First Timer with a Saltwater Tank

[kickmeqt]

Hello everybody,

My name is Megan and I just got my first tank [12 gal] for christmas and I'm really excited to finally be part of this really neat hobby. I have an eclipse instant ocean system that I recieved from PetCo [made by marine land] and today I went out and got the crushed coral and a small live rock started in there. The water is about 2-3 inches below the water line so I Can test the gravity tomorrow morning since I started around noon today.

My plans for either tomorrow or possibly Friday is to get atleast 2 clown fish to put in once I get the water tested and plug everything in.

Quick question. Does anybody have any advice I need to be aware of before I purchase the fish? And by testing the gravity of the water [I've already put the water conditioner in the water as I mixed the salt in] is there anything else I need to check on before I get them in? I need to get a pH tester but should I do that before I stick them in?

Also, has anybody bred clown fish?

TIA! I hope to get things going soon and I'll post some pic's with our Canon shortly after.

~Meg

[scubadude]

Hi Meg

Welcome to Reefland!

Please do NOT put any fish in your tank yet, its not that easy. You will need to let your tank cycle and do some test to your tank before you can even begin to think about putting fish into it. This is NOTHING like freshwater aquariums and takes much more patience. Please do yourself and your fish a favor and read about this hobby, by either reading some other threads posted on this forum or buying a book. You will need approx. 1 lb per gallon of live rock for your tank and you will need to let it cycle for approximately one month before being safe enough for fish.

[rjs5134]

Meg, Rocky is right... Begin by reading this thread and continue on.

Setting Up a FOWLR Aquarium

There's ALOT more to it than add water, add salt, add fish.

Good luck

[Samper]

I agree.....Patience young Jedi

[FireEater]

One more thing, ditch the crushed coral. It will lead to problems down the road. Go with sand (aragonite).

[kickmeqt]

Awesome! Thanks guys I really wasn't expecting all the advice that quickly. I got the coral/sand mix for my tank at Petco yesterday and it settled alright. I have the live rock in there but I might but more on sunday just to let the water sit. I haven't hooked the filter or heater up yet just so I can make sure the pH and gravity is where it needs to be.

Now the waiting game begins. =]

[art_of_war]

12 gallons is pretty small for a beginner tank. Come to think of it, 12 gallons is pretty small for any kind of fish tank w/ the exception of maybe damsels. Corals...okay but not really fish.

[[WDT]TardFarmer]

Welcome to the hobby! As others have stated take your time, let your tank go through it's cycle. Get a test kit and start testing for nitrite, Ammonia, Nitrate and your ph. Purchase some more liverock and then spend your month waiting for the cycle to complete watching the hitchhikers and other cool things come alive on your rock. When not staring at your tank spend the rest of your free time readin everything you can get your hands on. Nano-Reef.com - The source for nano reef aquarium information is a great resource for nanocubes.

My first Salt was a Nanocube 12DX. It has been going strong for 1 1/2 years now! I have two false percula clowns and a Yellow watchman Goby, along with assorted softies, i.e. Zoanthids, Pulsing Xenia, Ricordia shrooms, and toadstool leather coral.

The clowns have bonded and ended up hosting one of the ricorida mushrooms which is rather entertaining

Get rid of the stock pump, purchase a Maxijet 900 and perhaps look into a hydro flo rotating wavemaker.

Oh the best investment I made was buying an RO/DI unit.

Now I have a 45 gallon reef and I just purchased a used Biocube 29 to setup a third tank.

DON'T SKIMP on the HEATER, buy a good quality heater. My first one locked on and cooked my tank, I did not lose any fish but did lose a few corals.