New to Marine tank - Advices needed

[Royston Low]

Hi All,

I am new to the marine tanks though i have read up on forums. Currently i have a planted FW tank and i am doing research on a marine tank setup but as i have some budget constraints thus i would need the friends here advices.


Aim: To plan and create a FOWLR + some LPS to brighten up if possible


Some information below:-
- 2ft tank (60(L) x 30(W) x 36(H) x 6(thick) - in cm
- Canister filter with lily pipe (Eheim Pro ECCO 300)
As i do not have space for sump, is it ok to use a canister filter? Can i still use back the lily pipe inflow and outflow in marine tanks?
For my tank size, what would be the appropriate flowrate that i should achieve? is it the same as for a planted as in 8-10 times of the vol of tank?
- Substrate would be live sand to reduce amount of silicates.
correct me if i'm wrong.
- Mixture of live rocks and man-made rocks
please advise is it ok to use both?
- 2-4 clown fish species and 2-4 tangs species
will such numbers be overcrowding?
- LPS
can advise on more hardy LPS as i would not be using chiller or fan. Tank temp would be as per ambient which would be around 30deg.
- Wave maker
What size of a wave maker would be good enough? any brands to recommend? cheap and good pls.
- LED lights
Any advise on brands of light and indication of watt? cheap and good pls.
- Not intending to get protein skimmer as too bulky and i am without sump.

I would appreciate your advices...
Cheers

[BFG]

Royston Low , please understand my concern for what you want .

Honestly , a limited budget for a marine tank is not practical . There are hidden cost that you will incur and you will need that funds in order to keep your live stock alive . You will need test kits and measuring equipment to keep your tank going . Essential piece of equipment like the skimmer and chiller , which is not in your budget , are really needed in your marine tank .

The fish stock that you want to have is impossible to maintain in such a small tank . I would only recommend 3 fish for your tank size and none of them is from the tang species . No tang would be comfortable in such small sized tank.

30 degree celsius for coral is not feasible . They need cooler water of around 26 degree celsius . I do not know of any coral that can withstand 30 degree celsius saltwater though . Maybe you might find 1 .

If marine tank was so easy , a lot of people would pick it up as a hobby . What you want might not be available .

[Royston Low]

Hi bro BFG,

For a FOWLR setup, is a chiller and skimmer still necessary?

[BFG]

If you want to keep corals .

[spmort]

Hi bro BFG,

For a FOWLR setup, is a chiller and skimmer still necessary?

Trust me....every one started off as FOWLR and venture into Corals, starting from LPS to SPS....Skimmer is extremely important as it skim away 80-90% of the toxin in the water...

Chiller will be important if you need to keep corals....the only coral that will survive without chiller is mushroom...then again....if you already spend so much $$..why keep only mushroom....See my decomm 5footer..

[Eastdarth]

Some advice:

Expect to spend above $500. If you're a newbie, there will definitely be mistakes that you find out along the way, which may incur another $100-$200 in additional costs. I started out 1 and a half years ago, and still have a 2 ft tank in the living room with 2 clownfish and 2 live rocks (No Corals). There is no need for a protein skimmer (for my past experience, I even DIY a protein skimmer myself). Hidden costs include electrical supply for the powerheads/wavemakers, lighting, other equipment like UV for disinfection and air pump (for my DIY protein skimmer).

For me, I use a hang-on back filter (got it for free from my brother as he has extra). Water quality is important, and new fish must be quarantined (free of diseases) for 3 weeks or so to prevent diseases from entering the tank. I've got white spot disease 2 times for clownfish, which added to medicine and extra costs. Changing seawater will also be a hassle as if you live far away from a shop that sells saltwater, you will have to make it yourself which is much harder and time-consuming.

Problems I encountered:

Salt-spraying due to my hang-on back filter splashing into the tank which resulted in corrosion of the support bars of the lighting, and lighting became faulty. I have to top up water to the filter every 3-4 days. Timer for light also became faulty, and I had to replace them. (This time with plastic supports and hangover lights).

Having no fish in the tank for 8-10 weeks due to marine white spot disease in the tank. (so please choose your fish carefully and quarantine).

Bad cable management and placing of power sockets: Don't place your tank near to cables or power sockets as they will stop working after a while, even with protection - especially so with saltwater.

Topping up extremely frequently. (3-4 days with a fan - not really a problem, but a hassle).


Tips:

For chilling, just buy a fan (not those metal ones) and a thermometer and ensure water does not go above 29 Degrees Celsius Maximum - No corals.


Now my tank is just automated (with battery-powered autofeeder), just need topping up of RODI water (RODI adds to costs as well) and 25% water change every month. I probably spent around $600 - $700 total for equipment. I have not ventured into corals.


Cheers