Tropical Fish Forums

macika · Regulars Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Location: Canada, ON, Toronto

How to make salt water tank?
What do I have to get for that? (filter, lighting, etc..)
How will I make salt water? I just put some tablesalt in the water?
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50G
planted
low light 1 WPG (now)

Mike612 · Exemplars Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: Quebec, Canada

Never use table salt to make saltwater. You go out and buy proper salt from your lfs. This can be instant ocean salt, reef crystals, etc... You add salt slowly to RO/DI water and use a hydrometer to measure the water density. For fish only, 1.021 is good. For a reef with coral and invertebrates, 1.025 is more essential.
It sounds like you're trying to rush into the saltwater hobby since you aren't even asking basic questions. I recommend you go out and buy The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner.

Dusko · Moderators Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Location: Sweden

voyager2 · Members Joined: 24 Feb 2008

there is A LOT of stuff.
I finished setting up my FOWLR tank about a month ago and it is running smoothly.
and in order for me to set up my first tank no downfalls (knock on wood) I did roughly 6 months of reading and asking questions before I even started

macika · Regulars Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Location: Canada, ON, Toronto

OK, I am newbish in that thing and lil bit hard to browse and research in more than 100000 10 years old topics and forums that's y I made a new one what it's clear to me:) OK, I was thinkin of making salt water tank. But I have no clue what, how and where to start. lol
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50G
planted
low light 1 WPG (now)

voyager2 · Members Joined: 24 Feb 2008

well lets start with the very basics

Budget, that will be the most determining factor.
but money aside

tank size, start with that, cause setting up a 29g will be a bit different than a 55g

FloridaBoy · Moderators Joined: 04 Jul 2004

nes999 · Regulars Joined: 10 Mar 2009 Location: Peoria IL

I'm a freshwater guy doing research in saltwater ill tell you this I know from personal expirence months of research will save months of pain and frustrastion

and secondly

never listen to the lfs they most of the time are dumb

buy the book the people on the fourm tell you they know what their talking about I have to books including the one someone said earlyer on order

you have to cycle your tank their should be a sticky link the fourms

and know that this is serious don't go out and go soly on what lfs guy tells you to know what you want before hand save and once you know you have enough money multiply that buy 1.5 start slow add more as time goes in

know what works for your fish when I acclmate my fish I do 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 min some people say 30 min is all you need

get your fish a routine my fish can "sense" when food time is becouse thats when I go to bed they are ready and in the vary sad case one of your fish dies find out why so you know next time no one is perfect ask anyone on this fourm everyone has had 1 or more dead fish
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