inuyasha_lover_21

I have over 7 packages comming fedex, UPS, and USPS. my anemone, my 2 pounds of live rock, my 30.33 pound of figi live rock, my refractometer, my master test kit, and my new ballast

inuyasha_lover_21

got my anemone! There was a bonus... A second anemone!

tan.b

being the impatient person i am, i hate waiting for packages! especially if i have to nip out as you can guaruntee that 5 mins i left the house is when the delivery comes!!!

while you're stuck in waiting for packages, you can busy yourself on fishlore!!!

i'd love to see some pics of your marine tank. i;d like to set one up, but sounds rather complicated and there seems to be an awful lot of parameters to check etc. sounds like alot of research before considering. they do look fantastic though! be good to see some shots of each stage of set-up.

good luck, hope all packages arrive safe and sound! by the way, i read the poll first....thought it an odd question . after reading this, it makes perfect sense why you're so interested in courier companies!!!!

Tan

inuyasha_lover_21

As soon as my tank is settled and done is when I will put up pics. Actually setting up the tank is quite easy.If you take your time and know what you need to do then it becomes simple. I will suggest a book to get and if you like it you can start one up. the book is called "saltwater aquariums for dummies" The salt I use is instant ocean. The anemones are thriving very well. I even used my well water and they are doing great. I am a very simple person. If I can set one up I know you could . do about a month of research and if you think you could handle it then give it a shot. I have faith in you and I know you could get one up and running. If you ever need any help just send me a message.

tan.b

thanks for the encouragement!! you have more faith than me!! i have a 45 gal in the garage pending repairs. if i get that up and running a saltwater option is def worth considering. how much more expensive are they to set up and maintain than freshwater ones. what extra stuff do you need? will have a look for that book....the title sounds most suitable for me!!!!! it seems you are getting most of your stuff mail order. is that generally reliable? does stuff tend to get damaged in transit, especially the live stuff? i dont know of any local LFS's round here that sell anything salty! there's one about an hour away, but its really small, so prob dont sell that much. can they be set up gradually, say add a few things a week....a coral one week, and anemone another week etc, or does it all have to be done at once? might start setting stuff in may as its my birthday.....if anyone is stuck on what to buy me, i'll soon give them some ideas!!!! Ooooooooooooo i'm all giddy just imagining it!!

inuyasha_lover_21

It will be expensive but its worth it in the end. Out of the whole time of buying my aquarium needs online. I have never had anything damaged. For the fish they are packed really tight.

well we will go with the most important first: Protein skimmer, Filter, Heater, Salt, powerhead, and a refractometer not a hydrometer. Hydrometers tend to be inaccurate.

You want to have your salt mixed with distilled water. Some people use tap. If you want a reef tank You need distilled. If its going to be a FOWL "fish only with live rock" You can use tap. I reccomend using instan ocean salt.

When you mix the salt you can mix it in a separate container the n put it in the tank or do it in the tank.If you buy instant ocean sea salt mix it will be half a cup per gallon I did mine in the tank and it was a little messy. I did not like the taste of it that much when it spashed. Get your salinity at 1.024-1.025 on your refractometer. Now when you get the salinity at that point turn on all your equipment. Let that set for a few days.

Now the second step. Live rock. Your going to need quite a few bags of salt for this. First. Make sure you mix up some salt a few days before you do this step. Most people do this in there tank if its a new set up or you can do it in another container. If you do it in your tank. Your going to have to get 1 pound of live rock per gallon. Set it in your tank and test the water every week for. pH, ammonia, and nitrite. Take out 100% of the water and fill it back up with freshly mixed saltwater that you made the day before. The salinity has to be the same. After a few weeks of doing that your ammonia, PH and nitrite will stabilize. You are ready for fish. Add your sand and your all set.

When you add fish do it very slow. Start off with some clownfish because they are the easiest to keep. Then the next month do some shrimp or snails.

If you want coral your going to have to buy a MH ballast "metal halide ballast"

Hope this gives you some help.

tan.b

that was a big help.....now then.....as i am a complete beginner....if that as i've not even started yet.....i have a daft question......what exactly is live rock? i've heard of it whenever saltwater is mentioned, but not entirely sure what it is!!! also whats the dif between a reef tank, marine tank and FOWL tank. again, sorry for the daft questions, but i really am completely new to this . i've seen them in pictures and thought they look fab i want one!! but thats it....i dont know anyone with one and not seen a real one! saw some clown fish in a pet shop about an hour away from here a while ago, but didnt pay much attention to the whole set up. i was too busy trying to figure out the basics to tropical fish at the time! i was there looking for my 1st tank! oh, and another question, is there a minimum size tank you can feasibly and easily use? i saw atm was setting up a mini one, but i'm not sure how stable it will be as even with freshwater tanks, the bigger ones are more stable than the smaller ones (so i've heard). anyway, quesions over for now!!!.........off to write my birthday list now!!!!!!!!!!

inuyasha_lover_21

Live rock mean there is stuff inside of it that gives it the term live Let me get a copy of what it means so you can sea "get it?" LOL.

http://www.reefland.com/forum/marine...ck-anyway.html

the difference between FOWLR and reef tank is a reef tank has all reef safe animals. such as shrimp and reef safe fish. They wont eat your corals or animals inhabiting the reef. FOWLR is just fish in a tank with live rock.

I heard that if you have a bigger tank the more stable it will be. I have a 30G and it has been fine so far. What ATM has is a nanocube which is designed for reef setups but can be used for fish. I have never tried one but wanting to sometime

inuyasha_lover_21

BTW early Happy birthday to you and everybody else who will be celebrating soon.

tan.b

thanks so much for that . i'll print it off and keep it safe. its in my favourites on computer, but i never trust computers! a few times i've had them die on me and lost EVERYTHING on it including photos . not impressed, so i print alot of stuff now so i have some record!! interesting stuff though! its any wonder the fish can fit with the amount of rock in there !! i sooooo want one now!! thanks for the birthday wishes! its a while away yet, just enough time to get my list together!!!
thanks again
Tan

inuyasha_lover_21

anytime.

If you go to my aquarium log blog I got a pic of the anemone's.

Mike

inuyasha - if you use material from elsewhere, please credit the source of the info or, even better, provide a link to the source material.

Thanks,
Mike

inuyasha_lover_21

I will edit the post