Anyone have a saltwater fish tank?

[Crankyshank]

DH and I have acquired my Uncle's old fish tank, filter, and heater, and since we all ready have a good sized fresh water tank we're planning on setting this one up as a saltwater tank.

I know they are a lot of work and I've done a ton of research on set up and cycle establishment. I was just wondering who else had one and what fish do you recommend starting out with.

 

[ReggieB]

Not much help, but my Step-dad used to have one. He made some really bad fish choices. Something in there kept eating the others. Fish used to just vanish, and seriously, there were only left a couple of really small fish. They didn't look like they had the capacity! I wish I could remember what they were, so you could avoid them!

One of his big problems was keeping the temperature right. He used to have to use fans on it sometimes. Which drove my Mom mad in the winter!

 

[Tiggeroo]

yes i've had one. It's alot of work but worth it. For a good saltwater tank, the bigger the better. This helps to minimize small changes in water chemistry's affect on the fish.
You need to get some good books and find a good saltwater fish store. The store will help you get your tank established. You are attempting to set up a biological filter so you need to introduce bacteria into the water. The store will continually test your water while you are getting your tank established. They will let you know when to put in cheap feeder fish. Then they will tell you when it's ok to start adding things. As you do this you will become familiar with the process until you are doing all your own testing. Remember to do things gradually. It's hard because you get so impatient. But one wrong move or adding too many fish too soon and you will lose things and have to start all over again. Salt water fish are expensive so you don't want too many mistakes. I miss my tank and want to do one again. My son when he was around 9yo swung a baseball bat in the house and crashed the glass.

 

[WhoopyPie]

Find a really good salt water fish store. After you have the tank set up and ready to go, about a month, start small to really get the cycle going. Start with some feather dusters, and a few inexpensive fish. You're going to loose them, it just happens. Make sure you get a cleaner shrimp, snails, we started with a nemo and a blenie (sp) Now we have a yellow tang, Nemo, cleaner shrimp, blood red shrimp, star fish, a sally litefoot, and 2 other fish I can't think of their names. Oh and a green crab.

Salt water tanks take so much more work to get started, by imo are so much nicer.

 

[KellyLynn]

we have a 280 gallon salt water tank. Pm me for a really good website that will go over everything and they have an excellent forum for qquestions. It is a hard obsession. Lots of work , lots of money but like everyone else said well worth it.