Can someone advise on starting my first Salt Water tank?

I have had many fresh water tanks, however have never done a salt water tank. My large tank is now empty do to a recent move. So this time I want to do a salt water. Can anyone give a list of Items I will need or maybe even a web site that walks me through each step? Thanks!Can someone advise on starting my first Salt Water tank?
Check your local pet store for ';The complete marine Aquarium'; This book is great for first timers. My 55 gallon has been up and running for over two years with minimal problems. I had cichlids and piranhas for many years, and they are of no comparison to the limits of saltwater. Start-up is significantly more expensive, but worth it. Best advice, use at least 1/4 tank of live-rock, live or reef sand no more than 2'; deep on bottom, and the best filter you can afford. I have a fluval 420, and a secondary hanging penguin filter.Inside the tank i have two power-heads, blowing across the tank for good water ditribution/flow. The most important thing is temperature, mine has been kept at around 97/98 degrees consistently for the past year, with no problems. Thanks to TWO heaters kept at the same temps.


A little start up cash,a little reading, and a lot of patience you should be on your way. -CortezCan someone advise on starting my first Salt Water tank?
My son who used to breed fish suggested you talk in person to a professional working in an Aquarium. You can just type ';saltwater fish tanks'; into Google Search and loads will pop up.
Firstly, the fact that you have owned fresh water fish gives you some valuable experience increasing your chances of success with Salt water fish.





Firstly- are you looking at a fish only aquarium, a fish and live rock aquarium or a mini reef (mostly corals and a few fish). A fish only aquarium is the easiest, but a Fish and live rock aquarium is a more stable system.





Remember, the tank and heater (if suitable for salt water systems) are two immediate savings.





The ocean is an intricate bioweb- beneficial cbacteria, amphipods, copepods, minute crustaceans, bio-diversity, all keep the system viable and flourishing. For the best chance, you need to replicate this system in your tank.





Essential items you will need


1. Tank :)


2. Live sand


3. High quality Skimmer- the most important thing you can put in your tank. Will cost between 100-150 bucks for a decent one.


4. Powerhead- creates water movement in the tank. Ideally water movement should be between 6- 10 the total volume of your tank per hour.


5. Good quality salt mix- There are several good ones out there- I use Tropic Marine, but I'd say pick the brand that is easily and consistently available to you.


6. Heater - make sure it is usable for salt water,


7. Salt water test kit- you will need the basics- ammonia, nitrate, nitrites, hardness and Ph.


8. Hydrometer- to measure salinity.


9. A good book- I recommend the Conscientious Aquarist by Robert Fenner.


10. Bookmark wetwebmedia on your browser. You will be using that site *constantly*


11. Quarantine tank. Keep all new aquisitions quarantined for 2 weeks to make sure you do not introduce disease into your tank. You will need a filter/power head and a heater only.








Items you may need depending (on what type of tank)





1. Live rock- very desirable, but does not work unless you have 3 watts per gallon lighting at the very minimum.


2. Lighting- depends again on your type of system. Fish and life rock will need 3-4 watts per gallon. You can keep some low light corals in that lighting, however SPS and similar corals will need higher wattage usually. You can choose metal halide, Power Compact and VHO. Personally, metal halides create a beautiful shimmering effect which makes them my favorite.


3. Wave maker- This basically switches power heads on and off in order creating currents like in the ocean instead of linear flow. Very desirable if you keep certain corals.


4. SUMP- if you plan to keep one


5. Bucket, tube for water changes


6. Rubber maid container with heater for water changes.





Desirables- these items are nice to have but it is really upto you.


1. UV sterlizer- Can help with ich.


2. Sump/refugium. Some fish benefit greatly from a refugium- like the mandarin dragonet. A large sump can increase your tank capacity creating a more stable system.





Stepo by step intruction can be found here


http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/startin鈥?/a>





In case you have questions, the best source is


http://www.wetwebmedia.com





You will get one on one, free, personalized advice by caring and experienced hobbyists....I love them.





Good luck with your hobby. It is very rewarding.
In almost any endeavor in life there are some people that seem to soar above the rest, seemingly overcoming their challenges effortlessly. This is no different when we consider the hobby of saltwaterfish and reef aquarium keeping. Some aquarists excel while others have modest success or fail miserably in the hobby. What is it that makes achieving your goals a reality? Are some people just born with a wet thumb? Is it a matter of intelligence? Could luck be a factor in how well your saltwaterfish aquarium is running? Are some personalities better at this sort of thing? While there is some credence to the previously mentioned factors, I believe other things play a larger role.





There are many things that can be done to become a better aquarist. The first and most obvious is to become an avid reader. You might ask, what has aquarium keeping to do with being a bookworm? Actually, reading is one of the best ways to gain new knowledge. If you really want to get good at this hobby invest in a small library of aquarium related books. Even the most seasoned aquarist learns by reading a new book now and then. These books can be used for easy reference whenever you want to seriously study a particular aspect of the hobby. Want to know how to reduce the impurities in your aquarium water? How about the best ways to treat or control a disease or infection? When I want to review something I take a look at what several of the books in my library have to say on the subject. That way I not only get varying opinions, I learn something from one author that another might not mention. The fact is that over time we all forget some of the things that we already know. Periodically rereading a book will refresh your memory.





After you've gained a basic understanding of what it takes to have a successful aquarium, go back and choose one aspect of the hobby to study in depth. Compare the different approaches and form your own opinions. This is a good way to master each portion of the hobby one piece at a time. Magazines that are devoted to aquarium keeping can be used in much the same manner as books. Keep learning about your chosen subject until you feel like you could give someone good advice about it and answer all their questions.





Another way to have some fun and learn new things is to hang out with fellow aquarists. Chances are that you will meet others that share your interest if you spend any time at your local tropical fish or pet store. A good time to do this is when the retailer has just received a fresh shipment of animals to restock their displays. This is typically a busy time for the retailer because a lot of people will come in to see what has just arrived. This is a perfect opportunity to meet other aquarists by talking to them about the new fish or invertebrates.








If you can find an aquarium club in your area join it. This is where the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable hobbyists can be found. Many of these people join these clubs to share their knowledge with anyone interested. Take advantage of their willingness to convey their wisdom (warning: most of us are willing to talk about the hobby until our lips chap) and you just may make a new friend as a bonus.
Saltwater tanks are very difficult to start and to maintain. Do some reasearch about it, but I know you have to buy special water, and live rock (rock that has microorganisms and algea, coral, etc...)


Here are some good websites to help you get started


http://www.masla.com/beginerfish.html





http://www.petstation.com/swbegin.html





http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_salt鈥?/a>