New to the salt water game

Ok Im not new to the fish world as I have been around fish and been breading guppies for a long time for a couple local shops, and worked at a bait shop that delivered live minos, chubs, gold fish, frogs, leeches, and craw dads to 95% of Iowa (had 7 tanks that were 6'deep 6' wide and about 20' long) but I am new to salt water. I have two 30 gal tanks, five 10 gal, and one that is a custom 4'x6'x3'. I wanna start with just one 30 gallon tank for now to get into it. For a start I have 30 gallons of water off a reef. I am getting 25lbs of carib sea sand, and prolly doing 25-30lbs of live rock. Kinda want a good mixture of little coral life, couple fish, snails, crabs, and possible sea horse or maybe starfish (not sure if either of them would get along well, some say they do others dont). Any recomendations as far as water testing or lighting or prefered pump, was told more water flow better and i wanna eventually make my other 30 a live rock cerculation tank for this 30 and the 10 gal tanks, but just kinda dealing with wat i have for now. Any advice on a direction to head or wat i need before introducing live stock, or even wat to introduce at that time would be greatly aprieciated.

 

As most people will tell you start--start slow and have patience. Almost everyone here can attest to some mistakes that cost them a fish or two. I also have a 30 gallon and will probably only put 5 small fish in it. Just do a lot of research on the types of fish that are compatible, and the order they should be placed in the tank (peaceful first to more aggressive).

Damsels and clowns are decent starting fish. Water flow is crucial. 10x the volume of the tank is ideal probably if you don't have any corals.

I just joined this site a couple weeks ago and it's been incredibly useful. People here speak from experience and really know their stuff. So use this site often! Ask questions, look at a ton of different threads. Good luck!

 

ok it's most likely a no on the seahorse and star fish. I'm no expert and I'm sure other people will give you more info than I can but this is what I know about what you want. The seahorse is possible to do in that tank, but I think you would have to dedicate the tank to seahorse because they don't like the flow that the rest of the reef dose. I don't know all that much about stars, but the two main ones I've seen in the hobby are the sand sifter star, and it requires a BIG sand bed (to much sand for a 30) and the other is a chocolate chip star and they are not reef safe as far as I know. Why do you want to put more rock in your other 30, what is your objective in doing this? do you know about cycling a tank? (probably a really stupid question)

 

your going a little fast here. start by cycaling you rtank, stars and seahorses are extremly hard to keep. and you have no slatwater xp. http://www.3reef.com/forums/general...-new-seahorse-build-many-pictuers-100754.html here my seahorses build thread. reefs are also pretty hard for a biggner. i recomend a FOWLR tank. you found a great site with tons of helpful people.

 

I am looking to do that with the other 30 for the simplicity of not needing to try and bundle more rock in the tens, kinda keep it open and simple while using the 30 to just maintain salt level. One of the shops we delivered guppies for had a small salt set up and with 5 15 gal tanks and a biger one that they store live rock in and sell the reef water out of but they circulate all their salt water tanks out of that one. The guy working there dont do alot with the salt water stuff, the guy that does all the testing and up keep is their supplier who only works there 2 hrs a week as a hobbie so its kinda hard to ask him for much advice as you almost never get ahold of him. But if its not a good idea to set up like that its fine just kinda the direction I was heading cuz its how ive seen it done before.

 

Also looked into the Hatch'n Feed Hatch Live Brine Shrimp Hatcher Feeder, any tips advice if thats a good way to go for food or?

 

live brine are a good treat, but to much wook. frozen food works just just as well.

also can you try to re word that long post above, it dident make that much sence
sorry

 

well mostly stated that the shop that kinda got me wanting to do salt water, they have a couple smaller tanks that dont have the live rock or anything for bacteria and salt upkeep, but they have a bigger tank with lots of live rock and coral that they sell but they use that to circulate the water threw all the other tanks.

 

so you want to take theiur tanks???????? also a 30 is a little hard foe a biggener. i woundent recomend anything smaller then a 55 for you.

right now i think you sould go do a little more reading befor you set up the tank

 

Lol got one that is several hundred gallons, just not that intrested in starting that BIG yet.