New to the saltwater world

[SaltyTank]

Hello everyone. I'm considering getting into the hobby soon. I've been researching and keep finding a lot of information that's unnecessary, or outdated. Here are my plans and I'd appreciate any feedback, both positive and negative if possible.

210gal or larger tank with a ssb (Read DSB are too much of a gamble)
DIY stand, canopy, and sump/ref (75gal)
All other necessary equipment

Here's my questions ...
I want to have coral, a few fish (undecided which yet), anemone's, and maybe a few other things that would be compatible. Would a sump be enough or should I lean towards a refug?

If a refuge is recommended could anyone link to designs, or shoot some pics of theirs so I know what I'm aiming for?

What situation would you HAVE to have reactors?

Can a coral tank easily be converted to a reef tank?

When using a fuge for a breeder, do you feed them to the main tank yourself or so they get there themselves?

There's so much that's optional for this hobby that it makes it hard to determine which items are mandatory for a particular setup.

I thought about a reef, but it seems like a lot of work.

I will be drilling the tank for bulkheads and investing in the apex monitor.

For the above setup, should I start with just live sand and rock for a few months?

Anyone use or recommend a DSB?

I'm a quick learner, but there's so much information for aquariums I keep getting sidetracked.

Defiantly will make my own ro water and have an auto top off system down the road a bit.

Thanks in advance to anyone that responds. If you have pics of your set up could you drop em or link? Still in the planning phase ATM. All ideas are welcome.

 

[selkoner]

Hi If you 1st starting in this hobby over 200gl is starting off too big IMO ... This is one of the top 5 expensive Hobbies any one can have ...

Reef tank if great but a lot of nice fish are not reef safe ... So if you have a fish only tank and try to go reef your going to be in a lot of Trouble because you have to get rid of all fish that are not reef safe ....

Also reef tanks require a lot of live rock

In my opinion I would start small and see how it goes and then upgrade later time when you figure out if you want a reef tank or a Fish Only Tank

 

[SaltyTank]

Hi If you 1st starting in this hobby over 200gl is starting off too big IMO ... This is one of the top 5 expensive Hobbies any one can have ...

Reef tank if great but a lot of nice fish are not reef safe ... So if you have a fish only tank and try to go reef your going to be in a lot of Trouble because you have to get rid of all fish that are not reef safe ....

Also reef tanks require a lot of live rock

In my opinion I would start small and see how it goes and then upgrade later time when you figure out if you want a reef tank or a Fish Only Tank

Thanks for the response. From what I've read the bigger the tank, the easier to care for it. I know its going to be expensive to get going. I have no other hobby's except kayaking and, well that's free lol. Sorry mods for posting here. Mind moving the thread to the new spot? I didn't see it when I originally posted. Tablet keyboard hides half the page lol.

Back on subject.... I keep seeing used setups in the 200gal range for around $800 USD. I wouldn't mind investing more into it since its something I've wanted to tackle since I had my freshwater about three years ago I just couldn't talk my better half into it. Now she's on the fence lol. Gotta love YouTube and the experts out there with their gorgeous colorful tanks.

 

[KathyC]

Hello everyone. I'm considering getting into the hobby soon. I've been researching and keep finding a lot of information that's unnecessary, or outdated. Here are my plans and I'd appreciate any feedback, both positive and negative if possible.

210gal or larger tank with a ssb (Read DSB are too much of a gamble)
DIY stand, canopy, and sump/ref (75gal)
All other necessary equipment

Here's my questions ...
I want to have coral, a few fish (undecided which yet), anemone's, and maybe a few other things that would be compatible. Would a sump be enough or should I lean towards a refug?

If a refuge is recommended could anyone link to designs, or shoot some pics of theirs so I know what I'm aiming for?

What situation would you HAVE to have reactors?

Can a coral tank easily be converted to a reef tank?

When using a fuge for a breeder, do you feed them to the main tank yourself or so they get there themselves?

There's so much that's optional for this hobby that it makes it hard to determine which items are mandatory for a particular setup.

I thought about a reef, but it seems like a lot of work.

I will be drilling the tank for bulkheads and investing in the apex monitor.

For the above setup, should I start with just live sand and rock for a few months?

Anyone use or recommend a DSB?

I'm a quick learner, but there's so much information for aquariums I keep getting sidetracked.

Defiantly will make my own ro water and have an auto top off system down the road a bit.

Thanks in advance to anyone that responds. If you have pics of your set up could you drop em or link? Still in the planning phase ATM. All ideas are welcome.

Welcome to MR

Lot's of questions..we have answers for ya !

No reason not to make the commitment to the hobby with a large tank IMO, it beats having to do an upgrade down the line.

With a 75G sump, you should have room for a fuge in there along with a compartment for your skimmer (get your skimmer BEFORE you divide the sump into sections - if that isn't already done when you get it)

You don't have to feed the fuge, just the main tank.

Yes, you DO have to have reactors - a minimum of a GFO and a Carbon reactor.

Tanks around here are typically a FOWLR (fish only with live rock), or a reef tank (fish, live rock and corals). Obviously the fish you get need to be compatible with the corals or you will be providing rather expensive meals for your fish!

If you want to have SW fish, IMO a reef is the way to go as that is the environment that the SW fish deserve to thrive in (and your wife will like it better too:flirt. There isn't much difference in maintaining a FOWLR, FO or reef tank - they all still need to be monitored for water quality and have the proper husbandry to thrive. Your parameters can be slightly more lax in a reef with LPS and softies than in a tank that have SPS corals.

DSB's..need to be a minimum of 6", and IMO they look like heck in the main tank. In a 75G fuge, I don't think that you will truly get the benefit of having one due to the small size it would be, so I (personally) would pass on it.

In starting the tank, better off to go with all of the rock and sand you will need in there and let it cycle totally and then start adding your clean up crew and eventually your fish & corals..it is a long adventure to totally set up a 200+G tank.

Yes, you need an RO (preferably a Ro/Di unit) and an ATO will make the tank a lot easier to maintain.

You can browse through our Tank Thread Forum further down on the page you are on) for some ideas of what folks tanks look like.

This site have tons of the best info about sumps:
http://www.melevsreef.com/

Are you reading any books on the subject? I highly recommend the following if you don't have it already:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1890087998/?tag=reefs04-20

If you are going to buy any used tank - make SURE you see the tank FULL of water before you purchase it! The last thing you need to purchase is a leaky tank. If you do decide to start smaller - a 75 or a 90 would be a good size to start with.

Ask a LOT of questions (first) and be sure this is the direction you want to go. It isn't an easy hobby, you need to be a plumber, chemist, electrician..and have patience, but it is a great hobby!
..and did I mention money..it is kinda expensive too

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

Start smaller and master that tank, it's very rare for a person to start large and do well on a first time saltwater basis , get yourself a nice 57,75 even a good 40 breeder , this hobby is all about patience and focus ...........you will know when your ready to upgrade , and it will be a very rewarding feeling, think about it.

 

[duromega]

I started dealing with saltwater not too long ago, to be exact on March 2013
I updated my 20 Gallons freshwater to a 90 Gallons and wanted to start keeping saltwater fish so I used my empty 20G tank to start a SW tank, now I'm dumping my freshwater fish to a 60G tank and doing that 90G a reef tank,
I will say you can start a saltwater tank with 10 Gallons and make it a crazy reef like saltwaterinbrooklyn said, start with a small tank you won't regret it,

I've learned a lot here in MR and still have a lot to learn but starting with a small tank and then upgrading feels like heaven!

 

[timberwolfny]

It depends on what you want to keep. For large tanks you need a skimmer or a very large fuge for small tanks you do not. WC is enough to keep small tanks clean. RO is a necessity that was my first and most major mistake in saltwater. GFO and carbon are not a necessity with large tanks you have options of getting more herbivores and as long as there is a way for nutrients to be exported (that is what a skimmer does or a large fuge is for)you really do not need either but all depends on what you keep. Carbon is for removal of toxins (necessity of you medicate or if your anemone decides to kill itself). but many have kept successful tanks without either.DSB has it own benefit of having nitrifying bacteria grow but the downside is if you agitate the sand sulfur comes out and nuke your tank. do more research as each thing mention has it own benefits and faults. controller and dosing pumps are to make life easier and put a level of safety and redundancy.

 

[edd]

if you have your mind set on a 210 and you start small, you will out grow it fast and want to upgrade. why go through the trouble, just start big and go slow.
i started with a 150 a year ago, and I'm ready for the 225.

 

[SaltyTank]

Thanks for all the input everyone. As soon as we close on this house I'm buying a tank. At the moment I'm considering a 90gal or 210. I figure if I go with a 90 first I can always build a stand for a 210 to accommodate a 90 gal fuge.

From the pics I've seen I'm strongly leaning towards a reef.

So now two new questions come to mind...

1. When I'm ready to upgrade if I decide on a 90gal first, is it a simple transfer everything in the 90gal to the 210 or do you have to establish a new tank and acclimate everything to it?
If it's the latter of the two, is it possible to loop the two systems to speed things up?

2. If I start with a 210 and just put in live rock and live sand, let it cycle, and just load it with a starter pack, can it sit like that without corals and/or fish? I'm assuming no due to their inability to eat larger food particles. (Saw a very nice chart showing the food chain cycle).

Once again thanks everyone for your opinions. They're much appreciated.

I'll def post pics of whichever I choose when I get that far. The 210 would be placed in a wall. Have a perfect spot for it at the new house......if it ever closes lol.

Oh for a qt, I know to keep it small and simple. Heater, pump, few rocks and a little sand. Question is do you leave it run constantly, fill with tank water, or set up separately? Possibly looped with main system with a way to DC it easily?

That's 3 questions, I know. Lol. Sorry everyone hehe

 

[basiab]

You are going to get lots of different answers. But keep in mind that some people have more experience than others and I would put more weight in their opinion. You can't really tell how much experience they have but the join date is a pretty good clue most of the time.

 

[duromega]

You are going to get lots of different answers. But keep in mind that some people have more experience than others and I would put more weight in their opinion. You can't really tell how much experience they have but the join date is a pretty good clue most of the time.

Sorry but join date on a forum doesn't have nothing to do with how much experience you have keeping fish

 

[SaltyTank]

Haha that's very true. Just looking at the above answers there's some that suggests one thing and some that are the complete opposite. Good thing though is everyone explains why.....which helps make up minds lol.

 

[SaltyTank]

Sorry but join date on a forum doesn't have nothing to do with how much experience you have keeping fish

He stated most of the time ;-) see my join date? Yet to even try a sw tank lol. He has a good point.

 

[NYreefNoob]

bigger tank = less chance for flux and a bigger tank is actually easier then a small tank, but the cost differance is huge as well as the maintanance

 

[Shastri Sookraj]

Sorry but join date on a forum doesn't have nothing to do with how much experience you have keeping fish

Yup, everyone here can help you in many ways, where a equal community

 

[TommyP]

I started with a 10 gallon tank that I used to use for freshwater too. Within a month I got rid of it and bought a 55. (upstairs bedroom tank) didn't want to go bigger. I'd spend the money once. Get what you want the first time and go slow like it was already mentioned. That's my 2 cents Can't wait to see you start it though. GL with the close for your house.

 

[thirty6]

This really is your decision to make: starting with the bigger tank will be more of an expense up front, but might allow you to avoid smaller tank purchases that go along with that size. So you would be buying one skimmer, one sump, ECt... Instead of worrying about upgrading all the equipment with your tank down the road.
Maybe decide what you want to keep and let that guide you, if your looking to keep some tangs, angels, or larger fish go right to the 210. Whatever you pick, pick wisely and enjoy the hobby as it can get frustrating very quickly