Need help setting up my first tank

DBullet22 · 10/13/2015, 08:59 AM

Hello everyone, im setting up a 30 gallon tank with the help of a friend. Space is limited so its all i can get for now. I have stand built, the tank in place, awaiting for my full spectrum led light, and marineland c220 canister filter to be delivered. Have a few question about live rock, how many lbs, which kind do you guys recomend ?
Also ideally i would like to have a clown, maybe a small blue and yellow tang, or fox face, this are my favorite fish and i know they will grow to big for the tank but i plan on upgrading to a bigger tank down the road.
Im just gettin started soo any suggestions are welcome on anything, thanks

MondoBongo · 10/13/2015, 09:24 AM

here is a great thread on setting up that contains links to all kinds of helpful information for novices:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074

in regards to the tangs or rabbitfish, please don't. even with the best intentions of upgrading or rehoming, life has a funny way of throwing curve balls, and often it is the fish that end up getting neglected as such.

perfect story, i intended in upgrading to a 160 from my 75. i actually had purchased the tank and the stand, and had it sitting in my basement. due to various factors, that got delayed for a little over 3 years. so it's really best not to get any fish that you don't have an adequate home for right now. it can also be difficult to rehome fish. there are only so many large tanks out there, and the 3 fish you listed need some serious space as they grow. combine that with the fact that a tang or fox face can become very aggressive when confined, and you're not looking at a good situation.

as far as the equipment goes. i would ditch the canister filter in favor of a protein skimmer. the canisters really don't do us much good in the world of saltwater, and can become problematic for generating nitrates if they're not cleaned fastidiously and regularly.

what kind of "full spectrum" LED light did you get?

as far as the rock goes, a lot of that is personal preference. you will see some people going very minimalist, say roughly around 1/2 a pound per gallon, some going around 1 pound per gallon, and some using even more. it depends on what you want for your set up, and what you plan on stocking. i tend to prefer rock heavy for two reasons:

1. i like to keep fish that require a lot of live rock for grazing/feeding purposes.
2. i like having a lot of places to mount corals.

but that's totally up to you. likely your aquascape will change with time, and you may find yourself adding or subtracting rock down the road to suit your needs.

i would recommend "hunting" for some base rock and some pieces you really like (dry), then taping off a section on an old table the same dimensions as your tank, and using it as a kind of "sketch pad" of sorts to experiment with stacking your rock on. then when you have a structure that you like, figure out how you're going to secure it, and get it in the tank. then get a few small pieces of live rock to get your cycle started.

good luck.

MondoBongo · 10/13/2015, 09:28 AM

oh, also, i would highly recommend a sump with any saltwater tank. they make for some serious convenience in being able to hide/add equipment down the road, and help increase your oxygenation and water volume.

and, i *strongly* recommend setting up a quarantine protocol for all new arrivals. i know it seems like a lot of work at first glance, but believe me it is considerably less work than trying to rid a tank of disease down the road. you can even accomplish an effective QT protocol using a couple 5 gallons buckets, some PVC pipe fittings for hiding places, and old heaters and air pumps. it's not nearly as difficult as it sounds!

DBullet22 · 10/13/2015, 09:45 AM

Thanks for all the info, what kind of protein skimmer do you recomend for my tank, also since its my first tank im trying stay as cost efficient as i can

Happyschneider · 10/13/2015, 09:56 AM

30 gallon is a small tank. I have a 40 gallon and I already feel cramped and I don't even have fish in it yet

This is not supposed to give you bad feeling though. Having researched the issue, I found quiet a few fish that can be kept in that size of a tank and some of them have real character! A very good source for research was: http://www.liveaquaria.com/

If you look for nano fish, you will find a nice selection of fish which are compatible with your set up!

I would also consider not to have a canister filter for the mentioned reason! Especially if you want to keep LPS or even SPS down the road, you want to keep Nitrates low. Another reason why you don't want any big fish in 30 gallons!

For rock, try to get as light as possible. That implies that it is very porous and gives you good filtration! There is an excellent thread here on RC on aquascaping which will give you a lot of tips on how to set it up!

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2217633

I would go for all dried LR, as it reduces the chances for hitch hikers. In a small tank like ours, there is not much than can go wrong before it becomes a real problem! I am currently fighting with flat worms and boy do I wish now that I would have prevented it with dry rock and proper QT everything that went into that tank!

And get all the tests you need to start off, that would be ammonia and nitrate to begin with, maybe nitrite if you want to be extra sure. Once you want to add live, also look into phoasphate and the big three; Alk, Ca and Mg, especially when keeping corals. You can probably reduce the amount of needed testing when you replenish everything regularly with water changes!

Oh and start planning how you want to mix your salt water and water changes. It helps if you already have a concept where to put what when you do it the first time.

Good luck and keep asking questions, people here are so incredibly helpful!

Happyschneider · 10/13/2015, 09:59 AM

Regarding the skimmer, for the size of your tank and as you do not seem to use a sump, I would recommend a hang on skimmer as they will take away less precious tank space. I personally try to do it without. I plan to be very conservative when it comes to fish. On the other side, it will help you with aerating the tank, so certainly a good investment. Others certainly will be better to answer which model is the best.

DBullet22 · 10/13/2015, 10:02 AM

Damn you guys are awesome, theres alot to diggest here lol
And no i dont think im doing any live corals or anything like that just trying to
Keep it as simple as i can as i get a better understanding of how everything works

LuciDog · 10/13/2015, 12:17 PM

Personal opinion... Plumb in a sump

I run one system with, and one system without. And believe me, you want the sump! Plus then you can hide almost EVERYTHING!

MondoBongo · 10/13/2015, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBullet22

Thanks for all the info, what kind of protein skimmer do you recomend for my tank, also since its my first tank im trying stay as cost efficient as i can

just any fyi, you can run a tank without a skimmer and manage the organics with large, regular water changes.

however, skimmers tend to make life easier, since they do a really good job of removing a lot of the nasties in the tank.

skimmers become a lot more important when you start wanting to take on hard corals, and some of the more challenging softies.

gregcardita · 10/13/2015, 03:19 PM

I am on Day 5 of my 38 gallon reef tank on the cheap. Meaning I have the same setup as you. I did an aquaclear 50 HOB filter with no Biomax, I threw in two 550 GPH powerheads, a 125W heater, 40 pounds of live sand and 40 pounds of live rock. I bought a reef octopus BH90 HOB skimmer that I am going to add along with my LED lighting once the tank finishes cycling. Everyone else brought up Home great points with mixing salt for the initial setup. Also what you plan on doing for water ie RO/DI, tap, or distilled. I went with distilled water bottles but will be investing in an RO/DI as soon as feasible. Also remember that you won't need 30 gallons to fill the tank depending on sand and rock displacing some of the water. My tank only took 29 gallons with all the rock and sand. Good luck and be patient.

10/13/2015, 09:24 AM	#2
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	here is a great thread on setting up that contains links to all kinds of helpful information for novices: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074 in regards to the tangs or rabbitfish, please don't. even with the best intentions of upgrading or rehoming, life has a funny way of throwing curve balls, and often it is the fish that end up getting neglected as such. perfect story, i intended in upgrading to a 160 from my 75. i actually had purchased the tank and the stand, and had it sitting in my basement. due to various factors, that got delayed for a little over 3 years. so it's really best not to get any fish that you don't have an adequate home for right now. it can also be difficult to rehome fish. there are only so many large tanks out there, and the 3 fish you listed need some serious space as they grow. combine that with the fact that a tang or fox face can become very aggressive when confined, and you're not looking at a good situation. as far as the equipment goes. i would ditch the canister filter in favor of a protein skimmer. the canisters really don't do us much good in the world of saltwater, and can become problematic for generating nitrates if they're not cleaned fastidiously and regularly. what kind of "full spectrum" LED light did you get? as far as the rock goes, a lot of that is personal preference. you will see some people going very minimalist, say roughly around 1/2 a pound per gallon, some going around 1 pound per gallon, and some using even more. it depends on what you want for your set up, and what you plan on stocking. i tend to prefer rock heavy for two reasons: 1. i like to keep fish that require a lot of live rock for grazing/feeding purposes. 2. i like having a lot of places to mount corals. but that's totally up to you. likely your aquascape will change with time, and you may find yourself adding or subtracting rock down the road to suit your needs. i would recommend "hunting" for some base rock and some pieces you really like (dry), then taping off a section on an old table the same dimensions as your tank, and using it as a kind of "sketch pad" of sorts to experiment with stacking your rock on. then when you have a structure that you like, figure out how you're going to secure it, and get it in the tank. then get a few small pieces of live rock to get your cycle started. good luck. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

10/13/2015, 09:28 AM	#3
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	oh, also, i would highly recommend a sump with any saltwater tank. they make for some serious convenience in being able to hide/add equipment down the road, and help increase your oxygenation and water volume. and, i strongly recommend setting up a quarantine protocol for all new arrivals. i know it seems like a lot of work at first glance, but believe me it is considerably less work than trying to rid a tank of disease down the road. you can even accomplish an effective QT protocol using a couple 5 gallons buckets, some PVC pipe fittings for hiding places, and old heaters and air pumps. it's not nearly as difficult as it sounds! __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

10/13/2015, 09:56 AM	#5
Happyschneider Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Basel, Switzerland Posts: 350	30 gallon is a small tank. I have a 40 gallon and I already feel cramped and I don't even have fish in it yet This is not supposed to give you bad feeling though. Having researched the issue, I found quiet a few fish that can be kept in that size of a tank and some of them have real character! A very good source for research was: http://www.liveaquaria.com/ If you look for nano fish, you will find a nice selection of fish which are compatible with your set up! I would also consider not to have a canister filter for the mentioned reason! Especially if you want to keep LPS or even SPS down the road, you want to keep Nitrates low. Another reason why you don't want any big fish in 30 gallons! For rock, try to get as light as possible. That implies that it is very porous and gives you good filtration! There is an excellent thread here on RC on aquascaping which will give you a lot of tips on how to set it up! http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2217633 I would go for all dried LR, as it reduces the chances for hitch hikers. In a small tank like ours, there is not much than can go wrong before it becomes a real problem! I am currently fighting with flat worms and boy do I wish now that I would have prevented it with dry rock and proper QT everything that went into that tank! And get all the tests you need to start off, that would be ammonia and nitrate to begin with, maybe nitrite if you want to be extra sure. Once you want to add live, also look into phoasphate and the big three; Alk, Ca and Mg, especially when keeping corals. You can probably reduce the amount of needed testing when you replenish everything regularly with water changes! Oh and start planning how you want to mix your salt water and water changes. It helps if you already have a concept where to put what when you do it the first time. Good luck and keep asking questions, people here are so incredibly helpful! __________________ My build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2517452 180 liter, sumpless reef, no skimmer for the moment. Current Tank Info: Juwel VISION 180, currently only invertebrates, planning to have low bioload as I have no skimmer and no refugium for the moment.

10/13/2015, 09:59 AM	#6
Happyschneider Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Basel, Switzerland Posts: 350	Regarding the skimmer, for the size of your tank and as you do not seem to use a sump, I would recommend a hang on skimmer as they will take away less precious tank space. I personally try to do it without. I plan to be very conservative when it comes to fish. On the other side, it will help you with aerating the tank, so certainly a good investment. Others certainly will be better to answer which model is the best. __________________ My build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2517452 180 liter, sumpless reef, no skimmer for the moment. Current Tank Info: Juwel VISION 180, currently only invertebrates, planning to have low bioload as I have no skimmer and no refugium for the moment.

10/13/2015, 12:17 PM	#8
LuciDog Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 355	Personal opinion... Plumb in a sump I run one system with, and one system without. And believe me, you want the sump! Plus then you can hide almost EVERYTHING! __________________ Current tank info: 30gal sumpless 120gal with 40gal sump 90gal freshwater - 2 angel, blood parrot, 3 mystery snails, pleco, and a school of rasbora's

10/13/2015, 09:45 AM	#4
DBullet22 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 26	Thanks for all the info, what kind of protein skimmer do you recomend for my tank, also since its my first tank im trying stay as cost efficient as i can

10/13/2015, 10:02 AM	#7
DBullet22 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 26	Damn you guys are awesome, theres alot to diggest here lol And no i dont think im doing any live corals or anything like that just trying to Keep it as simple as i can as i get a better understanding of how everything works

10/13/2015, 03:19 PM	#10
gregcardita Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 19	I am on Day 5 of my 38 gallon reef tank on the cheap. Meaning I have the same setup as you. I did an aquaclear 50 HOB filter with no Biomax, I threw in two 550 GPH powerheads, a 125W heater, 40 pounds of live sand and 40 pounds of live rock. I bought a reef octopus BH90 HOB skimmer that I am going to add along with my LED lighting once the tank finishes cycling. Everyone else brought up Home great points with mixing salt for the initial setup. Also what you plan on doing for water ie RO/DI, tap, or distilled. I went with distilled water bottles but will be investing in an RO/DI as soon as feasible. Also remember that you won't need 30 gallons to fill the tank depending on sand and rock displacing some of the water. My tank only took 29 gallons with all the rock and sand. Good luck and be patient.