New to aquariums

[Marla]

Hello!  I am interested in getting started in saltwater aquariums.  I was talking with a friend on Facebook who has a couple tanks already, he said this is the place to go to get questions answered!

 

I wanted to get some opinions on where to start.  Want to have everything planned out before purchasing anything.  I’m reading books and researching first.  What I want is to have a relatively small tank (20 gallons or less) with maybe one or two fish and a few corals.  Is that doable for a newbie or should I go to a bigger tank to start off?  I do have the space to go bigger but I would rather start small.  What other words of wisdom do you have for me?  Thanks!

[WV Reefer]

7 minutes ago, Marla said:

Hello!  I am interested in getting started in saltwater aquariums.  I was talking with a friend on Facebook who has a couple tanks already, he said this is the place to go to get questions answered!

 

I wanted to get some opinions on where to start.  Want to have everything planned out before purchasing anything.  I’m reading books and researching first.  What I want is to have a relatively small tank (20 gallons or less) with maybe one or two fish and a few corals.  Is that doable for a newbie or should I go to a bigger tank to start off?  I do have the space to go bigger but I would rather start small.  What other words of wisdom do you have for me?  Thanks!

Welcome. 🙂 

 

Research, research, research. 

 

Start in the beginners forum and work your way up.  Check out members threads and find reefs that you would like to imitate. 

 

[ninjamyst]

Hi Facebook buddy =P.  Start small with IM14, IM 20, or IM 25 depending on the shape of the aquarium you want.  I would reconsider putting it in the basement because a small.tank will look killer on in your kitchen or living room depending if you have a cabinet or counter top space for it. 

 

IM = innovative marine.  You can look at their tanks on marinedepot.com.  

[specore]

I think smaller tanks are a great place to start.  In my experience the most labor intensive part of owning a tank is performing water changes, and those are way easier on tanks under 30g.  As far as placement I have learned to put tanks in places where I spend the most time.    Out of sight = out of mind, and there is definitely more of a tendency to neglect (or at least not enjoy) tanks in places where we don't already spend significant amounts of time.  

 

There is a lot of information and it can seem very intimidating. In the end a powerhead, light, , RO/DI water and regular water changes can get you a great tank.  The more complicated stuff can be figured out over time.  

[Marla]

Thanks!  Good to know that small might actually be okay!  We don’t have a TON of counter space, will have to figure out if we could find a smaller tank that would fit while still being around 20 gallons.  If not a floor stand might work out as well.  Good tip on putting it where you will see it and enjoy it, seems obvious but I can see your point.  Out of the way might get neglected.

[ninjamyst]

14 minutes ago, specore said:

I think smaller tanks are a great place to start.  In my experience the most labor intensive part of owning a tank is performing water changes, and those are way easier on tanks under 30g.  As far as placement I have learned to put tanks in places where I spend the most time.    Out of sight = out of mind, and there is definitely more of a tendency to neglect (or at least not enjoy) tanks in places where we don't already spend significant amounts of time.  

 

There is a lot of information and it can seem very intimidating. In the end you a powerhead, light, , RO/DI water and regular water changes can get you a great tank.  The more complicated stuff can be figured out over time.  

^ This is soooo key.  With a small tank, water change is a breeze.  With a big tank, you have to make sooooo much more water every time.  And you don't have to spend $$$$ on skimmers, algae reactor, APEX, doser, and all the other crap I have spent on my 90 gallons and it's still just an algae forest.

 

Another plus to having it in your kitchen is that most of your outlets in the kitchen should already have GCFI for water safety.  If space is an issue, you can do the IM 14 gallons and still be able to put 2 clown fish in it.  Once you decide on the tank, the light is next.  The bigger the tank, the more expensive the light so again, small tank = winner.  

 

 

[1891Bro]

53 minutes ago, ninjamyst said:

^ This is soooo key.  With a small tank, water change is a breeze.  With a big tank, you have to make sooooo much more water every time.  And you don't have to spend $$$$ on skimmers, algae reactor, APEX, doser, and all the other crap I have spent on my 90 gallons and it's still just an algae forest.

 

Another plus to having it in your kitchen is that most of your outlets in the kitchen should already have GCFI for water safety.  If space is an issue, you can do the IM 14 gallons and still be able to put 2 clown fish in it.  Once you decide on the tank, the light is next.  The bigger the tank, the more expensive the light so again, small tank = winner.  

 

 

Once you get to large tank status you dose instead of change water.  That’s simplifying but it’s the gist. 

[Zach W]

I was a newbie to the hobby as well just a few months ago (I still am...) and started where you are. It’s key to do a ton of research on here and ask questions when you have them! I started with an IM fusion 20 and absolutely love it! I would highly recommend getting a light that allows you to grow in the hobby. You can go the cheaper route but if you want more demanding corals/anemones/clams ever you will most likely have to buy something more expensive later on anyway. Take it slow though and expect a couple bumps along the way, you will be fine! Good luck 

[Marla]

How do you change the water in a tank? Do you have to use a pump or something to get it out?  Just curious.

[specore]

Just now, Marla said:

How do you change the water in a tank? Do you have to use a pump or something to get it out?  Just curious.

Nothing fancy. Simply siphon out a couple of gallons, put in a freshly mixed water. 

[ninjamyst]

7 minutes ago, Marla said:

How do you change the water in a tank? Do you have to use a pump or something to get it out?  Just curious.

You should invest in RODI unit to make clean, purified water from your tap water.  The RODI unit costs about $120 and you hook it up to a faucet whenever you need to make water.  Some people even hard plumb it to be always connected to a water source.  Go to Home Depot and buy a 5 gallon bucket and fill it up with about 4 gallons of RODI water.  Then drop in a pump, add marine salt, and let it mix for a good 30 mins to an hour.  Then you can simply siphon water out of your tank and pour in the newly mixed saltwater.  With a nano tank, the process can be done in 15 - 30 mins (excluding the time to make the RODI and mix it with salt).  If you don't want to mix your own RODI and salt and you have a fish store close by, you can purchase saltwater by the gallon from them at about $1.50 a gallon.  You only need to change about 20% of the water volume every week, so 4 gallons for a 20 gallon tank.  That's why investing in your own RODI unit is better in the long term for financial and peace of mind reasons.  If you need to do emergency water change and fish store is closed, you are out of luck without your own RODI unit.  

 

 

[Clown79]

I love smaller tanks. I had a 55g but I really enjoy my nano's.

 

Great to hear you are researching!.

 

Having a 20-25g is a great size, isn't too big nor very small.

 

You certainly could do the IM 20. 2 fish and corals is very doable. The tanks are great, easy to use, and look really nice.

 

Best piece of advice besides research a lot,  is keep it simple. Don't get overwhelmed, don't over stress.

 

People make it out to be a lot harder than it is.

 

This hobby is filled with merchandise that's not necessary to use, it's also filled with over priced items.

Price doesn't equate to quality!

[KNelson]

You can also buy the RO water from a place and mix with whatever salt you choose if you don't have the budget or space for a unit.  My LFS sells the water for $0.30 per gallon.  I live in a small apartment and this option works the best for me.  IMO mixing your own water is the only way you are sure it's right.  

 

And +100000000 to research, research, research.  When you think you understand, research for another month.  Seriously.  Then start your tank cycling and wait a few more months.  When you have a question, type it in the search bar - 95% of the time that question has been asked and will have tons of great responses.  You won't have to wait for an answer.  There are great stickied threads on fish suitable for nanos, "what's this in my tank?!", "how do i _____?"

 

 to N-R!

[banasophia]

I just started my first saltwater tank four months ago... I love it so much! There’s so much to research and decide on in the beginning. I am really happy with my Biocube 16, and starting up an IM 10 Nuvo now that I recently picked up off of Facebook Marketplace. They are so different. One thing you’ll need to decide is if you need a tank with a lid. I have two golden retrievers, so I wanted to be better able to keep out the stray fur. Some people struggle with hair algae, for me it’s just hair haha.

 

I love the smaller tanks due to the manageability of maintenance. Since my water changes are only 2 gallons each time I started out using Nutri-Seawater and also tried Imagitarium seawater and water mixed by my local fish store in the beginning. Now I buy distilled water from the grocery store or Prime Now and just mix in a 1/2 cup of my salt mix per gallon of water and I’m all set to do my water change - siphon old water out, siphon new water in, done. 

 

One of my favorite guys at my local fish store told me in the beginning, “it’s as easy or as complex as you want it to be”... I like that, and agree for the most part. I feel like I kept my setup simple, but I did choose some challenging fish and corals to start out with. On my new tank I hope to simplify further... we’ll see how that goes haha. 

 

You came to to the right place... I’ve found this forum to be an immense support and a really great community. Have fun in your research. 

[Recci]

There is a lot to learn with salt water tanks. Lets not beat about the bush! Its a complicated and expensive hobby that is not for everyone.  Its taken me over a year of research and trial and error to really understand what I am doing. There is also a lot of bad information and poor guidance that misdirects the beginner, some of it has been given to you in this thread already. Like you can bet by with water changes alone and you don't need to dose.  This is simply not that case unless you do 100% water changes every time. 

 

You need to understand the following:

• The nitrogen cycle, go research that.
• salinity
• What alkalinity is and how it buffers ph
• The relationship between calcium, magnesium and alkalinity in your tank and how is gets consumed
• Phosphates in the tank 
• Lighting for reef tanks
• what a protein skimmer is and how it works
• The difference between Soft,LPS and SPS corals
• Fish and coral parasites and diseases 

 

There is a lot more but that should get you started.

[A Little Blue]

Biggest mistake beginners make is:

• not understanding basic water chemistry 

• lock of patience

• trying to save few $ on cheap equipment

• getting discouraged due to lock of basic knowledge and quitting after first wipeout. 

[FlytheWMark]

Kitchen area is a great spot for the IM10 or 14.  If you are going to spend the time and drop the $$$ make sure its somewhere where everyone can enjoy it and guests can see.  I also agree with A Little Blue's comment of saving a few dollars on cheap equipment.  You'll end up paying for it in the end.  Front end good expenditures pay for themselves!

[FlytheWMark]

Also, find a local fish store if you can... invaluable help there!

[specore]

18 minutes ago, Mark L. said:

Also, find a local fish store if you can... invaluable help there!

Maybe... 😉

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, Recci said:

There is a lot to learn with salt water tanks. Lets not beat about the bush! Its a complicated and expensive hobby that is not for everyone.  Its taken me over a year of research and trial and error to really understand what I am doing. There is also a lot of bad information and poor guidance that misdirects the beginner, some of it has been given to you in this thread already. Like you can bet by with water changes alone and you don't need to dose.  This is simply not that case unless you do 100% water changes every time. 

 

You need to understand the following:

• The nitrogen cycle, go research that.
• salinity
• What alkalinity is and how it buffers ph
• The relationship between calcium, magnesium and alkalinity in your tank and how is gets consumed
• Phosphates in the tank 
• Lighting for reef tanks
• what a protein skimmer is and how it works
• The difference between Soft,LPS and SPS corals
• Fish and coral parasites and diseases 

 

There is a lot more but that should get you started.

I have to say, people make saltwater sound like rocket science and it isn't.

It's really not that complicated.

 

 

It's also untrue that one must dose, not everyone does.

 

 

There are a lot of ppl that don't dose and their tanks are fine.

 

I don't test or dose my 5g, nor did I my 1g. 

 

[specore]

9 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I have to say, people make saltwater sound like rocket science and it isn't.

It's really not that complicated.

 

 

Can I like this 1,000 times?  Basic husbandry is the key.  This means starting with RO/DI water for mixing and top off, not overfeeding or overstocking,  testing as needed, doing weekly water changes of 15-20%, and most importantly watching for clues something is amiss.   If your tank is lightly stocked you probably don't need to dose initially.  If you do ever need to dose the two part systems make it a breeze.  

 

As far as equipment just don't cheap out on a heater as they can cause a crash.  I would encourage you to buy as good a light as you can budget for, but plenty of people have had success without dropping $400 on a light.  Powerheads are powerheads, and while some have more bells and whistles or are more aesthetically pleasing they all move water.  I personally have found protein skimmers to be useless if you have a smaller tank and are doing regular water changes.  

 

Get a handle on the basics first.  then overcomplicate it  and overspend later.  

[FlytheWMark]

49 minutes ago, specore said:

Maybe... 😉

I'll rephrase... a GOOD local fish store.  Point well taken @specore

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, specore said:

Can I like this 1,000 times?  Basic husbandry is the key.  This means starting with RO/DI water for mixing and top off, not overfeeding or overstocking,  testing as needed, doing weekly water changes of 15-20%, and most importantly watching for clues something is amiss.   If your tank is lightly stocked you probably don't need to dose initially.  If you do ever need to dose the two part systems make it a breeze.  

 

As far as equipment just don't cheap out on a heater as they can cause a crash.  I would encourage you to buy as good a light as you can budget for, but plenty of people have had success without dropping $400 on a light.  Powerheads are powerheads, and while some have more bells and whistles or are more aesthetically pleasing they all move water.  I personally have found protein skimmers to be useless if you have a smaller tank and are doing regular water changes.  

 

Get a handle on the basics first.  then overcomplicate it  and overspend later.  

Well said.

 

 

[Marla]

Thanks all.  Appreciate the advice!  Keep it coming, I’m all ears.  I’m looking around at fish stores over the weekends, trying to find one that seems good.  As far as equipment, sounds like middle of the road would be best for me, I don’t want to cheap out but getting “the best” right out of the gate probably isn’t a great idea either.  If anything I tend to overspend and then regret it later so I’d like to not go overboard this time.

[specore]

I'm selling my Kessil A360's.  One of those would be perfect over the size tank you are looking at and be enough light to grow anything.