The time has come!

[billyocean]

Hello everyone! I have been a member here for years..I don't post much as I spend most of my time reading! Well, the time has come for me to tap into that wealth of knowledge so many of you have! For years I have read (countless hours lol) the workings of the reef tank. BTW I'm one of those people that wants to know all I can before entering a hobby. I have had freshwater and SWFO tanks in the past..but as the title says...THE TIME HAS COME for my reef tank! A friend of a friend wanted to get rid of a 90-100 gallon (60" x 20" x18") corner overflow tank today...so I picked it up. It has the stand/canopy and a wet/dry sump w/eheim return pump, not that the wet/dry is really helping me out here. Anyways, my plans are to have a reef aquarium with LPS/SPS corals, live rock, invertebrates, and a couple of fish (5 yr old daughter "must have" a "nemo"..I know I'm not the only one haha!). With so many choices and roads to take..one can imagine navigating that road can be daunting. The aquarium will need to be sanded/polished as there are several scratches that need removing and the stand needs some tlc as well. None of that is a problem for me to handle in the next few weeks. Sorry...rambling a little...but I'm excited! To the point: Advice about equipment is where I need the most help. I want to do things right the first time and by no means am I in a rush to set this up prematurely (does not matter to me if it takes a year to piece it together). I'm a pretty handy person with a decent amount of knowledge within the hobby..but some reassurance is always nice from those with more knowhow. Basically any tips/advice from filtration (refugium is what Im planning), skimmers, reactors and lighting would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Ryan.

 

[nickg]

I like the 5' tanks. I have one as well. I also have an old wet/dry under it. I use it as my fuge, no bio balls. First chamber is all LR. Second chamber is all macro. The I drilled 3 holes with bulk heads/PVC flowing into a 2nd tank. I elevated the fist tank on a 2X4 stand. First section skimmer then bubble, last return. I run left overfolw into 1st chamber of fuge. Right overflow directly into skimmer chamber. 50% flow thru fuge, 100% thru skimmer section.

Buy a GOOD skimmer!!! In my opinion, that is the MOST important filtration. Well that and LR... Can't have to much of either, for me!!!

Light, I don't have a ton to compare. I have Halides and Led's. I love them. I am thinking of trying a good T5 fixture. If you go halides, buy a GOOD reflector! I have wasted my money on combo fixtures, halide/PC, halide/Led, etc.... I say, buy a GOOD relector and bulbs!! Add others fixtures or retro's for suppliment, not all in ones!! LED's, the sky is the limit, but I can't really say.

Return pump, depending on size, roll with the eheim. I say get a spare, of any kind, just a spare...

Just my $.02
Nick

 

[billyocean]

definitely liking the fuge idea...thanks for the advice!

 

[butch]

X2 on what Nickg said, especially since you are not in a rush to set it up. I have the same tank except it's glass and I drilled it for a bean animal with a semi- coasts to coast (4') overflow. Hopefully I will be getting it wet this weekend!

 

[snowmansnow]

billyOcean;938235 wrote: definitely liking the fuge idea...thanks for the advice!

I disagree with putting much investment at all in running a fuge of any sort. IMO it is antiquated filtration technology that should have gone out in the late '90s. A very good skimmer will do MUCH more for you than a decent skimmer and a fuge, AND be less hassle.

As far as LR goes... 1-2 lbs a gallon is WAY overkill IMO. If you want to display rock then go for it, but if you want your corals to make up your display go with a LOT less rock. I probably have 45 lbs in my 120.

Now for lighting.. and believe me everyone loves what they have.. BUT... If you want proven lighting then go with MH or T5. I recently (6mo or so) replaced my stock ballasts with HO VUE660's and couldn't be happier.I'm not hating on anyone's LED investment.

FLOW. I was skeptical BUT I sold a vortech 40 and replaced it with one of the Jebaeo wp40s. If the thing holds out over time it is a fantastic flow investment.

Tank dimensions... I really like my 120 which is 2ft wide and 4 long, BUT I would love to have more width inside the tank.

IF I were setting up my first tank, and had very little experience, and a few grand to invest I would do this :
Tank 120g (4x2x2)
Skimmer BubbleKing Mini200
Lighting: Either Hamilton pendants w 250wDE 14k pheonix OR a GOOD T5 fixture (ATI Sunpower or ATI Powermodule)
Flow: 3x WP40
____

again its just my opinion, but the above has worked well for me, and I wish I had started with it.

 

[snowmansnow]

oh heres the most awesome advice I can give: BUY GOOD EQUIPMENT and KEEP IT SIMPLE (especially at first). Start with very good equipment at the base level and then build things on like Ca RX, reef computers, and the like.

 

[billyocean]

Took the tank out today and removed the crushed coral with a wet/dry vac...then ran the hose inside/over it. Step one done! Scratches run from deep to fine..a lot of elbow grease on the ready. My major concerns are skimmers and refugium. Like I said...it will be a quite a while before setup due to cleaning and piecing. Fish are my least concern for this tank..(a couple goby/blenny plus clownfish for my daughter type of fish). What gets me are the corals and invertabrates...but you must indulge a child's fascination if you want them to keep interest! I want this to have all the right "necessary" equipment before I even put water in it...after six years of reading on this site...and others...its still up for debate on what that would be..lol...or what brands. I know this sounds very newbie-ish..but I have studied....ohhhh have I studied. Just looking for some pushes in the right direction! I understand its never a one size fits all thing...but..its hard to make a decision on how to spend the smart money on my equipment. Thanks again!

 

[billyocean]

Thank you Nick, Butch, Snow.....Snow gives me the craigslist creeping I can watch for! I tend to also disagree with the 1-1.5 lbs per gal of live rock myself...May go about 40 lbs of foundation and mostly smaller show pieces...perhaps 80-90 at most total. Two/Three areas of base rock with space in between perhaps. I am willing to spend money when the deal is right, so a piece at a time worked for johnny..it'll work for me! Brand/sizes/setups for my 60L"/18w"/20h" are what I need to know..so keep em coming please...thank you so much! Whats funny is...I could probably put together something great on my own..but like anything else..until you have actually done it...its unproven in your own eyes..so again...thanks

 

[billyocean]

"gently used"
Marineland 48in 150 HQI and t5 fixture w/upgraded sunpark hqi balasts? for $300 sound good?


most bulbs are less than 2 mnths old.