Beginner Salt Water Tank

[reptimama]

My DH has been wanting a salt water tank for as long as I can remember. I'm looking for advice on what would be a good beginner size, fish, etc... He's really nervous about all the work it will take but has wanted one FOREVER. We're in a position now where it would be possible to start one. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

[knox]

I had researched it before a while back. If there is only going to be a small fish and maybe a shrimp, the bio cubes can work. If you are looking for something to hold more fish, the bigger the better. More water means more forgiving room for salinity and chemical balances.

Youtube is a great source.

[reptimama]

Thanks! We were not sure weather to start small or go big :) I'm always of the opinion that bigger is better LOL.

[MCB]

Thanks! We were not sure weather to start small or go big :) I'm always of the opinion that bigger is better LOL.

Bigger also means a bigger budget LOL! When I had my reef set up then the more water you can flow through external sumps the better, once you start its addictive just like our slithery friends :D

Good luck with what ever you do :)

[Teal]

Are you looking to do a reef tank with fish? No coral, just fish? No fish, just coral?

[reptimama]

He wants to do fish and has some in mind: Humupicasso Trigger fish, Foxface Lo, Bicolored Dottyback, and eventually maybe a Porcupine Puffer and I'm sure they require a large tank. We asked at our local exotic/fish store about a 55 gal. and they said all we could put in there were small fish. We'll have a larger budget, and more room, in summer. My only concern with going big early is we eventually hope to move and I'm concerned with having to move a huge setup.

[knox]

Yeah, for those fish, you will need MUCH larger than a 55. But it's a great starting point to get you into the hobby.

[simpleyork]

Personaly if you know you are moving I would say go with something smaller, the 40 breeders make great tanks, they do get expensive but are fun
Have one 40 gallon- octopus/gorgonia reef tank, a 55 gallon fish only, a 10 gallon- dwarf seahorse ank, a 20 gallon- hospital tank, and a 300 gallon stock tank for rays
most of these photos are a few monhs old
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010336_zpsface5831.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010336_zpsface5831.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010302_zpsd55bd05d.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010302_zpsd55bd05d.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010296_zps15e9ab73.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010296_zps15e9ab73.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010292_zpseab1ba83.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010292_zpseab1ba83.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010261_zps6515d67e.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010261_zps6515d67e.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010255_zpsed4fb5fb.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010255_zpsed4fb5fb.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010249_zps5e473855.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010249_zps5e473855.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010247_zpsdcc40a7c.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010247_zpsdcc40a7c.jpg.html)

[simpleyork]

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010230_zps8e0c4a60.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010230_zps8e0c4a60.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010226_zpsef4aebb6.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010226_zpsef4aebb6.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1010224_zps40ca9a71.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010224_zps40ca9a71.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/Pic-03132014-002_zpsc198df54.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-03132014-002_zpsc198df54.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1000993_zps383b9453.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1000993_zps383b9453.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1020219_zps4831378b.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1020219_zps4831378b.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1020109_zpsaabdc47b.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1020109_zpsaabdc47b.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1000516-1_zps7f3a8711.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1000516-1_zps7f3a8711.jpg.html)

[simpleyork]

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1000512_zpsbbad3107.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1000512_zpsbbad3107.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/P1000496_zps1cad4f5b.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1000496_zps1cad4f5b.jpg.html)

[reptimama]

Those are so pretty! I love the octopus and the sea horse tanks! I'm trying to talk DH into finding something like a 40 gallon or so already set up that someone is selling. We are going to also go talk some more to our fish/reptile guys but I wanted to see what the opinions were on here for beginners too. We can go bigger than 55 gal. it just happened to be the size of an extra tank I had laying around. He waited too long on that one though and I used it for something else :) We'd have to purchase a new tank.

[jpsteele80]

Not to hijack your thread but how big of a tank would you recommend for a lion fish and some eels?

[Teal]

Moving a large tank is really difficult, from what I've heard. I read a lot of for sale ads that are people moving and tearing down their large tanks, because the percentage of loss during a move is so high that it just isn't worth it. My boyfriend is concerned even about moving our reef tank to a larger aquarium because of the stress it will cause the animals :-/ So maybe starting with a smaller tank for now would be good to learn about it and get comfortable, and do tons of research on the requirements for a large tank? I didn't realize how complicated they are until I had to start taking care of ours by myself when the boyfriend is gone for work!

[swolek]

I agree with starting with a small tank if you'll be moving. If it's anytime soon, I would just hold off altogether because saltwater aquariums are a pain to move in general. I've had to do it, it was a mess.

[reptimama]

We're not really sure when we'll be moving, we're hoping it will be sometime in the next 2 years. We like where we are but want a larger place :) I think if we start small(ish) that would be best. We already have a 30 gallon gold fish tank so maybe something like that size.

[IW17]

Not to hijack your thread but how big of a tank would you recommend for a lion fish and some eels?

Depends on what lionfish and eels. Anywhere from a 40 breeder up to several hundred gallons. A 75 gallon could comfortably hold two dwarf lion species and a small eel such as a snowflake or chain link.

[dbank999]

If you want to check out this forum I recently joined because I have started into the hobby

First Build - 55 gallon mixed reef - Reef Central Online Community (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2394875)

that is my tank thread, showing the start up of system.

I agree that the 40B is good, or a 65/75 gallon. Front to back space is important for when you go to do your aquascaping.

Great community over there with lots of information to do it right.

It is an expensive hobby, so it is worth doing it right from the start.

[reptimama]

Thanks! I'll pass this on to my DH.

[IW17]

Ok I gotta ask. What's DH?

[dbank999]

Ok I gotta ask. What's DH?

I had to google it... I believe it is for Dear/Darling Husband :)

[reptimama]

Yep! Dear Husband :) I think we are going to try to start with around a 55 gallon. Our local guy said the same thing as ya'll have been, bigger is better.