BRAND NEW TO THIS!

[clk666]

Have you ever kept freshwater fish before?

Did the tank come with anything?

You need:

1. reverse osmosis (RO) water. You can buy it or you can buy a unit that makes it out of tap water.
2. salt mix
3. some kind of filter, probably a little hang-on-the-back (HOB) skimmer.
4. some live rock (LR)
5. some substrate like aragonite sand (or some people keep a bare bottom tank)
6. lights (did the tank come with lights?)
7. thermometer, hydrometer, heater, test kits for testing various things.
8. fish food and some basic medicine.
9. a few new clean plastic buckets.
10. a sturdy stand to hold the tank. It will weigh 250-300 pounds.
11. maybe an extra pump or powerhead to move the water around in the tank.

Am I forgetting anything folks?

oh great! lol thats not much more that i need then. the tank cme with a stand, t5 lights and he threw in the sand that was in the tank when he had this tank set up a couple months ago. i went and bought some instant ocean because it was what he reccomended. i do have about 3 freshwater tanks going right now so i have a couple extra filters heaters and theremometers. I also asked a couple people about which water to use and they said that if i were to go buy those huge juggs of water that would work too, true or false?

[Oxymoron]

True. Most purified water shops sell RO and Mineral water.
Make sure you buy the RO.
In the near future you want to purchase a RODI system as they are much more cost effective and will be able to also deionize your water making it that last little bit purer.
We have many great vendors on this site that can hook you up.

[clk666]

great! so ive got all my tests got all my water additives and am getting this all started. i havent bought a protein skimmer but am using other things until i get one...i added A piece of live rock but my specific gravity is about 1.18 and im having some troubles making it rise some more! any suggestions?

[whatcaneyedo]

Consider buying a good book on the subject. While they may not be up to the minute with new products and methods, a good book will give you a solid foundation to start with. Thus saving you from making some costly beginner mistakes and asking a lot of unnecessary questions. Not that questions aren't good...

Here are some great recommendations: Building a Proper Marine Aquarium Library by Steven Pro. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/tips/index.php I've personally read 7 out of 9 of these.

[clk666]

soo i went and bought some live rock today and i lookes at it ... it came with some tiny little anenomes on it.. he said hes had lots in the tank before and has lots of growth on the rock ... then i was looking at it as i put it in the tank .... i saw these little things crawling out of the rock looked just like this! but they are very little! not sure if this is what they are .. if i can get a picture of one and figure out how to post it ill get on it! most of them are maybe the size of a quarter! anything else it may be
?

http://www.getahugetank.com/brittle-...qrrbvadq6olp31

[whatcaneyedo]

This web page is great for identifying invertebrates and algae that hitchhike their way into our tanks. http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm

[clk666]

fantastic! lol got some feather dusters, little shrimpy guys and loads of mini bristle stars. thx for the link!

[DAVE]

Those mini anenomes are pests and you do not want them in your tank. They are more then likely Aiptaisa (do a search on these)

[Doug]

I think this should be in the general reefing forum now that its diversified. Should get lots of help there.

[Aquaria]

I only skimmed through but u said u didn't have a powerhead? Go get one right now u NEED flow even without fish water that doesent move goes stagnant