Subject: Starting a Salt Water Tank on a Shoestring

There are several alternatives to setting up a 50 or 60 gallon salt water tank on a limited budget.

While smaller tanks are more difficult to keep stable, they are a good starting place for the beginner. If you are willing to carefully follow a few strict rules you can start with a 10 or 20 gallon tank quite successfully.

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Everything will need to be done on a much smaller scale; 10 to 15 pounds of living rock and 10 pounds of coral sand will get you started with the smallest of the appliances you can find.

At a minimum, you will need the following appliances for your salt water aquarium:

* A power filter, either external of submerged

* A 25-to-50-watt heater

* Light fixture

* An appropriate cover to minimize evaporation

The water level will need to be checked ever day or two to prevent extreme changes in salinity; the evaporation in smaller tanks will more quickly affect the salinity.

You should use activated carbon exclusively in the filter, and a partial water change (10%) should be done weekly.

If you follow these rules, you should be able to avoid the added expense of a protein skimmer; change the carbon every month and add a skimmer as soon as possible.

You should have no more than two to five small fish -- a pair of Ocellaris Clownfish and a Royal Gamma or Cherub Angelfish might be good choices for a start-up tank.

Feed them carefully, as excess food can easily foul a small system. A couple of snails, herbivorous hermit crabs and maybe a cleaner shrimp can help maintain the tank and add interest.

Whenever possible, buy used equipment. The classified ads are often full of equipment that was purchased and not used for long because the hobbyist got discouraged. Since equipment is one of the greatest expenses, you can save a good sum of money by purchasing used equipment.

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Remember, the most important thing is to completely research what you want, and not get in a hurry. It is much more kind to the fish not to plunk them into an aquarium doomed to failure because you weren't willing to take the time necessary for success.

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Thank you,

Bill Anderson
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