Best Step-by-Step Resource to Starting new SW Aquarium

[Celticreefer]

Hi Guys. I am new to the hobby and have a 75 g tank. I wanted to you in your opinions, what the best online step-by-step guide is to starting a salt water aquarium. I have an idea on how to start but would like to know what some veterans think is the best guide online. Thanks!

 

[ReferReefer]

Step 1: Convince your next door neighbor to set up a Salt Water tank.
Step 2: Buy a rack of beer.
Step 3: Enjoy their tank through their windows while you drink beer and relax.
Step 4: Offer them a beer while they do Water changes
Step 5: Repeat Step 4 as desired.



in all seriousness, welcome, keeping reefs is frustrating sometimes, but very rewarding, i'll try to find some links online, but tell us a bit more about this tank:

some questions i have immediately before offering advice:

a) is this a 75g tank all by itself? is it drilled or have overflows? do you have a sump?

b) do you have the needed equipment? heaters/lights/pumps/salt/good water source, etc.

Regards,
Lee

 

[naturebatslast]

This is probably the best site for SW info with over 1000 members.

You'll save a ton of money just by reading the last 2 or 3 months of Reef Talk. Setting up the tank isn't really rocket science as some make it sound, it's all about enough knowledge to be dangerous, patience and consistency. Spend money on lighting and a decent skimmer, and it's best had in the Used Equipment Section.

Bookwise, The Reef Aquarium by Sprung and Delbeek is a bullet proof reefkeeping bible.

 

[afboundguy]

Don't skimp out on equipment...

To save a lot of money purchase some dry rock (about 70-80 lbs) from a place like marcorocks.com I'd also suggest some of their sand (I got a sample and the stuff is insane)

Then get a sandwich bag full of live sand from a member's tank, a small piece of live rock from a member's tank, throw in some cocktail shrimps and wait...

...and wait...

...still waiting....

...having fun waiting?

Being patient is a huge thing in this hobby... The more patient and longer you wait the better the end results will be... Cycle the tank without livestock (can take months) and test to see the rise and drop of the ammonia, nitrites, and then nitrates... Once the nitrates fall in the 0-20ish range throw in a clean up crew then wait a few more weeks make sure everythings in range and then add 1 fish... Wait 1-2 weeks and retest then add another fish and so forth... Everytime you add a fish you test the benefitial bacteria in the tank and you have a mini cycle and if you add too much too fast the bacteria can't handle it and it gets toxic for fish....

Oh and use RO/DI water all the time... I didn't and it was a PITA...

 

[Celticreefer]

Thanks

Thanks for the help guys. I started reading more of the forums earlier and definitely learned a lot. I just wanted to know on some recommendations on protein skimmers and cannister filter. I talked with skipton pet center who said to go with octopus for the skimmer and eheim for the filter. I was wondering what models of these you would suggest. Thanks again guys.

 

[afboundguy]

I would personally skip the canister filter... All you need is rock and a skimmer... The canister filter is nice if you have a cloudy tank but you should be all set with the rock and skimmer...

And they have a habit of capturing detris and causing nitrate buildups...