Marine aquarium
Discussion
Any one on here run a marine aquarium?
I've got a 6x2x2 tank at the moment the i keep Ciclids in, but i have someone to buy the whole set up and I've been looking into marine. loving the colours, and all the live corals that go with it.
Would be looking at the same size tank, but confused as to what filter system to go for, either external filters or a sump tank.
Can some one point me to the pro's & cons on each? And any other do's or don'ts
Thanks.
I've got a 6x2x2 tank at the moment the i keep Ciclids in, but i have someone to buy the whole set up and I've been looking into marine. loving the colours, and all the live corals that go with it.
Would be looking at the same size tank, but confused as to what filter system to go for, either external filters or a sump tank.
Can some one point me to the pro's & cons on each? And any other do's or don'ts
Thanks.
S1mon. said:
Any one on here run a marine aquarium?
I've got a 6x2x2 tank at the moment the i keep Ciclids in, but i have someone to buy the whole set up and I've been looking into marine. loving the colours, and all the live corals that go with it.
Would be looking at the same size tank, but confused as to what filter system to go for, either external filters or a sump tank.
Can some one point me to the pro's & cons on each? And any other do's or don'ts
Thanks.
look here:I've got a 6x2x2 tank at the moment the i keep Ciclids in, but i have someone to buy the whole set up and I've been looking into marine. loving the colours, and all the live corals that go with it.
Would be looking at the same size tank, but confused as to what filter system to go for, either external filters or a sump tank.
Can some one point me to the pro's & cons on each? And any other do's or don'ts
Thanks.
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/forumdisplay.ph...
And http://www.marinefish-uk.co.uk/forums/
and quite possibly here
http://www.reefcentral.co.uk/
But yes, I run a marine aquarium or two - one reef and one fish only.
and quite possibly here
http://www.reefcentral.co.uk/
But yes, I run a marine aquarium or two - one reef and one fish only.
I kept marine for a few years, only had a 300 liter system though.
Go sump! That was my biggest regret when I set up my system. I used my external system purely as extra flow and a way of treating the thing with carbon and rowaphos.
Buy this book.
http://www.tmc-publishing.com/books/book-18.htm
Read it a lot!
A good system is all in the planning. You need to decide what corals and fish combos you want to keep and if it's possible to keep them together. From there it will dictate what flow/lighting/filtration and overall size you will need.
Generally bigger is better. Less chance of stuff going wrong so it's good that you're going for a large set up.
That book really does give you a very good overall idea about marine systems and how to go about setting them up. It's not a be all and end all guide though, there is a lot to learn with marines. Good luck and post pics!
ETA: Pros and cons,
well the benefit of the sump is you're adding system volume. The bigger the system the more stable it is. Secondly you're also creating a nice place to put all the ugly kit that you don't really want hanging from the tank. You can also use it to grow beneficial algaes and all sorts which you don't want in your main tank really.
Bad points are that they are a bit more complicated to originally set up as you need to ensure you have trips and things in place so that if your return pump failed you're not going to end up with water all over your floor! And they are more costly I guess but I haven't found much to do with marine that isn't costly.
Go sump! That was my biggest regret when I set up my system. I used my external system purely as extra flow and a way of treating the thing with carbon and rowaphos.
Buy this book.
http://www.tmc-publishing.com/books/book-18.htm
Read it a lot!
A good system is all in the planning. You need to decide what corals and fish combos you want to keep and if it's possible to keep them together. From there it will dictate what flow/lighting/filtration and overall size you will need.
Generally bigger is better. Less chance of stuff going wrong so it's good that you're going for a large set up.
That book really does give you a very good overall idea about marine systems and how to go about setting them up. It's not a be all and end all guide though, there is a lot to learn with marines. Good luck and post pics!
ETA: Pros and cons,
well the benefit of the sump is you're adding system volume. The bigger the system the more stable it is. Secondly you're also creating a nice place to put all the ugly kit that you don't really want hanging from the tank. You can also use it to grow beneficial algaes and all sorts which you don't want in your main tank really.
Bad points are that they are a bit more complicated to originally set up as you need to ensure you have trips and things in place so that if your return pump failed you're not going to end up with water all over your floor! And they are more costly I guess but I haven't found much to do with marine that isn't costly.
Edited by Smashed on Tuesday 8th November 07:41
The only advise I can offer is that if you want it to be successful and look stunning, you will spend several thousand pounds on it.
I personally would get a smaller one and see if it still interests you after a couple of years.
There is nothing worse than a 150 gallon tank with a few scabby corals a couple of lumps of rock and a few cheap ugly fish.
I personally would get a smaller one and see if it still interests you after a couple of years.
There is nothing worse than a 150 gallon tank with a few scabby corals a couple of lumps of rock and a few cheap ugly fish.
steviejasp said:
The only advise I can offer is that if you want it to be successful and look stunning, you will spend several thousand pounds on it.
I personally would get a smaller one and see if it still interests you after a couple of years.
There is nothing worse than a 150 gallon tank with a few scabby corals a couple of lumps of rock and a few cheap ugly fish.
Yes, it will cost a few thousand to look good.I personally would get a smaller one and see if it still interests you after a couple of years.
There is nothing worse than a 150 gallon tank with a few scabby corals a couple of lumps of rock and a few cheap ugly fish.
But I disagree with going smaller, the bigger the better. More water = more stability (if for example you don't want to run a peristaltic pump and a float switch for top-ups etc)
OP, where in the country are you? It's worth going to a few GOOD shops as well...
I know what you mean about bigger is more stable but I would consider a 4x2x2 or something similar. 100 gallons is still ample for stability.
If you get into it , it will run away with you! My last tank was only a 300 litre cube but it still owed me about 3 or 4 grand! 600 quid for a couple of circulation pumps for christs sake!!
If you get into it , it will run away with you! My last tank was only a 300 litre cube but it still owed me about 3 or 4 grand! 600 quid for a couple of circulation pumps for christs sake!!
Marine is pricey yes but I was managing to keep a fairly good looking tank whilst working as an apprentice. It was a bit of buy little bits now and then which suits marine anyway, I just couldn't afford things like halide lights and reactors etc. I had a very basic set up. T5 lighting, loads of recylced live rock that I got very cheaply from reefers on forums and just a hell of a lot of powerheads to keep the thing circulating. Ebay'd myself a good skimmer etc. I could keep quite a good amount of soft corals with this set up though. If you want to go for SPS (hard corals) which are generally more colourful then yes you're looking at a lot of hardware and a lot of running costs too.
I did a lot of research on it before I got into it, like a good year or so. I still find it fascinating and I think you need that kind of mind set if you want to go into it otherwise you will just give up as soon as something goes wrong.
And remember, only bad things happen quickly in marine tanks!
I did a lot of research on it before I got into it, like a good year or so. I still find it fascinating and I think you need that kind of mind set if you want to go into it otherwise you will just give up as soon as something goes wrong.
And remember, only bad things happen quickly in marine tanks!
Have kept marine fish for many years and used to run the aquatics section of a petshop where we stocked freshwater trops, coldwater, and marine / inverts.
Just echoing what previous posters have said really - the things I would try to make sure you do are:
1) Go as large as you can accommodate/afford. Typically this lends itself to better stability but also allows for a broader choice of livestock, and less stress for the fish from territorial disputes.
2) Definitely include a plumbed in sump if you can as again this increases the total water volume as well as allowing you to manage filtration and water chemistry stabilisation outside of the main body of tank water - which is preferable both for efficiency and aesthetics.
3) There is some debate as to whether running with a protein skimmer or ULNS (Ultra Low Nutrient System) is the preferred method of choice at the moment, personally Im a little old school and would always run a decent skimmer - give some thought to how you will manage the placement of the skimmer in the sump (i.e. depending on whether you have a refugium and where you place this you will want the skimmer not to strip out some of the good stuff the refugium allows back into the tank water).
4) Find a *good* marine aquarium and become friendly. There are a LOT of crap ones out there, and although forums can provide you with a lot of support and answers (join thesaltybox, and reefcentral for sure) its always going to be a solid starting point to have someone you can speak to in the flesh at source. Also a good and experienced aquarium will have better livestock and better water quality - you will be introducing both to your display tank at some point whether you like it or not.
5) If you have space somewhere, try to accomodate a QT (Quarantine tank) the QT doesnt have to be running 100% of the time, and could be set up now and again as needs arise, but it will give you options you dont have if you need to segregate infected livestock and allow you to use treatments you dont want to have entering the display tank.
6) Read, alot.
7) Plan your livestock and dont attempt fish/inverts which are known to be difficult in terms of husbandry - for example fish which are known to be obligate coral polyp feeders - such as certain filefish and butterflies are nigh on impossible to maintain in captivity and best left in the ocean. In terms of inverts many species of anemones and hard corals are often sold to aquarists by the not so good shops as "medium care" or good reef additions, but yet are difficult or hit and miss to maintain in captivity sometimes despite the aquarist having "ideal" water chemistry and conditions - for example - goniopora or alvepora corals (sometimes sold as "flowerpot coral") are often sold to beginners and they simply dont do well 90% of the time - likewise Malu anemones are often traded and can be very hard to keep. You will have to build up a knowledge of these things through reading/forum advice/advice from your chosen LFS (local fish shop) before you end up with something in your tank which you shouldnt.
To be honest there are many things which I could add to the list (such as curing live rock etc) but youll no doubt come across these when you do your reading. Personally I think its the most rewarding of all aquarium hobbies as the inhabitants (in my opinion) are the most interesting to watch behaviour wise as well as having the best colouration. It is without doubt one of the hardest though, and will require dedication and a well established routine of maintenance.
Best of Luck !, enjoy yourself.
R.
Just echoing what previous posters have said really - the things I would try to make sure you do are:
1) Go as large as you can accommodate/afford. Typically this lends itself to better stability but also allows for a broader choice of livestock, and less stress for the fish from territorial disputes.
2) Definitely include a plumbed in sump if you can as again this increases the total water volume as well as allowing you to manage filtration and water chemistry stabilisation outside of the main body of tank water - which is preferable both for efficiency and aesthetics.
3) There is some debate as to whether running with a protein skimmer or ULNS (Ultra Low Nutrient System) is the preferred method of choice at the moment, personally Im a little old school and would always run a decent skimmer - give some thought to how you will manage the placement of the skimmer in the sump (i.e. depending on whether you have a refugium and where you place this you will want the skimmer not to strip out some of the good stuff the refugium allows back into the tank water).
4) Find a *good* marine aquarium and become friendly. There are a LOT of crap ones out there, and although forums can provide you with a lot of support and answers (join thesaltybox, and reefcentral for sure) its always going to be a solid starting point to have someone you can speak to in the flesh at source. Also a good and experienced aquarium will have better livestock and better water quality - you will be introducing both to your display tank at some point whether you like it or not.
5) If you have space somewhere, try to accomodate a QT (Quarantine tank) the QT doesnt have to be running 100% of the time, and could be set up now and again as needs arise, but it will give you options you dont have if you need to segregate infected livestock and allow you to use treatments you dont want to have entering the display tank.
6) Read, alot.
7) Plan your livestock and dont attempt fish/inverts which are known to be difficult in terms of husbandry - for example fish which are known to be obligate coral polyp feeders - such as certain filefish and butterflies are nigh on impossible to maintain in captivity and best left in the ocean. In terms of inverts many species of anemones and hard corals are often sold to aquarists by the not so good shops as "medium care" or good reef additions, but yet are difficult or hit and miss to maintain in captivity sometimes despite the aquarist having "ideal" water chemistry and conditions - for example - goniopora or alvepora corals (sometimes sold as "flowerpot coral") are often sold to beginners and they simply dont do well 90% of the time - likewise Malu anemones are often traded and can be very hard to keep. You will have to build up a knowledge of these things through reading/forum advice/advice from your chosen LFS (local fish shop) before you end up with something in your tank which you shouldnt.
To be honest there are many things which I could add to the list (such as curing live rock etc) but youll no doubt come across these when you do your reading. Personally I think its the most rewarding of all aquarium hobbies as the inhabitants (in my opinion) are the most interesting to watch behaviour wise as well as having the best colouration. It is without doubt one of the hardest though, and will require dedication and a well established routine of maintenance.
Best of Luck !, enjoy yourself.
R.
steviejasp said:
If you get into it , it will run away with you! !
But it is so worth it. And a euromillions win would see me trying to breed leafy sea dragons!!
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