Noob questions

NickNasty · 10/15/2006, 08:56 PM

I am interested in getting started a saltwater reef tank. I had a chiclid tank years ago so I am somewhat familiar with maintaining an aquarium, though I know a saltwater tank is a whole different beast. Let me also preface this by saying I am in marine science as my career, so I understand things such as water quality, nitrogen cycles, etc. I don't want to start out spending a lot of money, and sometimes I am forced to be gone from my house for 3 or 4 days at a time. I am interested in a kit I think, as this looks to be the cheapest venue as of now. Here is one I have been eyeing.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...6&N=2004+62760

Let me know what you think about this specific tank. I want to buy the upgraded tank with metal halide lights. Any other advice you can give for a noob getting started and having something nice without spending a whole lot of money would be appreciated.

HumanIMDB · 10/15/2006, 09:05 PM

You will probably want to get an auto top off system to take care of the evaporation while you are away.

There are a bunch of modifications you can make to the AquaPods to make them "better" without spending a lot of money. Check the Nano and DIY forums for ideas and/or search for "aquapod mod" and you should find most of them.

As for advice...patience! Add the sand, water, and live rock then sit back and watch the hitchhikers until you get your first algae/diatom bloom and then add a small clean up crew. Then slowly add fish when everything is stable and clean...this could take up to 6 months.

I rushed mine and paid the price in dead fish and ugly blooms.

bertoni · 10/15/2006, 09:24 PM

To Reef Central

NickNasty · 10/15/2006, 10:06 PM

On that model that I linked, should i go with the compact or the metal halide? I'd like to have mostly corals, a few fish and some cleaners. On a tank that small will it matter what type of lighting I have?

Sk8r · 10/15/2006, 10:33 PM

Ditto the autotopoff, particularly critical in a smallish tank: my 52 evaporates a gallon a day to keep cool. A sump would make life easier, but that gets into drilling, etc. The aquapod is a good tank, however, and I'm considering one myself for a second tank.

You can keep anything BUT the fussier acroporas a grade below mh light. The lps don't need it, but most tolerate it. A few have to be shielded by an overhang.

If you can set up a food chain that runs from pods to algae to sunlight and fish, with your corals, you can leave your tank unfed for 4 days without a problem. I do it with my 52 and come back to good params and no problems.

HumanIMDB · 10/16/2006, 07:14 AM

If you have the budget for Metal Halides and plan to go mostly coral, I say get them now. It will save you from buying lights now and then paying more to upgrade to MHs when you fall in love with a coral that needs them.

Shagsbeard · 10/16/2006, 07:28 AM

Welcome to the forum. The 24 gallon tank you linked is a bit small for a first tank, but if you're well read, and pay close attention to it, you shouldn't have too many woes. I went with a 75 for my first tank, but will probably go smaller for a second.... in about a year or so. The pods are a good tank. You'll want to get a skimmer for it... the "surface skimming filter" isn't a skimmer. It's just a filter that takes it's inflow from the surface.

NickNasty · 10/16/2006, 02:31 PM

If I do go the metal halide route, do I need to worry about them as far as heat, rasing the temperature of the water, etc, with such a small (24 gal) tank?

MCary · 10/16/2006, 03:29 PM

If your just starting out and want a 24 gallon tank, first familiarize yourself with the limitations of the tank. You don't want to have dreams of what you thought you would have, only to find out afterwards you can't have those. Its very difficult to repond to a later post that sounds like this "I'm having serious algae problems and my Naso and Hippo tang can't keep up They also seem a little stressed?"

10/15/2006, 08:56 PM	#1
NickNasty Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Morehead City, NC Posts: 10	Noob questions I am interested in getting started a saltwater reef tank. I had a chiclid tank years ago so I am somewhat familiar with maintaining an aquarium, though I know a saltwater tank is a whole different beast. Let me also preface this by saying I am in marine science as my career, so I understand things such as water quality, nitrogen cycles, etc. I don't want to start out spending a lot of money, and sometimes I am forced to be gone from my house for 3 or 4 days at a time. I am interested in a kit I think, as this looks to be the cheapest venue as of now. Here is one I have been eyeing. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...6&N=2004+62760 Let me know what you think about this specific tank. I want to buy the upgraded tank with metal halide lights. Any other advice you can give for a noob getting started and having something nice without spending a whole lot of money would be appreciated.

10/15/2006, 09:05 PM	#2
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	You will probably want to get an auto top off system to take care of the evaporation while you are away. There are a bunch of modifications you can make to the AquaPods to make them "better" without spending a lot of money. Check the Nano and DIY forums for ideas and/or search for "aquapod mod" and you should find most of them. As for advice...patience! Add the sand, water, and live rock then sit back and watch the hitchhikers until you get your first algae/diatom bloom and then add a small clean up crew. Then slowly add fish when everything is stable and clean...this could take up to 6 months. I rushed mine and paid the price in dead fish and ugly blooms. __________________ Chris Rivers Will do computer support for frags. :) Click on the Red House to see our AGA92 Corner Reef Tank Build thread. Current Tank Info: 10 Gal (Aqualight 96W Quad 50/50, AquaClear Power Filter 70 with Chaeto lit by 6500K Bulb, AquaClear Power Head 20, 50w Tronic Heater), 92 Gal All-Glass Corner (Cycling)

10/15/2006, 09:24 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	*To Reef Central* __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/15/2006, 10:33 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Ditto the autotopoff, particularly critical in a smallish tank: my 52 evaporates a gallon a day to keep cool. A sump would make life easier, but that gets into drilling, etc. The aquapod is a good tank, however, and I'm considering one myself for a second tank. You can keep anything BUT the fussier acroporas a grade below mh light. The lps don't need it, but most tolerate it. A few have to be shielded by an overhang. If you can set up a food chain that runs from pods to algae to sunlight and fish, with your corals, you can leave your tank unfed for 4 days without a problem. I do it with my 52 and come back to good params and no problems. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/16/2006, 07:14 AM	#6
HumanIMDB Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,556	If you have the budget for Metal Halides and plan to go mostly coral, I say get them now. It will save you from buying lights now and then paying more to upgrade to MHs when you fall in love with a coral that needs them. __________________ Chris Rivers Will do computer support for frags. :) Click on the Red House to see our AGA92 Corner Reef Tank Build thread. Current Tank Info: 10 Gal (Aqualight 96W Quad 50/50, AquaClear Power Filter 70 with Chaeto lit by 6500K Bulb, AquaClear Power Head 20, 50w Tronic Heater), 92 Gal All-Glass Corner (Cycling)

10/15/2006, 10:06 PM	#4
NickNasty Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Morehead City, NC Posts: 10	On that model that I linked, should i go with the compact or the metal halide? I'd like to have mostly corals, a few fish and some cleaners. On a tank that small will it matter what type of lighting I have?

10/16/2006, 07:28 AM	#7
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	Welcome to the forum. The 24 gallon tank you linked is a bit small for a first tank, but if you're well read, and pay close attention to it, you shouldn't have too many woes. I went with a 75 for my first tank, but will probably go smaller for a second.... in about a year or so. The pods are a good tank. You'll want to get a skimmer for it... the "surface skimming filter" isn't a skimmer. It's just a filter that takes it's inflow from the surface.

10/16/2006, 02:31 PM	#8
NickNasty Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Morehead City, NC Posts: 10	If I do go the metal halide route, do I need to worry about them as far as heat, rasing the temperature of the water, etc, with such a small (24 gal) tank?

10/16/2006, 03:29 PM	#9
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	If your just starting out and want a 24 gallon tank, first familiarize yourself with the limitations of the tank. You don't want to have dreams of what you thought you would have, only to find out afterwards you can't have those. Its very difficult to repond to a later post that sounds like this "I'm having serious algae problems and my Naso and Hippo tang can't keep up They also seem a little stressed?"