Suggestions on starting my first reef?

Vadimshevchuk · 01/27/2012, 09:10 AM

Hey, i been reading threads on RC for a little over a year now, and I'm starting to get the reef bug. I never owned a saltwater tank before, but I have had planted tanks for 4 years now and mbuna cichlids for 2 years. So I have good amount of experience in this hobby, just not with reefs. I'm planning to start a saltwater tank this spring/summer and I need some suggestions to steer me in the right direction. Right now the two tanks I'm looking at are, a BC 29 or a rimless 24x18x18. Here are the pros and cons of each and i would like your opinion on each setup. Thanks!

BC 29
Pros
1) I can get rapid led kit for the tank
2) get it cheaper from craigslist with a stand
3) It's sump less
4) all in one package

Cons
1) only 20x20x20
2)not a clean look like a rimless tank

33.6 Rimless tank
Pros
1) more space
2) nice clean look

Cons
1) more expensive
2) I will need to drill it
3) requires a stand to be built
4) sump
5) have a purchase a skimmer

Over all i just want to be able to grow corals like zoas, 1 anemone for clowns to host and some green star polyps, hammercoral and other easy coral. I'm not interested in sps yet. i would like to go with leds.(rapid led or aquastyle leds) Most of you would say that a sump is a big plus but i want the set up to be as quiet as possible because it's gonna be 10 ft away from my bed. Overall, im looking at quality but keep costs somewhat down and a reef full of soft and zoas corals because i just love all the movement. what would you do? Thanks guys!

thegrun · 01/27/2012, 09:49 AM

A properly built sump/overflow should be very quiet. I have a 50 gallon CAD Lights cube in my living room. My wife's criteria for the tank was that it had to be SILENT, even she has to admit the system I have set-up is barely audible. There are so many pros for a sump that I would strongly lean towards the cube and I love the rimless look. Here is my 50.

bumski667 · 01/27/2012, 12:11 PM

First you need to decide on your budget. I started with a 60 gallon, and 3 months later, upgraded to a 180. If I realized how much I would get into reefing, I would have started with the larger tank in the first place, save time and money. So I would suggest getting the biggest tank you can within your budget.

But since you mention this will be in your bedroom, probably the BC would be better. All the corals you listed are pretty hardy, except the anenome. You may want to have a well established tank before getting one of those.

Vadimshevchuk · 01/27/2012, 01:02 PM

I don't think i will be upgrading for a few years minimum and I'm thinking the bio cube also. I want the focus of the tank to be a pair of black and white ocellaris clown fish with a goby and 1-2 small nano fish. How many 3 watt leds do i need to power the bio cube? I'm aiming for a 14k look because i find 20k way to blue for my taste and 10k to white. So what ratio should RB be to CW leds? Thanks

Mark Bianco · 01/27/2012, 05:41 PM

I have both a RSM 130d (Basicially a Bio Cube) and I have a Marineland 26gl cube. The RSM has the all in one setup and even has a skimmer The Marineland has a small sump and I do not use a skimmer The boi load is about the same. I have way less problems with the Marineland then I do with the all in one RSM. One other thing the Marineland including the sump led lights and pump was less expensive then the RSM The one thing I do to all of the tanks once a month is I breakout my old Hot Magum with a micron filter and run it for a day, and do a 5gl water change once a week..

Virtuoso · 01/27/2012, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vadimshevchuk

I don't think i will be upgrading for a few years minimum and I'm thinking the bio cube also. I want the focus of the tank to be a pair of black and white ocellaris clown fish with a goby and 1-2 small nano fish. How many 3 watt leds do i need to power the bio cube? I'm aiming for a 14k look because i find 20k way to blue for my taste and 10k to white. So what ratio should RB be to CW leds? Thanks

I'm still all very new to this but I think a 30g may be small for 2 clowns, a goby, and 1-2 other small fish. It is hard to say on the watts, people around here usually go on the PAR values at the spots they are going to keep coral.

01/27/2012, 09:10 AM	#1
Vadimshevchuk Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chattanooga TN Posts: 162	Suggestions on starting my first reef? Hey, i been reading threads on RC for a little over a year now, and I'm starting to get the reef bug. I never owned a saltwater tank before, but I have had planted tanks for 4 years now and mbuna cichlids for 2 years. So I have good amount of experience in this hobby, just not with reefs. I'm planning to start a saltwater tank this spring/summer and I need some suggestions to steer me in the right direction. Right now the two tanks I'm looking at are, a BC 29 or a rimless 24x18x18. Here are the pros and cons of each and i would like your opinion on each setup. Thanks! BC 29 Pros 1) I can get rapid led kit for the tank 2) get it cheaper from craigslist with a stand 3) It's sump less 4) all in one package Cons 1) only 20x20x20 2)not a clean look like a rimless tank 33.6 Rimless tank Pros 1) more space 2) nice clean look Cons 1) more expensive 2) I will need to drill it 3) requires a stand to be built 4) sump 5) have a purchase a skimmer Over all i just want to be able to grow corals like zoas, 1 anemone for clowns to host and some green star polyps, hammercoral and other easy coral. I'm not interested in sps yet. i would like to go with leds.(rapid led or aquastyle leds) Most of you would say that a sump is a big plus but i want the set up to be as quiet as possible because it's gonna be 10 ft away from my bed. Overall, im looking at quality but keep costs somewhat down and a reef full of soft and zoas corals because i just love all the movement. what would you do? Thanks guys!

01/27/2012, 09:49 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	A properly built sump/overflow should be very quiet. I have a 50 gallon CAD Lights cube in my living room. My wife's criteria for the tank was that it had to be SILENT, even she has to admit the system I have set-up is barely audible. There are so many pros for a sump that I would strongly lean towards the cube and I love the rimless look. Here is my 50.

01/27/2012, 12:11 PM	#3
bumski667 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 49	First you need to decide on your budget. I started with a 60 gallon, and 3 months later, upgraded to a 180. If I realized how much I would get into reefing, I would have started with the larger tank in the first place, save time and money. So I would suggest getting the biggest tank you can within your budget. But since you mention this will be in your bedroom, probably the BC would be better. All the corals you listed are pretty hardy, except the anenome. You may want to have a well established tank before getting one of those.

01/27/2012, 01:02 PM	#4
Vadimshevchuk Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chattanooga TN Posts: 162	I don't think i will be upgrading for a few years minimum and I'm thinking the bio cube also. I want the focus of the tank to be a pair of black and white ocellaris clown fish with a goby and 1-2 small nano fish. How many 3 watt leds do i need to power the bio cube? I'm aiming for a 14k look because i find 20k way to blue for my taste and 10k to white. So what ratio should RB be to CW leds? Thanks

01/27/2012, 05:41 PM	#5
Mark Bianco In Memoriam Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Infinity and Beyond Posts: 2,445	I have both a RSM 130d (Basicially a Bio Cube) and I have a Marineland 26gl cube. The RSM has the all in one setup and even has a skimmer The Marineland has a small sump and I do not use a skimmer The boi load is about the same. I have way less problems with the Marineland then I do with the all in one RSM. One other thing the Marineland including the sump led lights and pump was less expensive then the RSM The one thing I do to all of the tanks once a month is I breakout my old Hot Magum with a micron filter and run it for a day, and do a 5gl water change once a week..