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I was skimming through the Marine Tanks, but I didn't feel like reading it all. I'm possibly considering getting a 55 Gallon or larger tank next year or later in the future. Basically what I want to know though for now is what kind of maintenance is needed once the tank is already established.

For example, with a fresh water tank, you need to:

*turn off/on the light or buy a power strip that turns off the light automatically
*Change filter cartages
*Siphon the gravel
*Change some water
*Feed the Fish

So what kind of maintenance is needed with Marines tanks and how often?

It's different for different types of setups. For some it will be a lot like freshwater. Some will be quite different. It will always be important to regularly rinse any mechanical filter media, and replace chemical media. Water changes are a little more complicated requiring a little forethought and a mixing vat and a hydrometer to measure the salt content....but in the end, you are still siphoning the gravel and replacing the water.

If you are planning a fish only or fish only with live rock, it will be pretty similar to a freshwater setup, and that's where most will recommend you start out. A reef tank will have a few different tasks to do like dosing calcium or possibly harvesting macroalgae from your refugium. It will be more time consuming and a little more difficult.

Though you may not feel like it, reading through the salt forums or a sw book is more than a good idea. Get an idea of what kind of fish or set up you'd like and we can help out from there.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Doesn't sound too bad.

As for how often you need to do that, is it monthly, weekly or daily?

There are some daily or every other day chores, like wiping glass and observing the inhabitants.

Some tasks are weekly, like mech filters, skimmer cleaning, and water changes depending on your system needs.

And some are monthly. Chem filters and water changes, again depending on your system needs. Monthly would be the least amount of water changes I'd recommend. Try for at least every other week.

Again, it depends on the system, and is a lot like freshwater in simple maintenance aspects.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

K, thanks for all the info. I kind of want to get a bigger tank, and I think getting a salt water one would be cool since I already have a 10 gallon freshwater tank (max size allowed on campus). However I'm in college and will be entering my sophmore year this fall. So the only time I would have to come home to see the tank would be Winter Break, Spring Break, Summer and when I go home some times. This past year, though I was home almost every week since I only live 10 minutes away for driving.

I could have my parents do some stuff such as feeding the fish, but cleaning the tank is something I would have to do, since I don't think they would want to do that stuff. But since salt water fish are some much more expensive, my limited time, and because of limitations of when I would be able to see the tank and that I know less about them, I'll probably wait till I have my own place before getting a large salt water tank. I'd probably only get a large salt water tank right now is if my parents agreed to help take care of the fish when I'm away and helped a little bit money wise.

If you get a large tank and stock it lightly with a FOWLR system then the maintenance isn't much more than freshwater. You can use the same type of filters, lighting, etc.. on saltwater as freshwater. You just have to think ahead because salt has to be mixed for at least a few hours before doing a water change and most try to have it mixing a day ahead of time. You would just need weekly water changes and filter cleanings but remember saltwater has to be stocked alot lighter than freshwater. What is a light stocking in freshwater is normal stocking to most saltwater tanks so if you want to keep water changes and maintenance down your often looking at only around 2-4 fish for a tank depending on tank size and fish size.