New to hobby, need avice

[Melody_Olson19]

I recently have decided that I would like to begin a saltwater tank, I'm thinking a nano reef tank.
I need suggestions of what products to use, good fish for beginners, and good corals for beginners.
Thank you

 

[reef lover]

Welcome to r2r!! My best advice is research!!;Bookworm

 

[jsker]

Welcome to R2R and Reefing

I agree with @reef lover and I would research
All in one nano tanks such as Red Sea, WaterBox, etc
LED lighting, Kessel, AI
Test kits
Salt mixes
Fish depending on the size of the tank, something small that does not grow to large.
Rock
Sand.
this is just to start

 

[PatW]

As far as fish go, I would suggest going to the Live Aquaria web site. Look at fish that are classed as easy, reef safe and peaceful. They also list the minimum suggested tank size for the fish. So it is a good place to start.

Some fish like damsels are reef safe, almost hard to kill, nicely colored and they will grow and then murder everything.

There are other fish like butterfly fish that are lovely but they will often eat corals and at $30 a frag that can get expensive.

 

[Melody_Olson19]

As far as water goes, is it easier to buy salt water or make it myself?

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello Melody,

It’s so awesome your starting into this wonderful amazing hobby. This is an amazing forum that has a lot of kind lovely people. Not only are they kind, but you have a very good source of information. Everyone on here will do what they can to help you and get your dream tank set up.

We all look forward to your adventure with this hobby. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you, or answer questions, that some others have not already done.

Sincerely
Sarah

 

[Water Dog]

As far as water goes, is it easier to buy salt water or make it myself?

Make it yourself. It will be cheaper in the long run and you will have control over your water quality. Look at investing in an RODI unit to produce pure 0 TDS water to make your own saltwater. This will help you avoid persistent algae issues over the life of your tank,

 

[Andrew Painton]

As far as ease in mixing it's extremely easy and cost effective to do it at home. All you need is a container to mix it in, heater for matching the temperature, salt, refractometer, and some way of mixing either by hand or a powerhead. Starting out you'll want to buy mixed saltwater from your LFS or RODI water and mix it yourself at home. It will ultimately be cheaper in the long run to buy an RODI unit and 5-gallon buckets of salt for mixing but most aren't willing to fork over the money in the beginning. It will get expensive quickly buying premixed water like the stuff that Petco sells.

Welcome to the hobby and try not to be overwhelmed by the products people suggest. You don't need a million dollars to have an extremely rewarding tank! Keep posting questions if you'd like, everyone's pretty helpful here.

 

[OldMoonBoots]

Welcome! Yes this forum is a wealth of knowledge. I would suggest checking out Bulk Reef Supply's 52 weeks of reefing on your tube or their website at bulkreefsupply.com. It will give you a good foundation and understanding of a reef aquarium. I agree with the others as well. Research is the key!

 

[PatW]

In the short term, buying is easier. But running to the store to buy saltwater and lugging it home gets old fast.

To make your own, you need to get an RODI unit. Also you need something to store the water in. A grey Brute trash can works well. It is food safe and will not leach nasty stuff into your water. Also get a little auto shut off valve to turn off the unit when the can is filled.

Bulk Reef Supply has a ton of videos on making RODI water. They are good instruction if you want to get into it.

The cost of making your own salt water comes out to something like 40 cents per gallon. I think most stores charge over a buck per gallon.

There are many benefits to making your own water. You control the quality. You get to choose the salt mix used. It is easy to have water on hand for emergencies or routine use.

 

[Melody_Olson19]

Ok, I know this is a stupid question but what is all of the equipment that I am going to need? I have read so many different things and I just want to have a checklist so I know I will have everything.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

It all depends on the size of your tank, and your budget? You stated that you would like a Nano, most of these come already with everything. I have been looking at some, for another type of project, and it’s comes with everything to run it.

You will need to add live, sand, rock and water. Not to mention top off water, and some other basic things. Most lfs will test your water for you, if your bring them a sample.

Sarah

 

[Jesterrace]

I recently have decided that I would like to begin a saltwater tank, I'm thinking a nano reef tank.
I need suggestions of what products to use, good fish for beginners, and good corals for beginners.
Thank you

Answer the following questions first:

1) What fish are you interested in?

2) What is your budget?

3) What kind of space do you have?

Those 3 questions will help us narrow down what to recommend. Research is key. I had never had a fish tank before and did what many frown on and started with a 36 gallon bowfront saltwater tank as my first fish tank of any kind. I would highly recommend that you spend some time researching www.liveaquaria.com they are by far the most accurate in terms of what fish are suited to what tank. If you are interested in a smaller tank the 20 Long or the 40 Breeder are some of the best tanks for the money (in terms of usable dimensions) and it so happens that Petco has the 20 Long for $20 right now and the 40 Breeder for about $56 and the sale runs until the end of the month. If you do a bit of research and it looks like they will work for you then pick one up and you can slowly build. FYI though, if you are looking for something smaller than a 20 Long that it can be a bit of a pain to keep water perameters stable.

 

[Zeal]

In the short term, buying is easier. But running to the store to buy saltwater and lugging it home gets old fast.

To make your own, you need to get an RODI unit. Also you need something to store the water in. A grey Brute trash can works well. It is food safe and will not leach nasty stuff into your water. Also get a little auto shut off valve to turn off the unit when the can is filled.

Bulk Reef Supply has a ton of videos on making RODI water. They are good instruction if you want to get into it.

The cost of making your own salt water comes out to something like 40 cents per gallon. I think most stores charge over a buck per gallon.

There are many benefits to making your own water. You control the quality. You get to choose the salt mix used. It is easy to have water on hand for emergencies or routine use.

This, Ive had my tank for 3 weeks now and on week 1 I was already tired of running to my LFS to buy RODI. In the long run having your own RODI setup to make water at home encourages you to do water changes because you dont have to leave the comfort of your house.

 

[Jesterrace]

As far as water goes, is it easier to buy salt water or make it myself?

People will disagree with me, but I actually buy my water. Why? My LFS is one light down from my house (soon to be even closer) and for me it is actually more convenient to lug 4 5 gallon jugs every couple of weeks out the door to my car from the LFS and then straight home into my garage. I bring them to temp when I do a water change and then simply add to my tank. My issue is that I either have to run plumbing for an RODI system (something I don't have the skill for) or be constantly be hooking up and taking off the unit everytime I need to make some and having a big garbage can full of salt pre-mix and one for RODI that I simply don't have the room for. I also have little kids so having a an RODI unit with a several tubes strung around is an accident waiting to happen. Obviously if I had a 6-8 foot long tank this method would become far more costly and cumbersome. If my LFS were further away and wasn't so dependable then I agree I would find a way to do my own RODI system. It all depends on what works for you and what you find more convenient.

 

[NinnJinn]

Some of us that are cheap/ on a budget will look on Craigslist and you will find numerous people that just get fed up with the Hobby and sell out for cheap.

You might have to put some elbow grease into cleaning up the tank and everything but it still saves you money.

Craigslist is where I got my 125 gallon tank. And before I left to come home he pretty much had my enclosed trailer and mini van full of odds and ends that were salt water-related.

 

[PatW]

So what equipment do you NEED?

The problem here has to do with the size of the tank, what your goals are and how much space you can devote to the system, how much time you have to mess with it, how much money you have and how much you are willing to get into the nitty gritty of testing, chemistry, electronics, plumbing and so on.

That being said, here is a list

Aquarium preferably drilled
Sump - really nice because you can put equipment there where it is not causing an unsightly mess in the aquarium
Powerheads - create flow in the aquarium. It is nice to have high end ones that can vary their flow
Skimmer - removes wastes from the tank
Filter socks - not necessary but they do remove fine particulate matter from the water column increasing clarity in the water
Heater or two - keeps the aquarium temp in a narrow band. Can get stuck on the "on" position and cook the tank
Rock - provides a place for bacteria that break down ammonia to nitrites to nitrates
Plumbing and return pump if you have a sump
Misc - nets, brushes, algae scrapers
Quarantine Tank - you hold new fish in this to get them used to eating the food you feed and to check them for disease
RODI system with storage tank - produces highly pure water from tap water
Container to hold mixed up salt water
Auto Top Off System with storage tank
Lights to illuminate the tank for a Fish Only system and Really Strong Lights if you want to have hard corals.
Test Kits and Refractometer - for determining if your water conditions are OK

 

[Zeal]

So what equipment do you NEED?

The problem here has to do with the size of the tank, what your goals are and how much space you can devote to the system, how much time you have to mess with it, how much money you have and how much you are willing to get into the nitty gritty of testing, chemistry, electronics, plumbing and so on.

That being said, here is a list

Aquarium preferably drilled
Sump - really nice because you can put equipment there where it is not causing an unsightly mess in the aquarium
Powerheads - create flow in the aquarium. It is nice to have high end ones that can vary their flow
Skimmer - removes wastes from the tank
Filter socks - not necessary but they do remove fine particulate matter from the water column increasing clarity in the water
Heater or two - keeps the aquarium temp in a narrow band. Can get stuck on the "on" position and cook the tank
Rock - provides a place for bacteria that break down ammonia to nitrites to nitrates
Plumbing and return pump if you have a sump
Misc - nets, brushes, algae scrapers
Quarantine Tank - you hold new fish in this to get them used to eating the food you feed and to check them for disease
RODI system with storage tank - produces highly pure water from tap water
Container to hold mixed up salt water
Auto Top Off System with storage tank
Lights to illuminate the tank for a Fish Only system and Really Strong Lights if you want to have hard corals.
Test Kits and Refractometer - for determining if your water conditions are OK

This, Ive been in the hobby 3 weeks now and I must say dont go the cheap route on the light. I ended up buying a Current Orbit IC and absolutely hated it. Returned it after 1 week Ended up buying a radeon light and its literally night and day. If youre going to save money dont skimp out on a GOOD night.

 

[beaslbob]

here's my highly disputed, experimental, unproven methods.

Start tank with macro algaes.
wait one week
add single male molly
wait one week
start feeding 1 flake per day.

no water changes just top off.

After the molly lives for a few weeks, return to pet store and add marine only fish.

If it doesn't work at least you got a month old tank to do the undisputed, unexperimental, ununproven, accepted methods.

When it does work don't tell anyone you have a beaslbob tank. After all you have a reputation to uphold.


LOL

and my .02

 

[Oldsalt01]

Ok, I know this is a stupid question but what is all of the equipment that I am going to need? I have read so many different things and I just want to have a checklist so I know I will have everything.

Welcome to our obsession! First off..... the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. This forum and others like it are a great source of information. They are also a great source for confusion for the beginner. Ask 5 people what the best tank, or light, or skimmer is and you'll probably get 5 different answers. Don't let that deter you. I started my first SW tank in 1970 and have been in and out of the hobby for years since, and I still have questions, make silly mistakes, and try to be as helpful to newbies as I can. Research is your best path, IMHO, at this point. Decide what size tank you want, how you want to stock it, and then decide how much time you can devote to working on the tank, because these things don't run themselves. Then do more research, ask more questions, and get ready to spend some $. I would also recommend looking for a reef society near you and joining it. They have the resources, experience, and love of the hobby that will help you be successful. Most of all.... TAKE YOUR TIME! Nothing but bad things happen fast in this hobby. Keep us updated. We love to see new projects moving along!!!