I want to start a salwater tank

I want to start a saltwater tank and I obviously have a lot of questions. So here it goes:

1.Can I use any tank? Is there anything I should watch out for?
2.Is the Lion fish a good starter? Would they get along with Clowns? (Percula)
3.What equipment do I need?
4.Should I use tap water? If not, then where do I get it?

That's all I can think of for now, I'll probably have more questions down the road. Thanks in advance to everyone for there help.

 

Get a drilled tank

Lionfish will probably eat the clown when it gets big enough for it to fit in it's mouth.

Skimmer, and good lights, PO4 reactor

NEVER use tap, only RO/DI water. Make sure it has 0 TDS or you will only have algae problems later on.

 

Ok to answer you questoins we need to know a hole lot more on what you are planning for your tank. But I would really appreciate it and recommend for you to read through this link:

How to Set Up a Saltwater Aquarium - How to SetUp a Salt water Fish Aquarium


After reading it you should have a better idea of what you would like to do and we could answer your questions better.

 

I want to start a saltwater tank and I obviously have a lot of questions. So here it goes:

1.Can I use any tank? Is there anything I should watch out for?
yes as long as no toxic chemicals have been used in it.
2.Is the Lion fish a good starter? Would they get along with Clowns? (Percula)
if you have a big tank, yes. other then that i recommend a damsel.
for a lil while then the lion would get big and perculas would become chow.
any fish that can fit in another fishes mouth is potentially a meal.
3.What equipment do I need?
protien skimmer(don't just get anyone alot are really crappy),ro/di, bucket of salt, pumps/powerheads and tubing if you have a sump. lighting(type depends on what you want in the tank corals etc.)
4.Should I use tap water? If not, then where do I get it?
dechlorinated tap water has been used in Fish only tanks before, but i recommend you get a RO/di fitler for the tap water.
That's all I can think of for now, I'll probably have more questions down the road. Thanks in advance to everyone for there help.

the best thing to do before starting is alot of research, some livestock is uncompatible and some have special needs.

 

I also agree with mission, you need to do some more research before you get started. I know this site is designed to help but only to a certain extent.

A lionfish is not a goodstart, first off they are venomous. Second they are meant for an experienced reefer. I would say they probably wouldnt get along with clowns, dont have any experience directly but have never heard of anyone pairng them up.

You need alot of equipment. It is completely different than fresh. Alot of decisions to be made before you even start. Reef vs. fish only, live rock vs. base rock, so on and so forth. From there you can start deciding what setup you need as to filters, fuges, lights, protein skimmers, flow and powerheads, what type of sand you are going to use. Their is a ton to think about before even getting started. All this will effect your tank size, that should be one of the first things you decide, what tank are you willing to work on and/or afford. The bigger the more expensive, but the smaller the harder to balance out paramaters.

And NO, you can not use tap water. at all. I know this from experience. I started my tank off with tap water and it was a mess. There are alot of chemicals in tap water that should not be in a sw tank. You can get reverse water, it has all the chemicals taken out of. Usually you can get it from an LFS or you can buy a unit that hooks up to your tap to make your own.

Like i said, you have a lot to think about before you get started. One of the first things you should consider is money, and a budget, it can get expensive quickly.

I am not trying to discourage, because it is a fun hobby, you should just be educated about it before you start. If not, you will end up with a mess and a lot of wasted money.

Good luck to you

 

totter brings up a good point. although a lion is hardy its also pretty poisoness, so you need to be aware of its spines and know the proper treatment if you get stung(i think its either hot or cold water for 15 mins to neutralize it) usually if you go to the hosipital they won't be able to do much for you. people reactions to the venom very just like be stings, it has the potential to get really ugly but i would expect some pain in the area for a week or so.

 

Wow, thanks for all the help. I have been doing a lot of research for the past week and those were just some questions that I was unable to get a clear answer for. Where would I get RO/DI water? And is it a good idea to keep some in a 5 gallon bucket for water changes? Once I get the tank set up I plan on waiting at least a month for it to do it's thing, and so I can get practice with adjustments if needed.

 

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