Getting started

[LabRat]

My girlfriend and I would like to start up a saltwater tank in the near future, but neither of us have ever worked with anything but freshwater tanks.

What are the common problems/mistakes we should be watching out for?
How different is the Marine ecology?
Do we need to purchase a salt-specific tank, or can we re-purpose an existing fresh?

Also, what fish do you recommend starting with?

[MarkD]

Welcome!  I think the biggest mistake people make, is rushing.  Do your research and plan the type of tank you want.  The larger the tank, the better for a beginner since you always want to maintain constant levels in your tank.  With a smaller tank, every little additive or temp change can make a drastic change is water perimeters.  You also want to decide of the tank setup... Drilled tank... Overflow... Sumps... Hang on back filter...   I would stay away from buying a tank that was previously a fresh water tank.  Your best bet is to search kijiji adds or any other forums for someone closing down their tanks.  That option came save you a crap load of money.  As far as fish... I wouldn't worry about that until your tank has been up and running for a while and your water is ready to accept fish.  I use  http://m.liveaquaria.com as a good guide, but there are others out there. 


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[robt18]

Biggest mistake I see is "I'll get the cheapest one and hope it works". Cheap is cheap for a reason; get quality equipment and it'll pay off huge in the long run.

[LabRat]

Biggest mistake I see is "I'll get the cheapest one and hope it works". Cheap is cheap for a reason; get quality equipment and it'll pay off huge in the long run.

I think you misunderstood my question... I have some good existing freshwater equipment, so can I simply keep using it with salt or is salt-specific equipment necessary?
Do I need to clean-sweep the tank and let it age, risking new-tank syndrome? Or can I give it a standard clean, add some salt/water conditioners, and add fish?
Does the tank need to be sterilized because of a specific risk of fresh->salt contamination? (Eg: a beneficial fresh-water bacterium that when put in salt could begin producing Nitrite?)

These are the questions I can think up. I'm worried about the ones I can't.

[Philnashbass]

From my perspective, there's not much in common with either hobby (salt/fresh) other than the basic enclosure of glass, heater etc. I've been doing it for 15 yrs or so, and I still encounter some big challenges now and then.
You should do some major reading on the set up and forget trying to retro fit bits and pieces. There's tons of used marine systems on line etc. and at a great price.
I agree on one of the previous recommendations: Take your time, get informed and go slow.