First Saltwater Tank! Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!

[Popeye]

RO/DI is a must. You will need it for saltwater and topoff water

 

[Pistondog]

Oh wow, I didn't know that, I am way scared to drill it on my own though lol but heck I've called like 3 or 4 places already and no one wants to do it cause they don't want to be liable if they break the tank haha so I might have to.
I did see that also about the RODI filter system, the problem with that is that this fish tank is upstairs, not near a water supply so I'll just have to be doing hand water changes and plus from what I've read, it hardly evaporates with lids.

Point is make your own saltwater, but use rodi filtered tap water to eliminate impurities.
Any water that goes in the tank including evap top off, must be rodi for best chances for success.

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

.

I was planning on doing this side style overflow but 2 of them, just don't know where to put them but I can easily put one lower than the other to act as a safety net in case one fails.

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

Can you show me a pic of how yours looks including the valve??

I have 2 holes side by side in a herbie configuration. One pipe gets restricted by a valve so it fills completely with water creating a siphon. The 2nd has an inverted elbow above the normal water level to act as an overflow.
Unless you do a bean animal or herbie, you will have gurgling.

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

At least look up herbie style plumbing if you're really going to go that route

Yeah I did, thank you.

 

[Popeye]

I was planning on doing this side style overflow but 2 of them, just don't know where to put them but I can easily put one lower than the other to act as a safety net in case one fails.

Looks sketchy. Never seen one like that before. I'm guessing lots of problems down the road. Looks like a planted freshwater setup, not even applied to this hobby

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

I did not drill for a return, just get one of these
Multipurpose U Return Pipe... Amazon product

I cant see the picture for some reason?

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

You will have evaporation every day. Definitely want a ATO(auto top off).
Drilling glass is super easy, nothing to worry about. A glass cutter who won't drill glass is just dumb

I don't have the space for an ATO either so I'll just have to hand fill it lol. Rrriigghhttt that's what I said! All of them in east texas must all be dumb!

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

Looks sketchy. Never seen one like that before. I'm guessing lots of problems down the road. Looks like a planted freshwater setup, not even applied to this hobby

How does it look sketchy? Only difference is it's straight instead of upside down.

 

[Pistondog]

I cant see the picture for some reason?

Here is a video by someone else with my setup.
He also uses a return pipe, mine is on the opposite side to enhance flow.

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

RO/DI is a must. You will need it for saltwater and topoff water

Can I get that setup for like an outside faucet?? I looked up that RODI system and it looks exactly like my filtered water system for my house lol. Wait wait wait, saltwater and topoff water is different??? I thought I had to topoff with the RODI water/salt mix?

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

Point is make your own saltwater, but use rodi filtered tap water to eliminate impurities.
Any water that goes in the tank including evap top off, must be rodi for best chances for success.

Oh right! Yeah so the RODI is the water and then I add the salt to that until the levels are right and then throw into my system right?

 

[Pistondog]

Can I get that setup for like an outside faucet?? I looked up that RODI system and it looks exactly like my filtered water system for my house lol. Wait wait wait, saltwater and topoff water is different??? I thought I had to topoff with the RODI water/salt mix?

WAter that evaporates does not have salt, so replace with rodi.
Otherwise the tank salinity would be forever increasing.

If saltwater evaporated , we would get salty rain!

 

[Popeye]

How does it look sketchy? Only difference is it's straight instead of upside down.

Clogging and flooded floors waiting to happen

 

[Popeye]

Can I get that setup for like an outside faucet?? I looked up that RODI system and it looks exactly like my filtered water system for my house lol. Wait wait wait, saltwater and topoff water is different??? I thought I had to topoff with the RODI water/salt mix?

When your tank water evaporates the salt stays, so you only use rodi water to top off.
Another good reason to use ato so your salinity is stable

 

[Pistondog]

Can I get that setup for like an outside faucet?? I looked up that RODI system and it looks exactly like my filtered water system for my house lol. Wait wait wait, saltwater and topoff water is different??? I thought I had to topoff with the RODI water/salt mix?

If you have a reverse osmosis, de ionized system for your tap water, use that.

 

[Popeye]

Can I get that setup for like an outside faucet?? I looked up that RODI system and it looks exactly like my filtered water system for my house lol. Wait wait wait, saltwater and topoff water is different??? I thought I had to topoff with the RODI water/salt mix?

You can hook up a rodi under any sink cabinet. Just tap into cold water line

 

[ieatbugman]

Start budgeting for a light if you want coral, and no matter what (at least in the beginning) do water changes

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

Here is a video by someone else with my setup.
He also uses a return pipe, mine is on the opposite side to enhance flow.

Yeah so that's exactly how I plan to do it but my emergency is going to be sideways just like the normal overflow but slightly higher so that it's not directly in the water, just like the guys emergency is, his is just higher because he has the elbow on it but it's the same thing technically. The box really doesn't seem necessary also, I feel like it's just to block the pipes from showing cause the water level is going to be the same with or without it.

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

WAter that evaporates does not have salt, so replace with rodi.
Otherwise the tank salinity would be forever increasing.

If saltwater evaporated , we would get salty rain!

Ooohhhhh I had no idea! So then I would only be ever refilling with RODI water? And then I would only be checking salinity to possibly add salt if I add to much RODI water or am I just never worrying about salinity cause I'm technically putting in the same amount of RODI water that evaporated out?