New to SW

T

Tortie

New member
Wasn't sure whether this should go under reef discussion or new to the hobby, sorry if I chose the wrong one.

Right now I have a 10G with one juvenile african cichlid (mbuna). I was going to upgrade to a 29 and get cichlid sand and the whole deal and then I remembered that I had loved clownfish and if I were to make a switch, why not just leave the tank and go from FW to SW.

I have many questions; basically I'd like to know if this is an easy or difficult process (FW to SW), what equipment will have to be changed/replaced or kept, and the differences between managing a FW and SW aquarium (water parameter-wise). Also, what kind of substrate is recommended? Right now, I have just a plain blue gravel but I was hoping to change that to Eco-complete cichlid sand (live sand). I was wondering if I could even use this brand of sand for the tank (it's supposed to buffer pH, I don't know if this would be alright for SW fish).

For my 10, I have a Whisper HOB filter and a standard (I forget the brand) heater. I keep the temperature at 79 degrees and the pH is about 7.8.

I'd also like to know if it is reasonable to house a pair of false percula clowns in a 10G. It's going to be a FO tank, so no annemonies, but I'd also like to know what to add to the tank to make it more comfortable for the clowns.

If you need any more information or have anything else that you'd like to add about keeping a SW tank, all will be appreciated!
 
Tortie, pick up a book called The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner. It is regarded by many as the beginners bible to saltwater aquariums. You can probably find it at Barnes & Noble, your LFS, or at an online retailer. It's awesome that you are researching BEFORE making decisions...

Also, when getting information from online sources, be skeptical about everything you read. jimmyPx noted that skimmers are an absolute must, but this isn't the case. Pick up a good book and you will have a foundation of knowledge to weigh information you find online. The best advice I can give is to take it as slowly as you can stand, and read that book from front to back. Again, commendations for taking the initiative to research this hobby before you stick your hands in it!! :D
 
I agree with Daviddryer, be skeptical of what you are told, BUT... remember that there are some things that most people agree on:

1. 95% of people who have successful salt water tanks have Protein Skimmers. The other 5% either are using Algae Turf Scrubbers, do very frequent water changes, or are on the coast and continuously refresh the salt water from the sea.

2. Read, read, & read some more. The book David mentioned is very good.

Good Luck
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9660204#post9660204 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimmyPx
I agree with Daviddryer, be skeptical of what you are told, BUT... remember that there are some things that most people agree on:

1. 95% of people who have successful salt water tanks have Protein Skimmers. The other 5% either are using Algae Turf Scrubbers, do very frequent water changes, or are on the coast and continuously refresh the salt water from the sea.
Click to expand...

Actually many of us non-skimmer folk utilize refugium based systems that rely on a balanced stocking method with regard to fish levels and the amount of nutrients imported primarily through fish waste and feeding vs natural means of export. We utilize macro algae to help remove ortho phosphates and other organics.

I would also question that only 5% of successful SW tanks are running skimmers.

A very important tool for this hobby is a quality RO/DI unit.

Skimmers are an excellent tool for beginners and established hobbyists alike but one can make a great reef tank with-out one these days.
 
as you can tell, there is no agreement on the best way, or easiest way. although for a 10gallon i would get a skimmer because its too easy for water parameters to change fast.
and if that live sand has been sitting in a bag on a counter its probably not live enough to matter. just get live rocks.

and 10gallons is probably enough when the clowns are small but once they grow up it'll probably be alittle crowded.

also the sand brand isn't that important. i used cheapo playsand $5 for 50lbs cilica sand from HD and havent had any problems. ( i did wash it a few times to make sure there were no metal bits) but there will probably be peiople who disagree with me so stay tuned
 
oh yea and small tanks are much harder than large tanks i had so many battles with my 20gallon and pretty much nothign with my 100
 
Re: New to SW

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9657788#post9657788 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tortie
For my 10, I have a Whisper HOB filter and a standard (I forget the brand) heater. I keep the temperature at 79 degrees and the pH is about 7.8.

I'd also like to know if it is reasonable to house a pair of false percula clowns in a 10G. It's going to be a FO tank, so no annemonies, but I'd also like to know what to add to the tank to make it more comfortable for the clowns.

If you need any more information or have anything else that you'd like to add about keeping a SW tank, all will be appreciated!
Click to expand...

Use the Whisper to run carbon or phosphate removing media and add a small powerhead somewhere to get some more flow.

Since its a fish only tank you could get started by adding some live rock along with some nice looking macro algae. You can use distilled water from wally world until you invest in an RO/DI unit.

You could also add some ornamental shrimp and other critters to the tank.

EDIT:

Lighting:

If you have a low budget for lighting you could get a cheap dual incandescent hood from your local fish store and put the twisty type fluorescent daylight bulbs in it. This will be enough light to grow plenty of types of macro algae and even some low light soft corals.

You could then add a standard fluorescent hood and run an actinic bulb in there. By having 2 hoods you can run a dawn dusk mode.

Another low budget option would be to run a couple of disposable helios HO T5 strips.
 
Last edited:
A note on the size of the tank - many people manage small aquariums - smaller than 10g. I have a 12 gallon tank myself. There are downsides of it but it's possible and it's an inexpensive way to get your feet wet.
 
As for sand get some dry aragonite at your local fish store. Live rock will seed it in no time.

A good clean up crew along with good flow and a skimmer will reduce any if all need to clean the tank. Of course you still have to clean the glass, clean the skimmer, and do waterchanges.

Honestly it's not that hard at all if you read and take your time.
 
I think a pair of clown fish would be the perfect inhabitants for your tank! You could also add a shrimp, a few hermit crabs, and snails to add to the display. Stay away from gravel, you can pick up a small (15lb) bag of live aragonite sand for $25.
 
Thanks so much for all of the replies!

The number one thing I think everyone should do before diving into something is read - and that's what I've been doing. I'd like to know about the different possibilities before getting started. I also thought that talking with members more experience than I (which is probably all of you) would be a great way to start out.

I think I might wait on the protein skimmer, as it's been said that it is possible to keep a tank without one. That'll be something that I'll watch for and if nitrates get too high (I'll be doing water changes once every week and watching parameters closely), I'll look into getting one.

I'm going to start out with a bag of live sand and add that to my tank. I'll probably also buy either 1 or 2 pounds of live rock to start out until I can manage to gather around 10 pounds.

That's exactly what I was hoping for. A pair of clowns and possibly a shrimp or snail to help keep up the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9666053#post9666053 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tortie
Thanks so much for all of the replies!

The number one thing I think everyone should do before diving into something is read - and that's what I've been doing. I'd like to know about the different possibilities before getting started. I also thought that talking with members more experience than I (which is probably all of you) would be a great way to start out.

I think I might wait on the protein skimmer, as it's been said that it is possible to keep a tank without one. That'll be something that I'll watch for and if nitrates get too high (I'll be doing water changes once every week and watching parameters closely), I'll look into getting one.

I'm going to start out with a bag of live sand and add that to my tank. I'll probably also buy either 1 or 2 pounds of live rock to start out until I can manage to gather around 10 pounds.

That's exactly what I was hoping for. A pair of clowns and possibly a shrimp or snail to help keep up the tank.
Click to expand...

I look forward to photos of your progress!
 
Don't forget about adding some macro algae if you are going skimmerless. You will also need enough light to sustain the macros.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
Thanks for the welcome, hee.

I have another question, what salt mix is the recommended brand? There are so many and I'd like to stick to using the same once I get started.
 
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