New saltwater aquarist, lots of questions :)

[Kurt_Nelson]

jenatron's posts got me curious, so I looked at the blog too!

For a 20g tank, with water, sand, and rock, we're talking around 200 lbs. Not exactly sure what your brother had piled up there, but unless it was a linebacker for the local high school football team, I'd be a bit concerned. The weight from a tank is not evenly distributed on the bottom - it's distributed around the perimeter/frame of the tank. You don't want to support the bottom glass directly, or you risk cracking the tank.

It's one thing for it to not break under the weight of the tank, but it's another thing for it to not bow too much. If the frame of the tank is not evenly supported along its entire length - which would happen if the stand started to bow/sag - you risk cracking the tank. 20g of water can make a really really big mess.

From reading your post, sounds like you've done a fantastic amount of research... more than most! Congrats! I'd just hate to see it all for nothing because of something as simple as a good solid stand.

 

[cmor1701d]

OK, let's go back a bit...

ANEMONE
Clownfish DO NOT NEED an anemone. As stated, a frogspawn or similar coral will be great for hosting a clownfish. However, clown fish don't need anything. They will pick an area of the tank and stay mostly in that area.

My suggestion is 1) unless you know that an anemone is fragged from another already in captivity, or split from one in captivity, don't buy it; 2) unless you know exactly what #1 needs in terms of light, and care, and your tank can provide for it, don't buy it; 3) unless the person selling it knows the answers to #2, don't buy it.
LTA's can get BIG, over a foot wide given proper conditions. They can live for 30+ years in the ocean. These creatures do not belong in captive tanks.

TAP WATER
You need a TDS (total dissolved solids) meter (~ $20) to test your water. The meter should ideally read ZERO tds. This is the water you use to fill the tank, all water changes and top off water. Top off water is not mixed with a salt mix. It is used to 'top off' the tank to make up for water lost due to evaporation. As water evaporates, the salt and other mineral concentrations increase. So it's important for tank stability to keep the same specific gravity (SG) in a tank. To get 0 tds water you need use a RODI (reverse osmosis/ de-ionized) filter or distilled water.

You also need quality test kits to monitor the water.
Tap Water in Reef Aquaria

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters

 

[KatherineM]

awsome thanks

As for the anemone i have discounted that, I will do some coral instead

I plan on a 14 gallon oceanic biocube tank
I did however find 30 gallon tank with everything in it and a stand on craiglist for 65$. Im going to call about that later today. in which case I would save a ton of money and have the stand already.

ok, I will check out our water. its from a well, so it probably wont be pure enough. so i either buy a filter or I just buy the water from like walmart?

 

[jenatron]

Great. Can we go back to step one before you even set up the tank? Where you're putting it?
No offense, but this isn't something to blow off. It won't matter what you have in your tank, or the parameters, or whatever else if that nightstand can't hold the weight. You need to find out how much it can hold EXACTLY before you assume it'll be fine. If it won't hold ~150 pounds for the biocube or ~300 pounds for the 30g then you need to find something that will.

 

[KatherineM]

well I have the location in my rooom, and the 30gal comes with a stand, and the one I have can hold up to 200pounds

 

[cmor1701d]

OK, at least you know the limits of that table now. Remember that water salt water weighs ~8.3 pounds per gallon. Now add the tank, equipment, sand, and rock.

 

[KatherineM]

I found a 30gal tank with stand for 15$. Its used, but its clean and I can always clean it up.