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[DizzyD]

I feel like I'm going to need a lot of help before I move in with my girlfriend later this year. She has told me I can keep my aquarium obsession as long as I have at least 1 salt water aquarium. So far I've only had freshwater tanks, so I've been searching online for saltwater and reef aquarium basics for months now. I understand most of it but I'm still super nervous. I want to keep it simple, take it slow, and absorb as much information in the process as I can before later this year. I would like to have a few clown fish and get them to host in some coral.


I was looking into the self contained reef aquarium setups like the biocube and the nuvo fusion but they are pretty expensive and I'm hopping I can get away with something a little cheaper. I actually have a brand new 40 gallon breeder and a Fluval 405 that can be used. I'll need sand and some rock. I don't mind using dry rock and cycling the tank. Actually I would prefer it because I know dry rock is cheaper and I know it will give me time to get used to testing the saltwater and getting that perfect. I know I will need a heater and a strong light.


What other equipment will I need?
What other livestock work well with Clownfish?
What kind of cleanup crew would be recomended?

 

[*SENSI*]

dont forget about craigslist you can always find sum good deals up there, RO/DI unit, emeralds, red/blue legged hermits, snails, alot of reading an one very important thing "BE VERY PATIENT"

 

[Dalmatia]

I feel like I'm going to need a lot of help before I move in with my girlfriend later this year. She has told me I can keep my aquarium obsession as long as I have at least 1 salt water aquarium. So far I've only had freshwater tanks, so I've been searching online for saltwater and reef aquarium basics for months now. I understand most of it but I'm still super nervous. I want to keep it simple, take it slow, and absorb as much information in the process as I can before later this year. I would like to have a few clown fish and get them to host in some coral.


I was looking into the self contained reef aquarium setups like the biocube and the nuvo fusion but they are pretty expensive and I'm hopping I can get away with something a little cheaper. I actually have a brand new 40 gallon breeder and a Fluval 405 that can be used. I'll need sand and some rock. I don't mind using dry rock and cycling the tank. Actually I would prefer it because I know dry rock is cheaper and I know it will give me time to get used to testing the saltwater and getting that perfect. I know I will need a heater and a strong light.


What other equipment will I need?
What other livestock work well with Clownfish?
What kind of cleanup crew would be recomended?

You can run a Burlin style tank till you have $ for a sump and other accessories. Berlin style is very good but you'd need something like 2+ pounds of live rock for every gallon of water. Berlin filtration is really lots of live rock and flow.
I my self started of with this system and was very proud of it, works great. Just the more coral and fish you introduce to your tank may be to much of a bio load so getting a sump is a must later in the hobby
As for a nano, they are pretty expansive cause everything is built in and takes up a lot less room. Go with the 40 breeder

 

[DizzyD]

The burlin style sounds interesting. I will have to look into that.

I think my biggest confusion at this point is the filtration. From my freshwater experience, I know there is Mechanical, Chemical and Biological filtration.
Mechanical being the sponge or filter media that blocks particles. Chemical is the Carbon or other chemicals you used to negate the bad stuff and biological is the living organisms that turn the bad stuff into the not so bad stuff. I'm used to getting away with a HOB or Canister filter for Mechanical and Chemical filtration and then the rocks, gravel and bio balls in those devices provide room for good bacteria to grow. I guess live plants can be considered biological filtration to an extent as well.

With Saltwater, you have several other pieces of equipment. Where do protein skimmers and UV sterilizers fall, or are they a completely new type of filtration? Another thing I don't fully understand is why its important to pull the water your going to filter from the top. With the higher water flow required in a saltwater tank, It seems as if the bad stuff would stay pretty well dissolved.

 

[Dalmatia]

The burlin style sounds interesting. I will have to look into that.

I think my biggest confusion at this point is the filtration. From my freshwater experience, I know there is Mechanical, Chemical and Biological filtration.
Mechanical being the sponge or filter media that blocks particles. Chemical is the Carbon or other chemicals you used to negate the bad stuff and biological is the living organisms that turn the bad stuff into the not so bad stuff. I'm used to getting away with a HOB or Canister filter for Mechanical and Chemical filtration and then the rocks, gravel and bio balls in those devices provide room for good bacteria to grow. I guess live plants can be considered biological filtration to an extent as well.

With Saltwater, you have several other pieces of equipment. Where do protein skimmers and UV sterilizers fall, or are they a completely new type of filtration? Another thing I don't fully understand is why its important to pull the water your going to filter from the top. With the higher water flow required in a saltwater tank, It seems as if the bad stuff would stay pretty well dissolved.

Mechanical is bacteria building up on or in your filters and on plastic, glass or ornaments...
Chemical,,, well it pretty much explains it self.
Biological is your sand/gravel (saltwater will be better to use live sand, you can buy wet in a bag, or dry sand, with dry you'll get a little bit of ammonia. Nothing bad or that the LR can't handle) and live rock (LR) as the most important filtration for your SW tank
Protein skimmer is a must for any thing over 40gallons, most will say that you'll need it for a 20g but I don't think so, but is recommended.it works by bubbling the salty water to bring up impurities. Won't work in fresh cause saltwater is more dense, thicker than freshwater
Uv, I guess it good but I've never bothered with it. It kills as much bad as good from what I've read. Qt tank and you prob won't need a uv, I'm sure there is others that think diff from me

 

[DizzyD]

So if I set up that 40 with a decent skimmer and a small hob refugeeum (maybe a DIY aquaclear 110 refugeeum), would I need a additional system for carbon or could I get away without carbon?

 

[booth2010]

Carbon helps keep water clear and removes chemicals from the water so it's always good to run carbon

 

[Dalmatia]

Get a Rena canister filter for carbon, phosphate pellets.... Just run them in there.
I had a canister filter with carbon, phoszorb and live rock rubble, no filter pads