Saltwater?

[83turboranger]

Alright. ****I'm looking into getting ****a 29 gallon aquarium. ****Do I need any special aquarium to make it saltwater or will any work. ****The thing is I like the really colorful fish, but most that I like are saltwater. ****I'm considering making it a saltwater tank. ****Would that work? ****Are saltwater tanks extra hard to keep, I am a beginner. ****Do they smell like the ocean? (may be a dumb question but I just want to be sure). ****Any info on a beginner considering saltwater would be great. ****Thanks.

[Fishfirst]

I would do some serious reading before you get into the hobby... a 29 gallon tank is a relatively small tank when it comes to saltwater aquariums, If you are really serious about doing this I would first read Saltwater Fish for Dummies, its a good introductory book. Also since you have a smaller size tank, its going to be a little bit more difficult to keep it stable than a larger one... but it is definately duable. When you are done reading about saltwater aquariums, then I would come back and ask the remaining questions since there is SOOOOO much to know about this hobby... Also be prepared to spend some major cash, the protien skimmer alone can cost 100 dollars and the fish can be 20 bucks a pop, so its best that you minimize mistakes by taking the time to learn about fishless cycling, which fish are begginner fish, what type of filtration you need (protien skimmer), and which kind of substraight you are going with, are the fish you chose compatible? Just a few questions that you should be able to answer when you are done with the research. And no, it doesn't smell like the ocean... but that would be awesome if it did!

[83turboranger]

Alright, since I'm fairly new to this hobby I think I might just go with freshwater for now. Maybe in the distant future I'll try saltwater.

Any more advice or tips would be good though to help me with my decision.

And would any tank work for a saltwater tank?

[hail_sniper]

yes any tank would work for saltwater, its corrosice properties really only apply to metals

[83turboranger]

Alright! Thanks. Maybe I'll try the freshwater and a long time after maybe try the saltwater.

[fishgfish]

Salt water is not hard at all, same tank and filter, you would just need a bag of marine salt and a hydrometer. Set it up with some crushed coral on the bottom and fake plastic plants, Use a hang on the back power filter and put a heater in it. Thats all you need. Cycle the water with a few chunks of live rock and hermit crabs, later you can add small fish, clowns, demsels, psuedochromis, cardinals, blennies, gobies. Make sure you read up on the live stock before buying it.
Keep the salt level or spacific gravity at 1.0020-1.0025. Make a small water change every other week, add freshwater once a week, because when water evaporates salt stays in the tank and salt level raises. Thats where the hydrometer comes in, test it and adjust, just like sugar in a cup of tea.
Salt water is not as people make it sound. I started my first marine tank at the age of 14, it was a 29gallon fish only tank and i ended up keeping the same fish for years in that same tank.

[83turboranger]

Well, thats comforting. Thanks for the encouragement.

[Fishfirst]

I never said it was hard... I just said it is something you want to read about before you get into it... I DIDN'T and I PAID for it... made some real stupid mistakes and lost a few fish in the beginning. Filters aren't good enough for saltwater really... they trap nitrates, which kill the inverts first, then your fish. Frequent water changes help but this becomes more of a pain than fun... if you are SERIOUS about saltwater, you'll want a skimmer. And yes it is like freshwater, except these fish are from the ocean, and don't like quick changes in water temp, and chemistry.

[fishgfish]

you are right, one must do his/her research before jumping into it, impulse buyers fall out of the hubby just as fast as it takes a tank to cycle. I think the little 29gallon should be lowtech. One hang on the back is ok. A skimmer is a very good think to have for a saltwater tank, but I think that a fish only 29gallon tank with a few little fish, maybe a few hermit carbs and a shrimp can live with out it. If you do a small water change every week. It is a pain to do waterchanges but its something you have to do, if you want to stay in the hubby. I think that with proper care you can scale down and set up any size tank for saltwater. I have had little set-ups only
2 1/2gallon nano with one tiny powerhead.

[clemsonfrk11202]

yea i definately agree with the research part... im only 17 and i have a reef tank and havent had any problems, other than ich which im treating for in a seperate tank, besides that its not too bad if you really set your mind to researching, there is a LOT of info you need to know before you go out and buy, i studied up for about 6 months before i purchaced a tank. lol i saw a whole family at the lfs about a week ago and they had just started a tank... it was obvious this was their first time and they didnt know anything because they bought a tang damsels shrimp and several other fish (at least $100 worth) and they didnt have live rock protien skimmer or a test kit, and they said they set their tank up a week ago... i tried to warn them but they were stubborn... its sad to know all those fish will be toilet food...

[fishgfish]

I would have to say its the retailers fault for selling all the stuff to them, but maybe the tank was already cycled. many sores test water for free, there are 48hour cycle bottled bacteria, Live sand andwater from a mature tank and it would be ok to put some fish. maybe