# Yet another potential new person...



## BayouGirl (Mar 6, 2012)

I have a stand for a 30g, sitting there empty. I was seriously considering starting saltwater, but the information online is discouraging. I've read through a couple of the more recent threads here and still have some questions...

- Is fish only or fish with live rock easier/healthier/better?

- Do I need a sump? Need a skimmer? Are these things easily available? Everything I've found online talks about building them, and I'm not really interested in that.

- Is the light that comes with the hood ok if I don't want coral right now? Can I upgrade later?

- Would I need all live rock or some dry/some live? Seen conflicting information.

- Also have seen conflicting information on using sand/water from the ocean. Anyone have more information on this? 

- I live in hurricane land, and understand there are battery operated pumps for when the power goes out, for freshwater aquariums. Am I ok with a saltwater tank with no power for a few days?

- Does anyone know of a basic website for new saltwater tanks? Preferably comparing the equipment to what's needed for freshwater?


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## drunkenbeast (Nov 13, 2011)

for a 30g you dont need a sump, but you can make a pretty basic system with a HOB skimmer and no corals. 

- with no corals you can just use a single hood light with a 50/50 light. with having no corals is fine and you can add them later the only thing you have to keep in mind is some fish are compatible with coral and some are not. so if you plan on adding coral you will have to have only reef safe fish.

- you can use a mix of live and dry rock it will eventually all seed. 

- personally I wouldnt use water from the ocean it could be polluted or what not.

some people on the forum have better answers for these questions and links that are helpful. 

but Welcome to the forum!


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## BayouGirl (Mar 6, 2012)

Thanks!

Oh, and also - my husband's in the military - we move (to say the least). I've moved freshwater fish successfully, but does this preclude me from doing saltwater?


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## BayouGirl (Mar 6, 2012)

Bump...


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

IMHO all you need is to start the tank with macro algaes then do the rest. everything else will be secondary. Water changes, filters, life rock/sand everything.

On the freshwater side see the link in my signature.

but then these methods may not be for you. It is awfully easy to be bored with these self maintaining systems. 

my .02


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

beaslbob said:


> IMHO all you need is to start the tank with macro algaes then do the rest. everything else will be secondary. Water changes, filters, life rock/sand everything.
> 
> On the freshwater side see the link in my signature.
> 
> ...


I don't know how you do it bob, half the reason I got back into fish keeping was to give me somthing to do, I would go nuts looking at my tanks if they looked like yours, its a great concept but Its definetly not for me


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## ShrimpDiver (Sep 28, 2011)

SuckMyCichlids said:


> I don't know how you do it bob, half the reason I got back into fish keeping was to give me somthing to do, I would go nuts looking at my tanks if they looked like yours, its a great concept but Its definetly not for me


Did you really only post in this thread for the sole purpose of digging at someone else? This was not constructive, did not pertain to the subject and is just mean. 

Also, I have absolutely no experience with saltwater, but good luck! I bet your tank will be beautiful.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

ShrimpDiver said:


> Did you really only post in this thread for the sole purpose of digging at someone else? This was not constructive, did not pertain to the subject and is just mean.
> 
> Also, I have absolutely no experience with saltwater, but good luck! I bet your tank will be beautiful.


Not for nothing, but you gotta know Bobs tanks, you do not want to follow what this guy does. I'd have to agree with what SuckMyCichlids hs posted. 
Now as for moving saltwater tanks, they are alittle tougher to move than FW is. You have can take everything out of the tank and put into 5 gallon pales. And what comes next would all depend on how long they are out of water wihtout movement. The Live Rock and substrate would have die off. The Live rock you could throw back into the tank, the substrate you would have to rinse out good, to get the dead critters out and the debre that would sky rocket your Nitrates if you just threw it back in. Your tank would go through another normal cycle before you would be able to put fish back in.


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