Setting Up First Salt Water

Hey guys,

Having had experience with freshwater for about a year, I want to now try my hand in the saltwater world. I got a great deal on a setup at a local exhibition and got myself a 20 gallon tall tank, sand, dry rock, canister filter and a stand all for $75. Lights and wavemakers were not included.

My goal is to have a few easy fish and corals in the tank.

I am ordering myself a saltwater test kit, a refractometer and some salt. I have seachem prime and stability on hand.

What does it take to get the cycle started on a saltwater tank?
How long will I have to wait?
Any recommendations on the light and wavemaker?
Any other advice?

Thank you!

Here's what I got.

 

You forgot one of the most basic equipment you need for SW. RODI.

 

Your tank may be fine with just tap water if you're doing a FOWLR, depending on how good your water is

 

Your tank may be fine with just tap water if you're doing a FOWLR, depending on how good your water is

Yeah - not sure if I want to invest several hundred dollars in a unit when I am testing this out.

 

saltwater unlike freshwater is very unforgiving with water parameters. This gets multiplied the smaller the tank is as it becomes more maintenance to keep up with it. 30 gallons is usually the recommended minimum to start with SW. However, its not a make or break thing. Also, there's not many options with fish with a tank of that size. If you plan on corals then RODI is a MUST! However, given the small tank volume most LFS' sell RODI water for like $0.50-$1 per gallon. So wouldn't be a wallet breaker and as you get more experience and into the salty side you can get your own RODI unit in the future if you wish.

I will say if you start the tank from the beginning on regular tap water you're setting yourself up for failure.

 

saltwater unlike freshwater is very unforgiving with water parameters. This gets multiplied the smaller the tank is as it becomes more maintenance to keep up with it. 30 gallons is usually the recommended minimum to start with SW. However, its not a make or break thing. Also, there's not many options with fish with a tank of that size. If you plan on corals then RODI is a MUST! However, given the small tank volume most LFS' sell RODI water for like $0.50-$1 per gallon. So wouldn't be a wallet breaker and as you get more experience and into the salty side you can get your own RODI unit in the future if you wish.

I will say if you start the tank from the beginning on regular tap water you're setting yourself up for failure.

Any starter RODI units you would recommend that won't break the bank?

 

Agreed with Jayd976 about starting off a saltwater tank with tap water, is setting yourself up for failure.

The problem with tap water is there are too many variables in terms of unknown metals, and trace elements in the water.
A huge one is copper. Copper as you know can be deadly to fishes and corals in high amounts. So even though, you don't notice any adverse affects at first, if there is copper in the tap water source, it can slowly build up over months or years where it can be a problem. So eventually, if you have invested hundreds and thousands of dollars into fish and corals... it will all go down the drain.

Typically you will see that reefers absolutely do not skimp on the water source as it is kind of a no brainer for them. Not an area you want to skimp on.

However, I do understand your situation in getting your feet wet with the saltwater world.
I would recommend you buying RODI water from your LFS. Or, even premixed saltwater. That way you don't have to worry about much.
RODI water usually goes for 25-50 cents a gallon and pre-mixed saltwater goes for 1.25-1.50 a gallon.
You can buy a RODI unit, but the cheapest ones typically goes for $100, maybe $90.

I've seen terrible advice before on the forums and youtube about people saying "Oh you don't need RODI water to start reef tanks and can use tap water. Don't let anyone fool you." Worst advice ever. You'll have exceptions with some folks being able to get away with tap, because their cities tap water is very clean and pure. But the general population that has tried tap, all run into issues with all sorts of algae in the long run. So then they try to save their tank by investing in an RODI unit, but now they have all sorts of tap water contaminants in the tank which will takes months and months to resolve.

I can tell you, I can easily spend a few hundred dollars on corals a week. So for me, I was not about to skimp on an RODI unit. Before my RODI unit, I used to carry 2x 5 gallon jugs with me to pick up RODI water from my LFS each week. Eventually, I saved up for an RODI unit. Saved me so much time, and money in the long run. grantm91 still buys his RODI water from the LFS and has an amazing reef tank, he might have some good info for you.

Any ways, don't want to deter you at all and we all want you to start off with the best way possible.
So either get RODI/pre-mixed from LFS or.... get your hands on a hand-held TDS meter, and go buy RO or RODI water from your local grocery store or walmart and test for the TDS. You want the water to the TDS to be 0. You can use RO water, which will read around 1-8 TDS usually. It's not really acceptable, but better than using straight tap water most of the time. The problem is, even if the TDS is at 1. You don't know what the 1 TDS is, it can be any element unless you have some lab grade equipment to test the water.

Hope this helps and good luck with your build!
Neat looking tank by the way. for $75, definitely a steal.

 

Any starter RODI units you would recommend that won't break the bank?

AquaticLife RO buddy is a great budget unit for someone with a small tank. I have the 50gpd unit and I get good results with output water of zero TDS. My tank is only 29 gallons so its fine. But I'm converting my 90gal from Freshwater to Saltwater and moving everything over so will likely need to upgrade the unit soon.

 

I personally wouldn't buy the AquaticLife RO buddy because of how expensive the replacement filters are for it, since it is filter specific. So over time, that RODI unit will cost more than spending an extra $25 for say.... a Marine Depot 4 stage RODI unit.

Hey - here's a thought, buy Jayd976's RODI unit from him since he's upgrading

 

"I've seen terrible advice before on the forums and youtube about people saying "Oh you don't need RODI water to start reef tanks and can use tap water. Don't let anyone fool you." Worst advice ever. You'll have exceptions with some folks being able to get away with tap, because their cities tap water is very clean and pure. But the general population that has tried tap, all run into issues with all sorts of algae in the long run. So then they try to save their tank by investing in an RODI unit, but now they have all sorts of tap water contaminants in the tank which will takes months and months to resolve."

This is what I did and I paid for it big time. I had green hair algae run a muck for months and months. It would go and eventually come back in stages. It was a nightmare and a mistake I won't make again. RODI always.

 

I personally wouldn't buy the AquaticLife RO buddy because of how expensive the replacement filters are for it, since it is filter specific. So over time, that RODI unit will cost more than spending an extra $25 for say.... a Marine Depot 4 stage RODI unit.

Hey - here's a thought, buy Jayd976's RODI unit from him since he's upgrading

Which MD? I see a substantial price difference between the RO Buddie and any MD unit.

 

Any of the MD 4 stage unit will work. I have the Advanced 4 stage from MD.
Includes a TDS meter and pressure gauge. Those usually run about $20 each, so it was just cheaper buying it along with the RODI.

It's a substantial price between the RO Buddie and MD 4 stage, but take a look at the replacement units like, carbon, sediment, membrane, and DI resin... not that you have to change it often. But when you do have to replace the filters, it more than pays off in the long run to go with a standard filter to fit like MD or from BRS.
Though, RO Buddie is great for people who don't have lots of room and needs to put it away after use. I have my RODI unit hooked up in the laundry room.

 

Any of the MD 4 stage unit will work. I have the Advanced 4 stage from MD.
Includes a TDS meter and pressure gauge. Those usually run about $20 each, so it was just cheaper buying it along with the RODI.

It's a substantial price between the RO Buddie and MD 4 stage, but take a look at the replacement units like, carbon, sediment, membrane, and DI resin... not that you have to change it often. But when you do have to replace the filters, it more than pays off in the long run to go with a standard filter to fit like MD or from BRS.
Though, RO Buddie is great for people who don't have lots of room and needs to put it away after use. I have my RODI unit hooked up in the laundry room.

What do you think about this unit?

 

That'll work. Spectrapure is a good brand.

Imo. Try out just buying RODI water from LFS at first? Jic you don't like saltwater. Just a thought.

 

Hey guys,

Having had experience with freshwater for about a year, I want to now try my hand in the saltwater world. I got a great deal on a setup at a local exhibition and got myself a 20 gallon tall tank, sand, dry rock, canister filter and a stand all for $75. Lights and wavemakers were not included.

My goal is to have a few easy fish and corals in the tank.

I am ordering myself a saltwater test kit, a refractometer and some salt. I have seachem prime and stability on hand.

What does it take to get the cycle started on a saltwater tank?
How long will I have to wait?
Any recommendations on the light and wavemaker?
Any other advice?

Thank you!

Here's what I got.

Since you are seeding dry rock it will take longer (about 6-8 weeks). Above all outside of feeding it bacteria seed or a piece of shrimp/saltwater fish food DO NOT treat the tank with any chemicals. The Prime is only there in case there is an emergency as it isn't 100% guaranteed to detoxify things enough so fish, crabs, snails, etc don't die. For lights you will be hard pressed to do better than a single AI Prime HD for the money. It seems spendy but it will grow anything other than the most demanding corals and they just dropped the price to $200 for a single unit. I personally do not recommend a canister filter for a saltwater setup as they tend to trap EVERYTHING and in turn become nitrate factories in saltwater setups. As for the wavemaker? Just go with a Hydor Koralia powerhead and don't worry about wavemaker controls/timers as they are just an unnecessary expense. A single 1350-1500 gph model should be plenty for a 20 gallon tank if you place it about dead center. Once again they are the best bang for buck powerhead out there. I have a single Hydor Koralia 1950gph centered in my 36 gallon bowfront and it provides plenty of circulation for the tank. I also agree about buying pre-mix RO/RODI saltwater from your LFS. Given the size of your tank it might actually be a better route to go as it will save you the cost and hassle of maintaining an RO/RODI system, prepping and mixing saltwater, etc. I have always bought pre-mix from my LFS and it is actually less hassle than producing my own.

 

Jebao SW-2 over Hydor Koralias imo.
Both of my Koralias died on me already. I don't even use them that much.
With the SW-2 it comes with a variable control to adjust the power-head to pulsing wave motion and etc... you can also dial up and down the strength of the power-head to your liking as well.

Depends on the type of dry rocks you are using.
I know for a fact, PukanI rocks can take several months to cure.

 

Thanks for the recommendations. This is pricey stuff!
Time is on my side, as I have a vacation planned in the next few weeks as well as the freshwater keeping me busy. I don't mind letting it sit and cycle.

Are there better prices available on some of this stuff on Black Friday? I need a RO/DI unit, Wavemaker and a light to get started.

 

Agreed with Jabeo powerheads over Hydor Koralias. I bought 2 Koralias for my 20 gallon long... 4 months in, one of them died. I didn't find the SW2 too spendy for the options it offers, and I've come to really like those options too. Nothing makes euphyllia look better than powerheads on pulse mode. I've also found euphyllia corals to be on the most wanted lists of many new reefers.


Yes, Yes, Yes to Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on RO/DI units! I'm not sure you'll find many of the budget option wavemakers on sale, but you might get a steal on a top brand.

Edit: If you can... I'm betting there'll be great deals on reef lights too.

Also, if you buy premixed saltwater, please be sure to check the salinity every time. There is a post here about a beautiful tank dying due to accidentally adding FW. Freshwater that was purchased as Saltwater from a trusted LFS.

 

Total loss of life. So much for those corals listed above. I'm sick to my stomach. I got careless and the LFS screwed me hardcore.

Went to get Saltwater last Tuesday as I have such a small tank premixed is so much easier. Well turns out what I really got was Freshwater instead. I got careless and didn't check, had no reason to since its never happened before. Did my WC and went to eat/relax for a bit. Came back and the tank was already dying. Crashed all my params and sent the tank into shock.

Fast forward to today, most of the coral is dead/bleached and it looks like a complete loss of life. I've got the tank running now on Saltwater I've mixed myself, if something pulls through great, if not then I've already accepted that fact. I should of tested the water before, that's my fault. But what kind of idiot LFS gives me freshwater after I ask for saltwater.

I'll be restarting this after Christmas, and not stepping foot in that LFS.

With that all said, Lessons cost money, good ones cost a lot. I just got a dang good lesson. Thankful to have my health and the ability to spend money on this hobby though when a lot of people are struggling out there. I'm now going to go enjoy Christmas with the family and deal with the tank at a later date. The tank can always be restarted. Merry Christmas all!

 

Like what Stella said, take advantage of BlackFriday and Cyber Monday says on Amazon, Bulk Reef Supply, and Marine Depot. Those are my 3 go-to's for saltwater stuff.

reelss take your time with your first saltwater set-up. I think that's most of our mistake when we start our first saltwater tank.
I rushed everything... from getting a tank, to rock-scaping, etc... I didn't leave a lot of room to get everything to my liking, learn about the whole process, and enjoy the tank. My hands were constantly in my tank when I first started...so I made a lot of newbie mistakes along the way by not having patience. Patience is key.
So even in buying equipment, good call on waiting till a sale goes on.

 

Oh my goodness, if I could go back several months and tell myself my biggest mistake, it would be rushing the rockscape. Real thought needs to be put into that if you'll ever have corals. Seriously, even if you go fish only for a year, consider coral placement with your rockscape from the beginning. Changing the scape after the tank is up and running is a serious pita... just ask Nart. He's just done a rescape perfectly, but it was a big job.

 

Thanks everyone! Do I need a wavemaker and light to get the cycling started? I can purchase Saltwater for now from my LFS.

 

You don't need a light, but you do need a wavemaker. I would suggest the Jebao Saltwater 2. A lot of the reefers on here use them.

 

Jebao SW-2 over Hydor Koralias imo.
Both of my Koralias died on me already. I don't even use them that much.
With the SW-2 it comes with a variable control to adjust the power-head to pulsing wave motion and etc... you can also dial up and down the strength of the power-head to your liking as well.

Depends on the type of dry rocks you are using.
I know for a fact, PukanI rocks can take several months to cure.

Interesting. My Koralia Hydor 3rd gen has been running for non-stop for nearly a year with no issues.

 

One more thing about the Hydors.. When both of mine were in working order, I considered getting the Hydor controller, which retails for around $70. It's a separate piece and the only way for variability and control of these pumps. With a purchase of 2 Koralias, plus a controller, the cost is significantly more than 2 Jabeos. Just an FYI.

 

Having a change of heart. If I am going to go through all this, I may not be happy with just a 20 gallon. I am now considering getting a 36 gallon bow front instead. Will that be a better starter tank? Does the Prime HD LED still make sense for the 36 gallon?

 

The bigger the better for sure. While you’re contemplating upgrading you may as well just go with a 55gal.

 

The bigger the better for sure. While you’re contemplating upgrading you may as well just go with a 55gal.

Never liked the 55s. They are not deep enough and fish seem claustrophobic.

 

True... you should just go with a 75 or 90 then...

 

I don't like a 55 gallon either.... What you probably want to consider the most is lighting. Lighting a 12 inch tall tank is cheaper than a 20 inch. Nart got ahold of a PAR meter and did some great research into lighting at different depths. You might want to check it out.

Led Par Reading For AI Prime, Kessil, And Current Marine

 

Having a change of heart. If I am going to go through all this, I may not be happy with just a 20 gallon. I am now considering getting a 36 gallon bow front instead. Will that be a better starter tank? Does the Prime HD LED still make sense for the 36 gallon?

Take it from a guy with a 36 gallon bowfront who is in the process of upgrading to a 90 gallon, the problem with small tanks is that you are so limited on stock and will almost certainly have aggression issues. The thing I would do is spend some time deciding what you really want in your tank. If you are just content with a pair of clownfish and maybe something like a sand sifting goby then you will probably be fine with that 36, but if you want anything resembling an active reef with fish that grow to 5-8 inches in length and have 6-8 fish actively moving around in your tank (not hiding) then I would go with a 75 to 90 gallon tank. The other issue with going small first and then going big at the end is you will end up wasting a bunch of money in the process as very little will transfer from one tank to the next, so you end up rebuying everything. As it sits right now from my 36 the only mechanical component that is transferring from the old tank is my powerhead (and I still had to buy another one). So unless you are very cramped on space or are content with very limited and small stock, I would go with a 75-90 gallon tank and just do it right the first time. The dimensions on a standard 75 gallon rectangle are 48 inches L by 24 inches H by 15 inches W and the standard dimensions on a standard 90 gallon are 48 inches L by 24 inches H by 18 inches W. The bowfront which you are interested in is 30 inches L by 21 inches H by 15 inches at it's widest point (and 11-12 inches at the edges). The 36 also only comes as part of a tank kit combo and you will end up throwing away a bunch of money on the kit as most of it is worthless. The only things I am currently using from the kit are the tank itself and the plastic hood. I even upgraded the power filter that comes with it since you can't add any real filter media.

 

Take it from a guy with a 36 gallon bowfront who is in the process of upgrading to a 90 gallon, the problem with small tanks is that you are so limited on stock and will almost certainly have aggression issues. The thing I would do is spend some time deciding what you really want in your tank. If you are just content with a pair of clownfish and maybe something like a sand sifting goby then you will probably be fine with that 36, but if you want anything resembling an active reef with fish that grow to 5-8 inches in length and have 6-8 fish actively moving around in your tank (not hiding) then I would go with a 75 to 90 gallon tank. The other issue with going small first and then going big at the end is you will end up wasting a bunch of money in the process as very little will transfer from one tank to the next, so you end up rebuying everything. As it sits right now from my 36 the only mechanical component that is transferring from the old tank is my powerhead (and I still had to buy another one). So unless you are very cramped on space or are content with very limited and small stock, I would go with a 75-90 gallon tank and just do it right the first time. The dimensions on a standard 75 gallon rectangle are 48 inches L by 24 inches H by 15 inches W and the standard dimensions on a standard 90 gallon are 48 inches L by 24 inches H by 18 inches W. The bowfront which you are interested in is 30 inches L by 21 inches H by 15 inches at it's widest point (and 11-12 inches at the edges). The 36 also only comes as part of a tank kit combo and you will end up throwing away a bunch of money on the kit as most of it is worthless. The only things I am currently using from the kit are the tank itself and the plastic hood. I even upgraded the power filter that comes with it since you can't add any real filter media.

Definitely know where you are coming from. When I started with freshwater earlier this year, I started with a 75. I recently added a 125. I also have a 20 and two 10s. So I have 5 freshwater tanks running already.

I can already tell the 20 won't be enough for me. I notice petsmart has Marineland 56 gallon column aquarium on sale which is 18"L x 30"W x 24"H. I am strongly considering that as an option.

 

That 56g column is a nice looking aquarium! I'd love to see one of those all reefed up.

Have you looked into lighting at that depth at all? I'm no expert, but you may want to look at AI Hydra 52's. I think you can get a little over 30 inches of spread from those lights. I'd be very interested in seeing what kind of lights one would need on a taller tank like that. Good luck!

 

Definitely know where you are coming from. When I started with freshwater earlier this year, I started with a 75. I recently added a 125. I also have a 20 and two 10s. So I have 5 freshwater tanks running already.

I can already tell the 20 won't be enough for me. I notice petsmart has Marineland 56 gallon column aquarium on sale which is 18"L x 30"W x 24"H. I am strongly considering that as an option.

You aren't going to like my response, but I would advise against it. The 48-72 inch Length to give the fish a nice long horizontal run is more important than vertical and width. 18-24 inches in height and width is plenty, but the length tends to be the most crucial dimension. Furthermore it will be easier to configure lights. You can get a pair of AI Primes HDs that will easily cover the dimensions of the standard 75-90 gallon tanks and will do so for less money. The AI Primes are $199 a piece right now.

 

You aren't going to like my response, but I would advise against it. The 48-72 inch Length to give the fish a nice long horizontal run is more important than vertical and width. 18-24 inches in height and width is plenty, but the length tends to be the most crucial dimension. Furthermore it will be easier to configure lights. You can get a pair of AI Primes HDs that will easily cover the dimensions of the standard 75-90 gallon tanks and will do so for less money. The AI Primes are $199 a piece right now.

You've got me thinking about potentially using my 75 Gallon for a saltwater setup. Since it is not reef ready or drilled, can I use canisters for filteration? Drilling and plumbing my tank for a sump is not something I would like to do.

 

Yes, absolutely. That’s my plan on my 90 FOWLR tank. I had a sump on my 29gal originally and I felt I could never get it fined tuned right and always had issues.

 

I would advise against cannister filters for those that are considering reef tanks. Sumps are not only to handle the bioload, and in fact, most of your beneficial bacteria will live in the rock in the tank. Generally sumps are mostly devoted to nutrient uptake using skimmers and/or refugiums, both of which will keep nitrates low. Cannister filters will generate a lot of nitrates, not something you want to deal with in a sensitive reef tank.

Of course, FOWLR tanks are a different story. I will say this though, lots of FOWLR tanks eventually get upgraded to reefs, and it's a whole lot easier drilling and/or plumbing an empty tank rather than one that already has fish and rock. Just something to think about.

 

I would advise against cannister filters for those that are considering reef tanks. Sumps are not only to handle the bioload, and in fact, most of your beneficial bacteria will live in the rock in the tank. Generally sumps are mostly devoted to nutrient uptake using skimmers and/or refugiums, both of which will keep nitrates low. Cannister filters will generate a lot of nitrates, not something you want to deal with in a sensitive reef tank.

Of course, FOWLR tanks are a different story. I will say this though, lots of FOWLR tanks eventually get upgraded to reefs, and it's a whole lot easier drilling and/or plumbing an empty tank rather than one that already has fish and rock. Just something to think about.

Agreed 100%, I am a member of multiple forums and canister filters in saltwater/reef configurations have been the source of many a headache for new saltwater enthusiasts as they end up being a huge pain to keep clean and end up becoming nitrate factories. With Saltwater tanks go HOB for smaller tanks and sump for larger. I also agree that simply buying a pre-drilled tank with an overflow is the way to go, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRILL A TANK THAT DIDN'T COME THAT WAY FROM THE FACTORY!!!!!!!!! You will crack the glass.

 

Disagreed with the above about drilling glass "will" cause a crack. As long as it's not tempered glass you can drill it. If you consider yourself handy and DIY then absolutely you can drill it. Just research up all the tools and tips you'll need. Lots of beginners to expert reefers drill their tanks all the time. I even watched my club demo a tank drilling to show us how easy it was.

Is there a risk in cracking the glass? Absolutely. But there's a risk in everything.


Though, if you don't consider yourself a DIY kind of person. Then I would either look for a pre-drilled tank, hang on overflow, or an AIO tank.

Once you start getting into the realm of bigger tanks like 50 gallon + do look for a way to sump it though. Hang on back equipments quickly becomes an eyesore as you progress through the hobby.