Seriously, what do I need to know/do different from a freshwater tank? After the tank is balanced is it pretty easy? I've had a freshwater tank for about a year now and it is doing very well. I dive an love marine life. I woud love to start a salt tank. I just know that the prices for fish/plants are very expensive. Not that I couldn't afford it.... I just def. can't afford to mess the tank up. I've been to fish pros in cary & now the prices are up there for salt water fish & plants. Is that price outrageous or all all salt water fish ~$30

2/22/2006 12:53:05 AM

$30 is cheap - they are not all that cheap

2/22/2006 12:58:33 AM

fish pros can run on the $$ side of some things, but not all. Chech out other stores (see my thread on where to buy aquarium stuffs) starting out your tank can get a little pricey, but you definitely don't start by putting a 30 dollar fish in. You start with damsels, 4.99, and I've even heard of people starting with mollies (1.99) The main problem I have is being patient. You can't just start throwing in fish as soon as the water clears.

2/22/2006 6:50:28 AM

Once your tank is established, you just need to clean the glass, feed the fish and do water changes. By that i mean get about 10% of the water out of you tank and put new saltwater in. It is addicting so be careful. You should be talking to a saltwater store. Your resonable choices are:
Aqua Escape
Fish Pro's
Down Under
Isaac's

2/22/2006 7:17:24 AM

Personally, I disliked Fish Pros because on tanks and set ups they were wildly overpriced. Some of the livestock is pretty overpriced as well, some isn't. Also, if you are paying too much for something, I expect the conditions to be immaculate, and they just aren't. Down Under is the best shop with the best fish that I've seen thus far.

Make sure if you purchase a used tank that it was a saltwater tank, and not a freshwater that had medicine used in it, that can forever throw off your water test results. Also, bioballs are not as helpful in a saltwater tank. They tend to create too much "bio."

2/22/2006 9:20:23 AM

look at lacey getting all smart


I have three books that I absolutely love,
for starting the tank "the conscientious marine aquarists something or other" (lacey has my book)
for deciding what to get Pocket Experts Guide to Marine Fish and Marine Invertebrates

2/22/2006 8:03:25 PM

^

It's all easy stuff I mentioned tho.

2/22/2006 8:55:22 PM

the cost of the fish is like.. 10% of the total cost. to start you need a lb of live rock per gallon of tank.. and a lb of live rock is $7-10. so in a minum startup tank of like 55gal, youre already talking $500

if you really want to do it you better have $1k for startup and a decent bit a month for maintenance

2/23/2006 4:05:14 PM

been there
tried that


sticking with fresh water till i'm rich

good luck Jen

2/23/2006 4:10:29 PM

rubble rock is $4 a pound, and you can find some neat pieces of that

2/23/2006 4:12:33 PM

i had live sand in mine.

it was cool

i bought Dans roommates 10 gallon setup years ago

pointless to have a 10 gall.

2/23/2006 4:14:39 PM

yeah, the bigger the better, and live sand is awesome! mine had some cool little critters in it crawling around the first night. i LOVE my tank, but it is the only tnak i have to keep up with, along with two cats, not a zoo/aquarium like you

2/23/2006 4:23:05 PM

^^^^word, sister.

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 4:23 PM. Reason : dfdf]

2/23/2006 4:23:13 PM

^ hi DAN!!

yea my convicts bred like crazy
but they eat the weaker/smaller babies
so its survival of the fittest in there.
(but i dont have to feed as often)
out of 100 fry i have like 20 left (2 months later)

i charge admission to my zoo now

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 4:45 PM. Reason : ]

2/23/2006 4:44:57 PM