HELP!! NEW TO SALTWATER

[hannahtt]

Hey guys!! I just recently bought a 55-gal tank, Nature's Ocean Natural Coral Aquarium Base Rock and 80 lb worth of CaribSea Ocean Direct Original Caribbean Marine Live Sand. I also have a Top fin, h200 aquarium heater 200 watts, and an top fin silenstream pf75 power filter. I have no idea where to go from here and what all I should be buying. Im not sure how to get the salt water as well, since ive seen many different options. I also have seen I shouldnt put in the sand until I have the water ready?? I need step by steps up until getting my fish lol Someone please helpppp

 

[SnazzyUrchin792]

For equipment: lights and flow pumps. For salt: use Red Sea coral pro, mix to directions or buy pre-mixed from your LFS. Live sand contains live bacteria and microorganisms, so having water ready before adding it might be a good idea, but I haven’t used live sand before. Also, find a LFS you trust and ask them for help. For test kits, API is fine for ammonia and nitrite, use Salifert or Hanna for everything else (nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, pH, and magnesium to start). I personally use Hanna and find the hefty price tag very much worth it.

 

[MoshJosh]

Whats your end goal? Reef (mixed, LPS, SPS, softies), fowler, etc.?

test kits.

Gonna need something to generate flow i.e. wave maker.

Lights.

and maybe a filter upgrade. . . just depends.

 

[Propane]

Go onto YouTube and watch some BRS videos on setting up a reef tank. A few hours of videos will help you immensely. That being said pick a salt that’s readily available to you and don’t use tap water. Mixi it to 1.026 according to directions.

 

[SnazzyUrchin792]

Have you read about cycling yet? After adding water, add a bottle of microbacter 7 or similar and feed the empty tank until ammonia/nitrite rises/falls then nitrate rises/falls. Not an expert on cycling, but once ammonia/nitrite disappears and nitrate levels out, you should be able to start adding fish.

 

[SnazzyUrchin792]

Go onto YouTube and watch some BRS videos on setting up a reef tank. A few hours of videos will help you immensely.

This. BRS is so helpful. Ryan (the host) appears to know everything

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

This is where I started.

 

[1112-425XL]

Take your time, patience is key. Watch the BRS videos and soak it in before you dive in.

 

[Propane]

If the 52 weeks of reefing is to much of a time chunk for you they have shorter versions of the same info. But 52 weeks of reefing will definitely prepare you. Start a build thread!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hey guys!! I just recently bought a 55-gal tank, Nature's Ocean Natural Coral Aquarium Base Rock and 80 lb worth of CaribSea Ocean Direct Original Caribbean Marine Live Sand. I also have a Top fin, h200 aquarium heater 200 watts, and an top fin silenstream pf75 power filter. I have no idea where to go from here and what all I should be buying. Im not sure how to get the salt water as well, since ive seen many different options. I also have seen I shouldnt put in the sand until I have the water ready?? I need step by steps up until getting my fish lol Someone please helpppp

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is nowhere near simple. This task is going to take patience, a...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

How 15 Answers Changed the Way I Look at My Tank Forever! 10 Months of Biome Cycling 12 Aquariums.
Once you get water in your tank, make sure to watch this video as well.
Algae and fish diseases are the two main reasons why people quit this hobby.
When you buy fish you want the fish that has been in the Local Fish Store LFS the longest.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Hello and welcome!

Now this is an expensive hobby, even when you go extreme budget It is more expensive than fresh water period. If you want to be successful and still in the hobby a year from now imho It is important to have All of these questions answered before you buy anymore equipment or pore your first drop of water. Trust me it will save you money in the end. I spent months studying and asking questions until I thought I had it down. I didn't. You must first make your mind up of your total budget, then double that for a safe guard. You next need to decide on what kind of tank you want. Fish only cheapest, softy ie leathers zoa's, shrooms ECT next cheapest. Add lps coral additional cost. Then you have sps tanks that can be moderate to outrageous in cost. Once you have decided on the type of tank you want study study study. As others have said without a doubt BRS tv will get you where you want to be. Start with the easy stuff. Look at beginner coral to cut your teeth on. Work your way up to what ever your end tank will be. In a year you will have a beautiful reef. My biggest advice is this, you will go through an ugly faze, no getting around it. Don't panic, don't try and correct it , Just ride it out use a good clean up crew. If you try and fix it, you will just go through another ugly faze of something else usually worse than the one before. It my take six months or more to come out the other side but well worth it. Some of this could be avoided with true live rock but is expensive. If you can swing it it will make a world of difference on the uglies...... Just my 2 cents.