Newbie to sal****er with questions

[Sarah Navarro]

Hi all,

I currently have 14 freshwater tanks and just won an auction on ebay for my
first sal****er tank. I am going to go pick it up in a couple of weeks
because I want to get a couple of things ready first (protein skimmer, foods
they like, etc.). I have googled the fish that come with the tank, but
can't find any info on them. Does anybody know where I can find info on
them. I want to be sure to know something about them first. Here is the
link if you think you can help me. Thanks. Sarah

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4353949074&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

[Billy]

"Sarah Navarro" > wrote in message
nk.net...
| Hi all,
|
| I currently have 14 freshwater tanks and just won an auction on
ebay for my
| first sal****er tank. I am going to go pick it up in a couple of
weeks
| because I want to get a couple of things ready first (protein
skimmer, foods
| they like, etc.). I have googled the fish that come with the tank,
but
| can't find any info on them. Does anybody know where I can find
info on
| them. I want to be sure to know something about them first. Here
is the
| link if you think you can help me. Thanks. Sarah
|
|
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4353949074&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT
|
|

Welcome.

Be afraid. That tank looks very poorly cared for and equipped, you
may be in for some trouble. New filter, no substrate, very lttle
rock, and a puffer that will require 100 gallons of living space in
short order. They get big, and have a bad reputation as being
impossible to keep with most other fish. However, they have
individual personalities, and many have been reported to be kept in
community tanks for years with no trouble at all. You are, however,
going to need to get a MUCH bigger tank, or get rid of him.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/puffcareinfo.htm

I don't recognize the "engineering goby" nor do my books or links
have mention of it. I'm going to assume it's misnamed by the seller,
who honestly, doesn't seem all that bright, based on his spelling and
grammar. One can hope english isn't his first language.

Let me give you some links:
http://faq.thekrib.com/sbegin.html
Beginner FAQ on sal****er fishkeeping.
www.reefcentral.com
Excellent forum for marine fishkeepers.
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/
Identification of common marine tank critters
http://www.melevsreef.com
Great site for DIY projects and more by a member of these newsgroups,
Marc Levenson. He also sells RO\DI units, which I recommend.


And now, my rant on marine fishkeeping:

I'm not going to kid you, going salt gets bloody damned
expensive...if you do it right. My main tank is a 75 gallon reef,
with about 110 gallons of total water volume with sumps included. I
have no idea how much money I've spent on it, but I'm sure it's over
two thousand dollars over the last year and a half, and I still feel
like I've cut some corners. If you try to cut costs by buying crappy
equipment, not setting up a quarantine tank, stuff like that, you're
asking to have SERIOUS troubles, you're not going to have fun, and
you're going to kill critters.
If you just want sal****er fish, called "FO"* or "fish-only", you
can get by much cheaper. You can get away with Normal Output
flourescent lights, for example.You still need to buy good equipment
in other areas, though. The protien skimmer, IMO, is the most
important item. Buy the best damn skimmer you can afford. I'm
serious. It should be physically painful when you buy the skimmer.
You will never regret it. Bio-filtration, IMO, is best accomplished
with the use of Live Rock. (FOWLR)** It can take care of the entire
biological filtration process, saving you work and money through
significantly reduced need for water changes (salt gets expensive) to
reduces nitrates. Again, don't buy cheap live rock. It's expensive,
for a 55gallon you're looking at 400 dollars or more, but cheap LR
can have parasites, unwanted pests like aiptasia, bryopsis, and very
little in the way of desireable organisms. "Getting a great deal" is
not often a great deal in this uh...hobby.
Research. Sign up at www.reefcentral.com , go to www.garf.org ,
and you may wish to start at http://faq.thekrib.com/sbegin.html .
Your LFS may be a good resource, but keep in mind, "buyer beware",
and that the person who's advice you're taking is, at the basics,
trying to sell you stuff.

Subscribe to rec.aquaria.marine.reefs. This group is pretty slow.

Good luck, and there are no stupid questions. If you wonder about
something, it's probably been wondered about before, and someone
here, or at RF, or your LFS will have an answer. Possibly not the
right one, though. Much of what you will hear in the way of advice is
anecdotal. Meaning, it worked for this one guy under his
circumstances, but it may result in disaster for some other guy.
Read. Research. Think about your desicions. Discuss them with others.
Find and join a local reef club, if you can't find one, start one.

Welcome to the obssesion. Just wait until MTS sets in..

Billy

FYI:
Reef: Sal****er, with Live Rock, fish, corals, and likely
invertebrates
FO: Fish-Only. Just fish. Maybe a couple minor inverts.
FOWLR: Fish Only With Live Rock. Live rock, fish, probably some
inverts. No corals.

[Kevin & Donna Sanders, M.D.]

We all had to start somewhere
For a lot of good info and some of the most beautiful pictures go to Marc
Levenson's webpage www.melevsreef.com.
Kevin





"Sarah Navarro" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> Hi all,
>
> I currently have 14 freshwater tanks and just won an auction on ebay for
> my first sal****er tank. I am going to go pick it up in a couple of weeks
> because I want to get a couple of things ready first (protein skimmer,
> foods they like, etc.). I have googled the fish that come with the tank,
> but can't find any info on them. Does anybody know where I can find info
> on them. I want to be sure to know something about them first. Here is
> the link if you think you can help me. Thanks. Sarah
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4353949074&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT
>

[George Patterson]

Sarah Navarro wrote:
>
> I have googled the fish that come with the tank, but
> can't find any info on them.

He's mis-spelled the name of one - try looking for a porcupine puffer. They are
slow-swimming fish that have spines all over them. The spines lie down flat
until the fish gets upset. When that happens, they puff themselves up into a
ball and the spines stick out all over. They can get large.
See http://www.blackbrookzoologicalpark.co.uk/showfactsheet.php?species_id=9

A goby is a small fish that hangs around the bottom. The term "engineering" goby
is slang applied to the types that like to dig holes in the substrate. They'll
dig a hole and back in leaving nothing showing but the front fins and the head.
See http://www.marinedepotlive.com/engolei.html

George Patterson
He who would distinguish what is true from what is false must have an
adequate understanding of truth and falsehood.

[Sarah Navarro]

Thanks George, you have been immensely helpful. The puffer looked so cute
in the ebay picture, but he looks really mean on that other website. I
appreciate your help. I know I will have more questions as time goes on.

Sarah
>
> He's mis-spelled the name of one - try looking for a porcupine puffer.
> They are
> slow-swimming fish that have spines all over them. The spines lie down
> flat
> until the fish gets upset. When that happens, they puff themselves up into
> a
> ball and the spines stick out all over. They can get large.
> See
> http://www.blackbrookzoologicalpark.co.uk/showfactsheet.php?species_id=9
>
> A goby is a small fish that hangs around the bottom. The term
> "engineering" goby
> is slang applied to the types that like to dig holes in the substrate.
> They'll
> dig a hole and back in leaving nothing showing but the front fins and the
> head.
> See http://www.marinedepotlive.com/engolei.html
>
> George Patterson
> He who would distinguish what is true from what is false must have an
> adequate understanding of truth and falsehood.

[BiG Orange]

That is not a sal****er setup, that is a freshwater setup that someone put
salt in! Those hoods are not appropraite for use in freshwater, that will
produce stray currents. Also, it is sitting on a TV stand, not made for the
tank which could be a problem one day. 20 gallons is way too small for a
sal****er tank with fish IMO.

[[email protected]]

BiG Orange > wrote:
> That is not a sal****er setup, that is a freshwater setup that someone put
> salt in! Those hoods are not appropraite for use in freshwater, that will
> produce stray currents. Also, it is sitting on a TV stand, not made for the
> tank which could be a problem one day. 20 gallons is way too small for a
> sal****er tank with fish IMO.

No, you can set up a small SW with a coupla fish. This tank isn't set
up right, though, as you say. And a puffer's not a fish I'd put in a
20 gallon.

Mike

[George Patterson]

wrote:
>
> And a puffer's not a fish I'd put in a
> 20 gallon.

Neither is an engineer goby.

George Patterson
He who would distinguish what is true from what is false must have an
adequate understanding of truth and falsehood.

[Billy]

"BiG Orange" > wrote in message
...
| That is not a sal****er setup, that is a freshwater setup that
someone put
| salt in! Those hoods are not appropraite for use in freshwater,
that will
| produce stray currents. Also, it is sitting on a TV stand, not made
for the
| tank which could be a problem one day. 20 gallons is way too small
for a
| sal****er tank with fish IMO.
|

Whoa, there!!!! Admittedly, the only thing "salt" about this setup is
the 2 inhabitants, one of whom needs another home, and soon.

However, the only difference equipment-wise from basic salt and fresh
is the addition of a skimmer, and in some rare cases you can go
without that, too. There are many things you can add and delete, but
most of them wouldn't be needed for a simple FishOnly tank. And how
is a cheap flourescent lighting hood going to produce "stray
currents" and what, exactly, are "stray currents" to begin with?
20 gallons too small? Tell that to the legions of successful
nano-reefers. I've seen stable systems as small as 5 gallons.<g> 20
gallons is getting to be pretty mainstream for basic beginner setups.
The stand looks fine. I've had TV's that were heavier than a 20g,
and on lousier stands than that.:)

billy

[jaypython]

Hi sarah....do yourself a favour and get a couple of marine keeping
books for beginners.

go only with fish and stay away from a reef set up.especially in your
new 20g set up.

what has already been said on this post is good advice,but by buying a
book ar two will fill your head with all the information you will need
one other thing that has pretty much been suggested is to get rid of the
puffer and stick with a starter fish like a common clown fish.

good luck sarah and keep us posted.

jay:)



--
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http://www.cichlidfish.com/portal/forums

[DeeOooGee]

"jaypython" -DONTEMAIL> wrote in message
...
> Hi sarah....do yourself a favour and get a couple of marine keeping
> books for beginners.
>
> go only with fish and stay away from a reef set up.especially in your
> new 20g set up.
>
> what has already been said on this post is good advice,but by buying a
> book ar two will fill your head with all the information you will need
> one other thing that has pretty much been suggested is to get rid of the
> puffer and stick with a starter fish like a common clown fish.
>
> good luck sarah and keep us posted.
>
> jay:)
>
Good advice, I'd also recommend spending a great deal of time at
www.reefcentral.com


Great Site