer would be a nice addition or maybe an overflow kit and a aump tank if your so inclined and then you can add a skimmer in the sump. Some of the burst tanks on this forum or others are on the small side and have a stunning colorful assortment of corals. Go slow, pick livestock wisely, and have fun. I am Sure like most of us you will be upgrading sooner than later so try to purchase equipment that can grow with your needs if possible

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

I say stay with your 36 until you are sure of what you want. Take a look at member tanks on here as well as other related sites. Take a month to know what tank you want, style, what you plan to keep as far as coral or fish so that you can base your tank around what you like or envision your tank to be.

Unlike freshwater, a tank isn't mature for months/years so there is a pretty big cycle that will test your patience. Algae is abundant so when you start do not try to get fancy and take quick shortcuts. Saltwater hobby is vastly different in that sense. Ex: a freshwater system can be ready in a week or less while a saltwater tank will be ready for your first fish in 3-4 weeks and custom bloom for another 4-6weeks or sometimes longer. Then comes other pests and the dreaded cyano!

Try to buy equipment one size up for things like a skimmer or lights because these two are pretty important and often necessary to upgrade as your wants become more of an obsession.

Either way good luck and hope you don't have a wife to strangle you for going broke like the rest of us!!

 

[Yarok]

Any sump ideas for a 36 gallon that is not drilled? sump size? manufacturer? Do I need some sort of overflow and a pump to pump water out of the tank because I can't use gravity? I know very little about this stuff. Know anyone that converted a 36 gallon to saltwater? Is a refugium important for corals? skimmer on the back or in the sump?

 

[fredro]

If possible, I would look for a used drilled setup, which by the time you spent the money and time converting your current tank, likely would be the same price. I would say start with a minimum of a 55 with a sump. The overflow boxes that you would be getting to convert your tank to run with a sump would rely on gravity and a syphon, two things that personally scare me to rely on at all times. You could also possibly drill your tank, but again, by the time you did this and bought the added equipment, you might be happier with a predrilled reef-ready tank. If you've been active in the FW community for years, you may want to see if you can sell your current setup and buy a used reef-ready setup for a price difference that would compare to what you were going to spend on the overflow and conversion. It is common to see used setups go for a few hindered dollars on here and if you can sell your setup for anything that you can put toward that, I think you're miles ahead of the game. Saltwater is going to bring a bunch of new challenges and concepts to the table for you as compared to freshwater. Don't let your frustrations start with your equipment before you even get to the challenge of balancing and maintaining the tank. Either way, saltwater is a whole new and rewarding side of the hobby and I hope you enjoy it! Good luck and ask lots of questions!!!

 

[thirty6]

I think the 36 could work, sort of partial to the number!
if you have the room there is a nice 120 for sale here for a great price. in some ways I think a bigger tank is more forgiving in terms of mistakes ect....
Mike is on to something though in his post- decide what exactly you want to keep/do with the tank and go from that point. if you are more of a coral guy than fish the 36 should be fine for awhile. if you prefer the fish, you are somewhat limited in what you can keep in a smaller tank. Still great options, but limited

 

[Skaters216]

Welcome to Manhattan reefs, and good luck with your journey into the Salt water world.Soft corals are easier to take care of than Hard corals so make sure you do your research. There are a ton of great peolple on this forum that will help with anything you have a question about so dont be afraid to ask as many questions as you have.

 

[lrasser]

What area of NY are you from? There are many local members on here that would show you their system and explain some of the basics to you. If your anything like me seeing the visual aspect of it will help you understand what your reading. No two tanks are the same in this hobby but the fundamental remain constant.

 

[ReefDiver]

I say stay with your 36 until you are sure of what you want. Take a look at member tanks on here as well as other related sites. Take a month to know what tank you want, style, what you plan to keep as far as coral or fish so that you can base your tank around what you like or envision your tank to be.

Unlike freshwater, a tank isn't mature for months/years so there is a pretty big cycle that will test your patience. Algae is abundant so when you start do not try to get fancy and take quick shortcuts. Saltwater hobby is vastly different in that sense. Ex: a freshwater system can be ready in a week or less while a saltwater tank will be ready for your first fish in 3-4 weeks and custom bloom for another 4-6weeks or sometimes longer. Then comes other pests and the dreaded cyano!

Try to buy equipment one size up for things like a skimmer or lights because these two are pretty important and often necessary to upgrade as your wants become more of an obsession.

Either way good luck and hope you don't have a wife to strangle you for going broke like the rest of us!!

Good advice from EVO. You have a steep learning curve at the start. Better to learn on your existing 36 than to struggle with demands of a much larger tank. A 5 gallon water change is pretty easy to manage (and important) for a 36. A comparable water change for a 120 might seem a chore when you are starting out. And you cannot use tap water. You'll either need to get an RO/DI and salt mix, or buy from your LFS. Patience is key. Take your time.

 

[jvu61]

there are many ways of keeping a reef tank. IMHO I would start with the largest tank you can afford and have room for. If you plan to be a reef keeper I would make sure it is a drilled tank. once again IMHO to upgrade the tank you now have will in the long run cost as much as getting a larger tank now. As far as equipment I will say way in my once again humble opinion is the best way to go. Always get the best highest quality equipment you can. In the long run if you get good stuff you will only buy it once and not have to spend more to upgrade, and trust me you will want to upgrade lol. The things to look at when building a reef are first you must have a very good high quality light. I prefer to use LED lighting. it cost more to start but will cost much less in electric and up keep as a good LED light will last for many years give off much less heat and will not to have the bulbs replaced. next is a skimmer. once again good high quality skimmer is a must. a well planned sump and good water flow. those are the main things you will need to start. there are many other things you can add such as auto top off or dosing pumps and various reactors but these are things that first not every one use or wants. they are more for ease of automation in many cases. Do some reading and research ask questions take what you think is the best advise for you and leave the rest behind. welcome to mr and best of luck with your reef

 

[Yarok]

I cant drill the 36 because I believe it has tempered glass on the bottom. What are my options as far as filtration? HOB overflow makes me a little nervous because of possible flooding issues if It loses suction and the continues to pump water into the tank. Any ideas?

 

[Yarok]

How much is the 120 selling for?

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

Deff go with fuge tank for filtration.. Id drill tank if possible but I've had a hob over flow forever which I also was **** scared of flood but made it to where it'd be impossible for anything to actually over flow.. Then had some extra cash and a good friend with a deep blue rr n swapped lol

 

[ivandrago]

I wouldn't even start with tank or equipment first. First you need to determine your Budget $$$$. What is your Budget for saltwater ??? Let us know this way we will be able to help you determine what you can get and what route you can go. Saltwater is very expensive to start up and very different from fresh water. I pretty sure any advance hobbyist here will tell you do not cut corners you will pay later if you starting the hobby start out right, right away it will be cheaper in the long run. Again let us know your budget what you can spend.