# New 30g, a few questions.



## RoughCollies (Jan 20, 2009)

I had salt water tanks as a kid but my parents did the maintenance. I've worked in pet supply and fish stores and do have a decent background in care. However, I have a 30 gallon tank that I'm planning on setting up as a salt and it will be MY first salt tank. 

Basically, I'm starting from scratch. I was given a 30 gallon in great shape and it's been sitting empty for months. Now, I want to slowly start buying supplies for it. We really don't have the money to full on set it up at the moment but I figure if I buy things here and there by the time we're ready, I'll have most of what I need. Probably by the mid to end of summer we'll be ready to get everything started. 

I have a few questions. I've been looking at filters and two were suggested to me. One is the Magnum.










The other is the Eheim. The Eheim is considerably more expensive but if it's that much more in quality as well, I'd rather buy it. I don't want to spend the extra money if it's not worth it, though. I might not have the money to spend all at once at the moment, but I want to make sure I get what's going to be best in the long run, even if that means it takes longer to set up than I am hoping.

My other concern is decor. I don't think I want to take a try at coral. At least not yet. My hubby and I plan on buying a pair of 75 gallons when we buy our next house. He wants a Tropical Community tank and I want a salt tank. Perhaps then, I'll give it a shot. Right now we're in a crowded house in town that simply doesn't allow me the space. Anyway, I've been looking at various types of live rock and have found some that I really love. Again, not that I'm ready for it yet, but it doesn't hurt to look. Would fake coral ruin the natural image that I want to go for? I like it to look realistic and provide the fish with a somewhat natural environment. I've seen some nice all rock tanks that didn't include any coral, too. 

Anyway, I'm really just planning and trying to get what I need stocked up. A recent car repair put us back quite a bit and until we're caught up, I won't be adding anything living to the tank.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I don't think fake or dead coral would look bad, but its your tank, make it look how you'd like. Fish only will be much cheaper. I don't know how they do in salt, but in freshwater, the magnums are serviceable, affordable workhorses. The get noisy over time, but all the parts are replaceable and available (sometimes its cheaper just to buy a new one, though). The eheims are whisper quiet and stay quiet. They last forever and are also repairable with replacement parts. But they are much more expensive up front.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

It sounds like you want a FOWLR tank... so a filter like a magnum and a protien skimmer would do the trick for filtration.


----------



## Kurtfr0 (Nov 2, 2008)

I've actually seena pretty real looking one that had fake coral, Not sure where the guy got it.. but It'd be hard to tell if it was real or fake without a closer look.

You can make it look real.. but I'm sure decor will run a bit.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

okay, it sounds like you talking about setting up a FO, or fish only tank, may I suggest you go ahead and try FOWLR? Fish only with live rock is easier (never done sw but lots of talking and reseraching) because the live rock acts as a natural filter with all the little critters livin down inside of it (bacteria etc.) Don't get me to lying on teh brand of filter because I don't know. Live Rock, besides the cost, can't hurt your tank.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

they say they are looking at liverock


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

RoughCollies said:


> Anyway, I've been looking at various types of live rock and have found some that I really love. *Again, not that I'm ready for it yet*, but it doesn't hurt to look.



That is why i said what i said.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Actually, there is one thing to consider with live rock that's pretty important, and that's fish disease. The treatments for fish diseases tend to ruin live rock. You'll need a separate hospital tank for treating fish.


----------



## RoughCollies (Jan 20, 2009)

Okay, a hospital tank makes sense. I think there is a ten gallon salt kit for pretty inexpensive at a fish store in my area. For just a hospital tank, would that be big enough? And for the hospital tank, would I need anything extra? For example, would I just keep and maintain the salt water at the right level in it or would I have to do anything more when it's not being used? 

I've decided against using my 30g for salt. I am going to save up and get a larger tank since the fish I would like to have get a bit bigger. There's no sense in spending the money twice because I decide later on that I want a bigger tank anyway.

So, while it'll take longer to set one up now, at least I have more time to learn. I'm really excited about it, despite the fact that its going to take longer.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Good plan. Bigger is better.

A ten gallon tank works fine as a hospital for most fish. Some people like to leave them running and cycled all the time, but I think that's crazy talk, since you'd have to change most of the water during treatment phases anyway.


----------

