[WhistlePunk]

Ok right now i have two freshwater tanks but i want to turn my 30 gallon into a marine tank. FOWLR. I just like the look of marine fish more, and the water seems to always be so much clearer in marine tanks.

Ok so i currently have a 30 gallon, please look over this and make sure i have covered all the equipment and am on the right track.

-HOB filter - Top fin hob to catch debris.
-Live sand - How much will i need
-Live rock - I need 1lb per gallon right?

I asked the guy at my lfs about a protien skimmer and he said that i could get by without one. So will i be alright with the live sand and rock doing the job or will i need a protien skimmer as well? Im kinda hoping i dont need one cause i see that there expensive, but will invest in one if a necesity.

Thats all for now, i want to get the equipment down b4 i start asking my cycling and stocking questions

THANKS

[volitan_fa]

Well I'll give my 2 cents worth....

~Top fin is crap IMO. Get a good quality HOB if that's the route you're going. AquaClear and Penguin filters are good. Get a bigger filter than is recommended for your tank.
~Live sand depends on how deep you want the sand bed and what type of live sand. You could probably be fine with 30 lbs.
~You are correct on the live rock. One to 1.5 lbs per gallon is the norm.
~If you want to keep a good marine tank, you will NEED a protein skimmer. They are one of the most important pieces of equipment. You can get away without one, but it will be WAY harder to keep your parameters low.
~You will also need to consider that lighting needs for marine animals is different from freshwater. You're bulbs need to be at least in the 9350K spectrum, preferably 10,000K. And you'll want some actinic 03 to help with healthy coralline algae growth.

There's a lot more, so I will make another post with a list of equipment I think you need to look at before starting.

[volitan_fa]

List of equipment you need to consider:

~Tank: is it too deep? has copper ever been used in it?
~Filtration: what kind? what is my overall filtration scheme?
~Lighting: will I ever want to keep a reef? will I want to keep anenome? will this always be strictly a FOWLR?
~Live sand: will this be a shallow bed or deep bed? do I want fine or medium grade?
~Live rock: what density? will my inhabitants need caves and hiding places?
~Water: Use RO/DI water only! buy a RO/DI unit or buy each gallon from the store?
~Salt: what brand? ( you need to stick to one brand)
~Water test kit: you will need a complete kit with ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and alkalinity tests to start with.
~Lighting: what kind of inhabitants will I be housing and what are their requirements? what kind of lighting effects do I want to accomplish?
~Heater/chiller: stable temp is important!
~Protein skimmer: one that will handle AT LEAST as much as your tank's volume.


You also really need to put together a stocking list before you buy any equipment so you know exactly what your long-term plans are. This will save lots of time and money down the road. Good luck, and ask questions!

[WhistlePunk]

THanks for the replys

As for your list

~Tank:30 gal Copper has not been used in it to my knowledge.
~Filtration: Hob rated for more than tank. My problem here is a protien skimmer. Is there one for a 30 gal thats a good name brand that will last but will not break the bank?
~Lighting: For my first marine tank i just want FOWLR, later on in life i would love the have the carribean in my living room, but im not up for that right now.Whats better shallow or deep? I like the look of fine grain more, is this ok? Can i mix live sand with the regular stuff, i forgot its name but the guy at the lfs was telling me about mixing it.
~Live rock: what density? will my inhabitants need caves and hiding places?
~Water: Will be buying ro water from lfs.
~Salt: lfs water
~Water test kit: complete salt water test kit
~Lighting: explain the 10k thingy again, i just have an all glass hood for a standard 30 gal, can i change the bulb to work?
~Heater/chiller: have heater
~Protein skimmer: talked about above

Thanks, and pklease continue to guide me

[volitan_fa]

~Protein skimmer: either of these will work for you: Coralife or Red Sea.
~Lighting: the Kelvin rating (K) is your light temperature. Marine inhabitants require certain lighting to thrive.
~Rock: you need to decide on your inhabitants before you can figure this one out.

I think that's it. Keep asking questions, that's how you survive in this hobby

[WhistlePunk]

thanks for the protein skimmer ideas. As for inhabitants i really like clown fish i just love how they look and swim. Anything bright and colorful that would go with those is cool too.

Thanks for the replies.

[reefaddict]

Do lots of reading and research before you jump in. You might learn something that will change your ideas about what kind of setup you want. Doing it right the first time is the only way to do it in order to save yourself lots of money in the long run.