hello hi hello!!

atomicfishbowl · Dec 7, 2023

hello hi hello!! i am a noob and have never kept saltwater fish. i thought this would be a great place to start my research as i've been itching to dip my toes into the ocean for awhile now.

while i've got you with me i wanted to ask a question about a future build i had in mind. my experience with fish is strictly freshwater keeping (we currently have a single senegal bichir and she is the cutest ever... off topic, sorry i just love talking about her!) i currently have a spare 36 gallon bowfront that i want to make use of. as i said previously, i do only have experience in keeping freshwater species and thus don't have any equipment specifically for saltwater aquariums.

i suppose my question(s) is this: is transitioning a tank used originally to house freshwater species to a saltwater one something a noob could do? is it a project worth pursuing, or is it more complicated than what i'm thinking? what are your thoughts?

p.s. this is an extremely long way off but i do have a livestock list picked out and i'd love feedback. don't hold back if this list is a disaster, but please do provide your personal experiences with these fish!!:
-a bonded pair of banggai cardinalfish

-1 green bandit goby (they look like they're in their jammies which is so special)

-1 purple fire fish. i was once super interested in the orchid dottyback but after hearing some horror stories with them as the antagonist i'm rather put off by them. i'd love some feedback on either species if anyone wants to share.

-1 red ruby dragonet... as i understand it they're anything but beginner friendly due to their diet but i find them so endearing. any opinions or firsthand experiences?

p.p.s. if these are questions better suited to another forum i will move there!! thank you!!

TX_REEF · Dec 7, 2023

Hello and welcome! You can certainly use your 36 gallon for saltwater. It's even more of a resounding yes if you only intend to keep fish. Your stock list seems, fine but for the dragonette, you'll want to introduce him later once the tank has matured a bit with plenty of microfauna for him to snack on. They can be trained to eat other food, especially if you can secure a captive bred one. If you have any more specific questions, please let us know and we'll be happy to help.

lil sumpin · Dec 7, 2023

Pvtgloss · Dec 7, 2023

shakacuz · Dec 7, 2023

welcome aboard the r2r board!

atomicfishbowl · Dec 7, 2023

TX_REEF said:
Hello and welcome! You can certainly use your 36 gallon for saltwater. It's even more of a resounding yes if you only intend to keep fish. Your stock list seems, fine but for the dragonette, you'll want to introduce him later once the tank has matured a bit with plenty of microfauna for him to snack on. They can be trained to eat other food, especially if you can secure a captive bred one. If you have any more specific questions, please let us know and we'll be happy to help.

thank you so much for your encouragement and tips on dragonette care!! i knew i made the right choice joining here

Pistondog · Dec 7, 2023

atomicfishbowl said:
hello hi hello!! i am a noob and have never kept saltwater fish. i thought this would be a great place to start my research as i've been itching to dip my toes into the ocean for awhile now.

while i've got you with me i wanted to ask a question about a future build i had in mind. my experience with fish is strictly freshwater keeping (we currently have a single senegal bichir and she is the cutest ever... off topic, sorry i just love talking about her!) i currently have a spare 36 gallon bowfront that i want to make use of. as i said previously, i do only have experience in keeping freshwater species and thus don't have any equipment specifically for saltwater aquariums.

i suppose my question(s) is this: is transitioning a tank used originally to house freshwater species to a saltwater one something a noob could do? is it a project worth pursuing, or is it more complicated than what i'm thinking? what are your thoughts?

p.s. this is an extremely long way off but i do have a livestock list picked out and i'd love feedback. don't hold back if this list is a disaster, but please do provide your personal experiences with these fish!!:
-a bonded pair of banggai cardinalfish

-1 green bandit goby (they look like they're in their jammies which is so special)

-1 purple fire fish. i was once super interested in the orchid dottyback but after hearing some horror stories with them as the antagonist i'm rather put off by them. i'd love some feedback on either species if anyone wants to share.

-1 red ruby dragonet... as i understand it they're anything but beginner friendly due to their diet but i find them so endearing. any opinions or firsthand experiences?

p.p.s. if these are questions better suited to another forum i will move there!! thank you!!