So who all has saltwater tanks???

bmcafee64 · Post by **bmcafee64** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:09 pm

Hey I was just wondering who has salt water tanks and what kind of fish/coral. It just amazes me that there arent more forum articles on here. Does everyone just go to razorback reef or what?

Bobby@W.U.W · Post by **Bobby@W.U.W** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:19 am

this club is for freshwater. not many people from up this way go to razerbackreef meetings because they are so far away. chris has said that he has been looking for someone in the area to start a NWA chapter of razerbackreef but no one that i know has the time to do it.

Post by **sumpnfishy** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 4:49 pm

I wouldn't say we are "for freshwater". Rather, most of our members are primarily focused on freshwater. A majority of serious saltwater hobbyists do not keep any freshwater tanks and therefore rarely find interest in a club that is not exclusively saltwater, like Razorback Reef. On the other hand, many hobbyists who are mostly focused on freshwater have a tank or so that is salt. Therefore, it is possible we may have meeting topics on saltwater occasionally, but because the freshwater genre is so broad and that is where most members' interests lie, that is where you will see most of the focus.
Michael

Bobby@W.U.W · Post by **Bobby@W.U.W** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:01 pm

oop's I stand corrected

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 7:33 pm

Thanks for the well-worded clarification. I have always had freshwater only, but am more and more interested in starting a saltwater tank myself.

HiroPro · Post by **HiroPro** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:16 pm

I'm planning a reef tank in the near future. Probably a 90G tank. I'm in the process of setting up 2 40G tanks and adding a rack for more 10-20G tanks - if I can squeeze it all into my office!

bmcafee64 · Post by **bmcafee64** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:56 am

wouldn't say we are "for freshwater". Rather, most of our members are primarily focused on freshwater. A majority of serious saltwater hobbyists do not keep any freshwater tanks and therefore rarely find interest in a club that is not exclusively saltwater, like Razorback Reef. On the other hand, many hobbyists who are mostly focused on freshwater have a tank or so that is salt. Therefore, it is possible we may have meeting topics on saltwater occasionally, but because the freshwater genre is so broad and that is where most members' interests lie, that is where you will see most of the focus.
Michael

Beautifully written my friend!!! Thats explains everything. I just think that my problem is like bobby said, "Razorback Reef doesnt have a NWA chapter." Im actually from the little rock area myself and have been with Razorback Reef for awhile now, but its not the same when youre so far away. I just thought I could talk saltwater stuff with some people closer to home. I have a freshwater tank too (well more my fiance's but guess who takes care of it) so this site still comes in handy. Anyway well if anyone here decides on starting a saltwater aquarium and needs advice, let me know, Im sure bobby will feel the same way. I know he knows his stuff, ive talked to him a couple times, eventhough he probably has no idea who i am.

bmcafee64 · Post by **bmcafee64** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:58 am

Hiropro thats a lot of tanks in one office. Must have some huge office space. Good luck!!!

Post by **sumpnfishy** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:45 am

My wife has been talking reef tank for a long time but I've told her that it will be HER tank because I have enough tank work without a reef to take care of. She doesn't think she wants that extra work! I have several different salt tanks I would like to set up but they usually lose out to a new freshwater fish nobody has ever heard of.
Michael

gm333 · Post by **gm333** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:59 pm

I currently am running a 135gal. reef and a 20 gal nano tank. I also have plenty of intrest in freshwater as well.
I do wish that the saltwater wouldnt take most of my time, but it is well worth seeing the results from hard work. I also have a planted tank that can be just as much work at times than my reef tank.
Hopefully in the future I will have have enough patience to breed discuss. This is one of the few breeds I have yet to keep.

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:07 am

I kept a saltwater 58 gallon for several years. I let it go not long after moving to our current house. There were several reasons, among them being the only reliable saltwater fish being over an hour away. I could be persuaded to start one again now that I know there are reliable sources in NW Arkansas.

I have always been a jawfish fan.

Kevin

gm333 · Post by **gm333** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:14 pm

SO what will prusuade you? I have hundreds of pics if that will help.
I dont have any jawfish, but I do have an Enginner goby.

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:13 am

Ahhhh, engineer gobies......I once did maintenance on a tank that had 2 adult engineer gobies. I could sit and watch those two for hours.

What will it take to get me back into Saltwater? I don't have any equipment for saltwater now so that limits me. I would need a new protein skimmer and new live rock. It might be doable, not today though, maybe this spring or summer.

I have a 30 Long that is sitting empty with the question of what to put in it.

Kevin

Bobby@W.U.W · Post by **Bobby@W.U.W** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:17 pm

do you have a light?

I have a 3' 2X96w pc you can have for $50 needs a acrylic lens and I don't know how old the bulbs are.

gm333 · Post by **gm333** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:34 pm

How about a species tank with a mantis shrimp. Need no skimmer just a powerfilter, live rock, mantis shrimp and what I call junk palys and shrooms.

I had set up this tank with dividers for bettas. That didnt work very well. So I ordered a peacock mantis shrimp from my lfs. The mantis shrimp came in and looked nothing like a peacock, but it turned out prett cool anyways.
I know he will probably need a bigger tank later on, but for now it is plenty of room.

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:33 am

Mantis shrimp are cool alright.

Michael and I have collected those in the wild. I don't know that I would build a whole tank around one though.

Kevin

Josey · Post by **Josey** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:24 am

I thought mantis shrimp where very destructive. As in the tank would be safe if it took a mind to "junk" it.

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:24 pm

They can be very destructive to other life in the tank (fish, crabs, shrimp, etc.).

Well, I bought a bag of salt and a new light bulb to start turning the 30L into a saltwater aquarium.

Here goes nothing.

Kevin

gm333 · Post by **gm333** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:12 pm

Sweet, what are the plans for livestock?

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:59 am

An excellent question. I am open to suggestions. When I am finished I hope to have 10W of light per gallon on a 30 long. Of course, if I had my way it would be jawfish or those engineer gobies, but I am willing to listen as well.

Kevin

gm333 · Post by **gm333** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:13 am

There are a couple that come to mind, of course the yellow head jawfish, and the ornage stripe prawn goby. Both are affordable and wont cost more than a korallia powerhead.
I would also recommend an ORA percula or oscellaris. I know the clownfish are common, but they all have great personalities and do very well in smaller size tanks.
Once the tank has matured you could always look into a pipefish.
Also some mushrooms and palys would look good as well.