New here and to saltwater (1 Viewer)

[adahm]

Hello everybody,

I am planning to start a saltwater reef tank. Initially only with live rock and then slowly adding to it, not sure if that makes much of difference. Thinking of a 55 gal tank as I dont have a lot of space could consider 75 gal also.

Will be posting soon in the WTB thread.

 

[steveb]

If you can 48" on your length for a 75 you might also consider

a 90 - 48lx18wx24h
here's one with a different foot print than the std. 90's
http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=53769


a 120 - 48lx24wx24h
http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=54558

http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=54446

http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=54225



I personally like tanks with 24" or greater width - they provide more rock scape opportunities...

 

[adahm]

Thanks Steve. 48" is something I can accomodate but I think 18" is max for where the tank I am planing to place the tank right now (under overhang the bar along my kitchen). Also I have a height limit of 41" so I may have to make a custom stand.

So here is what I have figured for equipment so far:

Reef Ready Tank 48" wide
Stand
glass tank top
Overflow kit (if not already included with tank)
Overflow tank W/D filter
T5 - HO light and fixture 48" any particular brand I should go with?
Sump pump 750 gph assuming 55 tank is this too much?
Hydrometer
Heater
Protein Skimmer? do I need this with the W/D filter?
Water test kit

Live rock/Sand - How much?
Is crushed coral same as sand?
Instant ocean

I would appreciate a recommendation of brands or type that people have had good experience with. Although I would like to keep the cost in check

Thanks in advance

 

[rxonco]

...So here is what I have figured for equipment so far:

Reef Ready Tank 48" wide
Assume you mean length.
Stand
glass tank top
I'd skip on the top. It traps in heat and blocks light...you'll thank yourself later.
Overflow kit (if not already included with tank)
Overflow tank W/D filter
With the reef ready tank, you won't need an overflow kit and you'll want to skip out on the W/D filter.
T5 - HO light and fixture 48" any particular brand I should go with?
TEK/AI/etc...55 gallon tank, you could go with 4x54. 75-90gallons, I'd go with 6x54 if you can.
Sump pump 750 gph assuming 55 tank is this too much?
Sump size is basically dependant on space limitations in your stand. The larger the better.
Hydrometer
Heater
Protein Skimmer? do I need this with the W/D filter?
Yes, you need a skimmer. You don't have to have one, but if you have reef plans you "should" have one. See above about W/D.
Water test kit

Live rock/Sand - How much?
Most recommend about 1-2 lbs per gallon. Depends on what kind of rock it is, how pourous it is, etc...
Is crushed coral same as sand?
No...You'll want sand.
Instant ocean

I would appreciate a recommendation of brands or type that people have had good experience with. Although I would like to keep the cost in check

Thanks in advance

 

[adahm]

Thanks for your input. yes it's 48" length.

If I understand correctly, W/D filter is not required as long as long as I have a skimmer and live rock/sand?

Went down to one of the fish stores and they suggested a W/D filter instead of a skimmer so i got confused.

 

[DHoward]

I have a 90g with stand and canopy. Text me 281 508 3418

 

[toefu]

Let me start by saying houston has some of the best shops in the US. But i would never trust how to setup a tank by taking advice from a store.

It is their duty to upsell, and I wouldn't blame them for doing so. You will almost never see someone try to sell you something they don't carry. It just doesn't make business sense for them.

The thinking is, "If i don't sell them my Moorish idol, then they'll just go to some other store a buy one." just read online.

 

[steveb]

Skip the wet dry and get a refugium/sump. Def. get a protein skimmer. It's possible to get by without one but you will have to perform water changes more frequently.

Return pump I would get something in the 500 gph to 750 gph range and put a valve on the output to restrict the flow if necessary. 4x to 6x turnover per hour is a good range. You will some type of power heads in the tank for circulation & flow.

 

[adahm]

Thanks for the advice. Just got home and measeed again. Talked to mama and got another spot scoped out for the tank. Can def do 75 or 90 as long as 18" deep.

For tanks is RR the way to go? I would all the ancillary equipment and wires to be hidden away.

 

[Fireplug]

Ok.just my 2 cents. Get the biggest tank available for you. this is an addictive hobby. LOL

 

[Reggie]

I suggest to look in the WTS threads here. You will be able to purchase a much bigger tank at a much lower cost than a new one. Only thing you must verify is it does not leak. Other than that not much else to worry with. Craigslist is another option.

 

[abelh7]

Why is sand better than crushed coral?

 

[CBBSteve]

Hi, abelh.
Problem with crushed coral is that it becomes a detritis trap. Once that happens, you'll constantly have cyano and hair algae outbreaks.

It has to do with grain size. Small sand grains - 0.1 to 0.5 mm - won't allow the detritis to collect and provide better environments for all the little critters to consume what waste there is. Larger grain sizes have more space between grains, thus allowing more waste to collect.

good luck,
Steve

 

[abelh7]

oh ok looks like im that much further from my tank ready for fish. thanks for the info. Correct me if Im wrong but I thought I read in another thread to switch out the subsrate a little at a time. is that right? does It have to be live sand if there already is bacteria and the the tank has been cycled?

 

[steveb]

No just do it a little at a time.

These are the three you should look into from CaribSea:
Aragamax Sugar Sized 0.1mm to 1.0mm (likely to be blown around if you have much water flow)

Aragamax Select 0.5mm to 1.5mm

Seaflor Special Grade 0.5mm to 2.0mm

 

[adahm]

Getting closer to starting. Bought a used oceanic 75 gal tank without holes, some dry rock from BRS, a RO in sump skimmer, RO/DI system, a 4 bulb tek light. Man this is getting expensive. I am upwards of $800 spent already.

Just bought drill bit today for 1" bulkheads Hopefully can drill by the weekend and make a bean overflow and paint the back glass and install the RO/DI.

Still need:
A refugium/sump. Was thinking of 20 long. would that be enough? only have 15" depth of space inside the stand.

A return pump was thinking mag 9.5? Better to buy new also I suppose.

Need some live rock and to seed the brs rock, was planning to just seed in the tank.

Need sand good info above Steveb

Water test kit, got a refractometer, do I need a PH meter? Cant remember my chemistry much any more, but if I get the salinity right wont that take care of the PH also?

Also need to get Powerheads & a couple 200W heaters.

 

[trb]

Sounds like you are coming along nicely. A 20L would probably be the best if you only have a 15" wide space in the stand. They are 30" long and the height is pretty good. If you have plenty of height in the stand, you could go with a 29 just to give you some more water volume, but you have to make sure that removing the skimmer is a fairly easy job for cleaning. If the space is too tight, you won't enjoy removing it.

I haven't checked my PH much at all since I started the tank. Usually it drops if you don't have a lot of air circulating in the room, and I always have a ceiling fan on. Others use opposite lighting on their sump of macroalgae to try and keep the ph fairly constant.

 

[adahm]

RO/DI is installed. Getting decent flow out of RO at 35 TDS but trickling through the DI at 0 TDS, it going to take forever to fill the 75 gal tank.

 

[toefu]

sounds about right, took me almost 5 days to fill my 178 gallon tank & sump.

 

[trb]

35 on your RO is a bit high IMO. You are going to exhaust that DI resin pretty quickly. What is the TDS of your input water? Is this a new RO/DI or used, and if used, when where the filters replaced and was the RO membrane kept wet or did it dry out before you set it back up? That can damage the membrane.