Brand New to Saltwater Tanks in General

[Bsmith072]

Hello, I just joined this forum earlier today. My wife and I are currently in the research phase of setting up a tank. Today we discussed it and decided we would like to do a reef style, we really like the visual appeal of the corals and fish together so that being said we were hoping someone could point us in the direction of good places to buy corals, fish, and supplies CBB is preferred if possible just so we are supporting the taking of animals out of the wild as little as possible. Good things to read to help us understand the proper ways to set the tank up and ensure it's fully ready to start adding life to. Setup guides, personal stories and experiences as well. All information is welcome. The small amount of research I've done so far is we should figure out what we want in the tank along with where to put it first, get everything set up and do a 6-8 week water cycle before adding anything, and even then add life to it slowly over time to make sure we don't throw delicate balances out of whack.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Welcome! There is so many ways to start a reef tank nowadays. But I prefer using at least some material from the ocean. There are companies like Tampa Bay Saltwater that actually farm rock in the ocean, so you are actually giving back to the ocean. But do your research find one person who you find successful in the hobby and do what they do to help you get started.

 

[VintageReefer]

Not sure if I missed this but do you have a tank yet? If not, what size / budget do you have in mind? No judgements here. Unless you want a 180+ gallon. Then I will be jealous.

 

[DrV4n]

Hello and welcome! I’m also new with my first tank cycling right now. Other folks might have more experienced suggestions but I can share how I answered those questions. Lots of content on YouTube from BRS, Reef Builders, ReefDudes, and more on how to plan and start a new tank. Even more helpful were some of the build threads here on R2R, content on quarantining etc, and specific people on YouTube— I found a couple who had tanks I liked and watched their videos documenting their build process.

 

[Bsmith072]

Not sure if I missed this but do you have a tank yet? If not, what size / budget do you have in mind? No judgements here. Unless you want a 180+ gallon. Then I will be jealous.

We do not have anything yet, we are still researching and the size of tank will be based off the fish and coral we decide upon plus some.

 

[steveschuerger]

Hey there! Welcome to R2R. Since you’re just starting on your journey I have a few thoughts on things I’ve learned . Start with the largest tank you feel is affordable. Easier to keep parameters steady and more room for more corals/fish. Live rock there’s three that I’ve used. Gulf Live Rock, Tampa Bay Saltwater, KP Aquatics are the most well known. Start slow and have patience. Plus check out the resources mentioned by others. There’s all sorts of reefs and just have fun . When you do start up, start a tank thread to show your journey. I’ve done it with three tanks myself.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

This is a good starting point.

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Dom]

Hello, I just joined this forum earlier today. My wife and I are currently in the research phase of setting up a tank. Today we discussed it and decided we would like to do a reef style, we really like the visual appeal of the corals and fish together so that being said we were hoping someone could point us in the direction of good places to buy corals, fish, and supplies CBB is preferred if possible just so we are supporting the taking of animals out of the wild as little as possible. Good things to read to help us understand the proper ways to set the tank up and ensure it's fully ready to start adding life to. Setup guides, personal stories and experiences as well. All information is welcome. The small amount of research I've done so far is we should figure out what we want in the tank along with where to put it first, get everything set up and do a 6-8 week water cycle before adding anything, and even then add life to it slowly over time to make sure we don't throw delicate balances out of whack.

I would suggest deciding which fish you want to keep, then design your system around those fish.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

This is a good starting point.

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean...

www.reef2reef.com

I will second this thread! This is packed full of great information about setting up a tank!

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here! Good information given already but I highly recommend watching BRS 52 weeks of reefing, it will walk you through every step of setting up and maintaining your new reef tank.