Just here to learn!

I started a freshwater tank earlier this year, it is quite small, but i really enjoy it and in the fall I want to start a saltwater tank. After causing a few tank apocalypse with the freshwater tank i have learned how important it is to educate myself and have a really good idea of what im doing BEFORE i start. I have several books, read a lot, browsed the internet a ton, and im hoping this will be a great place for me to ask questions and learn even more!

Some other information, i am currently and engineering student and i hope to go to veterinary school and work at a zoo!

welcome to the Reef.

Hello little_fish
Welcome to the forum.

Welcome to Living Reefs. This is a good group of people that will help answer any questions you may have. You're right to start in the info gathering stage!

Hi. Welcome aboard!

Hi and welcome! I'm glad you're doing your research. Saltwater Tank Apocalypses are much more expensive than their freshwater brethren

I hope you enjoy it here, these kind and friendly people have helped me tremendously with all of the experiences and problems I have had. I hope you enjoy your stay, and maybe I will even be able to give you some help should you need it. So as they say, "Fire away." =D

Thanks for the warm welcome.
If you could offer any advice for this new comer I would really appreciate it, especially your experience on live rocks and how to cycle a tank correctly. What are some good initial hard fish?
FYI: I hope to do a 50 gallon tank with only fish for now. I would like to put in larger fish that are easier to keep track of, like the smaller angel fish or larger wrasses. I would also love to keep a dwarf lion fish, how would i design the tank around this particular critter?

The cycle is basically just an exercise in patience. You fill your tank, add your live rock and then wait, checking your parameters every day or few days. You will see first ammonia appear. Once it starts to drop then stop testing ammonia and start testing nitrites. Once you see them start to drop stop testing them and start testing nitrates. Once they get to 0, wait a couple of days, test all 3 again and if they are still 0, you are done.

As for the lionfish, they WILL eat anything they can fit in their mouth. Inverts and fish alike. I think you may run into trouble in a tank of that size trying to keep a lionfish with any others because a 50g calls for relatively small fish and yet a Lion is a predator and it's best to keep them with bigger fish so they don't eat them. You may want to reconsider either your tank size, or your choice to try to keep a lion.

Cycling a tank requires a few things patience being the front runner. Id start by setting your tank up properly with correct filtration Biological Chemical and Physical, the process also includes initial set up of a stable water condition, this includes Specific Gravity (Salinity near 1.024-1.026) , pH (8.2 Ideally), Ammonia Nitrite and Nitrates in acceptable parameters sustained over time, and water temperature (between 77-81 depending).

Cycling itself is just a wait game with checking the water conditions every so often. I'd start by setting up your tank, Introducing Liverock to it (I would do this now if you intend on doing it later) and then waiting a few weeks before introducing any fish assuming your water tests indicate your tank has started to mature,(even then the longer you wait the higher the chance of success with this stage).
Lighting will not be as important if you do not ever intend on putting in Light specific inverts, or corals. A basic 50/50 (Day/Actinic Blue) Flourescent you can purchase for a 55g (I assume since not many tanks I see are sold in 50g size) will be fine for the set up you want.

The basic equipment I would get would be (depending on Budget)

- 65+ Pds Liverock (assuming 55g)
- Livesand to cover and or mix with regular sand I have a fondness for Crushed Fiji Pink Sand)
- Filter of your choosing (Hang on Back/Tank or Cannister, remembering that it will take 2 HoB filters for a 55g)
- Thermometer
- Powerheads (preferably 2+ for a tank that size and rated to 55g+ as water flow will be very important.)
- Liquid Testing Kit, Including pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate
- GOOD Salt (I use Reef Crystals but there are by far some better ones out there. it comes down to your choice really)
- Refractometer/Hydrometer (Either or though the Refractometer will be worth its weight in gold down the line.)

This is all I can think of thus far, I wouldn't worry to much about what fish are good and hardy yet, Though Pajama Cardinals, and Damsels will work. There is no point in making sacrifices to the Gods yet. As for the Lion someone more experienced than myself will have to guide you down that road as I have no knowledge of what to do there.

Note: An alternative route to the Filtration system is a Sump system something you will also have to take up with the Elders of the Reef here.