how do i set up an aquarium?

[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#