Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => New Fishkeepers => Topic started by: Bristlenose on November 03, 2019, 11:54:31 AM
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I'm researching a new set up for a saltwater tank, between 30 and 40g. I like the look of the tanks with an integrated section at the back for the filter etc. What do you think?
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Whilst the vast majority of us on here have little to no experience with saltwater directly, we do have experience with integrated filters such as this. There is fundamentally nothing wrong with their design, but often the filtration media is poor. I would personally just use a big block of sponge cut to the appropriate shape to replace the supplied media. I've don't his myself in my own tank and now have much more surface area for filtration, reduced diatoms in the tank (type of algae), and a filter which can handle a much higher load. Carbon media should not be used all the time as once it's full it can actually release bad compounds back into the tank. You want just the noodles or sponge and that's it. I know that live rock can perform much of the filtration in a marine system so this is worth looking into too.
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Many thanks Matt, that's really interesting and helpful. I'm currently looking at the Red Sea Max E-170, looks ideal for a beginner, pretty much plug and play but upgradeable as when I'm ready to take more on.
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I've heard good things about these tanks :cheers:
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Thanks again, that's very encouraging :)
It's so different from a freshwater tank, both the setup and ongoing maintenance. I feel this is the ideal saltwater setup for me - I don't feel ready to choose and install the back office stuff, but when I'm ready I can upgrade from the factory settings.
I'm thinking of a dead coral set-up. I know there are good arguments for live coral, but the idea of unwanted visitors in the tank spooks me out. I haven't chosen the initial fish stock or clean up crew yet, looking forward to that. Any suggestions would be most helpful. The Red Sea Max E-170 is 37g, excluding the sump space (which is 8g), so not a huge amount of space for stock.
I'm based in North London. Does anyone have a preferred LFS in the Greater London area? I can order the tank online, but I need somewhere - and lots of advice! - on the coral, sand, substrate and maintenance kit etc.
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Hi @Bristlenose and welcome to the forum :wave:
That's a nice looking tank. I don't have any experience with them though.
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Cheers @Littlefish, good to be on board! :wave:
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Welcome to the forum, @Bristlenose :wave:
I'm based in North London. Does anyone have a preferred LFS in the Greater London area? I can order the tank online, but I need somewhere - and lots of advice! - on the coral, sand, substrate and maintenance kit etc.
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with London or its fish shops but I do recall another member on here enthusing several years ago about the number of fish shops in/near Crews Hill, if that helps at all.
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Welcome to the forum, @Bristlenose :wave:
I'm based in North London. Does anyone have a preferred LFS in the Greater London area? I can order the tank online, but I need somewhere - and lots of advice! - on the coral, sand, substrate and maintenance kit etc.
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with London or its fish shops but I do recall another member on here enthusing several years ago about the number of fish shops in/near Crews Hill, if that helps at all.
Cheers @fcmf!
I'll check out the Crews Hill area. I think there used to be a Maidenhead Aquatics there.
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Hi @Bristlenose,
Welcome to Think Fish! :wave:
Unfortunately, I have no experience whatsoever with marine tanks. So, when you advance down this route, perhaps you could teach me about how to keep ocean-dwelling fish. Do you keep freshwater fish?
JPC
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Cheers @jaypeecee, glad to be here.
I'd be delighted for you guys to join the journey to my first marine tank!
The story so far. I've kept a freshwater tank for more than 20 years, using a Tropiquarium 68 throughout. I fell in love with the hobby after a visit to the London Aquarium. I've kept a variety of community fish, for example, corydoras (albino and bronze), blind cavefish (a particular favourite of mine), Angelfish (white and black), bristlenoses (of course!) and many varieties of tetra. Nothing too complicated. Still love the tank, but it's looking tired these day. The Trop is no longer in production and spare parts are hard or impossible to find.
So I decided to replace the tank. But never got round to it, life took over big time, so here we are with a lightly planted tank with unfixable electronics containing 6 tetras, a blind cavefish and my wonderful (and very active!) Bristlenose.
We moved house recently, and my wife suggested we install a marine tank! Challenge accepted. I began some serious research and quickly discovered it's a very different ballgame to the freshwater variety. For example, the tank will contain a mix of corals, fish and invertebrates. The chemical and salt balance is critical, as is water flow. The equipment is complex (at least to me!), although maintenance seems to be more straightforward than a freshwater tank. Lighting is more complex, and expensive, and the look of the tank - a sort of bluish shade - differs considerably from the "clean" white light of a freshwater tank. There are probably other big issues I haven't discovered yet, the research continues. I have a couple of books, and YouTube is packed with great resources.
We’re having some works done to the house, and a spot for the new tank has been chosen, it’ll be very much on display, so I need to get it right! All being well, probably in the new year, I’ll be installing the tank for the initial cycle. Can’t wait!
I’ll keep you guys in the loop. All suggestions and advice will be gratefully received 😊
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I'd be delighted for you guys to join the journey to my first marine tank!
The story so far. I've kept a freshwater tank for more than 20 years, using a Tropiquarium 68 throughout. I fell in love with the hobby after a visit to the London Aquarium. I've kept a variety of community fish, for example, corydoras (albino and bronze), blind cavefish (a particular favourite of mine), Angelfish (white and black), bristlenoses (of course!) and many varieties of tetra. Nothing too complicated. Still love the tank, but it's looking tired these day. The Trop is no longer in production and spare parts are hard or impossible to find.
So I decided to replace the tank. But never got round to it, life took over big time, so here we are with a lightly planted tank with unfixable electronics containing 6 tetras, a blind cavefish and my wonderful (and very active!) Bristlenose.
We moved house recently, and my wife suggested we install a marine tank! Challenge accepted. I began some serious research and quickly discovered it's a very different ballgame to the freshwater variety. For example, the tank will contain a mix of corals, fish and invertebrates. The chemical and salt balance is critical, as is water flow. The equipment is complex (at least to me!), although maintenance seems to be more straightforward than a freshwater tank. Lighting is more complex, and expensive, and the look of the tank - a sort of bluish shade - differs considerably from the "clean" white light of a freshwater tank. There are probably other big issues I haven't discovered yet, the research continues. I have a couple of books, and YouTube is packed with great resources.
We’re having some works done to the house, and a spot for the new tank has been chosen, it’ll be very much on display, so I need to get it right! All being well, probably in the new year, I’ll be installing the tank for the initial cycle. Can’t wait!
I’ll keep you guys in the loop. All suggestions and advice will be gratefully received 😊
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I enjoyed reading your story, @Bristlenose - thanks for sharing it with us.
For the remaining tropicals, would you consider a new tank for them? (Presumably/hopefully the filter and heater are still working?!) Perhaps, to take away from its "tired" look, a little aquascaping would give it a new lease of life and reinvigorate your enjoyment of the tank's inhabitants? If so, @Matt will no doubt be happy to help with suggestions (check out his http://scapeeasy.co.uk/ site) and you might even find some inspiration for what you would like from https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/scaped-for-you-collections-c-255_577.html?zenid=n2qqfuuk0gab4hs6g92ckagqs2 based on size of tank.
Looking forward to hearing how your journey into marine fishkeeping goes. I wouldn't know where to start, and so it's really interesting to learn of the key differences and other aspects from the perspective of a longstanding tropical fishkeeper. :cheers:
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Hi @Bristlenose
One name that pops up a lot in reef aquaria circles is Randy Holmes-Farley. You may want to check him out.
JPC
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If you can face driving to Windsor perhaps it might be worth trying the MA/Reefkeeper there. The guys at my (current) local MA say it's the flagship store and is very focused on marines, which is why they changed the name
https://thereefkeeper.co.uk/
I'm looking forward to hearing more about your marine set up. This is very exciting. ;D
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Thanks @jaypeecee.
I've checked out Randy Holmes-Farley. He's a reef tank chemistry expert. This is a technique I need to be good at! The initial tank cycling is critical to the chemical balance, and it needs to be monitored in the maintenance programme. Holmes-Farley is active in forums etc, so I'll do some further reading.
Thanks again!
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Thanks @Littlefish.
Thanks for the heads up of https://thereefkeeper.co.uk/ (https://thereefkeeper.co.uk/). The Windsor branch is part of the Maidenhead Aquatics chain of stores, so that’s great. I went to Maidenhead Aquatics to get the freshwater tank all those years ago (at a branch now closed). There’s branch in Wembley (https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/storefinder/wembley/ (https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/storefinder/wembley/)), not too far from where we live. I went there recently on a fact finding mission. They were super helpful. They can source the Red Sea Max E-170, and they gave me good advice on rock type, accessories (salt etc) and initial stocking. All being well, I’ll be getting the kit there, followed by the stock. I don’t know how the Maidenhead Aquatics set-up works (franchises maybe?), but if the stores talk to each other, I may be able to reach out to the Windsor branch if necessary.
So, current position. The house works are nearing completion, so D-Day approaches! The tank location has been chosen (right in there, very much on show), the electrics source is being installed and then we’re good to go. First is to get the tank and rock. Aquascaping next, then the first water cycle begins. Very excited!!!
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Thanks @fcmf.
Actually, I’m not sure what to do with the freshwater set-up. The heater and filtration are working fine, and thanks to the help of Maidenhead Aquatics (Wembley), I’ve just installed a Fluval Aquasky LED in the lighting void in the tank hood. Wow, it’s incredible. Technology sure has moved on since I last replaced the lights. The Fluval creates many spectrum colours and is controlled remotely by an app. The tank is now restored to its former glory, and I’m rediscovering just how good it is to watch it endlessly!
Thanks for the links to @Matt's resource and the other site, they are amazing. I’ve never focussed too much on aquascaping, so this is new to me. I’ll definitely take a longer look at it now. There’s no rush to decide on the freshwater set-up, but the works will begin again next year, at which point I’ll need to make the call. Watch this space!
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Hi @Bristlenose
This is all rather confusing about the MA Windsor marine store. Please check this out with MA directly. I don't think that the 'flagship' MA marine store is actually in Windsor. I believe it's on the outskirts of Bracknell, which is where I live. In fact, I was in this very store earlier this week at Moss End Garden Centre. My understanding is that the MA Windsor store closed down. Clear as mud, eh?
If you do decide to drive over this way, please check me out. We also have a very good independent fishkeeping store less than five miles away that specializes in marine setups. Here it is:
https://www.aquaticaddiction.co.uk
Feel free to PM me.
JPC
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I believe MA is a franchise, though I also believe that they have area managers which makes me doubt this... can anyone confirm or deny (purely for interest purposes!)
I like the Aquasky lights too though mine is now the generation behind yours so no App (just a remote control)! They are more than enough for a low tech aquascape. I particularly like the cloud setting a. There is one on mine which brings the white and red leds on (red good for plant growth and colour rendition of planted tanks) and then fades them in an out randomly and subtly as if clouds going overhead.
I simplify my approach to aquascaping even further in the first two posted articles in the aquascaping section in this site. I need to update my site if I'm being honest... lack of spare time at the moment is holding me back!!!
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You are correct @jaypeecee it is in Bracknell
They moved from Windsor to Bracknell earlier this year, to a bigger site, but still refer to it as the Windsor store.
I'm relocating to Camberley soon, so if you have any recommendations for shops to visit please let me know. :)
In answer to Matt's question, yes, MA is a franchise, and it is common for someone to own several stores in an area.
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Thanks all for the info on MA. Since it's a franchise, the likelihood is that if one store doesn't have something, it'll be necessary to visit the other stores, there won't be an internal supply line. Oh well..
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I was told by the branch at Stokesley that MA has a list of fish, and they can order in anything on that list. But if it's not on the list, they can't get it. However, this was for freshwater fish, I don't know if the same applies to marine.
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I get the impression that the list of potential fish for MA stores is anything in their Databanks at https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/help-and-advice
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You are correct @jaypeecee it is in Bracknell
They moved from Windsor to Bracknell earlier this year, to a bigger site, but still refer to it as the Windsor store.
I'm relocating to Camberley soon, so if you have any recommendations for shops to visit please let me know. :)
Hi @Littlefish
Thanks for the feedback.
Maidenhead Aquatics used to be an integral feature of many Wyevale Garden Centres in my neck of the woods. But, then, Wyevale closed a lot of its Garden Centres so MA had to find new homes.
Camberley is a mere 8 kilometres away from where I live. We are spoiled for choice when it comes to fishkeeping stores. I use the Windsor (???) store here in Bracknell but my preferred store is the MA (Ascot) store. And, guess what, it's not in Ascot but Windlesham! That may well be your nearest MA store. It's currently undergoing a major refurbishment and it should be completed before Christmas. I know the staff there very well.
If you are talking about shops in general, we can delve into that via PM.
JPC
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The MA nearest me used to be in a Wyevale garden centre but a couple of months ago the name changed to Dobbies garden centre. I've just googled Wyevale and their site says
Following a successful sale process, Wyevale Garden Centres has now ceased trading.
The majority of our garden centres have been sold to other operators that we hope you will continue to visit.
The ones near you must be in the minority that haven't been sold on.
There's a list of what's happened to their branches here https://support.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk/Garden-centres/
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The ones near you must be in the minority that haven't been sold on.
Hi @Sue
Perhaps I wasn't clear. I do believe that both of the MA stores that I mentioned are now in Garden Centres that are owned by companies other than Wyevale. But that's all I know.
JPC
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Sorry, misunderstood.
But at least I've found out why the Wyevale nearest us is now a Dobbies. Not that it makes any difference to the MA inside it.
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Thanks all for the heads up on the MA list of fish stock, that's really helpful.
I'll be looking for jobbing fish, by which I mean those species that gobble up algae for fun, really useful for a beginner. So I'm looking at clownfish (of course!), lawnmower blennies and six line wrasse. Tangs are also good for this role, but they're not recommended for smaller tanks, like the one I'll be stocking. MA have clownfish, and other types of blennies and wrasse, so hopefully I'll be good to go. Then there's the clean up crew, snails, hermit crabs etc.