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Anyone know about Marine Aquariums?
    #16641354 -

Since I was a child I've wanted a marine aquarium, however many things have prevented me from doing so.  Now that I'm getting near 30, I feel it's about time for me to finally go ahead and get one.  Now I've had a few freshwater systems, and been somewhat successful but always lost a bit of interest as I've mainly been interested in the more odd organisms like anemones, starfish, coral. 

I'd like to ask how much will I be investing, how large of a tank should I go, should I invest in halide lighting, and the works?  Does anyone have any tips and suggestions?  Should I just start with like a 30 gallon or something?  I want to eventually get proficient enough in marine biology to have a 75-100 gallon tank.

All suggestions are welcome!


Oh and, wow this is my 10,000th post,  Yay!


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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Maverick]
    #16641378 -

Water parameters are easier to control in a larger tank, especially a reef tank.  If you wanted to start small, the biocube 29 gallon isn't bad, and you can find a used one for a decent price.  I've not started a salt water one yet, only because I'm not settled down, and I'm still moving around a lot. 

They are a lot pricier than freshwater, though.  Especially if you are more interested in the corals and anemones.  It can be difficult keeping those 'glued' in place and from getting eaten up, because when you introduce live rock, you can also introduce organisms that enjoy nibbling on your expensive corals, etc. 

All in all, it depends how big of a set up you want, but I would definitely suggest researching A LOT before diving in, as you can throw away tons of cash extremely fast.  Between building the reef, the live rock, the live sand, and fish, not to mention the tank and accessories, it adds up FAST.

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16641394 -

http://www.aquaticcritter.com/Saltwater/saltwater.htm

Aquatic Critter is a local fish store near me.  Here is a nice link that can help you with many of your questions.

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16641436 -

I understand cost will be a lot, I'm willing to invest in the thousands over the course of a the next 6 months, however initially I probably won't have thousands, so I'm fine with having a live rock marine aquarium to start, and slowly introduce these species.

What should I avoid though?  Also, is it possible to do a temperate climate marine tank or would it end up being easier in the long run to go with tropical marine?  What are the different parameters on these styles of tanks and what would one expect to have to do?

Also, If I started with say a 30-40 gallon tank, when I do want to invest in a larger tank, would I be able to use that smaller tank as a quarantine for new species I introduce to the larger?


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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Maverick]
    #16641531 -

Well, I enjoy the looks of the tropical marine aquariums much more than the temperate marine, and from the research I've done, the tropical marine are easier for beginners.  I don't think the corals and what not are as easy to find for the temperate aquariums. 

One thing I would avoid is starting small and not being satisfied, haha.  That is a major problem I've had with fresh water aquariums.  I'm never satisfied, and it ends up costing me much more money.  The 40 gallon would for sure be good for a quarantine tank, though, as long as you kept the water parameters proper, of course. 

Just browsing through pictures, the temperate marine don't look as pretty as the tropical marine to me, and I'm much more familiar with the fish that live in the tropical marine (generally, the more colorful fish).

When I settle down and have a house, I will definitely have a marine tank...a big one.  I bought a brand new biocube 29 and returned it after talking myself out of it.  I was switching apartments pretty frequently and traveling a lot over breaks, so I would of thrown away a lot of money.  I've always heard the smaller reef tanks are much easier to set up and maintain after having experience with a larger tank (more room for error, a small fuck up in a small tank is much more harsh to your little guys than it would be in a large tank).

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16641694 -





pic of my peacock eel...yeah, I don't like the fake plastic plants, either, but like I said...it would be more work having real ones, and I have to move it pretty often.

I really enjoy looking at the fish tank when I'm tripping, which is why my girlfriend and I chose the colors, etc.

This is just a freshwater tropical aquarium, btw.  I'm not experienced with salt...Only what I've read from wanting one for so long.

Fresh water can be just as cool, though.  I currently have 2 Bolivian rams for show fish..along with the eel.  The eel is really chill, and he burrows in the sand most of the time.  Burrowers are good for sand, because air pockets can form in the sand and gasses build up, if the bubble bursts the gasses can be FATAL to the fish.

I'm sure you are also familiar with having to let the tanks cycle before adding fish.  There are several ways to do this (some include using fish, which is very harmful to the fish you use), but I believe you can also use live rock for your first source of ammonia in a marine tank.

Edited by Sundrop (08/03/12 08:39 PM)

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Maverick]
    #16641746 -

i didnt read any of the replies but i had a couple tanks a few years back, shit maybe like 5-6 years ago.

i dont have too much time, but heres a couple things.

for a beginner tank id go with a 55 gallon. easy to maintain and bog enough to impress. believe it or not, but the bigger it is the easier it is.

before you rush out and buy a bunch of fish and coral you first need to let your tank sit and adjust. i forget the actual term. to do this you need to buy a decent amount of live rock... nothing else. for a 55 id suggest 60-100 pounds. let the water filter and sit for a good 2 weeks.

you then need to decide what type of coral, if any youre going to go for. this will determine lighting and fish. to start off, id go with soft corals. http://www.google.com/#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=9&gs_id=43&xhr=t&q=soft+coral&pf=p&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=soft+cora&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=9ae68325e69a8c71&biw=1366&bih=638 they are easy to maintain and do not need crazy lighting. great for beginners.

sorry, i skipped filtration. people can give their opinions all they want, but go with what im about to tell you. trust me.

start with an overflow box that drains into a wet/dry system and then feeds into an in tank skimmer. you will want to leave all the bio balls in the wet dry. it too acts as a great filter.

if you go with this filter you will be golden. its fucking amazing.

now, fish. make sure you read and do your research. some fish are really easy to keep and maintain and others not so much. you also need to make sure the fish you choose can all live in the same habitat with each other. make sure your coral can live with the fish you choose as well.

lightening... this can be difficult cause shit has changed over the years, but when i had my tank i used this http://www.marinedepot.com/IceCap_Metal_Halide_Retrofit_Kit_with_SpiderLight_Reflector_175_Watt_Single_Ended_Metal_Halide_Retrofit_Kits-IceCap-ICSPK1-FILTRTRMSEHS-vi.html

when it comes to lightening there are many different ways to go, it really just depends on what size tank you have, but i liked that specific one because of the water shimmer it gave.

sand.... go with live sand. pretty simple. your goal is to have at least 2 inches.

when cleaning, you must do water changes. some people do it once a month, some people do it once a week. i always did a 10-15% water change every two weeks. make sure you always have salt on hand when doing this. they sell 5gallon buckets for pretty cheap. id also make a habit of getting filtered water. i always filled up a 5 gallon ozarka bottle from the little machines you see around town.

this post has a bunch of holes and is pretty sloppy and im sure im missing shit, but im coming down from adderall and im pretty tired.

the main thing is to read and research.

this is a GREAT hobby and is extremely rewarding. let me warn you now, it can get pretty expensive. this is not a cheap hobby by any means. kinda why i got out of it.

if you have any questions feel free to pm me.

heres a great site. maast.org. its a texas site, but its still a great site. its like the shroomery, bur for saltwater.


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Yeah, thats right...

Edited by Growth (08/03/12 08:47 PM)

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Growth]
    #16641778 -

if you have the money look into dusk till dawn type lighting. it sits on a timer and it goes through 4 dif types of lighting. dawn-mid day- dusk-full moon.

fuck i feel so stupid typing this shit right now. ill get back to you tomorrow. beleive it or not, i actually know what im talking about... heh heh. just not right now.


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Yeah, thats right...

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Growth]
    #16641803 -

I covered a lot of those :wink:.  The term you were looking for is 'cycling' the tank...And yep, you're right, you can do it with live rock in a marine tank for your first source of ammonia.  The live sand and live rock become your main source of biological filtration eventually, as well.

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16641822 -

thanks man, i feel so fucking brain dead right. one of the reasons why i didnt read the replies.

you have a tank? what are the specs? any pics?


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Yeah, thats right...

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16641866 -

I posted pics of my only tank up and running right now.  It is just a freshwater.  I've never been in 1 spot long enough to invest as much money as a marine requires, since I've moved so many times.  It would be a recipe for disaster for a reef tank :frown:.  I will own one when I have a house, though.

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16642684 -

Growth mentioned lots of good points; but IMO was a tad wrong(maybe) on a few as well.

55 for a first tank. I did a 29 with a 175W metal halide...holy crap 2 gallons evap per day..If I were to do it again I'd either do an SPS with small coral dwelling fish and no sandbed or a mainly fish/invert tank with a deep sand bed and maybe a few LPS or soft corals, or a super gnar predator tank...hehe

Temperate tanks are hard and expensive because of the chiller requirements and the fact that you need to use super thick acrylic or your tank will sweat with condensation all day long. Also any coral in a temperate tank has to be fed by hand. Chillers suck power. My 1 175W MH light added 7dollars a month to my power bill 8 years ago in the cheapest power state in the country, it was on 10hrs a day.

Get the tank running with live rock first. Lighting can come after you've cycled and figured out what fish and corals you want(and get rid of all the "bad" critters that hitchhike on the LR). IMO you don't need live sand as the rock will seed the sand while it's cycling, or get a scoop of livesand to add to all the dead sand you buy(if you want sand, rock is a must though). A 2inch sand bed is decorative, if you want filtering you need at least 4-6in. Your first stop should be www.reefcentral.com

This will cost several several thousand dollars and take 2 months before you -should- put fish in.

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Maverick]
    #16642717 -

Hey Mav,


I have got to recommend you PM mndfreeze on this one. The guy has the most beautiful tanks I have ever seen. He has all sorts of neat sponges and coral. He would be able to help you out with just about anything

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Seahawk1]
    #16642846 -

Seahawk sounds like he knows his marine aquariums better than me, for sure.  Like I said, I only know from reading bits and pieces about them, because I will have one some day and have considered setting one up in the past. 

Seahawk, you can never have too much biological filtration, correct?  So, is having live rock AND live sand not better?  Or is both over kill?  It is fine and better to have both, I thought?  I still think it is easier to start out with a larger tank, because the water isn't as sensitive over all to your changes, and it is easier to maintain stable water parameters (this is true for marine and freshwater). 

And yes, hitch hikers is the word I was looking for.  The pesky critters hidden in the live rock that will munch down on your 50-500$ corals and shit.  I love the idea of introducing unknown species to your tank with live rock, but I don't like the idea of the shitty ones that can cost you hundreds of dollars, haha.  I see people bringing in certain things to the LFS that they catch hitch hiking on their live rock all the time. 

You also answered some questions I had about the temperate tanks.  I knew some kind of cooling system would be required.  Seems much easier to have a heater to keep the water around 82F instead of cooling it to 50-65 or whatever for a temperate tank. 

I would love to see some pictures of your tanks if you have any!

**edit**

Oh, when you say the live rock will seed the sand...it will in a sense turn the sand to live sand regardless?

Edited by Sundrop (08/04/12 01:05 AM)

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Seahawk1]
    #16642860 -

yeah man, i just cant get a clear thought out right now.

as far as the sand bed goes... i thought i put 2-4 inches as a suggested depth? 6 IMO would be too much. for me 2 was always the perfect depth along with the LR.

im confused, you said a 55g is a bad choice for a first tank? if so, thats way off. 55g is perfect for beginners. easy to maintain and plenty of room to play around in.

the metal haileds do put off a lot of heat, but is worth it in the end. another suggestion for lightening would be http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticLife_1.0_Watt_Expandable_LED_Light_Fixture_Linkable_LED_Light_Fixtures-AquaticLife-AK01263-FILTFILDLK-vi.html it really just boils down to what you have in the tank and what look youre going for and how much money you have to spend.

and... it wont cost several thousand...

Tank/ Stand - anywhere from 100-400... i could find a great 55g setup with stand and lid for around 150.00.

LR - im actually not sure, when i was in the hobby the avarage price was 2.50/3.00 per pound. shit is pretty expensive.

Filtration - the setup i built wasnt much. 50.00 for the wet/ dry, 30.00 for the overflow, i got the acrylic sump for free, and the skimmer was around 30.00.

Live Sand - dont know the price now, but back then it wasnt shit.

Lights - it all depends on what you go with. id say set a budget and read into different lightening and see what best fits you.

5 gallon bucket of salt - 25.00

soft coral will always be fairly cheap

same with fish, wont be much.

i could honestly setup an AMAZING tank for under 500.00.


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Yeah, thats right...

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Growth]
    #16642872 -

for shits and giggles ill build one now... give me a sec.


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Yeah, thats right...

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Growth]
    #16642898 -

The way salt water corrodes shit annoys me.  Honestly, the closest thing to a marine tank that I've had up and running myself was just a brackish tank with a green spotted puffer fish (I've had figure 8, as well).  I had a shitty hydrometer, as well.  It was so shitty...The bubbles on the needle of it would throw it off and whatnot.  I was too poor to buy a better one, though.  I'm pretty sure a refractometer is much better.

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16643022 -

Tank - http://www.onlinepetdepot.com/glass-aquarium-gallon-front-fish-tank-p-12496.html - 159.00

Fiji Live rock 80lbs - http://www.fijiliverock.com/ - 210.00

Filter:

Over Flow Box - http://www.dreamaquatic.com/da-aquarium-cr1511.html - 89.99

Wet Dry - http://www.saltwaterfish.com/Eshopps-WD-75-Filter-NO-Overflow.html 141.00 ( could actually find a cheaper one, but im tired.

Skimmer - http://www.aquarium-supply.biz/Aquarium_Systems_SeaClone_100_Protein_Skimmer_p/ras08111.htm - 85.00

Sump - any durable 10g fish tank for 15.00

Live Sand - no more than 20.00

Lights- http://www.thatpetplace.com/lunar-aqualight-power-compact-fixture-24in?gdftrk=gdfV2226_a_7c268_a_7c6967_a_7c209224&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cpc - 147.00

am i missing anything?

grand total of around 700.00. i could have got a cheaper overflow box, but im too tired to dig around. this was done real quick.


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Yeah, thats right...

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Growth]
    #16643406 -

A heater of some sort, but it wouldn't cost much.

I'm guessing about 100 more bucks for refractometer and water testing kit and other random supplies, as well.

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Re: Anyone know about Marine Aquariums? [Re: Sundrop]
    #16643536 -

i never needed a cooler/ heater.

as far as supplies... he would really only need the basics.

did he ever drop a price for his budget? man, id kill to get back into the hobby.


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Yeah, thats right...

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