Give me tips on Saltwater tanks!

[jacob_visou]

I have a 20 gallon Long tank. I haven’t setup my Saltwater tank yet. What are the requirements for a beginner Saltwater tank? Like what lights are perfect for my tank?

 

[Waters]

Welcome! Can't really give you any advise without knowing what type of livestock you intend to keep?

 

[jacob_visou]

First I am going to keep a pair of clownfish and from there I don’t what else to keep. Coral later when I feel ready.

 

[MaxTremors]

First I am going to keep a pair of clownfish and from there I don’t what else to keep. Coral later when I feel ready.

The basic equipment you need is lighting, a heater, something to move the water, and some rock to perform biological filtration. From those basics, you can get more elaborate and complicated, but the basics are lighting, water movement, and live rock. If you have more specific questions, what specifically you want to keep, what your budget is, etc, we can offer more help, but the question you asked is so vague that its nearly impossible to answer (at least in a format such as this).

Oh, and obviously you’ll need a refractometer (avoid the swing arm hydrometer).

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

A beginner set-up for a clownfish pair would require salt or saltwater, rocks, and your choice of substrate (or no substrate if you prefer) a refractometer, a heater, one or two powerheads, optional but beneficial would be a small HOB filter to run carbon.

Very beneficial would be a rodi system, or else you will need access to rodi or distilled water, avoid using tap water as some elements might be harmful to corals or inverts later on.

 

[ROBERT35]

I have a 20 gallon Long tank. I haven’t setup my Saltwater tank yet. What are the requirements for a beginner Saltwater tank? Like what lights are perfect for my tank?

This forum is awesome and a good start. I suggest going to your local fish store also. Take pics of your aquarium and equipment you already have to show them.

 

[jacob_visou]

The basic equipment you need is lighting, a heater, something to move the water, and some rock to perform biological filtration. From those basics, you can get more elaborate and complicated, but the basics are lighting, water movement, and live rock. If you have more specific questions, what specifically you want to keep, what your budget is, etc, we can offer more help, but the question you asked is so vague that its nearly impossible to answer (at least in a format such as this).

Oh, and obviously you’ll need a refractometer (avoid the swing arm hydrometer).

What light do you recommend for my 20 gallon long tank?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Ai prime and kessils are some of the best - and most expensive.
Nicrew lights are pretty cheap and reliable.

My advice is to set up a 5-10 gallon quarantine tank and treat all new fish before going in the display.

 

[gbru316]

The most useful thing for a new tank isn't something you can purchase. It's patience.

You're going to be in a rush to fill it with livestock. Resist the urge to start stocking it until it's ready. And when you start, take it slow.

 

[jacob_visou]

The most useful thing for a new tank isn't something you can purchase. It's patience.

You're going to be in a rush to fill it with livestock. Resist the urge to start stocking it until it's ready. And when you start, take it slow.

Yea I’m in no rush I want to do my tank the best that I can, considering I’m still in high school.

 

[jacob_visou]

Ai prime and kessils are some of the best - and most expensive.
Nicrew lights are pretty cheap and reliable.

My advice is to set up a 5-10 gallon quarantine tank and treat all new fish before going in the display.

Okay thank you for the advice.

 

[jacob_visou]

Okay thank you for the advice.

I’m thinking about using NICREW 50 Watts Aquarium LED Reef Light for my 20 gallon long tank or should I use something else?

 

[Soren]

I have a 20 gallon Long tank. I haven’t setup my Saltwater tank yet. What are the requirements for a beginner Saltwater tank? Like what lights are perfect for my tank?

You might want to give this thread a read:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium​

 

[jacob_visou]

You might want to give this thread a read:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium​

I just read all of it, great info! Thank you.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

for fish the lights really are for you not for the fish so get what you like the look of.

anything with a more yellow hue (4K) will grow algae more so than a blueish white light

 

[jacob_visou]

for fish the lights really are for you not for the fish so get what you like the look of.

anything with a more yellow hue (4K) will grow algae more so than a blueish white light

I want a light that’s good for seeing and will help grow coral when I get coral later on.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Cash out 401k, build tank!

 

[dedragon]

I want a light that’s good for seeing and will help grow coral when I get coral later on.

too many options out there. I suggest visiting a couple high end local fish stores (LFS) to see the difference between lights in person. Budget and personal aesthetics really dictate what is best for your personal tank, as well as what corals you plan to keep.
Start slow and work your way up from there.
There are many ways of reefkeeping but stability and clean starting water are always key

check out the bulk reef supply guide as well for some quick video tips.

5 Minute Saltwater Aquarium Guide - Bulk Reef Supply

A series of 5 Minute videos designed to guide beginners through the setup of a saltwater aquarium. \n \n

www.bulkreefsupply.com

beginner's guide - Bulk Reef Supply

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[jacob_visou]

Cash out 401k, build tank!

too many options out there. I suggest visiting a couple high end local fish stores (LFS) to see the difference between lights in person. Budget and personal aesthetics really dictate what is best for your personal tank, as well as what corals you plan to keep.
Start slow and work your way up from there.
There are many ways of reefkeeping but stability and clean starting water are always key

check out the bulk reef supply guide as well for some quick video tips.

5 Minute Saltwater Aquarium Guide - Bulk Reef Supply

A series of 5 Minute videos designed to guide beginners through the setup of a saltwater aquarium. \n \n

www.bulkreefsupply.com

beginner's guide - Bulk Reef Supply

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I’ve watched those videos yesterday. They both had really good info.

 

[dedragon]

I would probably lean towards 1 singular reef led bar like orphek or quantareefpro in the begining as it will light the whole tank and keep softies. Later you can either add more reef bars or add other light fixtures like kessil or radion, etc to add controllability or more shimmer to the tank as well as increase the par (light output useable by corals) in the whole tank

OR3 Reef Aquarium LED Bar •Orphek

Orphek OR3 Reef Aquarium LED Bar, OR3 60 / 90 / 120 / 150 for Coral Pop Fluorescent Color Growth and Illumination – 5Watt Dual Chip LEDs

orphek.com

Products | Quanta Lights

This is where you buy the super awesome Quanta or Quanta Pro lights. Sold exclusively here!

www.quantareef.com