I'm baaack! LOL (1 Viewer)

[milomlo]

HI all! I used to be a paid member of Marsh a few years ago. I had started the hobby with a 29 gallon tank and then upgraded to a 100 system. Not sure if anyone will remember me on here or not. But anyway I'm back. I had left the hobby for a few years, but we just came back from a vacation to Hawaii and of course I got the bug while we were there.

So of course I am starting from scratch again. We didn't want to go large again as I remember my tank looked nicer (clearer) in the 29 gallon than with the 100 gallon. I noticed on here that Petco was having a sale so I went with a 29 gallon they had because I just like the tank dimensions vs the 40 they had in stock.

I sold off ALL my saltwater books and everything I had, so I am literally going by memory and trying to do research again.

I have ordered the salt, the HOT filter, and my lighting (going with 96W of T-5 HO), I did order 2 Koralia 750. I am hoping that is not to much flow. I've never used those pumps before, I've only used MJ and Rio pumps. In my last 29 gallon I used 2 MJ 1400, plus the filter, plus the skimmer pump.

Now I am trying to figure out how much sand and rock I should use. I am planning on a reef set up. Should I go with deep sand bed and try to use the rock and sand as the natural filter? I just don't remember how all this went. I think the reason my 29 seemed so much cleaner than my 100 gallon is because I did have the filter on it and with the 100 gallon I used just the rock/sand as the filter with a sump/refug/skimmer set up.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Jcan214]

Welcome im still doing a lot of learning as well but it looks like you off to a good start. GOOD LUCK

 

[TiAg]

Sounds like you're on the right track. 2" sandbed is aesthetic, 3"+ helps buffer etc. Live rock and sand give the ammonia and nitrate eating critters a place to live. Don't forget the cycle and there is a cool new product called Dr. Tims One and Only that can speed the cycle up to a week or so instead of a month or so. You can also (funds permitting) slap on an saltwater eheim with purigen in it to help make the water crystal.

I'm going to be doing a 70 gal QT (later to be a FOWLR agressive) using only an eheim, rock and sand. Haven't done it before but don't see any reason it wouldn't work.

 

[milomlo]

Well back when I was on it was frowned upon to add chemicals to the tank But I did anyways
Anyway, both of my previous tanks cycled in less than a week just because I used already cured live rock. So I will probably go that way again.
I'll have to research this Dr. Tim's stuff you speak of.

Any input on the 2 Koralia 750 for this tank? Also I am looking at a HOT skimmer/refug, anyone ever use one of those?

 

[below radar]

You should look into an MP-10. No heat in the water.