# starting up.



## bobmanay (Jul 14, 2011)

hi,
i have had freshwater aquariums for a couple of years, ive kept and bred discus, and many other tropical fish before. so i decided i want to start marine tank.

i done some research and people giving different advice on what to buy?
so i want to ask a couple of questions.

1) tank size - ( i want to get an average size tank would that be o.k around 40 -60 gals)
2) lighting- ( do you need special ligting.)
3)equipment ( what equip do i need and what is skimmer. if you can you explain the new equip that i need.)
4)water-(do i get water from shop or do it my self, how to get the water right, water changes.
5)fish - what to start with.
6) corals,rocks and anemone/plants etc.
7)costs in everything and anything that i am missing. and medicine etc.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

bobmanay said:


> hi,
> i have had freshwater aquariums for a couple of years, ive kept and bred discus, and many other tropical fish before. so i decided i want to start marine tank.
> 
> i done some research and people giving different advice on what to buy?
> ...


This is what you need to know:
Dry Rock, there are a few hitchhickers onLive 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 oyu go you will need a minimum of 1lb per gallon.

Replacement filter media like filter floss and activated carbon (if you get a filter)

Multiple Powerheads (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 powerheads.

Protein Skimmer, rated at 2 times your water volume

Saltwater Test Kits. Reef Test Kit. Tets for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, PH, Phosphates, Calcium, ALK and Magnesium.

Saltwater fish food. Mysis Shrimp, Squid, Cyclopease, Algae Sheets, Romaine . Flake food is not really a good food to feed your marine fish.

Aquarium vacuum. This one is iffy. Most don't use one, if you have enough flow in the tank you won’t need one

Rubber kitchen gloves

Fish net

Two, clean, never used before, 5-gallon buckets

Aquarium thermometer, digital being the best.

Brush with plastic bristles (old tooth brush) - needed for cleaning the live rock if you don't get Fully Cured Live Rock.

Power Strip, possibly GFCI outlets by the tank.

Optional but definitely recommend getting a Reverse Osmosis or RO/Deionization filter for the make-up water, and a barrel for storing the water.

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

Heater rated for your size tank.

Saltwater Mix. Marine Salt

Saltwater Hydrometer or even better a Refractometer, which is more accurate

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, etc.)

Aquarium substrate such as live sand or crushed cora. Some go bare Bottom, others choose the 2-3" bottom, others, more advanced will try the Deep Sand Bed, which is over 6" deep.
What Is Protein Skimming, and How Does It Work
What Is Live Rock - Why Is It Used In Saltwater Aquariums?
Saltwater Aquarium Salinity & Specific Gravity Testing: Portable Refractometer
Octopus Extreme 160 Protein Skimmer - English
Water Pumps & Wavemakers: Hydor Koralia Evolution


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## bobmanay (Jul 14, 2011)

what about the cost in starting up, and weekly/mothly costs.?
and also why is filter not necessary, what about the waste?
is cycling the tank similar to frshwater?


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

bobmanay said:


> what about the cost in starting up, and weekly/mothly costs.?
> and also why is filter not necessary, what about the waste?
> is cycling the tank similar to frshwater?


Start up costs? 
Tank 55g- with lighting- $200 Craigslist
55lbs Sand or Crushed Coral- $60
SKimmer- Reef Octopus BH2000- $190
2- Hydor Koralia Evos 550's @ $40ea
Refractometer- $50
Dry Rock 60# @ roughly $1.50lb
Digital Thermometer- $2
Lighting if bought itself for 55g.-$100
Salt, by the bag- $15ea

A filter is not needed because the Live Rock is your filter, the organisms in the Rock clean the water.
Yes, cycling the tank is similar to that of a freshwater tank. But you do it with Live Rock and Sand, nothing else is needed.
As for the cost of electricity to use all this stuff, that would all depend on where you live and what they charge, I cna't give you those numbers.
Live Rock - About Live Rock - Cycling, Buying, Grades, Curing, aquascaping live rock


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