Starting a reef

[jrandolph1686]

Hey guys how's it going? I'm new to A.R.C. Forum but have had my tank running for about a year now. My question is this(and it may seem dumb but bear with me please) what do I need to do to get a reef going? I already have a 55 gallon tank going with some good healthy fish around 50 pounds or so of live rock 60 pounds of live sand a aqua top canister filter with 4 different types of media in it a power head and a small HOB filter for circulation. I'm planning on ordering a t5 4 bulb light next week to replace the plain old florecent lights I have on there now. But what are the basics of having success with corals? And is it ok to start with frags? Is there corals to stay away from? Any help is much appreciated thanks a lot.

 

[frantz]

Welcome to the ARC! Coral isn't as hard as you may think. Imagine Ocean is right there in canton area and Jenn can make sure you don't get anything too crazy but most coral you're likely to find will do alright for ya. Best I can suggest is to find coral you like and then research it, then buy it. Frags are what I've started with, In fact I've only ever bought 2 large colonies, but I feel I have a nice beginners tank (reef set up for a little over a year). Good place to come to ask questions! good luck

 

[jrandolph1686]

Yea I went by there for the first time Saturday and she was very nice and helpful I talked her ear off I'm sure lol but it was nice to get one on one service and learn more about everything. At the risk of sounding dumb I asked her about raising the salt level in my tank and she said "have you tested the water your using for water changes?" I was like wow I should have thought of that lol

 

[lee_steffen87]

I agree with Frantz the level of difficulty of some corals is moderately easy. A couple of things to keep in mind are the nutrient levels in your tank several testing kits are a good thing to have just to know your water parameters and watch for changes so that you can resolve any problems before any damage is done. Always research before you buy or trade for any livestock and don't be afraid to ask questions here. I'm a newb here as well but everyone here has been super friendly and helpful.

 

[frantz]

you made me think of something else too. What kind of salt have you been using? You can get healthier coral with the right salt that has tiny amounts of trace elements built into it. It does cost more but you resupply the important stuff at every water change this way and you don't have to buy as many expensive additives.

 

[rdnelson]

All the above advice is great, especially about Jenn and Imagine Ocean. You can get a lot of inexpensive frags there and she will always be willing to help you understand the needs of that coral.

One additional thing you should do first off is research the fish again. I know you are wondering why you would research fish you already have right? The reason I say that is that whey you got them you didn't have corals and may not have cared if they were reef safe fish or not. There are lots of fish out there that will not do well in a reef. They like to eat the corals.

Also, before you buy the light fixture, go through all the corals on LiveAquaria.com and try to decide which types you are going to want in your tank. I would hate to see you buy a 4 lamp fixture only to find out it will not support the corals you want.

And lastly, good luck and welcome to ARC.

 

[jrandolph1686]

I use instant ocean salt and I have already looked at my fish I only have one that is not reef safe and am planning on trading it before I start working on the corals. What about the lights? I thought a t5 would work for anything?

 

[rdnelson]

I agree with bpatterson on the salt. Instant Ocean (IO) has done well by me. But, as you get more and more corals, you will most likely have to start adding supplements. Since IO is intended for for fish only tanks, the calcium level is a bit low for a reef tank. While you only have a few corals or ones that don't require a lot of calcium it is fine. But as you get more corals or ones that demand high calcium levels you will either have to dose calcium or change salts or maybe both. That is where I am at right now. As soon as I use up the IO I have I will change over to the Reef Crystals. May still need to dose but not as much as I would have to with IO.

T5 lights do a great job if done properly. The draw back is replacing the lamps and the heat issues. The lamps need to be replaced on a regular basis which adds up. While the heat issue is not as bad as Metal Halide lights, it can still raise the temp of the tank over what is best. A good LED fixture will do neither.

 

[shafiq_hossain]

I have also noticed a substantial reduction in algae growth once I switched over to Reef. I assume that is due to a higher concentration of Magnesium level.


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I am here:

 

[snowmansnow]

jrandolph1686;764006 wrote: And is it ok to start with frags?

YES! I WOULD start with frags that way you don't accidentally sacrifice a full colony to the god of learning

 

[sprinklerman500]

I would spend a little bit more cash and get a led fixture.You will wish you did once you have become seasoned.If you ever get down around my way I would be more than happy to GIVE you a couple frags!Happy Reefing my friend.

 

[snowmansnow]

sprinklerman500;764558 wrote: I would spend a little bit more cash and get a led fixture.You will wish you did once you have become seasoned.If you ever get down around my way I would be more than happy to GIVE you a couple frags!Happy Reefing my friend.

just use caution with LED. MOST of the fixtures don't offer a full spectrum of color and the ones that do will cost you big. I would actually recommend T5, but then again, I haven't personally DONE LED yet.

 

[snowmansnow]

Here's my tank under t5s.

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[dine]

rdnelson99;764374 wrote: I agree with bpatterson on the salt. Instant Ocean (IO) has done well by me. But, as you get more and more corals, you will most likely have to start adding supplements. Since IO is intended for for fish only tanks, the calcium level is a bit low for a reef tank. While you only have a few corals or ones that don't require a lot of calcium it is fine. But as you get more corals or ones that demand high calcium levels you will either have to dose calcium or change salts or maybe both. That is where I am at right now. As soon as I use up the IO I have I will change over to the Reef Crystals. May still need to dose but not as much as I would have to with IO.

T5 lights do a great job if done properly. The draw back is replacing the lamps and the heat issues. The lamps need to be replaced on a regular basis which adds up. While the heat issue is not as bad as Metal Halide lights, it can still raise the temp of the tank over what is best. A good LED fixture will do neither.

this

not steering you away from t5. i use a 6 bulb combo myself but i got more heat then what my research led me to believe i was going to get. while they are cooler then halides make sure you have airflow and ventilation to go with them

 

[db366]

You guys must be keeping your house in the high 70's or something.. I have had 250 watt halides on a 29 and a 30 and never had heat issues over 80 during the summer.

 

[sprinklerman500]

Check this out,Ive had t8s,powercompacks,t5s,halides and have leds on one of my tanks.Im no seasoned vet but I do know that out of all the lights that I do have 4bulb t5 fixture on a eclipse,6 bulb t5 48" fixture on a 150 gallon reef,and leds that will make your corals pop like fire crackers!The growth in the biocube blows away the growth in any thing else Ive ever tried.Cree leds make MY corals grow better faster and prettier than t5s.Plus the heat,power usage and bulb replacement make this a no brainier.Snowmansnow your tank is to sweet!

 

[jrandolph1686]

Very nice tank snow man how many gallons is it?

 

[gator01]

sprinklerman500;764656 wrote: Check this out,Ive had t8s,powercompacks,t5s,halides and have leds on one of my tanks.Im no seasoned vet but I do know that out of all the lights that I do have 4bulb t5 fixture on a eclipse,6 bulb t5 48" fixture on a 150 gallon reef,and leds that will make your corals pop like fire crackers!The growth in the biocube blows away the growth in any thing else Ive ever tried.Cree leds make MY corals grow better faster and prettier than t5s.Plus the heat,power usage and bulb replacement make this a no brainier.Snowmansnow your tank is to sweet!

Hey sprinklerman I need to stop by and see your set ups before I set up my new tank, since I'm right down the road from you.

 

[sprinklerman500]

Your more than welcome to come by.Im home from Thursday night till sunday night just give me a buzz.

 

[rdnelson]

db366;764654 wrote: You guys must be keeping your house in the high 70's or something.. I have had 250 watt halides on a 29 and a 30 and never had heat issues over 80 during the summer.

My 35 sat about 3' below a vent next to an exterior wall that has floor to ceiling windows. During the winter and summer the T-Stat is set at 73. My tank was consistently at 80-81. Now on the 125 I have Marineland LEDs (temporarily) and the temp is consistently at 78. As soon as I install my MM LEDs I suspect I may see just a bit of a rise but not much at all. I don't have the experience to say how things grow under LED verses T5 but I can tell you that the colors changes is impressive. If I can get the same growth once the LEDs are in place I will be tickled pink.