Hi there,

Can anyone recommend a good place to start on how to go about setting up a marine tank? Kept tropicals for years, but marine seems foreign to me - sumps, protein skimmers, NSW..?? what?? See, I need help. Thanks.

Michelle

The first thing you will need is~~CASH

Well~ you should decide what size of a tank you would want, FOT or RT.

Yeah, the cash thing I'm aware of. What is FOT or RT?

Fish only or Reef tank

I'm sure if you look back a page or two Its been covered before,If you can't find It I'm sure we can give you some scary advise

OK. Definately reef. That pretty much makes the tank I think!

This is a reasonably good glossary of marine terms:

http://www.seasky.org/aquarium/sea3a.html

Read them first (or at least keep the reference to them) so you know what people are talking about when they mention various terminology!!!

OK. Jeez, excuse me for not being fluent in marine talk! No worries, plenty of other places to get info. I wasn't aware I needed to read a book first in order to post here.

??? It wasnt a piss take, it was a genuine post - a starting point to help you understand some marine terminology. Here are some more:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... 2/chem.htm

http://www.aquaria.info/modules.php?op= ... =0&thold=0

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/startinganaquarium/

Saltaquarium.about.com would be the best place to start.

I found it extremely useful.

The other sites are great too.

Good luck!

Thanks for the links. Will check them out today.

Michelle

Actually the best thing you could do Magnus will be drop a PM to some reefers in your area and see if you can go and look at their tank with them.

Reading is essential, however there is so much information, much of it conflicting, it will save you money long term to go check out some peoples tanks, choose a method that looks successful, then do heaps of reading on that & go with it.

Squabling bunch on the net that we are, I have yet to meet a reefer in person who did not turn out to be a pretty cool person. You will get a warm reception at anyones house when you go to "talk reefing".

Actually the best thing you could do Magnus will be drop a PM to some reefers in your area and see if you can go and look at their tank with them

I agree, a picture is worth a thousand words! Go see Layton's tank, Im sure he wont mind

Cool. Good advice. BTW, sorry for my earlier 'flare up'. I really do want to learn. Unfortunately I've come across some pretty mean people in forums who chastise you for not knowing everything right off the bat! My apologies if this was not your intention. :oops:

no it wasnt my intention, but thats the problem with written words, they can be misconstrued rather easily! no offence taken

Some one in Chc is selling a whole setup on trademe at the moment for $2500, there's no pic and very little detail but it might be a very good place to start. One of the other local reefers might be willing to go and have a look with you, it's pretty easy to work out the value of all the bits and pieces, most of us keep an eye on second hand prices. I wouldn't worry about the size and shape of the tank cause this is usually one of the cheapest parts, the value is in the well cycled rock corals fish etc and of course the hardware (pumps skimmer etc).

If you want a book, the best book I have read for tank setup is 'The natural Reef Aquairum' by Tullock (tfh publication). Explains all the sciences, is very modern, full of good information about how liverock tanks work.

There are many ways to run a reef, but the 'natura' method (rock and skimmer) is the most common, the most natural, and possibly the easiest.

9/10 reccomended reading.

Pie