The Tank:
An ideal saltwater tank for those just starting out is 40 gallons, according to almost every source. 30 would be minimum, but the difference in price and work between a 30 and 40 is very slim, so go larger. Better yet, try for a 55 gallon. The tank should not be extra high. Almost all saltwater fish are aggressive to a degree, so they need their space, and they define it much more so horizontally, than vertically. Also, gas exchange is not as good in a high tank, a high tank looks much smaller, and the bacteria colonies (which get rid of wastes) are much smaller as well, due to less substrate.

Saltwater fish are active as well, and a high tank will not give them enough room (nor will a tank under 30 gallons (with the exception of a clownfish in an anemone, or a small hawkfish). Don’t think that just because a fish only grows 2 inches, it can be kept in a 10 gallon tank. Besides trouble in maintaining salt level and temp., small fish (like chromis and bi-color dottybacks) can be very active! The tank should be set on a very stable stand, easy to get to, and out of direct sunlight in most cases. But as a former freshwater aquarist, you know that, so... The last thing is Acrylic or glass, glass is cheap, but acrylic is very very clear, it does scratch easily though, but acrylic is much stronger and lighter--your choice!

The Hood:
Only a few saltwater fish really jump, but having a hood makes your tank look much better and also helps to reduce evaporation (which helps keep your salinity more stable). Saltwater fish come from very shallow water (at least most reef-fish we keep do). There are exceptions (like the flame angel) but generally, saltwater fish need a lot of light in the tank to feel comfortable and to look good. For a fish-only tank, it will need at least 2 flourescents to make your fish stand out and look good. These lights should be for saltwater aquaria only, not freshwater plant lights or hardware store lighting. Custom hoods can be built so you can upgrade your lighting later if you want to.

The Kind of Lighting:
In general, you have flourescents (VHO = very high output, included in this group), and MH (Halodies). MH is only used for reef tanks, and generally only for reef tanks with stony corals (like acropids) and hard corals with very high light demands. MH is a very expensive form of lighting, but the overall effect is better using it, and inverts thrive under it. Flourescents are great, cool-running, and ideal for most set-ups. If you want a reef-tank, a minimum of 4 is good to have, with room to expand to 6 ideally.
There are other forms of lighting, like Mercury Vapor (which is okay for freshwater planted tanks I have heard) but the above 2 forms of lighting are pretty much the standards. For a more indepth view at lighting, see our lighting page:
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There are many ways to set-up a saltwater tank, from the Jaubert Plenum system, to the Berlin system. Protein Skimming is one of the main things that every saltwater set-up has in common. It is a Must for a saltwater tank. The skimmer is used for ponds and saltwater tanks only, as they don’t really function well in freshwater tanks. Buy a great skimmer, as it is one of the main items to your tank! Get one over-rated for you tank (in other words, if you have a 55 gallon, get one ranked for tanks 75 and higher). A skimmer is a simple piece of equipment, yet I recommend you buy one instead of making it, or buy one and increase it’s capabilities with your own adjustments and work. There are hang-on models and also ones that are made to go in a sump. Three main kinds of skimmers are available, the once standard one-way-current design is now outdated though. That leaves the Venturi Valve design, and the Counter-Current design, along with minor alterations of both (and combinations of course). Venturi are more expensive, but are the best. The Counter-Current design is very good as well though. In general, how fine the mist (bubbles are), how much water can be pumped through it an hour, and the amount of water-air (bubble) contact, are the determining factors to rank skimmer performance. The cup should be emptied at least once a month (takes about 20 seconds), and the bubbles/mist and water should come to right below the collection cup in most models.

The Main Filter:
Haha, here’s an issue! You want to talk about controversy! Basically, if you want a reef tank, go with a standard Berlin, or Plenum system, or something that is time-tested and highly recommended (alot of live rock (and sometimes live sand) is usually a must). However! Live rock does not have to be used if you are not creating a reef tank, or you just want to keep a few corals. Live Rock does offer incredible filtration, and also gives the tank a nice look (with the purple algae and other things growing on it).

Wet / Dry systems are great as well, instead of live rock (even though a full reef tank will need live rock). One of the disadvantages is that if your bacteria die off (like in a major system failure) you lose filteration for 3 weeks! However, these filters convert waste very efficiently, and this is what I use on my 100 gallon half-reef. They will also aerate your tank, and they give you a sump. This is an area under the tank where you can neatly keep your skimmers and heaters, and any media you want as well (carbon can be used, but if you are keeping corals and anemones--use sparingly (2 days a month for example)). Zeolites won’t work as media in a saltwater tank (however, saltwater can be used, if done correctly, to recharge them). A simple sponge filter is fine and recommended to go in your pre-filter box, so you don’t clog up your main wet/dry sponge. WARNING, if you use a gravity feed box to get your water down to the sump, fish CAN get caught in your box! Talk about stress! Get a plastic screen to go over and make sure the fastenings are not metal either.

Fludized beds are one of the new filters out there. These filters are very efficient and are much smaller than wet/dry.

Algae Scrubbers are the other main new filter out there. They are VERY over-ranked by the companies. Nature uses the vastness of the ocean in almost all cases to “filter” the water, not algae or bacteria! However, they have their advantages, despite the crazy advertising that says “give up your protein skimmers, you won’t need it with this.” YEAH RIGHT! I would have to question this for a reef tank though. I would say pick between live rock, fludized bed, and wet/dry myself. With algae scrubbers, the whole thing can take months to start, and you have to culture the algae with extra lighting, and the whole system could go down: then what? Wait another couple months to use it again? Good water quality can be accomplished in many other ways, and the long-term effects of algae scrubbers are not yet studied. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Powerheads:
Essential, even if you have no inverts in the tank. They agitate the water, causing CO2 to be diffused quicker (slightly raising pH), and also putting Oxygen into the tank. Fish love it, it makes food move (I have noticed that it helps get fish to eat better myself). It also gives the fish exercise, increasing its life-span a little due to the burning off of fat. Powerheads help give Oxygen to bacteria as well, making them more efficient in removing wastes. They also help fish in another way, many fish like to lay in the current at night so their gills don’t’ have to work as hard to pump water through them. Yet another advantage is that they prevent “dead-spots” in the tank and help to spread out the heat evenly throughout the tank. And of course, for corals and anemones, they are essential so that the animal can remove wastes, breathe, bring micro-scopic food to them, etc.

Heaters:
Have 2 heaters in your tank please, and buy good quality ones. They can be placed in the sump if you have good water current to spread the heat out evenly. Have a thermometer as well, and 2 of them in bigger tanks on opposite sides to make sure that the tank is getting good water motion.

Have 2 spare tanks. These can be 10 gallons each. They can be used to treat sick fish in, cure live rock, quarentine fish ( a must with saltwater!), mix up saltwater (after all, you can’t mix it up in the tank!) etc. (Maybe even try to raise fry in :-)

Other things you need are rubberbands (to tie coral or fragments to rocks, and to attach lettuce to rocks (unless you use a simple lettuce clip (Make sure there is no metal in the magnet, etc. on your clip, use a suction cup on the back instead!). Buckets--at least 2 that are just for aquarium-use (or else someone in your family will fill it up with bleach and soap and you go to do the water change and the residue is still there and...!
A simple tank glass cleaner. If it is a magnet, don’t leave it in the tank when not in use! That can cause the salt ions to be drawn to it, and mess up a few other minor things in your tank, and the magnet may even corrode and give off a heavy metal! And other things I’ve taken for granted and overlooked as well!

Gravel--Crushed coral (argonite) or dolomite. It can be expensive, but cleans up great, puts calcium into the water, looks real good, and stabilizes water hardness and pH very nicely. An alternative is sand, which has to be cleaned regularly for sure!!! Also, make sure you have sand-sifting fish like gobies, and/or inverts in there to keep it stirred up and clean or many many problems will develop. Wrasses of the Coris genus that dive under the substrate will like this. There is also a thing called live sand, like live rock. The plenum system will not be discussed right now though.

This should give you a start. Look for used equipment at websites and in your local papers, but make sure it is in good condition and not out-dated (the hobby has changed an incredible amount in the last decade).

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