First marine tank setting up after freshwater (Sheffield UK)

charjoe

Hello there - firstly what a nice friendly set of forums here - many thanks for the facility :D

I have kept freshwater tropical for years & would like to transfer over to marine - I have always been a bit wary but the more often I visit my local stores, the more the marine displays in the fornt of the shop attract me!

I would like to keep a reef tank with anenomes, live rock, mushroomy things & some basics like clown fish, damsels & tangs. The fish will prob be called Nemo & Dorey........

I currently have a 45 gallon tank, dimenions (off the top of my head) are something like 39" x 18" high x 12" wide.

I currently have a normal heater, normal lighting in hood & an internal fluval filter (sponge no carbon), some tufa rock (I keep cichlids) & sand.

I have a budget (a starter budget) of £400 to spend, with the long term plan of spending more - possibly upgrading tank to a deeper one etc and buying more live rock.

Can anyone advise me on the best things to buy first? I know the lighting needs an upgrade - how many tubes etc & do I need one of those above tank holders, removing the need for a lid? Does the filter need changing/adding to? I know I need a skimmer - Ive seen red sea prisms.
Basically I want to get the tank up & running on a budget with some fish & need to know the essentials.

A second thought - to buy a complete second hand setup as these seem quite reasonable. Some of them, on Ebay for example, seem a bit grubby - like the glass hasnt really been cleaned & the filters have scale or something on them etc, but the price makes then reachable. Whats the best way of majorly overhauling a tank & cleaning it

Any assistance gratefully received - I hope I haven't been too vague please ask me to confirm any more. :P

Many thanks

Kevin (first posting)

sazzy

hi i know nothing about marine tanks,
but you are my neighbour,i live in sheffield too :) small world eh?!

charjoe

But I don't know anyone who looks like a rabbit........

nice to speak to you!!

Kevin

caferacermike

Second hand can be a great investment. Vinegar or muratic acid can be used to clean up an old tank to look like new. With vinegar I prefer a stronger solution of about 5 parts water to 1 part vinegar. With pool cleaning acid I prefer an 8-10 parts water to 1 part acid. Always slowly pour acid into water, never the other way round. Soak the bits for about 4-24 hours and they will clean with a good rinse or sponge. Pieces shall shine like new again. If sensitive to acids wear rubber gloves like those for cleaning dishes.

I would forget the tang in a small tank, most grow very large and quickly.

Everything else could be viable. I would urge you to plan to buy a quality foam fractioner, or skimmer. They will help you keep more fish in a small environment. You've never used one in freshwater, you'll be amazed at what they do to keep salt water tanks clean. They permanently remove waste into a collection cup, unlike filters that trap waste. In your area you might be a able to get a nice deal on a Deltec out of Germany. Check out the MCE300 for a hang on tank model that can't be beat.