New Memeber & new to SW

[CaptainCannabis]

Hey everyone This is my first time registering for any aquarium forum. I

Would first like to start off by saying I have ABSOLUTELY no knowledge of

SW fish setup, maintenance, etc. I am the type of person who likes to know

what I'm doing so I can ensure I get the most out of my money. I would like

to have peace of mind and know that I am doing everything in my power to

keep the fish 100% happy and healthy.


With that said I am looking to start with a 25 gallon tank, I imagine I

Can't house to many fish which is ok, I'm thinking a few clown fish and an

anemone for them to hide in, and anything else that you guys can suggest

be put in the tank.


Money is not an issue in this 25 gallon set up, in fact one of the main

reasons I am posting is so hopefully on top of the help you guys could

piece me together a system with the best parts possible for a SWFT, I

want this to be a small yet brilliant set up.


If anything I would be very happy if you guys could at least piece

me together a shopping cart full of everything I would need, and then a list

of the items that are recurring and I will need to continue to purchase for

upkeep of the tank. Thank you so much!

Captain Cannabis.

 

[kbmlpn]

Congratulations

Congratulations on beginning your saltwater hobby.
A 25 gallon system is the perfect size to start with. Generally, we have always been taught that each fish needs 5 gallons of water, therefore, no more than 5 fish in your tank.

Good water quality is the mainstay of any aquarium. Personally, we use Instant Ocean salt, it desolves quickly and doesn't clump. You will also need a test kit for nitrates, nitrites, pH, and alkalinity. To begin, I would suggest a 5-N-1 test strip. You can pick up a bottle of 25 strips for around $15.
A hydrometer is a must - this is how you know you have enough salt in your water. Your salinty should run between 28 & 36, with specific gravity between 1.020 and 1.026. Those are good ranges for most fish.
I would also add 3-5 crabs and 2 or 3 snails - these are the garbage eaters for your tank.

Good luck and enjoy your aquarium!

 

[AquaRick]

Hi there, and welcome to AA!

Congrats on starting a new SW tank! It's hard work to start and maintain them; but if you're up for the challenge, they're awesome to keep.

To start off with, take a look at the SW articles here on AA. They've got a lot of information:
Articles

We're pretty big on fishless cycling here on AA. So here's some more reading:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

As for fish, a couple clownfish and a couple other reef safe fish would do well in a 25g aquarium. Take a look at liveaquaria for fish you may like. This site is great for background info:
Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums

 

[redsea]

Welcome to Aquarium Advice! SW is so awesome. Liveaquaria has some great stuff, I would take a look With that size tank, you really wouldn't NEED a protein skimmer, but I suppose it could help. . You have many options for filter also. Don't hesitate to ask lots of questions!