Research!,Research!,Research!

[seafan]

I'm getting my first SW aquarium, but I have to wait until december to get it . I've been doing research for over two months now and still don't know what fish to get. Two questions.
1. How long did you do research?
2. What fish should I get?

P.S I want a 50 gal fish, lr, inverts habitat with a dsb and a remora protein filter for filtration.

 

[austinsdad]

I gotta feeling if you continue to research until December and watch AA threads, you'll be ready in December. What book(s) have ya read so far. I always suggest Robert Fenner's "Conscientious Marine Aquarist". Got 2 months or so to absorb that. 8)

Gonna do coral? That'll make a huge difference in the fish you can get too.

Good luck!

 

[Mr Crabs]

I just started my first SW tank 75 gal bowfront this week. I researched and lurked on here until I felt I was ready. I spent about 3 months researching before I took the "dive" into salt water. Good luck to you....and to me as well.....

 

[blorkiemom]

1. A couple of months. But intensely.
2. I don't think anyone can tell you this--we all have our faves. One book--Fenner, I think? talks about choosing your one, must-have centerpiece species and then building the rest of your livestock around that. So is there one fish you just gotta have? Start there.

 

[EL Diablo]

1. How long did you do research?

I spent a few eeks reading before I bought my tank.
My tank is 2 months old and not a day goes by that I dont do some research.

2. What fish should I get?

Really depends on what sorta set up you are doing.
FO, FOWLR, Do you want corals.

Do you want aggressive or community fish?

The size of your tank will also dictate what you can and cant get

Good Luck, this hobby is a load of fun!

 

[Edmonton Eskimo]

There are some pretty cool fish you can get for a reef tank-if that's what you want. Clownfish,gobies,some tangs,some pygmy angelfish. IMO since I have started adding inverts and other "critters" into my tank I am fascinated with them more than the fish I have. If you want to keep inverts you shouldn't have any aggressive species i.e. triggers,large angelfish,lionfish,etc

 

[msuburg]

Welcome to AA

Welcome, I just got into the hobby myself about 3 months ago, and I'm loving it, you're in for a treat. Glad to see you're researching, it's definitely needed to be successful!

-Matt

 

[BLOODMAN]

I researched for over 9 months and I am still going. As for advice on what fish to get, I echo blorkiemom's statement from Bob Fenner's book and I thought of the one fish I absolutely had to have and designed my system around it.

 

[diverdown69]

I would go get a good college text on marine ecology as well. The principles learned there will really help with understanding the inner workings of the tank. A book on Ichthyology would be really good too.
Here are two of my favorites:
"Shore Ecology of the Gulf of Mexico" by Joseph C. Britton and Brian Morton
"Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico" bu H. Dickson Hoese and Richard H. Moore
I learned Ichthyology from that Hoese and Moore book. The pics are great and the keys are good too. The Britton and Morton book helps to break the oceanic and estuarine systems into zones so that their workings can be better understood.
A good book on introductory microbiology wouldn't hurt either.

 

[seaham358]

The Marine fishes book by Scott W. Michael is great. He has come out with several new ones this past year also which are broken down in more detail. I would look into a reef ready system or have the tank drilled. With a sump setup and skimmer. Plenty of LR at least 1 lb per gal and a 3" sand bed. In smaller tanks a deep SB 5-6" serves no purpose from what I have read on this subject.
Adding the sump adds water volume which helps keep the tank stable and is a good place to put the skimmer and heater.
If your going with LR stay away from the wet/dry system, no need for the bioballls. Also if you have room a refugium is a great thing to add to any tank.
Read all you can on the web there is a lot of free and good info out there. I always double check any info I get before using it.... Good luck and keep doing the research.

 

[Spiderman]

I've read Michael Paletta's "The New Marine Aquarium" - excellent book! Unlike you, I decided to go SW on a whim when my fiancee and I moved into our place. I've been really lucky - now I've been really meticulous about doing the research and getting a second, third, fourth opinion about anything. This board is probably the best there is out there for information....good luck!

 

[sicklidkid]

I would stay way from pygmy angles in a reef. I have heard stories where they go crazy and eat all the corals. Plus they are not easy to catch.

 

[seafan]

I read two books by Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies and Settting up a Salt water aquarium I've also read some articles online, and in magazines. I also hang out in my LFS, but I think there getting annoyed that I'm not buying anything.

 

[seafan]

I've done summer sessions I'm marine biology/oceanography for the last two years. I understand the chemistry and biology, but I can't assemble anything.

P.S I'm not getting corals yet, but by sister wants an occelleris clown (nemo).