Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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!

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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.

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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 :)

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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.

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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.

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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/...psface5831.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...psd55bd05d.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps15e9ab73.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...pseab1ba83.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6515d67e.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...psed4fb5fb.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5e473855.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...psdcc40a7c.jpg

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8e0c4a60.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...psef4aebb6.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps40ca9a71.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...psc198df54.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps383b9453.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4831378b.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...psaabdc47b.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7f3a8711.jpg

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...psbbad3107.jpg
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1cad4f5b.jpg

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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.

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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!

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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.

Re: Beginner Salt Water Tank
 

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.