Wife wants to get saltwater aquarium!

Wow, so it is not neccesary to have it, but I gather its a pain to get rid of. To me, it just doesn't look good on the backand side walls. The rocks I understand, but I can't get passed how bad it looks (just in my eyes). Maybe once we get the tank going, maybe my mind will change. Ok, I can't think of any questions right now, but will bump this back up as soon as I think of one!

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to this, I am really starting to get a good idea of all of this. I am not so overwhelmed now!!!

 

I let it grow wild on the side and back. It gets the fish something to peck on inbetween meals.

I recently put a starry blenny in my tank and he's clean up 90 percent of it. You can see thought he sides of my tank now. So if you don't want it in you tank look into a helper like the starry blenny or something else to help you.

 

Great idea lanlesnee, thanks for sharing that with me!

We are going to Dallas tomorrow for a hockey game and spend the weekend so we plan on checking out some tropical fish stores. Hopefully I can gather some more info and maybe see some tanks in action (as far as equipment).

 

I'd also recommend the an Algae/Lawnmower bleeny (lanlesnee's stary is one species). I have had the jewelled rock skipper one for just over a week. I had algae all over the back and it has now all gone!! I'm having to add extra algae out of the other tanks now just to keep him going!! The hubby is made up that hes cleaning the rocks so well too!

 

Hey all! I haven't forgotten my thread and just wanted to send you an update. We haven't been able to sell the 75 gallon freshwater tank yet, so the salt water tank is still in the box.

I am at the point that I want to start buying some of the equipment. I am still lost as to whether I get a wet/dry or a sump/refuge. I would really like to find an all in one deal that would work, but having trouble doing that as I don't want any HOB stuff. Could someone please point me to a set up that would work with what I am planning, FOWLR and then possibly a reef later down the road. This part I just can't figure out..... Thx!

 

Been doing some searching and I think I am going to go with Aqueon Modular ProFlex Sump Filtration Model 2 and a protein skimmer. Anyone have any experience with the Aqueon?

 

Update! The fresh water tank is sold! Waiting on the floor to dry from carpet cleaning and then going to bring the new tank in. Will post pics when I have it in and set up.

Going with the Aqueon Model 3 instead because it will fit in my stand. Also going with the Reef Octopus 4" Pinwheel In Sump Skimmer. I have decided on a Mag-Drive 7 return pump and 2 Koralia Evolution 550gph pumps. Will also add a wave-maker at some point.

Anyone have any insights to these choices? Pro's / Con's?

 

Can't wait on the pix.

 

Awesome!! I can't wait for more updates!!

 

Here is the tank! Sorry the pics are crummy, took them with my iphone.

 

.............a few things

Nice tank, very nice tank! I been reading this whole thread lol... its so cute watching you learn hehe! So glad theirs still people in this world that enjoy helping others, and when your a lot more familiar your be helping those that want to learn too... that's what I do now!! However this is my first post on your thread. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out on hwo your doing, I'm finding it pertty exciting, I never did a thread as I was making my 1st tank, nor my second tank.. my second tank is at the 3rd week of the nitrogen cycle, just waiting for my ammonia and nitrite drops now

So your going with a fish only set up... awesome, pretty much like myself! Fish only set ups are a good first choice, it gets you use to the water quality levels, maintenence and just routine checks in general. ive had my 1st tank set up for year and one month now.. and theirs not a day I don't stare at it for at least 15mins constantly. Its like a fish channel on sky lol

one thing id like to say is, a few people disregarded canister filters... right I brought a canister filter for my 1st set up, fish only... because I was new and didnt understand anything about the sumps and refugium side of things, protein skimmers etcs. I understood that nitrates under 20ppm or 40ppm can't exactly remember, but seem to have no lasting damaging effects on fish... apparently! Phrosphates also apparently don't effect fish health.

So as long as I water changed regular and did carefull feeds, my nitrates wouldnt shoot up off the charts, via simple canister filter use. I Now have a tetra-tec filter, and will say its a great "basic beginers" tool and of a fair price. In terms of cleaning... changing wool/carbon etc etc... sump or canister filter or even external/internal skimmers regardless... its always going to have to be done at some stage anyway.

In my canister filter... I got rid of the bio-balls, brought in load of live rock rubble to stop my filter becoming a nitrate factory, like what most people say it becomes, I also have ceramic rings, phrospate pads, sponges both soft & corse kinds, activated carbon & de-nitrate stones.
I clean the filter as well as my actual tank, stirring sand @water changes (every other saturday) I also enjoy doing it... so it doesn't feel like its a choir to me either my nitrate levels I find are never any highier then 5.0, if even @ that! But ive also not crammed out my tank with loads of fish either.

My conclusion on canister filters:
Is that its a great beginners tool.. pretty much lets you get your tank cycling and off to a quick start (fish only set up obv)... in mean time you can admire your little set up while you plan you next upgrade... theirs nothing worst then you buying the "real deal equipment wise" in terms of sump and absolutley everything required... spending all that money... to realise that you just can't be asked with a saltwater set up anymore. A saltwater tank was my first ever tank, ive never even had a goldfish lol... but its a discovery ive relished. A slow build is not a bad thing. It also takes a tank at minimum around 6months to mature enough for corals anyway.... so in that time get some fish play happening up inside that bad boy tank!!! Your learn so much about each individual fish specimen, its unreal. Research corals as well.... its fun to plan dude!!! So plan the next move...

Anyway once youve got use to a basic fish only tank, step up to corals.. so make sure you have your skimmer @the ready.

Now on my set-up I use a canister (external) filter, as well as skimmer... my aI'm is to have the best quality of water as possible regardless of what I'm housing in my tank.

Canister draws out all the in my tank, and my skimmer skims the water to stop phosphate production and any other kinds of production... I don't think theirs a lot of people that do this, but initially I couldnt see any negatives with it, and still dont. All my parameters are continuously low, or @ '0' readings.

I use 3x t5 whites and 3x t5 actinic blues (moon lights), all on timer for the moon light effect, in case you don't understand the moonlight effect... its basically....

your white lights are on... (sun =daytime lgiht, slowly goes down = starts getting dark) your blue actinics are on from 7pm... before your white light go out @ 8pm for example) until say 1/2am... this process just replicates the sun going and a moor gentle suttle night light (moon) appearing.... you can even turn them off for a few hours and leave tank in complete darkness... gives your bulbs a rest, this is what I do.

My next upgrade will be a refugium... because I want to add corals & anemones... or a anemone at least. I currently have a extra water tank like area at present but its neither really a ref or sump, but the water from my tank runs through here, I made this so my water changes would be easier, it meant I could place the fresh salt water at a highier point and just gravity syphon feed the water down through a 4mm piping into the extra area... which then mixes into the regular tank water... and well bobs your uncle... I also have a skimmer in here.. after the skimmer it passes through live rock and miracle mud, adding back essential neutrients to the tank.... so I mean its coming together like a refugium I guess.... but as it stands, right now my lifes easy and I can't fault it.

The kind of algae I see growing... like little cactus's from the rocks are awesome Has anybody ever experienced these? would you like a photo?

Also had green seaweed growing from my customised rock background? would you like to see these too? ive no idea what any of these are... but the sign of a healthy tank!!

The first three are the odd algae type plants that are growing?! the bottom puc is my tank at present to date, and the other pic was when I was a newbie during its cycle stage awwww lol!