First time

[newbeeMike]

This is my first time on any forum. I have decided to venture out into the world of Saltwater. I must admit I am just as scared as I am excited. I have never had a saltwater tank but have taken outstanding care of my 55 gallon tank which is the home of several gorgeous large goldfish (lionheads and others). My family thought I was crazy when I bought a $65 goldfish. Now they think Iam even crazier. I currently have a 45 gal show tank (empty). A emperor 400 filter. a protein skimmer, powerhead. and Light (my wife wanted to kill me when she saw the receit for the light. I am going to purchase the water, sand and live rock next weekend. I am lucky enough to live in central florida and have looked online and found a couple of of places that sell live rock and I can pick it up. I was a little nervous about buying it online. I rather see what I am getting. I am looking for any advice for starting a new tank. Should I put the water sand and rock in together for the first time. Should I put the sand and water first and wait to but the rock. No clue what to do. I want to have a reef tank with various coral. any advice of cleaner critters and were to get them (is online buy safe?). Thanks .. Mike

 

[Sk8r]

Hi there! I know lionheads---I was the custodian of Puddin', a beautiful lionhead above half a century old, if one could believe her press. Her family could no longer take care of her, and she lived out her last years with me, a delightful creature. And I know about the accumulation of hugely expensive lights that aren't plugged in yet. All I know is what I did: I got it all at once, since my sand comes dry and the rock has to be wet. I put it all together, with very live rock, and turned on the skimmer and the light. It was a short, effective cycle, then, and the tank has run well since. I'd also advise (once your nitrite/trate readings are 0, getting a very varied cleaning crew before the algae gets bad, and then prepare to fend algae streamers out of your filter teeth: a flood won't impress the spouse at all! IMHO, the more varied your cleaner crew/invert base, including worms, crabs, snails etc., the healthier the response of the tank to detritus, and the healthier everything will be. I'd suggest finding a good fish store if you can and getting your cleaning crew where you can eyeball the water, the other critters, and be sure you're not importing disease. Get a quarantine tank for when you import fish, and don't put even the most trustworthy fish store water into your tank: drip-acclimate over an hour for everything, no matter how humble, and use a net to transfer the specimen from one to the other to minimize the chance of carrying problems like ich from one tank to another. Hope that helps.

 

[wrightme43]

Welcome. Glad your here.
You found the right place. Start reading thru the archives.
Another thing that will help get you started right.
Bob Fenners Conscientous Marine Aquarist. Its a very useful book. It can save you alot of money and a lot of heartache.
Major pieces of advice you more then likely have already figured this out, though.
Just cause it looks cool, it may not go in the tank.
Good test kits are very important.
Pick a brand of salt and stick with it.
Cheapest usually isnt best, and most expensive usually isnt either. LOL
Go slow, take your time, and you will have a blast.