Setting up a new aquarium

[j12]

So i've been keeping freshwater fish for a while now but i've been thinking of starting a saltwater tank. I've read many of the wonderful tutorials on this website and i think i've got the idea. GO SLOWLY, don't rush, and don't overcrowd.

I have a 29 gallon tank that i will be using. In all my freshwater tanks i run pvc pipe with slits cut in them and run them under the sand and connect all the ends of the pipes together. Then hook up a powerhead to it so all the debris gets trapped in the sand and the tank will be very clear. I was wondering if i could do the same in a saltwater tank? maybe not.

Things i have for the aquarium:
-the tank itself
-hood, lighting, etc
-heater
-basic accessories, net etc.

Things i will need
-thermometer which also measures salinity *which is not too expensive*
-fine sand
-protein skimmer

I was planning on using the previous filtration system i was talking about along with a hang-on filter on the side. Will this be sufficient? What is the best protein skimmer for a 29g tank that is not too expensive? Are live rocks absolutely necessary?

[the_blue_tuna]

You should avoid the undergravel filter . This will cause you continuous grief fighting with nitrates. Depending on what you are shooting for in your tank as far as inmates go , you may need to upgrade your lighting also . If it will just be a "fish" tank then you can use a light that is pleasing to your eye . The "fine sand" would be required if you wanted to make a DSB. If you are just looking for something pleasing to the eye then you could use sand, or crushed coral . You have a couple other options too for substrate. It does not need to be very deep either if its just for appearance.As for whats the best filtration , thats going to depend on what you want to keep. Keep reading , it will bring up more questions . Its good to get those answered , BEFORE you start.

[j12]

Yep i read up about the UG filter and I won't be going with that. I'll start off with the smaller cheaper fish, such as damsels and those black fish with the three white dots. Two on the sides and one on its head. I may move on to tangs or triggerfish later on. As far as live rock, filters, and protein skimmers. Would those hang-on filters be enough? Do i need live rock and a protein skimmer from the start?

[tholleyh46]

The black fish you are referring to are damsels as well. If you're just starting out and intend upon keeping fish only - I'd go with crushed coral as you can vacuum it periodically to remove detritus easily. You can use a HOB filter for a biological filter. Live rock is expensive, but you may want to add it later. If your only goal is a few saltwater fish to learn on - you don't need a lot of fancy equipment to be successfull, but be forewarned - this is an addictive hobby that will tug your wallet on more than one occassion. The issue you'll run into is wanting to add more and then upgrading can cost you down the road, because what you'll have initially won't be sufficient most likely.

Best of luck.

[kgross]

If you are planning on a fish only tank, not a reef tank, I would suggest some a good added bio filter like a wet dry. They do not help lower nitrate, but work very well at handling the large bioloads of aggressive fish like triggers. That plus a good protien skimmer should work well for you.

Kim

[the_blue_tuna]

I think you will also find that , for a tang and trigger , you will need something larger than a 29 .

[Seige]

Definately need a lot larger tank for Tangs/Triggers... At least a 75g for one Tang. In a 29g you should stay with 2 or maybe 3 small fish. The fresh water rule of 1" of fish per gallon doesn't apply to saltwater.