lots of noob questions!!!`

[mysslyss06]

1. what kind of powerheads should i get for m 120.. il be keeping softies ad some lps?
2. how far shold i have my lights off the top of my tank. its a 8 bulb t5 fixture?
3. can i use live rock and sand that was in a tank but now is dry?
4.do i need a fuge? or can i wait to add one down the rd?
any help would be great..

 

[holley123]

mysslyss06;780257 wrote: 1. what kind of powerheads should i get for m 120.. il be keeping softies ad some lps?
2. how far shold i have my lights off the top of my tank. its a 8 bulb t5 fixture?
3. can i use live rock and sand that was in a tank but now is dry?
4.do i need a fuge? or can i wait to add one down the rd?
any help would be great..

I would go 8 inches on the light, and soak the rock in salt water for a week give or take. Make sure you put power heads in there when you soak. A fuge is not nessasary, it's kinda like puttin chrome wheels on a car, yea it looks nice, but you don't have to have it. Unless you are getting a mandirine then I would. And if you don't have anything to eat algie (tangs). Not sure about power heads, but I would use multiple smaller ones rather than one huge one. That's just me though, I like a nice even flow.

 

[eagle9252]

mysslyss06;780257 wrote: 1. what kind of powerheads should i get for m 120.. il be keeping softies ad some lps?

<span style="color: blue">anything that makes flow in your tank</span>
<span style="color: #0000ff"></span>
2. how far shold i have my lights off the top of my tank. its a 8 bulb t5 fixture?
<span style="color: blue">had mine about 8"</span>

3. can i use live rock and sand that was in a tank but now is dry?
<span style="color: blue">yes, make sure it's really clean and rinsed and soaked in sw it will take alot longer for your tank to cycle due to not being Live Rock and Live Sand. you will need to get some LR and LS to seed your tank. i can give you say a 8 to 16oz cup of LS </span>
<span style="color: blue"></span>
4.do i need a fuge? or can i wait to add one down the rd?
any help would be great..

<span style="color: blue">it's not required but helpful. it hides all the ugly stuff. (heaters, ps) if you dont have a sump you will need a HOB filter or a canister filter. it also adds more water volume. it is also where you top off your water at. </span>

 

[frantz]

By fuge do you mean a sump in general? Common start confusion. A sump is really just a remote tank for handling things like a fuge and skimmer and other stuff. The sump isn't required, but boy is it nice! I wouldn't do a 120 without one. If you mean an actual fuge then it's much more a extra item. I like having one as it adds some extra nutrient removal as well as live food for the tank. Otherwise I agree with what everyone else has said. I have a 120 with 7 power heads of different size on different timers. The key is to avoid real dead spots. Someone suggested a good idea of tying a string to a stick an using that as a current flag (like a wind sock). Its a good idea.

 

[ralph atl]

mysslyss06;780257 wrote: 1. what kind of powerheads should i get for m 120.. il be keeping softies ad some lps?

<span style="color: red">just get a couple of Koralia Power Heads....</span>

2. how far should i have my lights off the top of my tank. its a 8 bulb t5 fixture?


3. can i use live rock and sand that was in a tank but now is dry?

<span style="color: red">don't use the sand, just get some sugar fine sand from lfs or pet smart.</span>
<span style="color: #ff0000">live rock, yes....soak in straight vinegar for as long as you can to help remove phosphates.....MORE IMPORTANTLY is after you do that, rinse off with ro water & cover all rock (just pour it on in buckets) with H2O2....that will kill any nasty algae spores that it might contain. </span>

<span style="color: #ff0000">you can seed the rock with some Seachem Stability or Bio-gest & a small pack of "live sand" from lfs or petsmart...</span>




4.do i need a fuge? or can i wait to add one down the rd?
any help would be great

<span style="color: red">you do not need a fuge.....A sump however is very important as it is the "filter system" that is needed in addition to your bio in display. This will house your skimmer, and your reactors for GFO & Carbon and additional top off for evaporation, cooling (fan) & heating, and Calcium & Alk additives.....you won't need all that now, but I wouldn't wait too long....</span>
<span style="color: #ff0000"></span>
<span style="color: #ff0000"></span>
..

please feel free to pm me....

 

[ripped tide]

If you want good live sand, use the world wide imports sand. They were the first to patent the method that is used and you actually get live sand.

If you buy Carib sea, you are just buying a "rinse pass". Because WWI patented taking sand from the ocean and preserving it with NSW, Carib sea just rinses some dry sand, tosses some synthetic sea water and there, squirts some bacteria similar to stability or mB7 and then sends it off to be sold.

Carib sea is a fine product if the consumer just wants to skip rinsing, but don't think you'll be getting any of the "live" benefits from it. You could get the same benefits from microbacter 7.

 

[mysslyss06]

So I dont need to use the sand at all?