Salt water info

melnz · 07-14-2005, 02:05 PM

My birthday is coming up this Saturday and I think my husband is going to get me a Fish Tank/Starter Kit. I have had fish tanks before, but all were fresh water. My husband loves salt water fish and he's hoping we can have a salt water tank. I would like to have salt water fish too, but I'm not sure how to take care of them. Are they as easy to take care of as fresh water fish? Is a salt water tank harder to maintain? The starter kit I think he is getting is a 10 gallon. Are there any salt water fish that can live in a 10 gallon? What do I need to know before I get a salt water tank and fish? Please help, I would really like any information I can get. Thanks in advance!

Melissa

**TheOldSalt** · 07-14-2005, 05:55 PM

A ten gallon tank is a terrible choice for a saltwater tank. They're tempting, of course, but they aren't useful or practical. Saltwater fish have greater needs than freshwater ones, and a 10-gallon tank can't meet those needs very well.
In larger tanks, saltwater fish are pretty easy to keep if you follow the rules of saltwater.

Damon · 07-14-2005, 06:03 PM

Agreed, 30 gallons is the minimum (and I mean bare minimum) for starting a saltwater tank, especially since you have no salt experience. I have a lfs around here (top notch one) that specializes in saltwater. They frowned when I told them I wanted a 30 gallon salt tank.

**Osiris** · 07-14-2005, 06:05 PM

$500 roughly get ya going good. for 20-30L

**Fishfirst** · 07-14-2005, 09:38 PM

10 gallons are extremely unstable, so that is why my freshwater community took a back seat when I started out and went 55 gallon... haven't looked back since, now up to a 125 reef and planning one 10X that large once I get the $$$. You'll love saltwater if you go bigger, trust me. You do about the same amount of maintenance on a large tank you would on a small tank.

**TheOldSalt** · 07-15-2005, 11:56 PM

Now that you're good and worried, I'll tell you that a 10 gallon salt tank CAN be done. It's just a royal pain, since you'd have to do a lot more work on it. We can of course teach you what to do and how to do it, but we can't MAKE you do it. If you're not able to work on your tank a few hours each week, consider sticking with freshwater until you can get a bigger tank.

bsautococker · 08-04-2005, 10:06 PM

fishfirst does have a point... the bigger tank you go the more le way you have with it.... being as this is going to be your first tank i would recommend at least a 55... its not too big but its big enough to let you get use to the cleanin of it and the water changes and what not. plus you will be able to add more fish that youll want in the 55 over a 10.a new 55 setup will run you $500 - $700 dunno the prices where your at. you can get a used 55 for around $200 just look in the classifieds of your local papers or any local websites. thats what i did with my 140. i got everything for $700.... also saltwater - i think - isnt any harder than fresh and its alot more enjoyable.....

**Fishfirst** · 08-04-2005, 11:02 PM

definately what bsautococker said! More fun and interesting in my opinion.

bsautococker · 08-04-2005, 11:13 PM

lol you can get all those purty colored fishes, fresh water just cant stand up to that- except for maybe cichlides - ahh messed up on the spellin sry its late lol

07-14-2005, 02:05 PM	#1
melnz Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 23 Posts: 3	Salt water info My birthday is coming up this Saturday and I think my husband is going to get me a Fish Tank/Starter Kit. I have had fish tanks before, but all were fresh water. My husband loves salt water fish and he's hoping we can have a salt water tank. I would like to have salt water fish too, but I'm not sure how to take care of them. Are they as easy to take care of as fresh water fish? Is a salt water tank harder to maintain? The starter kit I think he is getting is a 10 gallon. Are there any salt water fish that can live in a 10 gallon? What do I need to know before I get a salt water tank and fish? Please help, I would really like any information I can get. Thanks in advance! Melissa

07-14-2005, 06:03 PM	#3
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,972	Agreed, 30 gallons is the minimum (and I mean bare minimum) for starting a saltwater tank, especially since you have no salt experience. I have a lfs around here (top notch one) that specializes in saltwater. They frowned when I told them I wanted a 30 gallon salt tank. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-14-2005, 06:05 PM	#4
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 25 Posts: 3,816	$500 roughly get ya going good. for 20-30L __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction

07-14-2005, 09:38 PM	#5
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,645 Blog Entries: 4	10 gallons are extremely unstable, so that is why my freshwater community took a back seat when I started out and went 55 gallon... haven't looked back since, now up to a 125 reef and planning one 10X that large once I get the $$$. You'll love saltwater if you go bigger, trust me. You do about the same amount of maintenance on a large tank you would on a small tank. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

08-04-2005, 11:02 PM	#8
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,645 Blog Entries: 4	definately what bsautococker said! More fun and interesting in my opinion. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

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07-14-2005, 05:55 PM	#2
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,471	A ten gallon tank is a terrible choice for a saltwater tank. They're tempting, of course, but they aren't useful or practical. Saltwater fish have greater needs than freshwater ones, and a 10-gallon tank can't meet those needs very well. In larger tanks, saltwater fish are pretty easy to keep if you follow the rules of saltwater.

07-15-2005, 11:56 PM	#6
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,471	Now that you're good and worried, I'll tell you that a 10 gallon salt tank CAN be done. It's just a royal pain, since you'd have to do a lot more work on it. We can of course teach you what to do and how to do it, but we can't MAKE you do it. If you're not able to work on your tank a few hours each week, consider sticking with freshwater until you can get a bigger tank.

08-04-2005, 10:06 PM	#7
bsautococker Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: central florida Age: 19 Posts: 31	fishfirst does have a point... the bigger tank you go the more le way you have with it.... being as this is going to be your first tank i would recommend at least a 55... its not too big but its big enough to let you get use to the cleanin of it and the water changes and what not. plus you will be able to add more fish that youll want in the 55 over a 10.a new 55 setup will run you $500 - $700 dunno the prices where your at. you can get a used 55 for around $200 just look in the classifieds of your local papers or any local websites. thats what i did with my 140. i got everything for $700.... also saltwater - i think - isnt any harder than fresh and its alot more enjoyable.....

08-04-2005, 11:13 PM	#9
bsautococker Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: central florida Age: 19 Posts: 31	lol you can get all those purty colored fishes, fresh water just cant stand up to that- except for maybe cichlides - ahh messed up on the spellin sry its late lol

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