New member, new to SW. Saying hi and have some questions.

[FishInABarrel]

Hello, I'm from Alberta, canada. New to saltwater but not keeping aquariums. I have 400 gallons of freshwater with mostly cichlids. And a couple shrimp colony and oddball tanks.

I bought a used, drilled 60 gallon with a 20 gallon refugium sump and halide/t5 lighting. I want to do a reef tank, most likely a indo/Philippines biotope. I still have to set it up, get liverock/sand and cycle it. So far I'm kind of thinking other than my clean up crew that I'll probably stick to some gobies and maybe a wrasse. I would like a mandarin dragonet too but have read they aren't the easiest to keep alive. I do like the marine betta but scared it will eat shrimp and other stuff that I want. I have no clue where I should start with coral and other inverts too.

So here are the questions

1. Ideas/suggestions for coral, inverts and fish.

2. Should I get a UV sterilizer?

3. The refugium is currently miracle mud. Is that a good system? I like the idea of having live rock and inverts in the rufugium.

4. What is a good salt? I can get fluval sea and instant ocean reef crystals locally.

5. I'm looking at a used tunze nano wavebox. Is it worth getting? Or are power heads better?

Thanks in advance and sorry it's so long. Lol.

[gaberosenfield]

Mandarin Dragonets are only hard to keep alive if they refuse to eat frozen food. Buy a captive bred mandarin (like from ORA) that is already used to eating frozen food and you shouldn't have too much trouble, assuming you have peaceful tankmates that allow it to eat. Most of the "Mandarins are hard to keep alive" stuff seems to comes from people who try to let the mandarin live solely on the pods that the tank can grow itself. This MIGHT work in a very large system, but has no chance of working in an 80 gallon system IMO.

You have much more self control than I do if you are actually able to limit yourself to corals from only one location (although Indonesia and the Phillipines is the source of many beautiful corals).

I do not think you need a UV sterilizer for a reef tank. Appropriate quarantining of all new arrivals will render a UV sterilizer useless for helping keep parasite counts down. And if you require a UV sterilizer to keep algae at bay, you have bigger problems with nutrient levels anyway and your system will suffer even with a UV sterilizer. That said, it seems like most of the TOTMs have UV sterilizers, so maybe I am not experienced enough to give a good opinion.

I've never used miracle mud. Some people seem to really like it. It seems difficult and expensive if you plan on keeping the tank a few years because you are supposed to change out the mud every once in a while according to the miracle mud directions. I would go for some live rock rubble and cheatomorpha in the refugium.

Most of the brand name salts are probably good. IO Reef Crystals is certainly a popular brand, though it is not the cheapest. Many beautiful reef tanks use different brands of salt so it probably isn't that important of a factor.

You will need powerheads or closed loop circulation regardless of whether you get the wavebox. I just purchased a Tunze Nano Wavebox used off ebay for $200 in preparation for my next reef setup (still in planning and acquisition phase). If you can get one for that kind of price or less, many people love them. They keep detritus from settling on things in the tank much better than most other methods. But you still need other circulation to actively mix the entire aquarium. So if you have to choose one, definitely go with power heads. If you can afford both, go for it!

[FishInABarrel]

I have read something about putting unwanted pests from the main tank into the refugium. That would be a rock rubble system? I think it would be neat to have different stuff in it.

I learned the self control with freshwater. It doesn't look right and nobody is really at home mixing biotopes. I tried to focus on one type of fish and one system. That's how I ended up with a 125 gal African cichlid tank and 3 90 gal American cichlid tanks. Lol.

I did see that you can get "live" or suspended pods and zooplankton or something for food and colonizing your tank. I was wondering if that would help with the mandarin. I don't think I will go with many fish. I'd rather have some cool inverts. Crabs, nudibranch, clam... So I'm kinda looking at a few gobies and maybe the mandarin or wrasse. As they can have some nice colors.

[Reefmedic79]

To Reef Central

1: This is tough to answer. What do you like, what do you want to keep? Tell us what you are interested in, and we can give better info to help you succeed.

2: I don't believe a UV sterilizer is necessary for a reef system.

3: Miracle Mud has been around for awhile, though I've only ever used a basic sand bed with LR rubble and macroalgae. Be careful of what inverts you intend on putting in a fuge, as you don't want something in there that will eat your pods.

4. Salts are all different in their levels of minerals and trace elements. Go with the one that benefits the needs of your tank. I use Reef Crystals, but have used regular Instant Ocean, Red Sea and Tropic Marin without any issues.

5. The Tunze Wavebox move a lot of water without taking up much space in the tank. If you have a good deal on one I'd say go ahead and get it. Ultimately the amount of flow you want in your tank will be decided on what you intend on keeping coral wise.

[oscarinw]

Welcome. Here are my favorite fish:

The Flasher Wrasses


And the Fairy Wrasses

[FishInABarrel]

I really have no clue as far as coral. I'm kind of looking for suggestions. I want color and neat looking stuff that isn't too difficult to keep. I've been looking mostly at soft coral since it's more beginners level. I do have light for more difficult stuff. I like the Kenya tree, finger, toadstool, Xenia, bubble, candy cane, brain and mushrooms.

For fish/inverts I've just been looking at reef safe stuff and like the gobies and the mandarin. I would like a urchin, conch, cuch/nudibranch, shrimp, crabs or other neat stuff more than fish I think though. If I didn't have to worry about a marine betta eating shrimp and stuff, I'd like one of them or a small lionfish. But from What I've read neither are reef safe.

[Reefmedic79]

Technically a betta and lionfish are "Reef Safe", they aren't crustacean safe.

As for corals, you listed them and are likely very capable of keeping anything you listed.

I don't suggest a mandarin until your tank is at least a year old, and only if you had a fuge and at least 75-80lbs of LR in it, and even that would be pushing it.

As mentioned above fairy and flasher wrasses add a lot of color and movement to a tank.

If you like inverts you may want to look into shrimp gobies and their symbiotic pistol shrimp.

[FishInABarrel]

I have been looking at the shrimp/gobie pairs. I will most likely go with one pair anyway. The shrimp gobies aren't as nice looking as some of the others. What kinds of crabs or other things can I have that would be ok in a reef tank?

[Reefmedic79]

Emerald crabs, Scarlet Hermits, and sally Lightfoot crabs are the only ones I trust, but even they aren't 100% safe.

Look into the smaller shrimp gobies if you want better looking ones. Specifically the species Stonogobiops. They stay small as do their suggested shrimp.

[FishInABarrel]

Thanks everyone.

What about the electric blue and orange hermits? The crabs you listed are more of a South American biotope. For what I'm planning, my crab options so far are acropora, decorator, pebble, Pom-Pom and spider.

Also interested in headsheild nudibranch, red reef or spiny ornate lobster, electric scallop and crocea clam (more difficult to keep I've read) if anyone has input on them.

[FishInABarrel]

What size powerheads should I be looking at for a 60 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump? I am thinking of running 2 or 3 but not sure what size I need.
I'm looking at 1- 1150 and 2- 600-850 powerheads.

[thegrun]

Here is a website listing easy to care for corals:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/cor...5-Easy-Corals/
Here is a site that lists many of the common corals and their care requirements:
https://sites.google.com/a/asira.org/www2/caresheets

[FishInABarrel]

Thanks.
Is it better to have more smaller powerheads instead of less larger ones? Getting a used smartwave controller and looking at running 2x koralia 425, 1x koralia 600 and 1x koralia 850. Or should I just run 2 pumps like a 1150 and a 850?

[Reef Frog]

Conchs need deep sand beds.

Lobsters can be destructive to many inverts & some fish.

Electric & Flame scallops are almost impossible to keep alive longer than a year. They need special feeding that is likely to skunk a beginner's tank.

Wait until the tank is mature before considering a clam or mandarin dragonette. Many clams need powerful direct lighting.

Marine Betta is a beautiful fish but is shy and hides most of the time.

First decide: FISH & Inverts or a coral reef. Many decisions will branch off from there.

[FishInABarrel]

I want to have coral.

[FishInABarrel]

Is there any bio cultures or anything worth using to help cycle? Like seachem stability or something.

Is there anything that helps speed up seeding dry rock? Like purple up or something.

[Reefmedic79]

Originally Posted by FishInABarrel

Is there any bio cultures or anything worth using to help cycle? Like seachem stability or something.

Is there anything that helps speed up seeding dry rock? Like purple up or something.

IMO&E, these items are a waste of $$$.

A cycle takes as long as it needs to. Speeding it up is unlikely, as well as defeating one of the first rules of reefkeeping; "Nothing good happens fast".

Purple Up is just an expensive calcium suppplement. Without a live source of organisms introduced into the tank, the rick will only "seed" with denitrifying bacteria.

In order to get the pod growth and coralline algae you will either need to place a piece of true live rock or wait until they come in as hitchhikers on coral frags.

[Reefmedic79]

Originally Posted by FishInABarrel

Thanks everyone.

What about the electric blue and orange hermits? The crabs you listed are more of a South American biotope. For what I'm planning, my crab options so far are acropora, decorator, pebble, Pom-Pom and spider.

Also interested in headsheild nudibranch, red reef or spiny ornate lobster, electric scallop and crocea clam (more difficult to keep I've read) if anyone has input on them.

Acro, decorator, pom-pin crabs will be fine.
Nudibranchs rarely survive long due to their extremely selective diets. Electric scallops have the same difficulties.

Tridacna clams are doable, but only in a mature stable tank.

[Reefmedic79]

Originally Posted by FishInABarrel

What size powerheads should I be looking at for a 60 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump? I am thinking of running 2 or 3 but not sure what size I need.
I'm looking at 1- 1150 and 2- 600-850 powerheads.

The amount of flow us ultimately determined by the types of corals. IMO, many smaller ones are better than one large one, set on timers or wavemakers to randomize the flow.

[FishInABarrel]

Awesome! Thanks reefmedic. I got a smartwave controller used. Now I'm not sure what powerheads. Maxi-jet or koralia?

[FishInABarrel]

Also I got a 60 or 65 gallon tank (48x18 footprint). I have 50lbs of Marco dry rock ordered already. How much liverock should I get to seed it? And how much should be going in my tank and 20 sump?

[Reefmedic79]

Originally Posted by FishInABarrel

Also I got a 60 or 65 gallon tank (48x18 footprint). I have 50lbs of Marco dry rock ordered already. How much liverock should I get to seed it? And how much should be going in my tank and 20 sump?

Put as much as you can afford and have space for in the display.

[FishInABarrel]

Question about water. I don't have a ro/di filter or know anyone who does and have been reading distilled water isn't good because there could be copper in it. So is bottled r/o water going to be ok?

[Reefmedic79]

Originally Posted by FishInABarrel

Question about water. I don't have a ro/di filter or know anyone who does and have been reading distilled water isn't good because there could be copper in it. So is bottled r/o water going to be ok?

It's better than tap water, but will be a expensive in the long run, and it's missing the deionized step of the filtration.

Getting your own RO/DI should be your top priority in keeping a successful reef tank. It all begins with the water.

[FishInABarrel]

I am planning on getting a ro/di filter. Just been spending too much getting ready to set up the tank at the moment. Still need salt, sand and live rock to seed the dry rock that's on the way. As long as I can use ro for my initial startup fill. I'm just cleaning everything right now since it was used.

I need to test the skimmer I got with it. It's missing the air intake silencer(don't think that's a big deal), the foam cup lid(hoping that isn't a big deal), one of the outflow boxes and one of the flow control adjusters(think I can make one with some big tubing).
It's a aqua medic turboflotor multi sl from what I can tell. Are these decent skimmers or am I wasting my time with it and should I just get a new one?