# trying my hand at salt water.some advice



## 92smokeaccord (Jun 5, 2012)

ok so i got a tank for near free again.lol size is 48Lx15Wx17H.i spent a hole hour at my local pet store and had a long talk bout all this so id be ready..so here is what i have,a aqua clear 70 filter brand new,fluval 300watt heater new,3000cc bubler and long stone,big box sea salt,hydromomater/thurmomator ,pool sand.here is what they told me and talked about.i dont need a skimmer or sump set up for this size tank weekly water changes are fine just make sure that i mix the salt water in a pale befor i put in tank with fish to avoid stress.when water changeing keep an eye on the saltinaty on the hydometer.i do need a power head or 2 but not needed right away.they told me that this is all i would need for a cheap setup for start and can upgrade gradually later. is any of this true.im in no rush i just started the cycle process and gonna be a while befor any type of fish are added.all i want for fish is some clown fish like nemo and maybe some dorians and yellow tangs.hell maybe even a reef setup by the time cycle breaks.thanks and any advice will be appreciated.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Your LFS should be shot. Throw out everything those morons told you. You will need a skimmer on this tank. you will not be able to get any tangs, that tank is not large enough for them, especially a Blue Hippo Tang. Smallest Tang tank would be 70g. You will also need a heater, unless you want chilled and dead fish in the winter time. Next, you do not want play sand in that tank, if you are even thinking about possibly a coral or 2, the silicates in that stuff is insane, very bad for the tank. You will need water movement when you start, you will need powerheads or your water will be in bad shape and collect garbage that will raise your nutrient levels.
NEXT:
#1-Dry Rock, there are a few hitchhikers on Live Rock that people want to stay away from, so they opt for using Dry Rock, or Dead Rock. Macro Rock is a good place to start looking for that. Either way you go you will need a minimum of 1lb per gallon.
#2-Replacement filter media like filter floss and activated carbon (if you get a filter) Which is really not necessary.
#3-Multiple Power heads (2 or 3) 10x your water volume for just a Fish Only With Live Rock, and at least 20x your water volume for a Reef Tank. So lets say your going reef, and you have a 100g tank, you would need flow in that tank at minimum of 2000gph, or 2 1000gph power heads.
#4-Protein Skimmer, rated at 2 times your water volume
#5-Saltwater Test Kits. Reef Test Kit. Test for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, PH, Phosphates, Calcium, ALK and Magnesium.
#6-Saltwater fish food. Mysis Shrimp, Squid, Cyclopease, Algae Sheets, Romaine . Flake food is not really a good food to feed your marine fish
.#7-Aquarium vacuum. This one is iffy. Most don't use one, if you have enough flow in the tank you won’t need one
#8-Rubber kitchen gloves
#9-Fish net
#10-Two, clean, never used before, 5-gallon buckets
#11-Aquarium thermometer, digital being the best.
#12-Brush with plastic bristles (old tooth brush) - needed for cleaning the live rock if you don't get Fully Cured Live Rock.
#13-Power Strip, possibly GFCI outlets by the tank.
#14-Optional but definitely recommend getting a Reverse Osmosis or RO/Deionization filter for the make-up water, and a barrel for storing the water.
#15-Possibly a Quarantine Tank for your new fish. They sit in here for a few weeks to kill off parasites and bacteria, to keep it from getting in your main tank
#16-Heater rated for your size tank.
#17-Saltwater Mix. Marine Salt. Instant Ocean is the cheap Salt that beginners and Advanced use alike.
#18-Saltwater Hydrometer or even better a Refractometer, which is more accurate. There is also a Digital Meter that is way advanced if you have the cash.
#19-Aquarium filter (not absolutely necessary if running with adequate amounts of live rock, but nice to have if you need to use a mechanical filter or activated carbon, or GFO and such)
#20-Aquarium substrate such as live sand or crushed coral. Some go bare Bottom, others choose the 2-3" bottom, others, more advanced will try the Deep Sand Bed, which is over 6" deep.


----------



## 92smokeaccord (Jun 5, 2012)

what about 2 clowns and some damsels?btw i have a heater its in the first post.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Yes those fish would be quite fine. You do have some fine choices out there for your tank, just not on the lines of a Tang is all.


----------



## 92smokeaccord (Jun 5, 2012)

Reefing Madness said:


> Yes those fish would be quite fine. You do have some fine choices out there for your tank, just not on the lines of a Tang is all.


so as my setup stands.will it be alright for fish only for now as long as im on top of it?

edit.
i am actually thinking about buying this skimmer as its cheap for now.will this work ok 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Protein-Ski...ltDomain_0&hash=item4845eda574#ht_5338wt_1270


----------

