GETTIN STarted

[Hurley6x]

OK, I am really anxious to get started on my first saltwater tank. I have been doing research for a while but don't want to jump the gun and start buying stuff till i know i am on the right track.

Here is my plan.

65 Gallon Tank

I don't have room for a sump so filtration will consist of a hang on the back protein skimmer as well as a separate mechanical filter.
(recommendations encouraged)

The reason for the mechanical filter will be to support the live rock filtration as i will be adding rock gradually for monetary reasons.


I plan on purchasing two individual 150 watt heaters and placing them on opposite ends of the tank (is this recommended??).

As far as lights are concerned, they are being donated (not sure on the specs yet, will get that info).

Substrate will be 1-2" of sand. (recommendations encouraged)



I would like to keep mainly soft corals and fish. I planned on starting with a blue tang as they are good beginner fish from what I have gathered.

Any recommendations on beginner soft corals to purchase?

Implementation process:

1. Clean tank
2. Test tank holding capacity
3. Fill with salt water
4. Add Sand/ Live Rock
5. Cycle tank
5.5 - possibly add cleanup crew
6. Add Fish (1 at a time).
7. Add Soft corals



Sound ok? Please be gentle, i am new and doing the best I can. I want to have a comfortable enviroment for my animals however keep it simple at the same time (at least till i get more advanced).

Also, looking for inexpensive ways to aquire suitable water. Will brita filtration work or is buying a full RO/DI filter neccessary. Does the water still need to be treated with de-clorinators if filters are used?

THANKS SO MUCH

[insacron]

Couple of questions: Why a 65? Why do you want two separate heaters? Have you thought about flow in the tank at all (meaning adding power heads or a closed loop system)? When you say mechanical filtration what exactly do you mean (just trying to gauge what you're planning)? Personally (not a Tang expert by any means, so read this as my opinion take it or leave it) I would not recommend a Blue Tang. Tangs are swimmers, and having a 65 which is only 36 in long will probably stress the fish due to not enough room to swim around.

[insacron]

I realized I'm assuming you have a 36 x 18 x 24 65 Gallon when in fact I probably should have asked seeing as how there is a 48 x 18 x 17 65 Gallon as well. (Thank you to the member who pointed this out to me.)

[stingythingy45]

"I don't have room for a sump so filtration will consist of a hang on the back protein skimmer as well as a separate mechanical filter.
(recommendations encouraged)"

Aqua C Remora or at least a CPR Bak Pak

"The reason for the mechanical filter will be to support the live rock filtration as i will be adding rock gradually for monetary reasons."

Look into buying rock from local reef club members that might be breaking down a tank.You can save a ton of money that way.Or look into buying dry rock like(Marco Rocks) and seeding it with LR.


"I plan on purchasing two individual 150 watt heaters and placing them on opposite ends of the tank (is this recommended??)."

You really only need just one heater.One,150 watt VisaTherm would be pretty reliable.



"As far as lights are concerned, they are being donated (not sure on the specs yet, will get that info)."

Please do....

"Substrate will be 1-2" of sand. (recommendations encouraged)"

I wouldn't go with any substrate under 4 inches for nitrate export.
That's at least 100 lbs. or more for that 65 gallon.
BTW,it doesn't need to be $$$ sand.



"I would like to keep mainly soft corals and fish. I planned on starting with a blue tang as they are good beginner fish from what I have gathered."

Soft corals,that's fine.It really depends on the light that being donated.
As far as the Blue Tang.Well,this may sound"Tang Police-ish",but I don't think it will be happy in a 65 gallon.They get very large.And as far as easy,they are big time ich magnets and they get HLLE very easy.

Any recommendations on beginner soft corals to purchase?

Mushroom,xenia,nepthea,devil's hands.........the list goes on and on.

[fivesmallworlds]

A slight change to your Implementation process:

1. Clean tank

2. Test tank holding capacity then drain

3. Add Rinsed Sand (this way when you get the water put in it won't be all cloudy whereas putting the water in first then the sand creates a cloudy mess for a couple of days)

4. Fill with salt water

5. Add Live Rock

6. Let tank cycle (throw in an uncooked piece of shrimp)
6.1 test water
6.2 test water
6.3 test water

7. add cleanup crew

8. Add Soft corals

9. Add Fish (1 at a time).

Adding the corals first than the fish is a good way to make sure the fish doesn't mistake your new coral addition for food and nip at it.

You do not need to use the dechlorinization tablets for SW, but definitely use RO/DI water. Purchasing the actual unit will save you TONS of $$$ and stress even short run. The RO/DI unit will run you about $150 or so, but with all the water changes you'll need to be doing, running out to buy another 5 gallons of RO jugs is a hassle. You'll thank yourself really!!! not to mention if you're going to go out and buy the jugs of water they run about $1 / gallon, so just in water you'll have an initial expense of ~$60. Think of it as a discount on your RO/DI unit because really all you're spending is the additional $90 which is about a year of water changes that you won't have to go buy water for either...

Being that everything will be hang on the back style you'll really want to be disciplined in doing your water changes regularly!

Welcome to this wonderful hobby!!! There will be mistakes and heartache along the way, but stick with it. The learning curve is steep, but in no way is it unatainable.

[Hurley6x]

Originally posted by insacron
Couple of questions: Why a 65? Why do you want two separate heaters? Have you thought about flow in the tank at all (meaning adding power heads or a closed loop system)? When you say mechanical filtration what exactly do you mean (just trying to gauge what you're planning)? Personally (not a Tang expert by any means, so read this as my opinion take it or leave it) I would not recommend a Blue Tang. Tangs are swimmers, and having a 65 which is only 36 in long will probably stress the fish due to not enough room to swim around.

1. Why 65 gallon? I acquired it in a trade for some web services.

2. Power Heads - I forgot to include those. I plan on purchasing 3 power heads.

3. 2 heaters - I was under the impression it would be better and keep the tank temperature more uniform. If that's not the case then ill just get one.


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Does anyone have beginner fish recommendations? Appropriate for a 65 gallon tank?

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How is this RO/DI filter? Get the job done?
http://cgi.ebay.com/6-stage-100GPD-R...d=p3286.c0.m14


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Update on the light fixture:
The light is a 2-bulb 96 watt power compact fixture.

It is being donated. So if this is not enough to support a reef tank is there anything i can "add-on" to make this lighting sufficient?

[insacron]

Acquired in trade is best way to get equipment IMO. Uniform heat is very beneficial, but two heaters I would think is over kill, I like redundancy, but you only need one heater to get stuck on to cook your tank.

[insacron]

That RO unit looks like it would do the trick so long as you have sufficient water pressure. I know my RO/DI requires about 40 PSI of pressure to work well, otherwise the filters only last about a month, or it doesn't do anything at all.

As far as saltwater beginner fish, what are you looking for? Lots of little fish? Big fish? I happen to like Chromis and Clowns personally, specifically Ocellaris or True Percs.

I kinda doubt that light will be enough, but as far as adding, you got me, no idea.


--

Also is it the 36" or 48" 65 Gallon?

[Hurley6x]

Pretty sure its 36".

[insacron]

Meaning it'll be deeper, and you want more light, but again... I'm the wrong person to answer that question.

[HappySkittles]

a good beginner coral-mushrooms
and they come in many different colors and types
also green star polyps...but you have to isolate them on their own rock away from hard surfaces or they will grow all over the place :P unless you want that

[Hurley6x]

As far as fish.

I would like larger fish if possible. I like tangs, clowns, butterflys and angels. The brighter and more exotic the better.

Also like the
Moorish Idol

[fivesmallworlds]

If you have both heaters already, I'd just use one and keep the other for backup. Redundancy is great but heaters are the one exception in my opinion. Heaters have a tendency to get stuck on vs. stuck off. If you haven't bought the heaters yet just get one for now.

Trading and buying used is a GREAT way to save some $$$$ but beware of the cheap equipment. Many like to buy the cheap stuff only to have to turn around and buy a higher quality piece of that same equipment months down the road.

[insacron]

Ok, Moorish Idol - Expert Care level, I know there are a few people on these forums that have them, one guy I think is up at like five years, but still expert fish. I really think you're going to be hard pressed for tangs in that tank due to the length. You could get really small tangs, but they'll outgrow the tank and you'll have to get rid of them. And lots of angels are going to nip at corals, along with butterflies ...

[fivesmallworlds]

Originally posted by Hurley6x
As far as fish.

I would like larger fish if possible. I like tangs, clowns, butterflys and angels. The brighter and more exotic the better.

Also like the
Moorish Idol

a 3' tank really isn't enough room for some of the bigger fish you like unfortunately. (I'm no tang police though, I had a sailfin tang in a 29g for close to a year before getting my 75g) Clowns would be a great choice, wrasses would also be a good choice, pygmy angels would be fine, but I would probably stay away from the tangs for now.

[stuccodude]

i would consider a blue tang a intermediate level fish, not easy yet not hard. always gets ich too.