Equipment needed for a saltwater tank?

we are moving in 6 months, and ill be getting a 55 gallon tank after we make the move.... ive don't several Freshwater tanks including an 80 gal that we had a few years back. (they didnt make our recent move ....but we will be at our new home for quite a while....so) and my daughters 10 gallon has some goldies and molls in it, but I'm wanting to try SW. ive looked around this board and am just getting confused and every time I look at something one of my girls needs me and I lose my place. my husband knows that ill need my time when I set this up so that won't be a problem once I get everything researched, but anyways.....

my questions are ..... 1 help! lol ok I don't know what equipment ill need and what its for....(I need to know what's used for what and why...lol I don't know why I'm like that....)
also, what type of substrate? what does barebottom mean (nothing but glass?) what are the pros/cons of each type? what's the difference in fish only, reef.....(difference in maintenence, needs, all that good stuff....) also what's needed for each....
what types of fish are easy for begginers and also pretty.... I'm very feminine and love pink! lol
also, any other help would be wonderfull and thank you so much for helping me!

also (sorry, I forgot...) how are you supost to set it up? (steps....and tips....)

 

Wow...you don't want to know much, do you?

In order to avoid a gigantic post, start with these links to get some basic information, then follow up with questions you want additional information on. I have only had a Saltwater tank up and running for a few months, so I am by no means an expert, but I would be happy to try and answer your questions, and there several others around that have quite a lot of experience with Saltwater that I am sure will jump in too.

As to Equipment you will need : https://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterAquariumSetup.htm. That will get you a good basic list of what you will need. Some of it I am sure you will already be familiar with, and we'll be happy to explain whatever you do not recognize! It will also give you initial tank set up steps.

Tank types (Fish, reef, etc) : https://www.fishlore.com/saltwater_aquarium_types.htm.

Good beginner fish : Lots. See if anything here strikes your fancy: .

 

Leximommy's going salty, Leximommmy's going salty!

 

what are the chances of a pair of clownfish being happy in a sythetic reef environment? (the fake flowing anemones and fake coral and such....)
and where can I find a lifelike arangement of these?

 

They would be just fine. Many people keep marine fish, including clowns, in FO or FOWLR tanks. For fake corals, just shop around pet shops, fish stores, and online until you find things you like. Some are more realistic looking than others. Keep in mind too that decorations will look somewhat different in the tank than they do on the shelf.

 

ok thanks,

 

You're welcome!

 

Good beginner fish : Lots. See if anything here strikes your fancy: .

OMG! Thank you so much for this link! WOOT WOOT! I'm so excited about all the pics they have. With all the info here on FishLore and all the info there added to their pics.... I'M LIKE A KID IN A CANDY SHOP! Woo and may I add a HOO to that too! lol

Now I can't make up my mind!!! (so how expensive would it be to keep up with three large tanks ahahahahah jk...mmm... maybe ahahah)

 

so how expensive would it be to keep up with three large tanks ahahahahah jk...mmm... maybe ahahah

One job for each tank, plus a fourth for your "normal" expenses should do it. :;jk

 

One job for each tank, plus a fourth for your "normal" expenses should do it. :;jk
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HA! Nice try!

 

So, if I was say converting my 400 litre tropical tank, I would need to basically add: -
# Aquarium substrate such as live sand or crushed coral (I have sand, is this good enough?)
# Live Rock
# Saltwater Mix
# Saltwater Hydrometer
# Multiple Powerheads
# Protein Skimmer
# Saltwater test kit
# Saltwater fish food

My filtration system is basically a 20 litre external 5 tray eheim type. I have added and additional pump to the inlet of it in the tank, to feed about 30% more water through it. This also tends to stir a lot of the tank, using a submerged spray bar about 30% of the way from the top of the tank, so I expect one or two powerheads additionally would be fine?

 

so I have had my freshwater aquarium for over a year now and I finally feel ready to try saltwater. I have an empty 55 gallon tank, and I wanted some help. I know of cycling and everything so that isn’t an issue. My question is what kinds of things would I need that would be different from freshwater. And what kind of stocking could I do in just a 55 gallon tank. All responses are appreciated.

 

An RODI system for water with no solids/metals/minerals that are found in tap (and can cause out of control algae, phosphate and other issues in your tank)
A Refractometer (for measuring salinity levels)
A couple of powerheads/wavemakers to simulate underwater ocean currents
With a 55 gallon it's right at the cutoff between using Sump or HOB Filters. Canister filters are the most problematic and labor intensive filtration method in saltwater and hence I don't recommend them. The problem is that sumps are best with pre-drilled tanks since HOB overflow boxes can be a pain with their siphons. A solid 110 filter from Fluval or a Seachem Tidal HOB would be a good choice if you want to keep it as cost effective and simple as possible.
You might also want to look into one of the better HOB Protein Skimmers from Reef Octopus (ie the Classic 100) or from Eshoppes (ie the PSK-100H) to help keep the water clean between changes
Something like Instant Ocean Salt to mix with the RODI water to make saltwater
Go with straight Carbon for cycling filtration and then after that something like a Chemipure Elite Bag (mix of Carbon and GFO) or just straight GFO (Granulated Ferric Oxide) to keep your phosphate levels down from feeding
Make sure you get a new tank heater that is marine capable. I never trust used tank heaters since a decent tank heater that is marine capable for that tank is $25-$35 and takes the guess work out of a device that can potentially kill everything in your tank

I recommend watching this vid as it discusses bad habits learned by freshwater that don't transfer to the salty side:

FYI, you can save a lot of money by going with dry rock over live rock, it just takes longer to cycle since it has no established bacteria to start with. Patience during cycling is key and I always tell people to plan on 30-60 days just to make them prepared for how long it can take to fully cycle. Oh and if that 55 gallon is used, you will need to sanitize anything that will be used. White Distilled Vinegar mixed with tap water will do the job, just let it sit for a few days and then scrub and then spray out completely and then let air dry for 24 hours and it should be ready to go.

 

An RODI system for water with no solids/metals/minerals that are found in tap (and can cause out of control algae, phosphate and other issues in your tank)
A Refractometer (for measuring salinity levels)
A couple of powerheads/wavemakers to simulate underwater ocean currents
With a 55 gallon it's right at the cutoff between using Sump or HOB Filters. Canister filters are the most problematic and labor intensive filtration method in saltwater and hence I don't recommend them. The problem is that sumps are best with pre-drilled tanks since HOB overflow boxes can be a pain with their siphons. A solid 110 filter from Fluval or a Seachem Tidal HOB would be a good choice if you want to keep it as cost effective and simple as possible.
You might also want to look into one of the better HOB Protein Skimmers from Reef Octopus (ie the Classic 100) or from Eshoppes (ie the PSK-100H) to help keep the water clean between changes
Something like Instant Ocean Salt to mix with the RODI water to make saltwater
Go with straight Carbon for cycling filtration and then after that something like a Chemipure Elite Bag (mix of Carbon and GFO) or just straight GFO (Granulated Ferric Oxide) to keep your phosphate levels down from feeding
Make sure you get a new tank heater that is marine capable. I never trust used tank heaters since a decent tank heater that is marine capable for that tank is $25-$35 and takes the guess work out of a device that can potentially kill everything in your tank

I recommend watching this vid as it discusses bad habits learned by freshwater that don't transfer to the salty side:

FYI, you can save a lot of money by going with dry rock over live rock, it just takes longer to cycle since it has no established bacteria to start with. Patience during cycling is key and I always tell people to plan on 30-60 days just to make them prepared for how long it can take to fully cycle. Oh and if that 55 gallon is used, you will need to sanitize anything that will be used. White Distilled Vinegar mixed with tap water will do the job, just let it sit for a few days and then scrub and then spray out completely and then let air dry for 24 hours and it should be ready to go.

Wow thanks for such a thorough response. I know salt water can be quite different from fresh, but they have so many more colorful and vibrant fish I thought I’d give it a shot. Unfortunately I made a lot of mistakes when starting with fresh water so I want to take my time and make sure everything goes right. I’m glad you mentioned the canister filter thing too because I thought would be just fine like in freshwater. I never really understood the live rock thing because I always assumed the B.B. in the filter would be enough. Is this really necessary for saltwater? Or is it just a good rule of thumb. I have lots of questions but I’m not even sure where to start asking. I do however appreciate the help you’ve already given.

 

One of the things people fail to understand coming from freshwater is that the biofilter with saltwater is maintained in the live rock, not in the mechanical filtration. It is bar none the best biological filter in any aquarium of any kind (even more effective than the best planted freshwater tank). Hence you cycle the rock instead of the filter media in a saltwater tank. So to answer your question YES, it is 100% necessary as filter bacteria is unable to keep up with the bioload of a saltwater tank and given the fact that nature has made it so much easier for us, why fight it? In order to keep costs down you can go with dry rock and then seed with Bacteria. It takes longer to establish the bacteria/cycle but it's much cheaper and it does prevent you getting pest type hitchikers. It is generally recommended to have at least 1lb of rock per gallon of tank.

 

One of the things people fail to understand coming from freshwater is that the biofilter with saltwater is maintained in the live rock, not in the mechanical filtration. It is bar none the best biological filter in any aquarium of any kind (even more effective than the best planted freshwater tank). Hence you cycle the rock instead of the filter media in a saltwater tank. So to answer your question YES, it is 100% necessary as filter bacteria is unable to keep up with the bioload of a saltwater tank and given the fact that nature has made it so much easier for us, why fight it? In order to keep costs down you can go with dry rock and then seed with Bacteria. It takes longer to establish the bacteria/cycle but it's much cheaper and it does prevent you getting pest type hitchikers. It is generally recommended to have at least 1lb of rock per gallon of tank.

That’s fine. I’m just so used to having plants and mechanical filtration handle everything that it seems foreign to me that rocks of all things would house the bacteria in this case. I would probably go with dry rock just because I like being thrifty as well as wanting to go slow anyway to make sure everything goes well. I think my biggest concern would be maintaining salt levels because from what I’ve heard they have to be pretty precise. I’m really excited to see what I could do though.

 

Oh god the salinity is not that scary. lol It's really easy all depends on what salt brand you get for the correct ratio and then once you're used to it you're golden. I don't even check the salinity on my water during a water change as it's always been the same every time ive done the same amount of salt. Never changes so once you get used to it I wouldn't worry.

The big thing is the evap of water and having to top it off with fresh water. As the salinity raises as there is less water and more salt. But again easy to fix by just adding water!

Salty tanks aren't really that hard to manage and deal with, if you spend a lot of time with fresh and making sure the fish and plants are alive and keeping everything in check it's basically the same thing but with salt.

Also as long as you're in the 1.023-1.027 range the tank will survive with coral and fish you can have at another lower level, it doesn't have to be RIGHT ON THE MONEY like most people think. again there's a ton of us and we love bringing people to the dark side of fish keeping.

 

Oh god the salinity is not that scary. lol It's really easy all depends on what salt brand you get for the correct ratio and then once you're used to it you're golden. I don't even check the salinity on my water during a water change as it's always been the same every time ive done the same amount of salt. Never changes so once you get used to it I wouldn't worry.

The big thing is the evap of water and having to top it off with fresh water. As the salinity raises as there is less water and more salt. But again easy to fix by just adding water!

Salty tanks aren't really that hard to manage and deal with, if you spend a lot of time with fresh and making sure the fish and plants are alive and keeping everything in check it's basically the same thing but with salt.

Also as long as you're in the 1.023-1.027 range the tank will survive with coral and fish you can have at another lower level, it doesn't have to be RIGHT ON THE MONEY like most people think. again there's a ton of us and we love bringing people to the dark side of fish keeping.

It’s a dangerous habit getting more and more fish, but definitely exciting to learn all this new stuff.

 

That’s fine. I’m just so used to having plants and mechanical filtration handle everything that it seems foreign to me that rocks of all things would house the bacteria in this case. I would probably go with dry rock just because I like being thrifty as well as wanting to go slow anyway to make sure everything goes well. I think my biggest concern would be maintaining salt levels because from what I’ve heard they have to be pretty precise. I’m really excited to see what I could do though.

Fish are actually pretty flexible with salinity levels (provided you aren't letting your tank get to either brackish or dead sea type extremes). Corals and Inverts are the most sensitive to such changes. With a 55 gallon tank the salinity levels will be relatively stable. Many people keep it simple by adding an auto top of system (ATO) where you have a jug of fresh RODI water (no salt added) and when the levels in the tank drop a little bit, due to evaporation, the system refills with fresh RODI water which keeps the salinity stable. All you have to do is periodically refill the top off jug.

 

Fish are actually pretty flexible with salinity levels (provided you aren't letting your tank get to either brackish or dead sea type extremes). Corals and Inverts are the most sensitive to such changes. With a 55 gallon tank the salinity levels will be relatively stable. Many people keep it simple by adding an auto top of system (ATO) where you have a jug of fresh RODI water (no salt added) and when the levels in the tank drop a little bit, due to evaporation, the system refills with fresh RODI water which keeps the salinity stable. All you have to do is periodically refill the top off jug.

Sounds good. I’ll have to look into everything. I wonder what kind of fish I could get for a 55 gallon tank.

 

Sounds good. I’ll have to look into everything. I wonder what kind of fish I could get for a 55 gallon tank.

Spend some time at and check out fish based on minimum tank size, reef compatibility, etc. Arguably the most underrated fish in the hobby are the generally Peaceful Wrasses. Full of color, Personality and good tank mates for the most part.

I suggest looking into either some Flasher or Halichoeres Wrasses:







Or my Personal Favorite of the bunch and I have a juvie currently in my 90 gallon, the Melanurus/Hoeven's Wrasse

Here is what a male looks like:

The Flasher Wrasses are completely reef safe, but the Halichoeres will likely pick off the occasional snail, hermit crab or small shrimp (they will leave corals alone though)


A more interesting addition would be a Dwarf Angel, personally I would only attempt a Coral Beauty or Cherubfish (aka Pygmy Angel). Flame Angels are pretty but tend to be more aggressive. Pygmy Angels can be a bit aggressive but should be okay provided they are the only angel in the tank (same for the Coral Beauty) and both are among the more hearty of the species. Be aware that all dwarf/pygmy angels can nip at corals, but there are lots of people that have good luck with them. I have a Coral Beauty in my 90 gallon and other than the occasional test nip it leaves my Corals alone and it doesn't hurt them at all.

Here is an example of a Cherubfish:



Here is my Coral Beauty Dwarf Angel:

Beyond that I will let you do your own research on liveaquaria to figure out what fits what you are looking for. I will tell you that Tangs, Full Size Angels, Foxface/Rabbitfish are all too big or need more space than your 55 gallon can provide (they generally need something in the 125 gallon or larger range)

 

Spend some time at and check out fish based on minimum tank size, reef compatibility, etc. Arguably the most underrated fish in the hobby are the generally Peaceful Wrasses. Full of color, Personality and good tank mates for the most part.

I suggest looking into either some Flasher or Halichoeres Wrasses:







Or my Personal Favorite of the bunch and I have a juvie currently in my 90 gallon, the Melanurus/Hoeven's Wrasse

Here is what a male looks like:

The Flasher Wrasses are completely reef safe, but the Halichoeres will likely pick off the occasional snail, hermit crab or small shrimp (they will leave corals alone though)


A more interesting addition would be a Dwarf Angel, personally I would only attempt a Coral Beauty or Cherubfish (aka Pygmy Angel). Flame Angels are pretty but tend to be more aggressive. Pygmy Angels can be a bit aggressive but should be okay provided they are the only angel in the tank (same for the Coral Beauty) and both are among the more hearty of the species. Be aware that all dwarf/pygmy angels can nip at corals, but there are lots of people that have good luck with them. I have a Coral Beauty in my 90 gallon and other than the occasional test nip it leaves my Corals alone and it doesn't hurt them at all.

Here is an example of a Cherubfish:



Here is my Coral Beauty Dwarf Angel:

Beyond that I will let you do your own research on liveaquaria to figure out what fits what you are looking for. I will tell you that Tangs, Full Size Angels, Foxface/Rabbitfish are all too big or need more space than your 55 gallon can provide (they generally need something in the 125 gallon or larger range)

I generally don’t know too much about saltwater fish, and especially corals. But this has all been so informative and I’m excited to see what I can do. I really appreciate colors in a fish the most so well see what I end up with.

 

I generally don’t know too much about saltwater fish, and especially corals. But this has all been so informative and I’m excited to see what I can do. I really appreciate colors in a fish the most so well see what I end up with.

Research is key. Spend some time there learning about the general characteristics of the fish and see which ones are the best match of color and personality for your tank. Aggression with saltwater is a much more serious consideration than with freshwater IMHO.

 

Research is key. Spend some time there learning about the general characteristics of the fish and see which ones are the best match of color and personality for your tank. Aggression with saltwater is a much more serious consideration than with freshwater IMHO.

Yeah I’ve seen that a lot of saltwater fish might straight up kill something instead of bullying like they do in freshwater. I’ve always loved eels too and I wonder if I could fit any.

 

Yeah I’ve seen that a lot of saltwater fish might straight up kill something instead of bullying like they do in freshwater. I’ve always loved eels too and I wonder if I could fit any.

A snowflake eel could work, but it will limit your stocking options as they will eat smaller fish. Personally I feel that predators belong with other predators.

 

A snowflake eel could work, but it will limit your stocking options as they will eat smaller fish. Personally I feel that predators belong with other predators.

I’ll look more into it. Some of the fish I’ve liked at way too big and need a huge aquarium. Makes me want to steep it up big time. But well see

 

Just remember that sometimes it is better to forgo a certain fish than it is to spend a fortune trying to keep and maintain a bigger tank just to keep said fish. I love my Coral Beauty, Foxface and Wrasses but there are times I do wish I had a smaller more simplistic tank. Above all don't go with a tank over 2 feet deep, they are a pain to clean/maintain (trust me, I have one). Length and Width are arguably the two most important dimensions in terms of usable swim space for fish. I would say a tank 20 inches deep is plenty for just about any reef fish.

 

Just remember that sometimes it is better to forgo a certain fish than it is to spend a fortune trying to keep and maintain a bigger tank just to keep said fish. I love my Coral Beauty, Foxface and Wrasses but there are times I do wish I had a smaller more simplistic tank. Above all don't go with a tank over 2 feet deep, they are a pain to clean/maintain (trust me, I have one). Length and Width are arguably the two most important dimensions in terms of usable swim space for fish. I would say a tank 20 inches deep is plenty for just about any reef fish.

Yeah a large tank always seems like fun but could be hard to care for. I haven’t done anything too large in the past minus a pond I have. I just saw some trigger fish that looked amazing but they get super big. I’m also partial to lions, and this beautiful black and white clownfish I saw. I’m not too sure what I’ll end up getting but I’ve teally appreciated all your help.

 

A Dwarf Lion could work in a 55 gallon but you couldn't keep any small fish with it and might cause some reef trouble for you. Triggers are cool looking but not only do they get big but they generally aren't reef safe and are super aggressive for the most part.

Here are a couple of Dwarf Lions that could work for you:

 

A Dwarf Lion could work in a 55 gallon but you couldn't keep any small fish with it and might cause some reef trouble for you. Triggers are cool looking but not only do they get big but they generally aren't reef safe and are super aggressive for the most part.

Here are a couple of Dwarf Lions that could work for you:

You said snowflakes might work with other predators. Do you think a lion and a snowflake would work together?