how do i set up an aquarium?

[jshsedgwick]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#i have never had a fish before and saltwater reef tanks sound really interesting. i have read tons on these but i haven't fond anyting saying what i should have for a balanced habitat. please tell me what i should have for a long tentacled anenome and a pink skunk clownfish. also if a lionfish would tolerate the clownfish and anenome. what other fish would go good with the anenome and the clownfish. what would they eat and how often should i feed them. do seahorses go good with these fish. what types of things like filters should i have. tank size. lighting ect.thank you and please give me all the help you can. i am very new at this.#ed_op#IMG src="/richedit/smileys/2.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# thanks josh#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Reptoreef]

Spanish Fork??? Not far from me in Brigham City(50 miles N of Salt Lake). Anyhow, have you got some work ahead of you. First things first.... you're gonna go buy ya a book or 2. #1- "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert M. Fenner. #2- "Natural Reef Aquariums" by Tullock. Between some good read and reefer chit chat here at CR, you'll be in like skin in no time. Welcome to CR and hope to meet ya some time soon.

Repto

[bjpembo]

if you intend to keep an anemone you'll need to make sure you that you have the proper lighting, since they are photosynthetic you have to simulate the sunlight so that it can survive. This is best done with metal halide lighting, but can also be accomplished with VHO (very high output) PC (power compact) and T5's (new style florescent) but it takes a few more bulbs and generally isn't nearly as effective. But before all that you'll need the standard equipment.... A tank, you'll need to decide what size you want based on what you want to keep and your budget, smaller is somewhat cheaper but also less forgiving of mistakes because of the smaller water volume. You'll also need a protein skimmer as this is your primary means of waste removal, 1 1/2 - 2lbs per gallon of live rock, a reverse osmosis/deionization water filter, and then then smaller things, salt, powerheads, heater, test kits, something to measure your salinity, i.e. hydrometer or refractometer the later being preferred for accuracy.

And on top of all this research research research! avoid impulse buys, they'll end up costing you lots more money in the long run via incompatibility of livestock, shoddy equipment and other problems. If you see something you want write it down and come home and make a post here about it, and experienced reefers will advise you.

[jshsedgwick]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#would saltwater aquariums for dummies be helpful to or should i not get that? also how does the ro water thing work? does it just sit by the tank putting the water in there or do you have to only use it when you refill the tank? can i use the ro water that is by my sink instead of buying a whole new system? out of all of those lights what would be the best for a 55 gallon tank? what size of equipment should i get for that size tank? what is live sand and live rock? what are all the types of test kits i should buy.#ed_op#IMG src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/smileys/Word_Positive/8.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Reptoreef]

A 55 gl can have lighting that ranges from a couple of hundred watts of VHO, PC, T5 lighting to having intense lighting(mine has 2 250 watt Metal Halide and 4x65 watt of PC... one of the 250/ballast is HQI so you can safely add another 50 watts to that). Any reads is better than none... IMO, get those books mentioned earlier, too. Your current RO should work fine... if there's no di then you may want to add an upgrade. My favorite test kits are Salifert's. My RO works with an auto top-off straight from the unit to my sump and when doing my water changes, I use RO/DI to mix with the salt mix.

[bjpembo]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#would saltwater aquariums for dummies be helpful to or should i not get that? #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Probably not, most books that cover setup are out of date on all but the most basic things soon after print. your best reference for things like that would be Internet sites like this, they are continually evolving and updating with new information.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#
#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#also how does the ro water thing work? does it just sit by the tank putting the water in there or do you have to only use it when you refill the tank? can i use the ro water that is by my sink instead of buying a whole new system?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#an ro/di unit works by filtering your tap water with prefilters and an ro membrane to remove 97-99% of the impurities, the di is used to clean up the last few %'s of whatever is left essentially leave you with pure H20 and nothing extra. you would connect it to your home water supply and the waste water tube would go to a drain and the pure water tube would go to a collection point such as a rubbermaid trash can that would hold the water until you either mix it with salt or use it for topping off evaporated water. as for the system by your sink, if its got good filters on it you can use it but i would run the water through a di resin before using in the tank to clean up the last bit of contaminates.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#
#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#out of all of those lights what would be the best for a 55 gallon tank? what size of equipment should i get for that size tank?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#metal halide is the best for any tank, its the most effective. if you intend to be in this hobby for the long haul spend the extra money up front for it instead of doing like many of us have done and tried to be cheap and buy PC or other things and then end up spending more money to upgrade to mh down the road because we don't have enough light to keep something.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#As for your equipment sizing, most of them have reliable size standards. the one thing that doesn't are the skimmers, they are usually overrated on the size tank they can handle. as a general rule of thumb you want their rating to be 2-3 times the size of your tank. an in sump skimmer is best but aqua c makes a very good hang on that would be fine for a 55g, most other hang ons are not big enough for a 55.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#
#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#what is live sand and live rock?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#live rock and sand are simply sand that are colonized by nitrifying bacteria that help rid the water of waste and complete the nitrogen cycle. the rock is not actually "alive" its just the bacteria growth that gives it the name.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#
#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#what are all the types of test kits i should buy.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#you need something to measure your salinity with, hydrometer is cheap but lacks on accuracy, refractometer is very accurate but is a bit more expensive. other kits you'll need at a minimum will be ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, alkalinity, and Ph. if you decide you want to use additives such as iodine, magnesium or anything else you'll need to buy a test kit for each of those since you shouldn't add anything that you don't have a test kit for. many of the trace elements present in saltwater are toxic at higher than natural levels.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[jshsedgwick]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#thanks for the info. i have a catalog of dr foster and smith for aquariums and i will look for some of the stuff that you guys have mentioned. what exctly does a skimmer do and how does it work?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[bjpembo]

a skimmer draws water in from the tank and mixes it with lots of tiny air bubbles disolved organic compounds (protien) stick to the surface of the bubbles and the air carries them up and into a collection cup. this removes the funk from your water before it has a chance to break down. it equates to the same action that the waves of the ocean perform. ever been to the beach and noticed the frothy smell scum thats sometimes on the surface of the water? same thing.

[ramoth41]

Welcome to the group!
As far a books go I agree that any book is better than no book! There are tons of them out there! Get your self down to the local library and check out everything you can get your hands on! The better informed you are the better success you'll have in the long run! There are so many places to get info these days.. the net... the books .. a GOOD local store.. The one thing you have to keep in mind is what works for one may not work for all so you have to be pretty picky when choosing your set up and stocking. One "rule" that does work for everyone is buy as big as you can afford! Like others have said it's usually better to have too much and not need it than to not have what you need!

That said when your ready to set your new baby up keep in mind WHAT your going to keep in it! That way you can make sure your getting the RIGHT equipment and supplies so your critters wiill not only live but thrive and grow!

Then next thing you have to have is PATIENCE! Go slow!! It's hard and I know each and every one of us has made the mistake at least once(sometimes more than once). Impulse buying will eventually cause failure! Know WHAT your buying and HOW to take care of it! (don't buy that lion fish and thinking he might not gulp down the clown! if it will fit in his mouth he WILL! ) Beware of the
:rescuebug: He will get you everytime!! lol
Last.. keep comming back and ask as many questions as you want!! How else are we to learn if we don't ask! Before you know it your be enjoying your new tank and telling EVERYONE who will listen about how cool this hobby is!!
sarah

[jshsedgwick]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#thanks for telling me about what the lionfish would do to the clownfish or any other fish. what if i had a seperate part of the tank seperated with glass or something. do you think that would work? josh#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[ramoth41]

I would get one of the afore mentioned books 1st and get your tank stared to cycle before I would worry about that. I know pple who have kept lionfish and clowns together but I don't have any experiance with lions other than I 've seen them eat! lol. Thant and a friend of mine was stung by her's! That's a whole 'nother story! Let's just say the ER was clueless!

Remember .. patience .. gotta have a tank up running and ready before you can add even a little critter! .. There a a couple of the "big" sites that have "saltwater 101" news letters.. check it out....I thi nk About.com has one named just that! lol Also look into the profiles of both the fish you lited and see if they can be kept togther.....what ever you do make sure you have all the facts first!

sarah

[davejnz]

I wouldn't bother buying some of the test kits mentioned.Ammonia and nitrite will only need to be tested for in the begining during the cycle.Most LFS will happily test your water for you for those parameters.Alkalinity,PH,and nitrate are the big 3 IMO and calcium will need to be monitored later.
Definately get a book,get a firm understaning of the Nitrogen cycle,the way alkalinity,calcium,and PH levels are related/balanced in seawater.Learn the different
biotopes of a reef and strive to replicate a specific one.Many corals/anenomes are collected from different biotopes and will have different needs so its much easier to have a succesful reef if you concentrate on a certain biotope.
Learn the different methods hobbyists are using to keep their reefs.There are benefits and drawbacks to every system and dont believe anyone if they say there way is the best.Deep sandbed reefs(DSB),shallow sand bed(SSB),and barebottom(BB) are the most widely used methods.They all have evolved from the Berlin method(lots of liverock and skimming)with DSB also sharing similaritys to the Jaubert method(deep sand bed over a plenum,small amounts of LR,light or no skimming,large population of sand critters/infauna,several months of maturing before stocking.)
There is no substitute for knowledge and experience will come later.While waiting for your books,do as much online research as possible,there is a wealth of knowledge at these websites in the archives
http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/feature2.htm
http://reefkeeping.com/

[m1a1fixer]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I just got done setting my 55gal up last month after talking about it on this board for about 3 months. Listen to what i have to say if you want, it's up to you after all. I have two very important things to tell you. 1) If your thinking about doing something with your SW tank, bring it up to the rest of the "experts" here. At least one of them has done or seen (or heard from a friend of a friend) the outcome from what you are thinking about doing. You may not believe thier input, but at least they may bring up a point you've not thought about, so it is well worth asking any questions or sharing any ideas you have. 2) If at all possible, buy an established system from someone getting out of the hobby for whatever reason as long as it's not because things went south (they made all the mistakes). Keep this in mind though, even if they made all the mistakes that can be made, they could have some really good equipment for cheap. :) As far as the messages above, AquaC is a absolutely fantastic manufacturer of skimmers. I have a small sump with an AquaC urchant Pro and a DSB in the display tank. I don't know if your thinking about running a sump, but I would highly suggest it. It hides all the unsightly equipment and acts as a buffer to any water changes. I always wanted (as many others) a tank just like what you see at the aquarium. Do you see a heater and other equip.? That's because they have it in something simular to a sump. Anyway, enough education from myself and my friend Jack :)~. Use this board as a guide, take all the info provided here with a grain of salt. Mainly because what works for one set up may not work for a very simular system. Confussing isn't it, but at least you can't say it's cheap. Check out my blog for some info from me.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[PhatBrdr427]

From the knowledge that I have gained through reading books/magazines and taking classes in school and talking to the LFS. I would really advise on not putting a sea horse in your tank with the lion fish. I have seen people have the clown fish and the sea horses together. another thing is that they dont like a lot of water flow. Well not intense i should say. A lot of water flow is good but not too much. The sea horses are finicky eaters also from what I have heard. Basically all that I can reccoment about getting a sea horse is read up and educate yourself. Then from there, try it out with all of your new found knowledge. Do you plan on getting any corals eventually or no?

Just like everyone said... read up and educate. Talk to the people at your local fish store. They are always willing to help just like all of us on here.

[peregrinus]

i don't know for sure but a seahorse might become a meal for the anemone? just a thought.

[jshsedgwick]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#that never crossed my mind. i'll look into that, thanks for the insight.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[ramoth41]

Seahoreses should be kept in a tank all their own or with other critters like them (ie. pipefish) Lions are preditors and they will not might WILL eat what ever they can fit in their mouth!!! Seahorses are not good 1st time fish either! They are finiky eaters and only will take live food (most of the time) Go check out the seahorse sites.. www.seahorse.org I think is the addy.... They are also pricey little critters!
I would think again on that front!
sarah

[jshsedgwick]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#i'm thinking your probably right. i'll do more research before getting something like that.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[flame]

I am by no way an expert. Well thats not true I am an expert on doing it wong. LOL. The one piece of advice I can offer is take your time, Do not give in to your impluse to rush. It will only create long term problems.

[jshsedgwick]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#i am definitly going to go at it little by little#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#