setting up a saltwater tank

Question
Bill I have a 55 gallon aquarium I am wanting to turn into a saltwater aquarium, I have 2 penguin Bio-Wheel filters
can I use them for saltwater fish or do I need to buy a certain kind of filter? I have no idea where to start on "my project" any information you give me will help me. Is there any book I can buy to help me as well? I am really excited about my aquarium. thank you so much.

Answer
Hello Zandra,

PROJECT.  That is a key word as this will take some time and will be kind of ongoing, (some might say never ending), hehehehe


You have to decide a couple things up front.  Is this going to have fish only, or fish and corals.

The other thing is What kind of corals, soft, or hard.

Most other things can pretty wait, or can be addressed at a later time.

The choices above have an affect on many factors.

I guess i should also say right about now is, that I recommend for you, and everyone to read as much as possible.  There are many things to know and to read up on, but to start off, hows about, Saltwater aquariums for dummies.  (no, I'm not kidding.)

After that, there are some online sources, I like REEFKEEPING Magazine, and several others.

Keep in mind that this hobby is a combination of both 'science' and art.  And if you have 100 'reefers' in a room, you will get at least 100 different answers on subjects.

The 'science' aspect of this hobby is also relatively new and ever evolving.  That is to say, there is an 'old school' and new school mentality.

I AM OLD SCHOOL, with a smidgeon of new school stuff, just to keep you all guessing.

The big issue for 'old schoolers' is the setup, or 'cycle', for new tanks.

Unlike freshwater, saltwater filters are not 'mechanical'.  WE don't use sponges, and 'biological beads/balls'  

Our filter is the Live Sand, and the Live Rock.  It is important to have the 'right' amount of sand and rock for your tank.  Somewould say there is a formula, but there isn't.  It depends on the size of the tank, the amount of fish and livestock in that tank, and how you maintain the tank.  

Once you determine the amount of live sand and rock, you simply setup the tank where you want it, make sure it is level and all that, cause once you fill it it is very hard to move..

That is the easy part.  The next part is the hard part, (not really, but it is the part that takes some 'chemistry and testing and all that'.

You need to add the water and some live rock and sand, and start testing for NITRITES and AMMONIA.  You test daily for almost a month, with no fish or other livestock.  Maybe after a couple weeks, you can add a few snails, (clean up crew/cuc)

Towards the end of the 'cycle' you will see the test results for the Nitrite, start to spike, i.e. the results will start to climb quickly, then in 1-2 days, will drop to zero.

THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE WAITING FOR.

During this period, is when you should start reading in more detail, about new tank setups, and what kind of fish you will be wanting, to make sure you don't get fish that like to have each other for dinner, if you know what i mean....


Anyway, there is a lot to setup a saltwater tank.  I can go on and on and on,    OH I DID THAT...

Hopefully, i gave you a taste of what is going to be in your future.


Please let me know  if you have more questions and specific needs that i can address,  And good luck and welcome to the reefer world...


Mr. Bill