A big shout out to Peter from Watsonville for correcting some mistakes in this video! 1) It is totally okay to use distilled water. I was wrong. So, if you don't have an RO/DI filter and/or don't live near a local fish store that can sell you water, no problem, go to the grocery store and buy distilled water and make saltwater yourself. 2) 33-35 ppt, not ppm. I always say parts per million, but yes, when talking about salt, it is parts per thousand. A big thanks to everyone who has watched this video over 350,000 times!
While I understand it is better to use RO water I never had a problem using tap water with prime and then mixing salt. I think saying you have to use Ro water is misleading, I get some areas have better or worse tap, but it is definitely not necessary. it is better to use RO.
I can't disagree with you. It is a challenging hobby, but it can be done relatively simple. If you ever decide you want to give it a shot, please feel free to email me at myfirstfishtank@gmail.com, I'd be happy to help
I've been out of the hobby for about 10 -15 years raising my kids. I'm helping a friend now and I found your site. I wish something like this existed for me when I began. great work. new subscriber.
I try. Sometimes RUclips doesn't notify me when somebody responds to my response, so that is annoying. Thanks for watching and your kind words. Let me know if you ever want to build a saltwater tank. I'm happy to help!
Price Christian I’m glad! They are a work in progress! This year will be making tons more. Checklists, glossary, maintenance videos, etc! Stay tuned and thanks for commenting!!!
I have been researching saltwater tanks for my future peacock mantis shrimp and your video + website are by far the most detailed and helpful I have come across. I feel more excited and informed about saltwater tanks. Can't wait to get my tank up and running- will definitely be sending in pictures. It'll be a couple months from now, I'm still in the research + gather supplies stage :) Great video!
Glad to help. Be sure to check out www.myfirstfishtank.com for tons, I mean tons more! And we are currently doing a new beginner series for the entire year. So check out this playlist! ruclips.net/p/PL_9XSWQZldtFtWUBO46ERfBRvBrmjvij0
I unfortunately stopped my interests in reefing but just came back into it.the thing is,I live in a country where reefing isn’t common and pet shops or aquarium shops aren’t that common,but I just watched this video again and I realized that I commented on this video two years ago.I forgot everything I learnt and I am on my way to learning everything I knew.I wish my knowledge on this hobby expands so that one day I might be able to start my first saltwater tank
Love the video!!! I'm looking forward to getting back in the hobby. Lots has changed since the days of under-gravel filters & glass hydrometers! I'd love to do a 150 - 200 gallon unit... if the wife would stop talking about smaller tanks... lol...
Thanks Jeff! I remember my first freshwater tank in the 90's and I most definitely had an undergravel filter! So epic! Thanks for subbing and I'd love to see some pictures if you eventually get back into the hobby!
Goodness me, what have I just watched?! That was the most OTT effort I've ever seen put into a marine tank, and then have nothin but live rock in your tank at the end was one of the funniest things I've seen in years 🤣
This video saved me. Will be using it to make my first tank this weekend. Was able to get all of the equipment, especially the minor yet many things guides don’t tell you about because of this video. Feeling significantly more prepared. Thank you!
It’s funny looking at all the comments saying I thought it would be easy but realized there wasn’t an easy way to set up a salty tank. Imo I think it’s super easy to set up a tank but the hard part, depending on equipment, is maintaining it from there forwards. I legit had a light, hob filter, and a couple of rocks when I set up my first 29 gallon tank. Over time I added sand, a skimmer, a wave maker, and a couple more pieces of rock. I ended up moving and decided that rather than keeping the same tank I’d move all my stuff into a 28 bow front and since then I have had zero problems. Pretty easy to maintain as long as you do the water changes and dose weekly and honestly I wish I’d poured more money into that tank rather than my big freshwater tank or swapped the tanks so the 75 was a salty instead of fresh
I'm glad you mentioned making sure the stand can take the weight. I've seen so many people buy aquariums and place them on standard furniture, which eventually bends with the weight lol.
Thanks CJ, you're always so supportive! You are appreciated! And your new build is coming along nicely! I know what a pain it was to spill 10 gallons of saltwater on my hardwood floor! I don't want to imagine your level of frustration!
Couple of things from mistakes I have made.. Location.. take into consideration floor around your tank is likely to get wet due to accidental spillage at some point. Aquascaping.. May want to consider not building too high, especially if adding corals later. Fish and corals... always research before purchase. Impulse buying often leads to problems. Some online retail stores actually have some really useful information available even if not purchasing from them. Example: the blue tang (Dory from nemo) can grow to a foot in length and is not suitable for a small tank. Some fish simply do not get on well with others. Some fish are venomous as are some corals. Don't rely on the local fish store (LFS) to pass on the information, although good ones will. Bit of research first can save you money and problems. Finally.. needs to be stated, starting with cycling and throughout the life of the tank, one of the hardest lessons you need to learn is patience. Be prepared for ugly phases when starting a new tank, don't expect those perfect tanks you see on youtube within a couple of months. Take pictures on a regular basis and you can compare with earlier ones to see your tank develop.
just sub to your channel, nice and informative video. My 120G system is about a year old now and I have spent about 6 months before starting the system to just do pure research, so many things to learn in this hobby, even more for reef automation.
wow I think I found a gem here... such amazing information :) I just have a freshwater aquarium right now but always loved the saltwater reefs and am considering getting one and this video is such a greag help and in detail which I love. I'm not quite yet there but glad to found this channel! Keep it up!
So glad to hear this Leo! You may be interested in our beginner series we've started. A new video every Friday for the entire year. Maybe if you follow along, you'll be ready by December! Here's a link to the playlist! Thanks for watching and check out our next video this Friday! ruclips.net/p/PL_9XSWQZldtFtWUBO46ERfBRvBrmjvij0
I’ve used distilled water and it worked great. It would be too much work picking up the bottles for a larger tank, but for a small tank 20-25 gallons it might be a good option for those who don’t want to get an RO/DI unit. It worked for me.
Understood. You might be able to do a small tank, get a dc return pump which uses much less energy, and primarily heat the tank with the ambient room temperature, and small led lights.
Great video you should consider adding clean up crew and let everyone know most saltwater tanks will go thru an ugly phase at the end of cycle (diatom algae) bloom and it is natural and should go away over time and that's a great time to add a clean up crew also I understand doing 15% water changes during cycling with fish but should know this does slow the cycle somewhat but still the best step by step I've seen
Im new to saltwater aquariums and you deserve a lot more subscribers to your channel, its really nice and educative. I know a bit of freshwater aquariums. I like the blue marine reef 60 for my first saltwater aquarium. Do you have any experience for this type?
Aw, that's super kind of you! I figure I'll just keep making videos that I'm proud of any eventually I'll get more subs! Or maybe not! You know I'm not very familiar with that company. I don't think they sell here in the states. Did a quick search for it and it looks like a pretty nice all in one system. Thanks again for watching and your kind words!
good video. an important part is missing. like to turn off the lights during cycle if you use live rock and or live sand. and why you cant cycle tank with live fish if you have live rock and sand. lots of people missing these parts and to understand how the aquarium works and ending up quiting their hobby because their tank became a sludge.
Great video my Brother. Thanks for the Game for free and stay healthy! Salute from Germany Edit: I will set up my first tank, the max e 170 with real reef rock, live sand pink from red sea, starter bacteria, some ati pre made see water and the fish method with 2 Clowns.. Hope I get it right 😬😬
Great video my friend, I bought a 120L (31gal) tank and I thinking about how many fish I can fit in there, I was planning on 1 anemone and around 8-10 small fish, do you think that's OK? any advice is welcomed, thanks buddy!!
Hey there. Let's see. a 31 gallon tank is a good size. Not too big but big enough to make a statement. 8-10 small fish? It will really depend. ON the surface I would think 8-10 is on the high end. But if you overpower your filtration, have a protein skimmer, have a lot of flow that will pick up the detritus, and vary the types of fish based on where they will live in the water column, you could definitely make it work. For a 34 gallon tank, I would get peaceful community fish, although you you can definitely add some semi-aggressive fish like clowns and damsels, just watch them to make sure they don't pick on others too much!
@@MyFirstFishTank Thank you very much for your detailed answer buddy, I got a combo with the skimmer and all add ons, so will pay attention to your comments :)
"with your helper, team lift the aquarium..." *shows video clip of single person lifting and moving aquarium into place* Lol Great video though. Seriously, very informative.
Hey there, and a good question. So, most beginner corals aren't too picky. They don't need any sort of fancy light, but they do need a light that puts out enough PAR. PAR is light from the part of the spectrum that is needed for photosynthesis. The Blue part of the spectrum does contain a lot of PAR (depending on the color of blue), but it also helps bring out the colors in the corals for our eyes. There are many commercially available aquarium light options, and I would just choose one that is specifically made for saltwater aquariums. For a 20 gallon tank you could get a light for as little as $100, or spend upwards of $600! Hope that helps!
I'm studying aquatic biology and feel like learning to set up and maintain a saltwater tank could be good experience. This video is so helpful. I live next to an ocean. Is using real ocean water an acceptable option if I still follow all of the other steps?
felicialux hey there and if I could go back and study again, I would choose marine biology for sure! Regarding ocean water. Yes, you can use it, but with a couple caveats. First make sure your local laws allow you to. Second, be sure it is as clean as possible. You will get various hitchhikers in the water, but the biodiversity will be great. By the way, where are you studying?
Thanks Monty. That's a really good question actually! I'm not sure if I featured that clownfish footage anywhere else. I've reach the stage where I forget where some of my footage is! I do remember taking it at my lfs, but I think I've used the same clip several times!
I purchased the fluval. What ATO unit would work best? I'm new to the hobby so my next question is silly. I was under the impression when doing water changes that you should only add new ro/di water, as the salinity would remain in the tank. It seems from the video you are suggesting to make a new batch of salt water. Could you provide a bit more insight. Do you mix a new batch of saltwater depending on the amount of water change done?
Hey JC and thanks for the question. Good question. since it is a small tank, I would go with this one from Reef Breeders www.reefbreeders.com/shop/reef-breeders-exo-ato/ref/9/. I own two of them, and they are quite small. And no worries about the silly question! It's a confusing hobby. So there is a difference between replacing evaporated water and doing a water change. You are correct that freshwater will evaporate everyday, and that needs to be replaced everyday. But a water change is the removal of saltwater and then replacing it with new saltwater. Does that make sense? The purpose of a water change is to remove nitrates, and replenish major, minor and trace elements! I can't wait to see what you build! Feel free to DM me some pictures on Instagram! I would love to see them! @myfirstfishtank
Is there an updated website I could use to build my tank with links that work? I seems like the links on the website are no longer valid when choosing the gear
I wish this was available back then, I have 8 fresh water tanks. Our extra room became a "fish room" I already tried twice and failed both times miserably I lost my interest in saltwater tanks already. Didn't get a thorough guide from the nearest pet stores as they always prioritize profit over quality (living in a 3rd world country) I still have the equipments I purchased. I will research for 3 months then try it again for one last time. Thank you for this guide sir!
You are most welcome and I appreciate the back story. What country do you live in? If you have any questions along the way, please feel free to email me at contact@myfirstfishtank.com. Also, be sure to check out my website, www.myfirstfishtank.com. It's got a ton of information just for beginners! Good luck and I'm sure you will find success this time around!
@@MyFirstFishTank I'm from the Philippines, I will certainly be contacting you for a lot of help lol. Hopefully I can pull it off this time, planning to do it on my 120 gallon tank. Wish me luck.
I turned it on right away after it was full of water. The sand settles immediately, it's all of the fine particles that need to be filtered out. So turn it on, put a mechanical filter in their like a sponge or filter sock, and give it a day!
Do they make tanks with contoured bottoms yet? (Bowl shaped bottom) This would direct all waste to an opening at the bottom of the tank using gravity then sucked up to the filter system. Clean, Maintenance free reef tank
You know, they don't. But your idea sounds like the old under gravel filter. The problem was detritus always got trapped in the sandbed and caused more problems. I guess you could go with a bare bottom, but I'm still not sure all of that gunk would end up in one area. An interesting idea for sure!
Not yet! I've seen some videos of cats batting at the fish, but not sure how good cats are at fishing! It's more of an annoyance for me than anything else!
Thanks to everybody for getting this video to 100,000 views! Wow! If you've been to my website recently, www.myfirstfishtank.com, you'll immediately notice it is completely different than the video! I've done a total rework and it is much improved! So I'm sorry it looks different, but I think you'll find the upgraded website much, much better! Happy Reefing!
It there a link that show you the step by the step how to built your tank according to your budget ? THe new website only show the built list no instructions. It would be helpful . Thanks !
@@byenvag11 Hey Marc. Here is the closest thing I have.myfirstfishtank.com/watch-video/. It is the 30-steps written out. I will eventually make a guide and step by step video for each build list, but not quite there yet! You should be able to take the written guide and apply it to your build though! And you can reach out to me with any questions
i live in saudi arabia, there used to be a couple of saltwater lfs but in the last year or so all have closed down :( i have a saltwater tank and everything is set up i just can’t get my hands on proper livestock like corals and even fish. the only saltwater fish available here are clarkii clowns and brackish water angels. any tips on where to get animals from?
Yeah you are right. The size of the tank definitely has an effect on the amount of livestock you can keep. But with smaller tanks, you can vary the type of livestock a bit to pack in a bit more. So while you may not be able to have a lot of fish, you could have some fish, a lot of different clean up crew members, shrimp, crab, and various corals. But you are right, smaller tanks mean less livestock.
Question.... I just bought a 100 gallon system and I currently have a 5 year established 20 gallon tank. Can I add my live rock, substrate and the established water along with some new artificial rock and new live substrate with 80 gallons of fresh saltwater and all my fish and coral from my established tank to the new tank without it doing mini cycle? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hey, thanks for the question. Quick answer... Yes. You will inevitably see some small swings as the new rock and substrate get cycled, but then again, you may not. I wouldn't be surprised if you moved everything over, added the new rock and substrate, and then just had a fully cycled tank!
I wanted a saltwater tank until I seen this. I just won’t have the time to do this. Now let me look into a fresh water tank. Sheesh 🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️. But good content btw
I'm building 120 gallon sat tank its hard not too start working on it instantly lol but i wanna make sure I get everything and I do it right just afraid imma kill everything 😅
So, I would never recommend tap water. There are very few things that I'm adamant about in this hobby, and tap water is one of them. You are just introducing to many variables into your tank, especially depending on your area. Chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates, coloration, tds, etc... Long term I just think it's a bad idea. An inexpensive RO/DI filter costs around $200, but it's a great lifelong investment. You can also buy RO/DI water from your lfs, usually for around 50 cents a gallon. But that quickly. becomes a pain in the but! There are some hobbyists out there that probably use tap water, but I've never met one that had long term success doing so. HOpe that answered your question!
Hi Paul, and thanks! I enjoy making these for you all! I do own fluval lights, but they are only on my quarantine tanks. The nice lights you see are actually these ones. www.reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-24-v2/ref/9/ . I love, love, love these lights!!! Happy reefing!
So when it comes to doing the fish in cycle method, we do a water change when reaches 1ppm. Do we do this every time it hits 1ppm until it is done cycling
You just put the vacuum under the water and hold it horizontally under the water then shake it side to side so that water rushes in and out of the tube. Should work with abit of practice mate 👌👍🐟
A big shout out to Peter from Watsonville for correcting some mistakes in this video! 1) It is totally okay to use distilled water. I was wrong. So, if you don't have an RO/DI filter and/or don't live near a local fish store that can sell you water, no problem, go to the grocery store and buy distilled water and make saltwater yourself. 2) 33-35 ppt, not ppm. I always say parts per million, but yes, when talking about salt, it is parts per thousand. A big thanks to everyone who has watched this video over 350,000 times!
While I understand it is better to use RO water I never had a problem using tap water with prime and then mixing salt. I think saying you have to use Ro water is misleading, I get some areas have better or worse tap, but it is definitely not necessary. it is better to use RO.
Came looking for an easy way to setup a saltwater tank, left realizing there's no easy way to setup a saltwater tank. Ocean makes it look so easy
I can't disagree with you. It is a challenging hobby, but it can be done relatively simple. If you ever decide you want to give it a shot, please feel free to email me at myfirstfishtank@gmail.com, I'd be happy to help
My First Fish Tank is it possible to put the turbo boost but still let the tank cycle without fish?
@@sabrinasingh3499 It is not. The bacteria needs a source of ammonia
@@sabrinasingh3499 YOu could use bottled ammonia, though
@@ashark9150 thank you!!!
Hey you, new person reading the comments. Good luck.
I haven't read the comments in a while... Is it dire for beginners?
I've been out of the hobby for about 10 -15 years raising my kids. I'm helping a friend now and I found your site. I wish something like this existed for me when I began. great work. new subscriber.
The passion behind this channel is amazing! When I am able to finally start a salt water tank I'll come here
Ah, that's kind of you! Thanks for watching!
Great video, I'm dangerously close to getting one
Awesome! Maybe you just need a little nudge?!?!
I am not planning on getting salt water yet, but I respect that you respond to almost every comment.
I try. Sometimes RUclips doesn't notify me when somebody responds to my response, so that is annoying. Thanks for watching and your kind words. Let me know if you ever want to build a saltwater tank. I'm happy to help!
Could literally kiss you for these videos & guides !!
Price Christian I’m glad! They are a work in progress! This year will be making tons more. Checklists, glossary, maintenance videos, etc! Stay tuned and thanks for commenting!!!
Probably the best video for beginners.
Gabriel Mohan Well that’s super kind of you. Please pass it along to any of your friends who might want to start up a saltwater aquarium!
Fresh water tank keepers….. hold my beer 😂
I have started my 1st reef tank 2days ego...still processing..tis is best n detailed video I have ever seen..tnk u so much
So nice of you, and good luck!
I have been researching saltwater tanks for my future peacock mantis shrimp and your video + website are by far the most detailed and helpful I have come across. I feel more excited and informed about saltwater tanks. Can't wait to get my tank up and running- will definitely be sending in pictures. It'll be a couple months from now, I'm still in the research + gather supplies stage :) Great video!
me too :D i want a peacock mantis shrimp
Love how detail the process video.. Thanks mate :)
Great method over view for beginners!!
Thanks you..
Love this video. I'm a newbie saltwater tank person. Thank you for making this possible. I want to learn all I can so I can be successful at the hobby
Glad to help. Be sure to check out www.myfirstfishtank.com for tons, I mean tons more! And we are currently doing a new beginner series for the entire year. So check out this playlist! ruclips.net/p/PL_9XSWQZldtFtWUBO46ERfBRvBrmjvij0
I unfortunately stopped my interests in reefing but just came back into it.the thing is,I live in a country where reefing isn’t common and pet shops or aquarium shops aren’t that common,but I just watched this video again and I realized that I commented on this video two years ago.I forgot everything I learnt and I am on my way to learning everything I knew.I wish my knowledge on this hobby expands so that one day I might be able to start my first saltwater tank
I have 3 tanks in my bedroom I find the noises peaceful
Kyle Kowbel me too!!
Kyle Kowbel same!
I have 10... it’s getting a bit loud lol
@@lukefoster1000 yeah I have 4 now lol
Bermuda Aquatics why don’t you get a bigger tank to reduce the amount of tanks
I love the hum of a pump running as long as I don’t have to hear the waterfall sound That’s why I try to keep my aquariums completely full💯
This video was extremely helpful! I cant wait to start my 29 gallon saltwater aquarium!
Glad I could help!
Love the video!!! I'm looking forward to getting back in the hobby. Lots has changed since the days of under-gravel filters & glass hydrometers! I'd love to do a 150 - 200 gallon unit... if the wife would stop talking about smaller tanks... lol...
Thanks Jeff! I remember my first freshwater tank in the 90's and I most definitely had an undergravel filter! So epic! Thanks for subbing and I'd love to see some pictures if you eventually get back into the hobby!
Clear and concise. Nicely done sir. The step by step is legit.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for the positive feedback! Happy Reefing!
Goodness me, what have I just watched?!
That was the most OTT effort I've ever seen put into a marine tank, and then have nothin but live rock in your tank at the end was one of the funniest things I've seen in years 🤣
Wait what? You think it was overkill for pet rocks? :-)
Excellent videos covering all aspect pertaining to saltwater setup.Thanks and highly appreciated.
Glad it was helpful!
This video saved me. Will be using it to make my first tank this weekend. Was able to get all of the equipment, especially the minor yet many things guides don’t tell you about because of this video. Feeling significantly more prepared.
Thank you!
MC3 News MCOC Concierge I’m so glad you found it helpful!!
Been shopping around thinking about pulling the trigger. I may use this guide and document the process on yt!
Best video for beginners.
Ah, that's kind of you... thanks!
Thumbs up I'm n the process of starting my 1st saltwater just fin my freshwater I needed a challenge n I saw how gr8 a saltwater tank looks
Thanks Chris!
By far the best educational video I’ve seen so far. Keep up the good work. 👍🏾
Wow, thanks! That is super kind of you! I really appreciate your kind words!
It’s funny looking at all the comments saying I thought it would be easy but realized there wasn’t an easy way to set up a salty tank. Imo I think it’s super easy to set up a tank but the hard part, depending on equipment, is maintaining it from there forwards. I legit had a light, hob filter, and a couple of rocks when I set up my first 29 gallon tank. Over time I added sand, a skimmer, a wave maker, and a couple more pieces of rock. I ended up moving and decided that rather than keeping the same tank I’d move all my stuff into a 28 bow front and since then I have had zero problems. Pretty easy to maintain as long as you do the water changes and dose weekly and honestly I wish I’d poured more money into that tank rather than my big freshwater tank or swapped the tanks so the 75 was a salty instead of fresh
Very detailed. Thank you. I'm a new subscriber. I will be starting my tank in 3 months after I move into my new place.
Well thanks for watching, and congratulations on the new tank! So exciting!
I'm glad you mentioned making sure the stand can take the weight. I've seen so many people buy aquariums and place them on standard furniture, which eventually bends with the weight lol.
Very true! I've made the mistake myself! Luckily caught it before disaster struck though!
AWESOME video man... so many great points to consider. I hope this videos gets the attention it deserves. nice work!
Thanks CJ, you're always so supportive! You are appreciated! And your new build is coming along nicely! I know what a pain it was to spill 10 gallons of saltwater on my hardwood floor! I don't want to imagine your level of frustration!
Love how neat organized and meticulous you are!
Thanks, but I'm not always that organized! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the guide out of all RUclipsrs yours was most accurate thank you
Glad I could help
very very good vid for a beginner. I am glad I did not add the water because I need to put a mat and level the table
se7ensnakes sweet! I’m glad it’s been helpful!!
Couple of things from mistakes I have made.. Location.. take into consideration floor around your tank is likely to get wet due to accidental spillage at some point. Aquascaping.. May want to consider not building too high, especially if adding corals later. Fish and corals... always research before purchase. Impulse buying often leads to problems. Some online retail stores actually have some really useful information available even if not purchasing from them. Example: the blue tang (Dory from nemo) can grow to a foot in length and is not suitable for a small tank. Some fish simply do not get on well with others. Some fish are venomous as are some corals. Don't rely on the local fish store (LFS) to pass on the information, although good ones will. Bit of research first can save you money and problems. Finally.. needs to be stated, starting with cycling and throughout the life of the tank, one of the hardest lessons you need to learn is patience. Be prepared for ugly phases when starting a new tank, don't expect those perfect tanks you see on youtube within a couple of months. Take pictures on a regular basis and you can compare with earlier ones to see your tank develop.
Those are some great points for beginners! Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a thoughtful reply!
just sub to your channel, nice and informative video. My 120G system is about a year old now and I have spent about 6 months before starting the system to just do pure research, so many things to learn in this hobby, even more for reef automation.
Tanks for the sub! How is the one year mark treating your tank? I'm hoping lots of successes and not too many failures!
Very informative video ... cheers bro n keep it up
Thanks a ton!
After a long time i found a proper video.
Ha, love it! Thanks for the kind words!
wow I think I found a gem here... such amazing information :) I just have a freshwater aquarium right now but always loved the saltwater reefs and am considering getting one and this video is such a greag help and in detail which I love. I'm not quite yet there but glad to found this channel! Keep it up!
So glad to hear this Leo! You may be interested in our beginner series we've started. A new video every Friday for the entire year. Maybe if you follow along, you'll be ready by December! Here's a link to the playlist! Thanks for watching and check out our next video this Friday! ruclips.net/p/PL_9XSWQZldtFtWUBO46ERfBRvBrmjvij0
@@MyFirstFishTank Thank you! Maybe I will :) Gonna watch the videos! Im already very excited 😄
Just the right channel for me 😁
Subscribed
Glad to hear it! Thank for the sub!
I’ve used distilled water and it worked great. It would be too much work picking up the bottles for a larger tank, but for a small tank 20-25 gallons it might be a good option for those who don’t want to get an RO/DI unit. It worked for me.
For sure!
thanks for making this vid it helped my by making my one saltwater reef tank
I'm so glad to hear it! Have you set up your tank? I'd love a picture! DM on Instagram @myfirstfishtank!
I love the information inside the video 👍
ABDULLAH ALNASSER yay, thanks! I’m glad it was helpful!!!
Nice, real nice. What do you keep your nitrates & phosphates at?
I shoot for anything between 0.03 and 0.15.
That was helpful. I realized right away we won’t be able to do this with our small solar system
Understood. You might be able to do a small tank, get a dc return pump which uses much less energy, and primarily heat the tank with the ambient room temperature, and small led lights.
Great video you should consider adding clean up crew and let everyone know most saltwater tanks will go thru an ugly phase at the end of cycle (diatom algae) bloom and it is natural and should go away over time and that's a great time to add a clean up crew also I understand doing 15% water changes during cycling with fish but should know this does slow the cycle somewhat but still the best step by step I've seen
Thanks James, and yes, you make a good point!
What did you use to transfer your mixed saltwater from the brute trash can into the tank? Pump?
Excellent video very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Im new to saltwater aquariums and you deserve a lot more subscribers to your channel, its really nice and educative. I know a bit of freshwater aquariums. I like the blue marine reef 60 for my first saltwater aquarium. Do you have any experience for this type?
Aw, that's super kind of you! I figure I'll just keep making videos that I'm proud of any eventually I'll get more subs! Or maybe not! You know I'm not very familiar with that company. I don't think they sell here in the states. Did a quick search for it and it looks like a pretty nice all in one system. Thanks again for watching and your kind words!
Great Job Matthew on breaking down the key points of building an aquarium.
Thanks Darren! Definitely good for a beginner, not a pro like you!!!
Appreciate the effort you put in this video. All the best!!
Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you this video help me a lot :)
Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching and commenting!
one of the best informative video.liked!
Thanks!
Ive been watching alot of these videos everybody seems to talk about useing tap water...im on well water so is it still the same difference?
good video. an important part is missing. like to turn off the lights during cycle if you use live rock and or live sand. and why you cant cycle tank with live fish if you have live rock and sand. lots of people missing these parts and to understand how the aquarium works and ending up quiting their hobby because their tank became a sludge.
Great point! Thanks for taking the time to comment and help beginners find success!
Well you definitely talk me out of getting a saltwater tank
All the steps make me consider to have saltwater aquarium...hahahahhaaa
ha!
if you live in caribean can you use straight ocean water ? to get all the micronutrients going ..
Great video my Brother. Thanks for the Game for free and stay healthy! Salute from Germany
Edit: I will set up my first tank, the max e 170 with real reef rock, live sand pink from red sea, starter bacteria, some ati pre made see water and the fish method with 2 Clowns.. Hope I get it right 😬😬
This is my first time for salt water tank I see a lot of tanks are painted on the back side should I do this
I have a 5ft tank in my bedroom. I put the air pump inside a sealed box with blankets. No noise.
Great video my friend, I bought a 120L (31gal) tank and I thinking about how many fish I can fit in there, I was planning on 1 anemone and around 8-10 small fish, do you think that's OK? any advice is welcomed, thanks buddy!!
Hey there. Let's see. a 31 gallon tank is a good size. Not too big but big enough to make a statement. 8-10 small fish? It will really depend. ON the surface I would think 8-10 is on the high end. But if you overpower your filtration, have a protein skimmer, have a lot of flow that will pick up the detritus, and vary the types of fish based on where they will live in the water column, you could definitely make it work. For a 34 gallon tank, I would get peaceful community fish, although you you can definitely add some semi-aggressive fish like clowns and damsels, just watch them to make sure they don't pick on others too much!
@@MyFirstFishTank Thank you very much for your detailed answer buddy, I got a combo with the skimmer and all add ons, so will pay attention to your comments :)
Almost spit out my coffee at 9:00 lol not often you catch something on youtube so local lol great video btw
ha, thanks for watching! glad the coffee stayed in your mouth!
Do I add the sand before the salt water or the water before the sand?? Looks like you filled it up twice
Excellent video bro
Thanks!
feel ltle dizzy but yeah still good info to keep TQ 😍
Totally get it! Thanks for watching!
"with your helper, team lift the aquarium..."
*shows video clip of single person lifting and moving aquarium into place*
Lol Great video though. Seriously, very informative.
Do as I say, not as I do. ;)
Ha, unfortunately in this case that's true! Terrible role model I know!
What kind of light they need? Can I use just white light? Or do i need that kind led that have blue red light things?
Hey there, and a good question. So, most beginner corals aren't too picky. They don't need any sort of fancy light, but they do need a light that puts out enough PAR. PAR is light from the part of the spectrum that is needed for photosynthesis. The Blue part of the spectrum does contain a lot of PAR (depending on the color of blue), but it also helps bring out the colors in the corals for our eyes. There are many commercially available aquarium light options, and I would just choose one that is specifically made for saltwater aquariums. For a 20 gallon tank you could get a light for as little as $100, or spend upwards of $600! Hope that helps!
I'm studying aquatic biology and feel like learning to set up and maintain a saltwater tank could be good experience. This video is so helpful. I live next to an ocean. Is using real ocean water an acceptable option if I still follow all of the other steps?
felicialux hey there and if I could go back and study again, I would choose marine biology for sure! Regarding ocean water. Yes, you can use it, but with a couple caveats. First make sure your local laws allow you to. Second, be sure it is as clean as possible. You will get various hitchhikers in the water, but the biodiversity will be great. By the way, where are you studying?
Great video! Where can I see more of that clownfish tank shown in the intro?
Thanks Monty. That's a really good question actually! I'm not sure if I featured that clownfish footage anywhere else. I've reach the stage where I forget where some of my footage is! I do remember taking it at my lfs, but I think I've used the same clip several times!
Hi, I am thinking to buy a new 55G tank, I see from the video you purchased a tank, is there any website you can share? Appreciate it.
Hey, I bought that tank through Marine Depot. Here is an affiliate link! Marine Depot: www.marinedepot.com/102.html
I purchased the fluval. What ATO unit would work best? I'm new to the hobby so my next question is silly. I was under the impression when doing water changes that you should only add new ro/di water, as the salinity would remain in the tank. It seems from the video you are suggesting to make a new batch of salt water. Could you provide a bit more insight. Do you mix a new batch of saltwater depending on the amount of water change done?
Hey JC and thanks for the question. Good question. since it is a small tank, I would go with this one from Reef Breeders www.reefbreeders.com/shop/reef-breeders-exo-ato/ref/9/. I own two of them, and they are quite small. And no worries about the silly question! It's a confusing hobby. So there is a difference between replacing evaporated water and doing a water change. You are correct that freshwater will evaporate everyday, and that needs to be replaced everyday. But a water change is the removal of saltwater and then replacing it with new saltwater. Does that make sense? The purpose of a water change is to remove nitrates, and replenish major, minor and trace elements! I can't wait to see what you build! Feel free to DM me some pictures on Instagram! I would love to see them! @myfirstfishtank
Is there an updated website I could use to build my tank with links that work? I seems like the links on the website are no longer valid when choosing the gear
Very formative.
Thanks!
Use internal filter for noise reduction
thanks for the tip!
I wish this was available back then, I have 8 fresh water tanks. Our extra room became a "fish room" I already tried twice and failed both times miserably I lost my interest in saltwater tanks already. Didn't get a thorough guide from the nearest pet stores as they always prioritize profit over quality (living in a 3rd world country) I still have the equipments I purchased. I will research for 3 months then try it again for one last time. Thank you for this guide sir!
You are most welcome and I appreciate the back story. What country do you live in? If you have any questions along the way, please feel free to email me at contact@myfirstfishtank.com. Also, be sure to check out my website, www.myfirstfishtank.com. It's got a ton of information just for beginners! Good luck and I'm sure you will find success this time around!
@@MyFirstFishTank I'm from the Philippines, I will certainly be contacting you for a lot of help lol. Hopefully I can pull it off this time, planning to do it on my 120 gallon tank. Wish me luck.
Wish i would of found this a year ago nice work 👏🏻🔨💪🏻🔨💪🏻
Have you set up a tank? And thanks!
did you turn on the return pump before or after the sand settled down?
I turned it on right away after it was full of water. The sand settles immediately, it's all of the fine particles that need to be filtered out. So turn it on, put a mechanical filter in their like a sponge or filter sock, and give it a day!
Do they make tanks with contoured bottoms yet? (Bowl shaped bottom) This would direct all waste to an opening at the bottom of the tank using gravity then sucked up to the filter system. Clean, Maintenance free reef tank
You know, they don't. But your idea sounds like the old under gravel filter. The problem was detritus always got trapped in the sandbed and caused more problems. I guess you could go with a bare bottom, but I'm still not sure all of that gunk would end up in one area. An interesting idea for sure!
Have your cats ever tried to grab the fish? I’m nervous my cat will try to mess with the fish. Any advise?
Not yet! I've seen some videos of cats batting at the fish, but not sure how good cats are at fishing! It's more of an annoyance for me than anything else!
Thanks to everybody for getting this video to 100,000 views! Wow! If you've been to my website recently, www.myfirstfishtank.com, you'll immediately notice it is completely different than the video! I've done a total rework and it is much improved! So I'm sorry it looks different, but I think you'll find the upgraded website much, much better! Happy Reefing!
It there a link that show you the step by the step how to built your tank according to your budget ? THe new website only show the built list no instructions. It would be helpful . Thanks !
@@byenvag11 Hey Marc. Here is the closest thing I have.myfirstfishtank.com/watch-video/. It is the 30-steps written out. I will eventually make a guide and step by step video for each build list, but not quite there yet! You should be able to take the written guide and apply it to your build though! And you can reach out to me with any questions
@@MyFirstFishTank Thank you !
8 it
8 it
i live in saudi arabia, there used to be a couple of saltwater lfs but in the last year or so all have closed down :(
i have a saltwater tank and everything is set up i just can’t get my hands on proper livestock like corals and even fish. the only saltwater fish available here are clarkii clowns and brackish water angels. any tips on where to get animals from?
Oh gosh, I don't. I have no idea what the local laws are for importing or who even ships to Saudi Arabia. Sorry i can't be any help!
Do you have a video for the AIO tank build on your website?
Hey there! I have several videos actually, but I think they are all on RUclips. Check out my playlists and you'll find what you're looking for!
the tanks seem small, how does that affect what kind of livestock you can put in there?
Yeah you are right. The size of the tank definitely has an effect on the amount of livestock you can keep. But with smaller tanks, you can vary the type of livestock a bit to pack in a bit more. So while you may not be able to have a lot of fish, you could have some fish, a lot of different clean up crew members, shrimp, crab, and various corals. But you are right, smaller tanks mean less livestock.
People that have their fish tank with water and sand from the beach be like I'm a God!😁
Ha ha!
Your cat is so cute.
agreed!
Question.... I just bought a 100 gallon system and I currently have a 5 year established 20 gallon tank. Can I add my live rock, substrate and the established water along with some new artificial rock and new live substrate with 80 gallons of fresh saltwater and all my fish and coral from my established tank to the new tank without it doing mini cycle? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hey, thanks for the question. Quick answer... Yes. You will inevitably see some small swings as the new rock and substrate get cycled, but then again, you may not. I wouldn't be surprised if you moved everything over, added the new rock and substrate, and then just had a fully cycled tank!
How did you make that mixed clown aquarium!?!?! I thought that was pretty much impossible???
I wanted a saltwater tank until I seen this. I just won’t have the time to do this. Now let me look into a fresh water tank. Sheesh 🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️. But good content btw
I'm building 120 gallon sat tank its hard not too start working on it instantly lol but i wanna make sure I get everything and I do it right just afraid imma kill everything 😅
I hear you! Have you watched my ten part series "Saltwater Aquariums Demystified" yet? Tons of good info in there for you!
Tanks doing great other then my ph keeps getting low
i have a cat but im scared if i get a aquarium they will climb on top of it and try catch the fish or push stuff, any tips? i see you have cats too
3 months after I first watched this video now I have two cute juvenile clownfish
REally?!?! That's awesome! Congratulations! Would you mind sending a picture or two my way? I'd love to see it! contact (at) myfirstfishtank.com
Great great video!!!
Thanks Rob!
I was told that stability is what you use if you use tap water for your tank? Yes or no.
So, I would never recommend tap water. There are very few things that I'm adamant about in this hobby, and tap water is one of them. You are just introducing to many variables into your tank, especially depending on your area. Chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates, coloration, tds, etc... Long term I just think it's a bad idea. An inexpensive RO/DI filter costs around $200, but it's a great lifelong investment. You can also buy RO/DI water from your lfs, usually for around 50 cents a gallon. But that quickly. becomes a pain in the but! There are some hobbyists out there that probably use tap water, but I've never met one that had long term success doing so. HOpe that answered your question!
@@MyFirstFishTank thank you
Hello how long does it take to clear out after dumping the live sand?
MikeS 82 if you use the clarifier pouch and turn on the return pump, about 24 hours or so!
Hey im from guyana i need to set up and aquarium but i hv no clue .
Well you came to the right place. Email me with any questions along your journey!
Let’s build rockets next .
Hi! I really enjoyed the video! are they Fluval lights on your tank!! 😀
Hi Paul, and thanks! I enjoy making these for you all! I do own fluval lights, but they are only on my quarantine tanks. The nice lights you see are actually these ones. www.reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-24-v2/ref/9/ . I love, love, love these lights!!! Happy reefing!
So when it comes to doing the fish in cycle method, we do a water change when reaches 1ppm. Do we do this every time it hits 1ppm until it is done cycling
Yeah I think that's a really smart idea. Keep the ammonia down because it is so toxic to your livestock!
@@MyFirstFishTank Thank you very much for replying, and how do I know when my tank is done cycling.
U can just put the tank siphon/ vacuum into the water and shake it, this will create a syphon so there is no need to suck anything at all...
Good call, but that's never worked for me! How do you do it? Any video links out there?
You just put the vacuum under the water and hold it horizontally under the water then shake it side to side so that water rushes in and out of the tube. Should work with abit of practice mate 👌👍🐟