# Question about start up



## syddriver (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi there,
I am very interested in a salt water tank. I have freshwater tanks right now. I have a 26 gallon bowfront tank and I was wondering if it is possible to set it up as salt water. Any help would be much appreciated!*c/p*


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## BlueSaphire (Nov 3, 2009)

I don't know much about saltwater, but that sounds like it would be fine as long as you did lots of research on switching


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## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

Use any size of tank you want alough you won't get many fish in it, you stock a Saltwater Tank less than a Freshwater.

Saltwater costs a bit more to set up, you will want Live Rock as your Filter you are looking at at least 1lbs of rock per gallon of water.

You will want a Protein Skimmer, you can buy Nano 1s TMC have small skimmers alough some will say the size of your tank you may get away with none so long as you have the Live Rock and don't slack on water changes each week.

If you want Corals you will need to get a few more test kits, Calcium, KH and Magnesium tests are a must for Reef Tanks.

Once you get the tank setup there is not much difference between looking after Saltwater and Freshwater, you will need to buy salt but a bucket of salt from the LFS will prob last 2 or 3 months, you may need to buy buffers for your water every now and again but they arent expensive.

Saltwater do cost more to run than Freshwater but it's not exactly bank breaking cash, the only real big money eater is the Live Rock it costs about £10 to £14 a kilo here in the UK, but remember unless you totaly screw up and do something stupid like put copper in your tank the Live Rock will last for ever.

Because of the size of your Tank I would stay away from Tangs and Puffers for sure they need a way bigger tank than you have.

Live Rock is brilliant you find all sorts of things in it, My tank has been setup for ages now and I still find things that have hitch-hiked their way in.

Saltwater fish are much better looking than freshwater, do a bit of reding up before you start or if you don't just start your cycle and read like mad.

I moved from Freshwater to Saltwater and I love it, don't think I could go back to Freshwater now.

1 thing to remember but, if you screw up with Saltwater the fish aren't as forgiving as Freshwater.


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## syddriver (Sep 27, 2010)

Thank you so much for all the information. I have been doing some research and plan do do loads more before I undertake this challenge! I really messed up when I first started my freshwater tanks and absolutely do not want to repeat that horror! I am sure I will be asking more questions and really appreciate this forum! Thanks again!


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## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

Well the basics are more or less the same so if you screwed up your previous freshwater it's not a bad thing as you have learned somethings and that makes it easier to avoid in the future.


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