New to saltwater and need advice

[Zamzam]

Hello everyone, I am new to saltwater tanks and have a few questions before deciding to move forward with it or not. Some background for me would be as follows:

I've kept fresh water aquariums successfully for the past few years. I started out with a 29 gallon community tank and then got a second tank (75 gallon African cichlids). I am thinking of converting the 29 gallon into a salt water tank. My idea is to keep a dwarf lionfish in there. Given space restrictions I cant really go with a huge set up. I just looked up online and a few places said that I could keep a dwarf lionfish in a tank that size. I am not really looking to add any other fish to the tank. This would be a fish only tank. I will most likely upgrade to a bigger tank in the future but that will not be for a while until I can move into a bigger place, so I am looking for suggestions for my current situation.

What I really need to know is that with a tank that small do I need a sump and protein skimmer or can I get away with just having excellent filtration?

Then what would be the best way to set up the tank (aquascape and all) for that fish. The PH of my tap water is low so what would be the best way to maintain the higher PH for a saltwater aquarium?

Any advice would be appreciated, even if it is to say that my set up wouldnt work.

Thanks.

 

[Peace River]

#WelcometoR2R!!!

Let's see if we can get some help with your questions about dwarf lionfish...

@vetteguy53081 @Old Fritz @lion king

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Welcome to the family.

I would say the 29 will not be big enough. You can keep a Fu man chu, but that would be pushing it a bit. The next smallest is Antennata lion or dwarf zebra, something along that size. They are smaller but will still needs a 50. Something to consider when sizing is not just the body but the wing span as well.

You can set up a fish only tank with many different ways, no sump is one of them. Ph and water will be addressed once you are ready to start making the salt.

I will attach a good read to help get you started. Even though you may not end up with a lion, or you may get a fu man chu, there’s tons of great stuff out there just waiting to be found. Just ask questions and we’ll help

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[lion king]

That tank would be too small for any dwarf lionfish. What is your interest in keeping a lionfish, there may be some alternatives to keeping a lionfish, that would be a better fit for a 29g. A flame hawkfish, or a pair would even be better, DD offers pairs from time to time. A small scorpionfish, like the yellow spot, they also do well in trios. Visit the predator forum to get some ideas if a predator type fish is your interest.

 

[LegendaryCG]

I'll offer an alternative viewpoint. 29G is probably too small for a *MATURE* dwarf lionfish, but you could always grow your tank as the fish needs.

 

[Zamzam]

Thank for the input guys. Basically I have this 29 gallon tank and am not sure what to do with it. I do want to consider making it a salt water tank though and just want something cool looking in it. I know that it is small but I will look into the fish you guys suggested. If anyone has any other suggestions for a 29 gallon tank that would be great.

 

[lapin]

Colorful rock nems?

 

[LegendaryCG]

You can do a lot with 29g don’t let that discourage you. Frankly coral and inverts are more interesting than most fish imo.

 

[Slawman]

You can get by without a sump or skimmer when running a fish only if you are careful with your nutrient import (food) export (????). Water changes and macro could be used for this but some people don't like macro in their display (me included).

Setting up a sump is pretty easy and you can get skimmers that hang on the back of the tank, that is what I would look at. Skimmers are a very good addition to a salt tank.

I don't know about care requirements for a dwarf lion fish but 29 sounds small so please take advice from people who have experience with this species (as you are doing here ). There are tons of very cool things you CAN keep in a small tank though so maybe research that as well.

 

[Zamzam]

What would you think is the minimum tank size that I could keep a single dwarf lion fish in?

 

[lion king]

I like to stick with something like a 55g as a minimum, but I do keep them in 40 breeders, and they have done well. They are all different in activity and socialization. Some swim alot and I put them in a larger tank while others perch alot, some are solitary, while others hang out together like bats. I have a fuzzy and a rhino in a 40b, and a fuzzy and a trio of waspfish in another 40B.

 

[Keithb22]

Get you the pocketexpert guide “marine Fish” by Scott michael. It says the fu Manchu may work but the biggest thing is going to be nutrient export and the fact that these fish can be less hardier than the others. Best advise would be listen to people here who have been at it a while, they usually won’t steer you to wrong.

 

[Zamzam]

I have another question.. is everyone saying that the dwarf lion fish would not work in the 29 gallon tank because of the physical space or because of overall water volume? So if I were to add on an additional 20 gallons or so via a sump would that be sufficient to maintain the water quality?

 

[lion king]

I have another question.. is everyone saying that the dwarf lion fish would not work in the 29 gallon tank because of the physical space or because of overall water volume? So if I were to add on an additional 20 gallons or so via a sump would that be sufficient to maintain the water quality?

He needs more space to swim, people put them in tanks this small and you never see them swim, so people think they don't swim. A 36" 40B is really the bare minimum, and if you are actually able to keep him alive a couple of years and get him to 5" or more, you may find he needs a bigger tank. The problem is most people can't keep these guys alive very long, a 48" tank is really best for a full adult.

 

[Brittmcoleman]

He needs more space to swim, people put them in tanks this small and you never see them swim, so people think they don't swim. A 36" 40B is really the bare minimum, and if you are actually able to keep him alive a couple of years and get him to 5" or more, you may find he needs a bigger tank. The problem is most people can't keep these guys alive very long, a 48" tank is really best for a full adult.

Why do you think people can not keep them alive long?

 

[ShanesClowns]

I started of with a 29g tank and you can do a lot with it , I think the lion fish thing is not best for what you have it needs to swim, BUT you can do a small reef tank, clownfish, wrasse, anemone, live rock, caves all kinds of stuff. There is a whole community on FB calll biocube and nano reefs.

The only issue with a smaller tank is limits on the kind of fish you can have and swings in parameters are more dangerous. As far as your PH salt mixes and additives can help that .

And as far as a sump that always helps and a protein skimmer helps also, but not essential at first.

A 55g tank is always a great starter tank , but like I said I had a 29g for 15 years and breezed clownfish in it and had great coral.

GOOD LUCK

 

[lion king]

Why do you think people can not keep them alive long?

I've kept lions for 30 years and seriously started to research and keep multiple lion species about 15 years ago, here's a post you may find interesting:

Lion King's observations of keeping lions long term

As my research into how long lions are being kept alive in captivity disturbed and disappointed me, I decided to post a few of my observations that has allowed me to keep them for several years or more. Source; know your source, it is not a good idea to get any lion from a source that runs...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Zamzam]

What kind of rock do you guys recommend?

 

[mossmoss]

What kind of rock do you guys recommend?

if you can get yours hands on live rock from a Local Fish Store I would highly recommend going that route I thoroughly enjoyed watching the life on the live rock during the cycling process. Helped me be patient and remain excited for the next steps.

 

[Rmckoy]

I’ll strongly recommend research !!!!
I also believe a lion fish in a 29 gal seams to be a waist .
only 1 fish that will outgrow that tank in no time
Where there are so many other things you could do .
Not knowing how to adjust ph in tap water is a bad decision from the start .
One of the first things to purchase
1) RODI unit
2) saltwater test kit
Research and read as much as you can about everything from nitrogen cycle to fish min requirements and care .
Tap water will be a really big mistake , especially with the 29 gal already being harder to maintain nutrient export.
sorry if that seams a little harsh . Just know ..
we are here to help ...

A skimmer isn’t required from the start as there won’t be any organic matter to remove .
but one of the most important pieces of equipment later .