What else do I need?

[kubikid]

Hi. I'm new to saltwater aquariums. I had freshwater tanks when I was younger but this is my first venture into saltwater.

Today, I got a ~40 gallon hexagon tank with a stand, hood, lights, fuge, protein skimmer, pumps, tubing, dried up live rock and a few other odds and ends. I got all of this used and for free, so I've spent my evening cleaning up the tank and soaking a lot of the equipment to get it clean.

My question is, can anyone tell me anything I may be missing? I'm fairly confident I can get everything that I have set up on my own but I'm not sure that I have everything to get started.

Any other information or articles anyone can offer to a beginner would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[shawna1972]

Hi and welcome.
Free is awesome !
sand? heater,? ..........power heads,test kits, Qt tank, ahhh too tired lol seems like its never ending though .I always need something

 

[MartinEric]

I would start with a few books, like The New Marine Aquarium by Mike Paletta, and if your a big spender The Reef Aquarium Vol. 1,2, and 3 by Delbeek and Sprung. Also anything else you can get your hands on like this website.

 

[kubikid]

Thanks guys. I have a heater, power heads (though one isn't working). What is a Qt tank?

And I will look into those books tomorrow on my day off. Thanks!

 

[chris4869]

What do you plan on keeping in the tank? Fish only or with corals too?

 

[drummereef]

Here's basically everything you need to get started. Please read.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1031074

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1526752

 

[KarlBob]

Once you have your salt water mixed up, you'll want to buy or borrow at least one piece of live rock that is still "alive" (i.e. not dried out). The beneficial bacteria on your dried rock will have died off, and you can replenish them by adding a piece of currently live rock to the tank with your "dead" rock.

Speaking of mixing salt water, you might want to start looking into a Reverse Osmosis/DeIonized (RO/DI) water system. Tap water is horrible for reef tanks in most parts of the US. You can probably buy RO/DI water from your Local Fish Store (LFS) for now, but in the long run you'll save a lot of money and hassle by setting up your own RO/DI unit.

Another important but maybe not obvious thing to know: the stuff sold as "aquarium salt" for freshwater tanks is not suitable for making salt water. There are several brands of marine salt mix out there, and every one of them has rabid fans who will denounce all other brands.

There's one set of things you might have received that you don't need: bio-balls. If your tank came with a wet/dry filter, don't even bother setting it up. The protein skimmer and live rock will do fine on their own.

 

[kubikid]

Initially, I want to keep just fish in the tank and down the road I would like to add some coral. Is this a bad idea to do it in this order?

The guy who gave me the tank said he would do his water change into my tank to get me started and I could mix up the difference. Again, bad idea?

Why don't I need the bio balls? The bio balls are part of the "sump" with the protein skimmer and return.

Again, I'm as new at this as you can get and I truly appreciate everyone's post. Your information has been very helpful. THANK YOU.