Some help please..............

trialsbiker2004 · #1 10/09/2004, 12:14 PM

Hi im new to marine fish and want to start a small marine tank up roughly about 2ft in width,all i want to know is what items do i need to buy,also do you have to have one of those sumps or whatever you call them because i am hoping to keep things simple for the time being.

All help appreciated.

Rock Anemone · #2 10/09/2004, 01:01 PM

trialsbiker2004,
[welcome]

Here's a great article on RC that may help you out a ton: http://www.reefcentral.com/modules.p...showpage&pid=1

Any questions after that feel free ask.

Rock Anemone

trialsbiker2004 · #3 10/09/2004, 01:31 PM

Hi thanks for that article,please could you give me a list of items i will need to purchase for starting a marine tank and do you have to have a sump.

Sorry i am just repeating myself but i find it easier asking people rather than reading articles.

aquarius0015 · #4 10/09/2004, 01:58 PM

You do not have to have a sump, but it's not a bad idea.

A standard 10 gallon is about 20" long x 10" deep x 12" high. I think standard 15 gallon tanks have more height but have the same length and depth (aka the same footprint).

First, decide if you want fish only (FO), fish only with live rock (FOWLR), reef-safe fish and a reef, just a reef, reef + mobile inverts, etc.

And buy the best lighting you can afford, cause if you're anything like me, you'll get hooked fast and want to keep corals.

trialsbiker2004 · #5 10/09/2004, 02:01 PM

Hi thanks for that

Right then i am going to have a few fish some coral,live rock and a few invertebrates.

What other equipment do i need.

aquarius0015 · #6 10/09/2004, 03:45 PM

Well, a little research goes a long way in this hobby, so read as much as you can. I'm a newbie, too, but I did a few weeks of heavy reading before making my first purchase.

However, I wouldn't have had the confidence to go through with starting a new tank without the advice from several forum members, so here's my two cents:

First, you'll need really good lighting if you want to keep a wide variety of corals. The last thing you'd want to do is spend $100 on lighting only to find it's not strong enough for a type of coral you want. I've got a 96 watt quad PC by Coralife over my 10 gallon tank, and while it isn't the most powerful lighting possible on a 10g, it's pretty decent. I have no experience with metal halide lighting, but if you're going for a bigger set-up, you might want to consider it.

You'll also need at least one powerhead for water circulation, more depending on tank size. If you've got the money, you might want to buy a little one exclusively for mixing your saltwater (I let mine mix overnight).

Start thinking about substrate. Aragonite is considered the holy grail, but some people use play sand, and some people don't have a substrate at all. If you'll be laying extensive rockwork, you'll want to consider putting down some egg crate first. Crushed coral looks nice but it captures dirt, just like gravel.

Things you'll absolutely need (soon): the actual tank (bigger = more stable), a basic water testing kit, live rock, at least two thermometers (one for the tank, one for mixing saltwater), marine salt mix (Instant Ocean, etc), buckets, nets, a heater (two is better- so you can match temps of mixed saltwater), a hydrometer, plastic tubing with a valve (trust me, you'll find a use for it)

Things you'll probably want and/or longterm things: advanced testing kits (calcium, etc), fish and inverts (duh!), moonlights (pretty!), supplements, an air pump for oxygenating water while transporting fish, a nano-refugium (mine is a modified AC 500) with macro-algae, possibly an electronic thermometer or pH meter, refractometer, an automatic top-off (cheap DIY project).... I could keep going, but you get the idea.

trialsbiker2004 · #7 10/10/2004, 05:31 AM

Hi thanks for that article,

I am hoping to do a 2ft nano tank,do most small tanks have a bigger height.

Also i am going to buy parts seperately around different times as i also have many other hobbies which need spending on.

Also i am not wanting to spend loads on certain parts altough i know it would help much more but i really dont have the money.

Just a few last questions,can all different makes of types of parts go with each other or not,in my local fish shop they sell gallons of marine water is this ok to put into my tank.

If i buy any parts on here from ebay and i put the link that gets you onto that page and it shows you the item and description would any of you guys tell me if its worth it and if it is still working fine because they normally mention something is missing and i dont know whether its still working.

thanks

Reefer0916 · #8 10/10/2004, 10:47 AM

trialsbiker2004 ... I'm a beginner too and must suggest that you should read up as much as youy cn before you jump into it. A lot of people try to start up tanks and waste a lot of money and ultimately decide it is 'not for them' bc they rushed into it.

My famous line: Patience is a virture

TRUST ME .. this hobby requires A LOT of it