Anchor
Well-Known Member
OK @hominamad I am about to come at you from a very slightly different direction.. I have more than 40 years of fishkeeping in freshwater and about 7 total piecemeal in salt/reefing (my first salt tank was 1974). I have had some experience in what you are going through with a twist. Here are my recommendations and thoughts.
1. Get as large a tank as you can afford and have room for. -- This helps cut down on future problems with water chemistry in particular. Especially with salt inhabitants. My opinion (and experience) is that your selected location is not going to be a good one for a tank. I know this firsthand by the way.. it was very bad.....
2. Location is very important for a first tank. -- Put it where you can sit and enjoy it, not only from afar but up close. Location will also help you with maintenance, lights, plumbing etc. All those things you have been researching because you liked what you saw.
3. Marine fish and coral keeping is a challenge, especially at first. Dont get discouraged as you will run into problems your first year. I guarantee it. If you dont, I will buy you a beer (or drink of choice). If you have ever kept freshwater, some of it does cross over to salt.. One thing I would very much recommend is to know and understand the nitrogen cycle. Essentially how your tank will handle too much food and animal waste. You know like picking up Dog poo in your yard. Too much poo and your grass either dies or grows like crazy.. consider algae your tanks grass.
4. Get your desired tank first and then figure how to fill it. Go slow, as said before by people with more salt experience than I, nothing good happens quickly in this hobby but bad things do. You can get a small tank and run it successfully but know that if things go well, you are gonna want more. Well.... many of us do anyway.
5. "KNOW YOUR INHABITANTS"!! Dumping fish in you dont really want just because they are cheap and utilitarian wont do you any service at all. At the same time, fish you want REALLY BAD may not be suitable for your tank and "OTHER" inhabitants. So, besides knowing a little chemistry, know what you are buying BEFORE you buy it.
6. Speaking of Chemistry, your water is important in keeping coral and in the amounts and kinds of algae you are going to get. RO water as a base is important. Either seriously consider buying an RO unit and making your own salt water and top off water or buying your salt and RO from a store. I make my own and am guessing most of the more successful people on here are doing the same. Not calling myself successful, if that is a concern.
7. If you decide to keep corals (soft or hard) know they need appropriate lighting. You can get away with basic T5 best in my opinion but know you will need to replace them tubes at least yearly if not more often. Inexpensive LED's can do the trick too but know that "cheap" is going to cause algae problems in the end. That too I have experience with.. even with good chemistry. Just because a company says you can use them on a reef does not mean they wont cause problems.. Even good lights.. expensive ones, can cause problematic algae.
8. Water flow, especially for some soft and LPS corals may be important.. (know your inhabitants) So consider a decent powerhead, sized for your tank and inhabitants.
9. Pre-set kits are easy and can be used.. My experience is they are more trouble than they are worth.. but some have been successful so I may not be the one to ask here.
My recommendations: Tanks -- 40 breeder, 60 cube, 75 @4 ft., 100 to 125 at 6 ft. and a 120 4 ft tank.. One of these, especially the 40B for a starter may suit you better than that kit.
Lights -- T5 Florescent. then the correct LED.
At this point I will assume a 40B. Look for a clean used one without scratches and hard water stains. Should be $40 new or less for a used tank.
Flow -- at least 1 powerhead in the 250 to 500 gph range, I have recommendations but wont list them here.
Hang on back filter as opposed to a canister bigger is better. Canisters are a pain to clean and an HOB with filter bags and floss works wonders.. allows you to use dry chemical filtration like carbon and GFO, among other things.
OK here are some other things to consider....and will need
Salinity meter or gage. Dont buy the cheapy plastic boxy ones.. get the ones with an Eyepiece. about 30 to 40 bucks.
Salt if making your won water. Heater, buy a good one.. for a 40B about 150 to 200 watts. Depending on your location anyway. if it gets hot, you might need temp control for cooling.. AC in the house etc. A good thermometer. something to scrape algae off the front glass. Good test kits, especially ammonia, nitrate/nitrite Not API brand. Others if you decide to keep LPS or SPS in the future.
Here is your likely UGLY and other problems... first will be diatoms, then comes the algaes.. and if your chemistry is off Cyano and or Dinoflagelates (Dinos) Those frustrate the best reef keepers. So know you will have problems. Lastly, your tank wont really get stable till like 6 months to a year. Be patient and persevere.
1. Get as large a tank as you can afford and have room for. -- This helps cut down on future problems with water chemistry in particular. Especially with salt inhabitants. My opinion (and experience) is that your selected location is not going to be a good one for a tank. I know this firsthand by the way.. it was very bad.....
2. Location is very important for a first tank. -- Put it where you can sit and enjoy it, not only from afar but up close. Location will also help you with maintenance, lights, plumbing etc. All those things you have been researching because you liked what you saw.
3. Marine fish and coral keeping is a challenge, especially at first. Dont get discouraged as you will run into problems your first year. I guarantee it. If you dont, I will buy you a beer (or drink of choice). If you have ever kept freshwater, some of it does cross over to salt.. One thing I would very much recommend is to know and understand the nitrogen cycle. Essentially how your tank will handle too much food and animal waste. You know like picking up Dog poo in your yard. Too much poo and your grass either dies or grows like crazy.. consider algae your tanks grass.
4. Get your desired tank first and then figure how to fill it. Go slow, as said before by people with more salt experience than I, nothing good happens quickly in this hobby but bad things do. You can get a small tank and run it successfully but know that if things go well, you are gonna want more. Well.... many of us do anyway.
5. "KNOW YOUR INHABITANTS"!! Dumping fish in you dont really want just because they are cheap and utilitarian wont do you any service at all. At the same time, fish you want REALLY BAD may not be suitable for your tank and "OTHER" inhabitants. So, besides knowing a little chemistry, know what you are buying BEFORE you buy it.
6. Speaking of Chemistry, your water is important in keeping coral and in the amounts and kinds of algae you are going to get. RO water as a base is important. Either seriously consider buying an RO unit and making your own salt water and top off water or buying your salt and RO from a store. I make my own and am guessing most of the more successful people on here are doing the same. Not calling myself successful, if that is a concern.
7. If you decide to keep corals (soft or hard) know they need appropriate lighting. You can get away with basic T5 best in my opinion but know you will need to replace them tubes at least yearly if not more often. Inexpensive LED's can do the trick too but know that "cheap" is going to cause algae problems in the end. That too I have experience with.. even with good chemistry. Just because a company says you can use them on a reef does not mean they wont cause problems.. Even good lights.. expensive ones, can cause problematic algae.
8. Water flow, especially for some soft and LPS corals may be important.. (know your inhabitants) So consider a decent powerhead, sized for your tank and inhabitants.
9. Pre-set kits are easy and can be used.. My experience is they are more trouble than they are worth.. but some have been successful so I may not be the one to ask here.
My recommendations: Tanks -- 40 breeder, 60 cube, 75 @4 ft., 100 to 125 at 6 ft. and a 120 4 ft tank.. One of these, especially the 40B for a starter may suit you better than that kit.
Lights -- T5 Florescent. then the correct LED.
At this point I will assume a 40B. Look for a clean used one without scratches and hard water stains. Should be $40 new or less for a used tank.
Flow -- at least 1 powerhead in the 250 to 500 gph range, I have recommendations but wont list them here.
Hang on back filter as opposed to a canister bigger is better. Canisters are a pain to clean and an HOB with filter bags and floss works wonders.. allows you to use dry chemical filtration like carbon and GFO, among other things.
OK here are some other things to consider....and will need
Salinity meter or gage. Dont buy the cheapy plastic boxy ones.. get the ones with an Eyepiece. about 30 to 40 bucks.
Salt if making your won water. Heater, buy a good one.. for a 40B about 150 to 200 watts. Depending on your location anyway. if it gets hot, you might need temp control for cooling.. AC in the house etc. A good thermometer. something to scrape algae off the front glass. Good test kits, especially ammonia, nitrate/nitrite Not API brand. Others if you decide to keep LPS or SPS in the future.
Here is your likely UGLY and other problems... first will be diatoms, then comes the algaes.. and if your chemistry is off Cyano and or Dinoflagelates (Dinos) Those frustrate the best reef keepers. So know you will have problems. Lastly, your tank wont really get stable till like 6 months to a year. Be patient and persevere.
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