Tanks?

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bkiggy

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Aug 31, 2012
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What tank should I get? Evolve 8 or coralife cube 14? I don't know anything about saltwater
 
The bigger, the better. Biocube 14, but if you can get a Biocube 29. With the 14 you are only going to be able to fit 2 very small fish.
 
+1 for the bigger tank. You don't need a kit to start a saltwater tank. Its just as easy to build one and buy everything separately.
 
Well... What are your plans? Corals? Fish only? What is your budget?

I have a BC29 and I'm very happy with it. One day I will get a bigger saltwater tank though.

It come down to what you can afford, what you want to keep and how much you want to spend. Also how much room and time you have to maintain your tank. All in one tanks IMO are great for beginners.
 
+1 for the bigger tank. You don't need a kit to start a saltwater tank. Its just as easy to build one and buy everything separately.

agreed, I was very overwhelmed when I first started and ordered a biocube thinking it would be the easy route. It showed up broken and I started a 75. I'm unbelievably happy with the decision.

If you have more room, as suggested go bigger. You could probably set up a 30 gallon for the same price or cheaper depending on your goals.
 
I should have been more specific. My bad. I want a pair of Harlequin Shrimp and maybe (very maybe) a pair of seahorses.
I already have 4 big tanks to take care of - freshwater
I don't know anything about saltwater. Cycling them... Media to use?....
 
Just as an FYI, harlequin shrimp require feedings of live starfish (they eat the tube feet), and seahorses also generally need small live foods. If you haven't done saltwater before, you've picked some demanding animals to start with.
 
Yes, knew that ! I have very demanding fish in my freshwater tanks. They require a lot of attention too
 
I love harlequin shrimp, I have one myself and love watching it take the chocolate star into its cave.

With that said... If that's all you want and you have no need for corals. A BC 14-29 would work just fine.

Or you could go cheaper and do a say a 20 long or a breeder add a AC110, heater and a powerhead. Get yourself some sand and some live rock and your set.

The all in one tanks like the BC has a good start but you'll still need a powerhead and heater.

It's really up to you and what you wanna spend.

I like the BC's I keep some chocolate stars in chamber 2 so when she comes out for dinner I have something to feed rather then head out to the store, plus if I buy more then one they usually give a deal.

Oh one more thing, if you don't go the all in one route you'll need to look into lighting also BUT with no corals in the tank the lighting won't be such a huge deal like it would of you had corals.
 
1. What's a power head? 2. Live rock will cycle it? I have a AC 110 already upgraded to canister on my 40g. Already have live food, brine shrimp, for other fish and frozen of course. Are seahorses hard to keep alive? 3. I thought saltwater had cold water? What temp should it be. I have extra heaters but they are set at 78•
 
Heat at 78 is good. A power head moves water around in the tank. The ocean has current so your tank has to have current. Live rock will cycle the tank. It is packed full of bacteria and other living organisms. Mine even had an urchin come out at one point. Sea horses are hard to keep alive for beginners but with enough care are easy enough. A tank 30 gallons or bigger is recommended for seahorses though.
 
Ok not willing to go that big. Just the shrimp then..... Urchin would be cool!! It took my 40g 8 weeks to cycle ;( it was aweful.
 
Weird. It only took my 90 gallon about 3 weeks to fully cycle. Urchins are cool but not reef safe. I had to catch him outside the hole he was living in and yank him out with pliers. It was difficult to do.
 
Here is one example of a powerhead. The most unnatural thing in a saltwater tank is no flow at all.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Hydor_Ko...m_Powerheads-Hydor_USA-HD00715-FIPHFF-vi.html

They do have cold water saltwater tanks.

78-81 is fine. I maintain at 78-80. Live rock will cycle the tank, you don't need live sand but you can use it if you want. I used 25 pounds of live sand and 30 pounds of live rock.

Also due to some set backs in my 75g tank my BC29 cycled for almost a month. It was ready sooner I just wasn't.
 
Awesome. The AC110 gives a current.. Just not enough?? 78• is ok for harlequin shrimp and other SW shrimp?
 
Saltwater brings with it a lot of challenges and new factors to consider. I was an 8 year veteran of freshwater (nano 1 gal all the way to 55 planted) when I started my first saltwater tank. I lost all fish but one.
I would urge you to consider easier animals to start with. But, if you're determined, then start reading! There are many websites dedicated to seahorse care. I'd scour as many as possible. They may require live food as often as three times a day.
Harlequin shrimp are beautiful, but I've never been fond of purchasing an animal just to feed to another animal. I've also read (admittedly only from one source) that they have a dismal survival record even with proper care. But I haven't read much about them since I learned that they need live stars as food.
You should check out some of the threads on here about starting up. You may find answers to questions that you haven't even thought to ask yet.
And one final thought. All in one setups are nice, but in my experience cost 2-3 times as much as setting up piecemeal.
 
I can attest to the all in one systems costing more. I modded my cube to the max! Costing me more then if I pieced one together. As far as the harlequin shrimp goes. I've had mine for a year now and she's doing well.

And yes you will have I buy a chocolate star probably once a month at least that's what I've been doing since she has grown.


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My thoughts on the shrimp are based on my own kooky ideals and a very small bit of reading. Lol
I can tell you that my 55 gallon with 29 gallon sump/refugium (before corals and fish, but including rocks and sand) cost less than the biocube base model does. Craigslist is great. Lol
 
I probably won't get seahorses. But harlequin shrimp yes. Just them. Live rock, live sand. I have been reading a lot. Started asking questions too about saltwater but not reef, reef to hard to do.......
 
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