FishProfiles.com Message Forums

i've been keeping freahwater fish for manys years, now i've decided to move into the marine area.

i'm inteading to go for a 4ft tank, because of lack of room in my house.
i need to know if the kits you can get are ok? or should i buy the equipment on their own??? i've seen 4ft tank with full kit 499.99 any good?

what are the best filters? heaters? lighing? and best other equipment i need?

i am going for a fish only tank to start, but would like to move into corals as get experience.

now i need advise on setup? live rocks? cycling? best fish for 4ft?

any advise would be very useful, i've got a book but there is nothing better then peoples own knowledge.

cheers shekoi.


www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

4 ft should be fine. I'd suggest that if you intend to convert from fish-only to inverts, you do equally as much research on inverts too and that you are VERY careful about what you put into the tank (medication-wise) to treat the fish you will house.

Personally, I'd use a sump system for your filtration. It will add more water to your system without taking up too much space, will house most of the equipment you use - therefore creating more space in the display tank and allowing for a 'realistic look'. In the sump, I have a wet and Dry filter (I use Aqua-Medic Reef 500), protein skimmer(built in to the Reef 500), heaters and obviously a return pump,with a UV steriliser and then powerheads in main tank for circulation. Not essential for fish only but a calcium and nitrate reductor will also prove very beneficial.

Stocking must be done gradually and your tank won't be fully mature for atleast twelve months. Patience really is the key. Live rock is not essential for fish-only but helps mature the system better. Initial fish should include any hardy (and I'd suggest cheap) fish, such as chromis, damsels (although they are very aggressive) and clowns.

thank-you for replying.

how much would the setup you mentioned cost in the uk?

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

I've got a 5ftx2ftx2ft tank and that was 1500 without live rock.

I would skip the kits, for a fish only tank all you need is the tank, top, lights, standard flo.(but if you plan to do a reef later you can get better), substrate, heater, two powerheads, salt, and water. One bottle of cycle and a few decorations and your all set. Cycle for a few weeks and you can add a fish or two. You can add live rock any time if you choose, but then you will have a FOWLR. If you choose to add live rock right away, then no need to add any cycle. You can add a HOB filter if you wish. A skimmer can be added later on but is not a big deal with a FO tank, you will just have to do a few more water changes.

Dan

is this a good buy? i've offered 250 or $375.79

Used juwel 260 bowfronted fish tank (48"x18x25" ~60g uk
digital thermometer
300w heater
glass cleaner
over 50kgs of live rock full of life!
mushrooms
xenia
corals
snails 3 diffrent sorts
hermits 3 diffrent sorts
star fish
power head
plenum
skimmer ap600
pump
computor injector/food/plankton/addatives
bag of salt
digital ph reader
refractor to read salt accuratly
air pump german make
seaweed
live sand approx 20kgs
master test kit



[span class="edited"][Edited by shekoi 2004-07-26 10:06][/span]

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

It seems like you're getting enough for your money but you are buying a used tank that already contains inverts. I'd ask how you are going to tranfer them successfully and maintain the bacteria already inplace? - you'll need a good LFS who'll 'look after them' for you I think.

Theres LR and stuff already in the tank, if you broke it down and transfer it to your place in water, theres really no reason things should die off. If the trip to get the tank is very long, it would be a good idea to get something like a battery operated powerhead as well as heater for the ride.

I know Razz whos a member here(not around too often) recently moved her already set up tank 8 hours. She never reported back about any significant losses, so I assume it went relatively well.

Any move will have some die off, but keeping the rock wet, or under water is your best bet. If possible, keep the sand in the tank with soem water to cover it. As long as the trip is short, perhaps an hour or so it will be fine. Any more then that and you might want to think about keeping the water moving with a powerhead or something.



Dan