NEWBIE and ready to learn...will need your help

[Jorgehiram]

I am so happy that I found you, I have learned much more in a few days than months with other websites, some are geared for you to buy their expensive brand names and nothing neutral.
I am on a budget my wife said so I have to make this work with what I have and R2R will be the key to my success.
Over 25 years ago I had a 55G with an undergravel and I used to catch my own fish with real ocean water on the tank, but now that I am starting over again it is so much different and Interesting,
so much to learn.
I acquired a 36G Bowfront plus Fluval 206 all for free, I understand that canisters are not popular but that's all I have and no room for a sump. I think with the knowledge I gained here and your help this may work.

To start I will be using:

Seachem Purigen
Seachem Matrix Bio Media
Poly Pads
Ro/Di water
Fluval Marine /reef Led lights (did not know any better at the time)
Petco Coraline gravel (they told me it was good keeping safe PH parameters)
1 Hydor Koralia pump 500g
For now no protein skimmer ($$$)
Not sure if dry or live rock. any suggestion ???

sorry for the long intro I am exited...

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R. So glad to have you.

 

[bios]

Ciao I prefer live rocks ...
Take good ones if you will go in this direction

 

[kschweer]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[pdt7361]

Hello and welcome! What are you wanting to do with your tank? Are you wanting to do just fish for now or were you thinking corals too? What kind of fish are on your must have list? These kinds of questions will help everyone steer you in the right direction when it comes to advise on equipment and care.

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Welcome!

 

[cracker]

Hello Jorge & Fellow Floridian. I've been keeping salts for a lot of years and still have learned a lot since finding R2R. You will find everybody helpful & friendly . I like the idea that You have access to natural Seawater.

 

[Jorgehiram]

Ciao I prefer live rocks ...
Take good ones if you will go in this direction

how can I tell the good ones ? I have seen some people selling them on craigslist, I was going for the looks.

 

[Jorgehiram]

Hello and welcome! What are you wanting to do with your tank? Are you wanting to do just fish for now or were you thinking corals too? What kind of fish are on your must have list? These kinds of questions will help everyone steer you in the right direction when it comes to advise on equipment and care.

I was thinking fish only at the beginning but would love to have corals if the system and the lights allows it, other than a clown I don't have a list yet, what is your recommendation.

 

[melypr1985]

Welcome to R2R! It's great to have you here.

Petco Coraline gravel (they told me it was good keeping safe PH parameters)

I would suggest sand instead of gravel. Those large grain gravels can trap detritus and become a problem. Just a thought. Gravel-vac with every water change could help with that problem of course.

 

[pdt7361]

Do a large grain sand instead of the gravel and definitely do some live rock to give a nice aquascape and caves for the fish to hide.
If you eventually want to do corals, you'll definitely want to upgrade some of the hardware...but fish are a good place to start.
Do you have any water test kits? If not, invest in some good ones now.

 

[Maritimer]

Welcome aboard, Jorgehiram!

Absolutely, saltwater tanks (especially fish-only-with-liverock - FOWLR) can be done without a protein skimmer. My first saltwater tanks ran on undergravel filters and HOBs.

~Bruce

 

[Salty1962]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[bios]

Porosity light weight and presence of coralline

 

[Denisk]

Welcome to R2R! You will learn a ton on the forum.