Hello from orlando

Hello to all..... i found this sight thru google it just pops up for alot of salt water questions i have. i use to own a small salt water tank but its been so long for me to start over again that i need to do research before i start back up. i know drilled tanks are prefered for salt water but i cant find any good prices on used ones in my area so i was thinking of going with a non drilled tank. i wanted to know what would be the best filtration for a tank if its not drilled. i want to get the info before i jump back into it.any advice on things i should know about equipment. i want to go with fish and live rock tank and the size of the tank would probably 55- 90.

 

Welcome to 3reef.

If you are going FOWLR a good skimmer and possibly a canister filter for chemical filtration would be fine.

You can buy a tank and then drill it yourself. Glass-Holes.com dope aquarium stuff is a great place to go for a kit.

 

welcome to 3 reef

+1 on 2 in 10,s contribution above

you could also look at an overflow which does not need a drilled tank if you do eventually want to go sump, fuge etc

Steve

 

oyea i forgot to mention i have a 1 1/2 year old that likes to get into alot of things so im trying to avoid having alot of equipment down low. he enjoys the bright colors of fish. any sugestion on fish too.

 

avoid the sump then for about 2 more years IME

Fish, matter of personal taste - but I assume you want a clown?

also - between 55 and 90 - IMO - go as large as you can
if you want FOWLR , you run out of stocking space to quickly in a 55
and you may also find when you research fish types that a number of fish you do like, require tanks larger than the one you have

Steve

 

Welcome To 3Reef

 

+1 on Steve's advice. The bigger the better. I have a 55 and I wish I had a 300 gallon tank. There are very pretty fish that I can't have because of the size limitation.

For filtration and nitrates I do recommend a sump. Being that you have a child, I would buy a furniture stand with enough room to put a sump inside and then child-proof the doors. So, he/she can't accidentally fall inside and drown. So Child-proofing is a MUST on this one. Also, make sure the stand has shelves that you can adjust or remove to fit the sump inside. For a 55 gallon a 10 gallon sump works well. For a 90 I would start with a 20 gallons long. In my opinion the bigger, the better. I have a "30 long" for my 55, but it is way more than what I really needed.

That being said, I think you will need a protein skimmer. Some people do without one, but keep doing tons of water changes. I guarantee you, it gets old after the 2nd month.

If you plan to get into corals, invest in a good light setup. Metal Halides or a combined unit for more versatility and color definition.

I do recommend for you to get a pre-drilled tank. I regret mine not being this way.
If you cannot get your hands or budget around a pre-drilled tank, you will need an overflow box, but this is only if you plan on installing a sump.

Then the regular stuff, filters, heater, thermometer and a basic test kits if you will only have fish with rocks and not corals. For them you would need a range of test kits.

There are many options and different setups to choose from. So take it easy and read on here, so you can choose the right one for you.

Welcome to 3reef.com. you will like it here.

- Mag

 

Hello and welcome to 3reef

 

Welcome to 3reef!

I have a 120gal tank for $200 I am in Kissimmee if you are still looking for a tank. It isn't drilled but it comes with a siphon overflow, sump, stand, lights (but you will want to replace), some pumps, and I think I have some rocks I can through in.