Who Gives A Fish Forums

Running eight freshwater tanks, plus 30 years under my belt. Thinking of dipping my toes into marines, possibly converting a 2 or 4 footer. Not looking to go full-on reef, just a few fish and maybe some shrimps. What kit would I need for a basic setup? Any advice on this and some guidance on fish selection would be great.

..damsels are a great choice. Loads of colours and types, and super easy to care for. Plus, they look awesome with some ocean rocks to hide amongst - really adds to the visual.

For setup, I'd say ditch the skimmer - not needed for FO. External filter canister is the way to go, adds space and keeps the tank clean, picking up debris and whatnot.

Ocean rocks are a great addition, pretty cheap too - I got mine off ebay, 20kg for £25. Heater's a must, and maybe a couple of powerheads for water movement - my fish seem to love it.

Substrate-wise, crushed coral gravel or sand's a good choice - I've had good results with it.

think a good skimmer's a must for FO, personally. those damsels might be cheap but they can be pretty aggressive, will probably end up killing each other off. and most get pretty big, palm or face-sized, so not exactly the best choice for a small setup.

I'm getting frustrated with the conflicting advice. Thought I was making progress, then someone comes along and says the opposite. Starting to think I'll just stick with what I know - freshwater.

Don't be put off, a FO setup can be just as rewarding as a freshwater one. I've got a 12-gallon FO tank myself, and I can tell you, forums are always going to have differing opinions. Just get a decent-sized tank, a good filter, and set it up similarly to your freshwater ones. For fish, you could consider clowns, firefish, or green chromis - they're all great options.

When it comes to making informed decisions, especially in a hobby like aquarium-keeping, I think it's crucial to gather information from various sources and weigh up the pros and cons of each piece of advice. This way, you can form your own opinion and make a decision that suits your specific needs and experience level.

Along with gathering info from various sources, personal experience with your own tanks will also play a significant role in decision-making. If someone like betta5 shares their positive experience with a tank that's doing well without a skimmer, it's worth considering that it might work for you too.

oceanix_9 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 4:17 am Running eight freshwater tanks, plus 30 years under my belt. Thinking of dipping my toes into marines, possibly converting a 2 or 4 footer. Not looking to go full-on reef, just a few fish and maybe some shrimps. What kit would I need for a basic setup? Any advice on this and some guidance on fish selection would be great.

Don't give up just yet, conflicting advice is nothing new, I've had my fair share with freshwater fish and I'm sure I'm not alone. It's only natural that people have different experiences with their setups, that's what makes it all so interesting.

Take a look at some of the Fish Only setups in the Journals section, there's some great examples of what can be achieved with a little patience and planning. For choosing your stock, I'd recommend picking up a book like 'Marine Fishes' by Scott W. Michael, find some fish you like the look of and then ask for some opinions on here.

I'm getting a kick out of everyone's assumption about my gender. Anyway, my tank's been running smoothly without live rock or a skimmer. I'm planning to give it a bit of a makeover, to be honest, it's not the prettiest tank. I'm thinking of adding more reef rock to give it some character.