Getting into Saltwater

[fiji1227]

I have had freshwater for about as long as I can remember, but I wan to get into saltwater. Any recommendations on tank size and species?

[eklikewhoa]

Read as much as you can first and everything else will fall into place.

[fiji1227]

Ok thanks! Sorry I just realized I posted this on the wrong topic. Is it better to have a larger or smaller tank?

[eklikewhoa]

That is kinda personal preference or what you're willing to set aside as far as commitment but I think it's either or.

[fiji1227]

Ok because I read that the larger the tank the more stable everything everything is and easier to maintain. I think I might go with a forty gallon reef.

[eklikewhoa]

Thats true but I've done small tanks and felt the same. Set it up all right in the beginning, that helps a great deal

[fiji1227]

Thanks for your advice!

[fishlvr10]

i started on the larger side with a 72 (following the same "larger is more stable advice")
but i just recently got myself a 7 gallon tank and i think that it wouldve been easier to have started with the 7 gallon honestly---easiest thing ive ever done in the hobby was set up that mini tank.

read, read, read. thats the BEST thing you can do.
learn your saltwater terminology too.

As for your actual question--i would get a 29-55 gallon tank and start off with a clownfish, goby, blenny, couple cardinalfish or damselfish of your choosing. (This is all after the tank cycles of course) :)

Best of luck!

[fiji1227]

Thanks! I was considering setting up a nano tank (10 gal) but I thought a larger tank would be better because of what i have read. And when you have a larger tank you can have more fish. What did you have in the seven gallon?

[fishlvr10]

You should be fine with a 10 gal! You've already kept freshwater right? I would only suggest a huge tank to maybe like a super fishkeeping beginner. But you've kept fresh before so that's not the case :)
In my 7 gallon long I have a small tomato clown and a midas blenny (who lives in a cave and doesn't require much swimming space)
In my opinion-you should avoid only three saltwater fish families for this first saltwater tank- mandarinfish, butterflyfish, and wrassses.
Tangs can also be difficult if they are not in superb condition when purchased (ie. No ich)

[zormer23]

Best advice I got when first getting into saltwater: read a TON (e.g. www.marshreef.com, www.reefcentral.com), know what you want to have in terms of fish and corals BEFORE you starting buying stuff (for example, this is I feel the most important factor in determining tank size), and set everything up far SLOWER than you would with freshwater. (Oh, and be prepared to spend a lot of $$$.) :)

[dhutch]

eklikewhoa couldn't have said it better......set it up right from the start, and SW tanks aren't that much more work than FW.