Making the switch to salt!

[debben69]

I'm brand new to salt water aquariums and this forum, in fact this is my first post! I've been keeping freshwater aquariums since I was 12 so I've got 13+ years experiance with everything from my first goldfish to pirhana, ciclids, discus, etc. Well I've decided freshwater isn't much of a challange anymore and my buddy has me talked into the switch. (wife... not so much) Well I've been researching to beat hell on this forum, (thanks for the information by the way everyone!) I've decided to switch my 75 gallon over to reef as a start. I've kinda made my decision on the new equipment I'm about to drain my wallet on and I wanna list everything to see if any of you can see anything I could improve on or stay away from or just a "thumbs up" or "oh boy your in for it"! lol I'm the kinda guy that spends my time observing my tanks instead of sitting on the couch watching TV. I like to do things right the first time! Thankyou to everyone who helps out I'm pretty pumped about this!

• Aquatic Life Six Lamp T5 HO
• ProFlex Sump Model 3
• 800 gph siphon Overflow box with lifter pump
• Super Reef Octopus XP1000SSS Skimmer
• Supreme Classic Mag Drive Pump 950gph (return pump)
• Submariner UV Sterilizer 13w

I'm lost on Powerheads though... I like a clean look and I want something that I could possibly hook up to a wavemaker in the future.

I'm planning on having a variety of Polyps, mushrooms, Gorgonions, bubble tip anenome... Nothing set in stone yet, there are so many to choose from and I wanna start with the easier species first to get some experiance before I screw up and loose confidence...

As for fish I'll probably start out with a couple clowns, Blonde Naso Tang, and a few Cardinals...

[OregonReefer]

Some probably have better advise but here goes... You have some great pieces there but I'd do a couple things different

If I where you I'd go with a DIY sump... the biggest you can fit in your stand. They are way easy to make out of a used tank and it'd save you a bunch of cash.

I'd also go with drilling the tank as opposed to an over the top overflow.

While I don't want to get into the debate about UV being good or bad, you don't need one to get started and could always add one later

[100%hydrophylic]

^ i agree with him

ALSO:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1946007
look at that thread please. naso tang i would have to say is a no go. try one of the others better suited for a 75g maybe?

as for powerheads, it depends on hoe expensive you want to go. look into vortech, tunze, and koralia powerheads. all of which have some models that can be controlled by wave makers. those are some of the better powerheads that will give you nice broad flow. a good cheap utility pump is a maxijet. I have only ever used koralias because i cant really afford the others, and i have some maxijets because they are reliable and cheap.

[pentrix2]

Originally Posted by debben69

I'm brand new to salt water aquariums and this forum, in fact this is my first post! I've been keeping freshwater aquariums since I was 12 so I've got 13+ years experiance with everything from my first goldfish to pirhana, ciclids, discus, etc. Well I've decided freshwater isn't much of a challange anymore and my buddy has me talked into the switch. (wife... not so much) Well I've been researching to beat hell on this forum, (thanks for the information by the way everyone!) I've decided to switch my 75 gallon over to reef as a start. I've kinda made my decision on the new equipment I'm about to drain my wallet on and I wanna list everything to see if any of you can see anything I could improve on or stay away from or just a "thumbs up" or "oh boy your in for it"! lol I'm the kinda guy that spends my time observing my tanks instead of sitting on the couch watching TV. I like to do things right the first time! Thankyou to everyone who helps out I'm pretty pumped about this!

• Aquatic Life Six Lamp T5 HO
• ProFlex Sump Model 3
• 800 gph siphon Overflow box with lifter pump
• Super Reef Octopus XP1000SSS Skimmer
• Supreme Classic Mag Drive Pump 950gph (return pump)
• Submariner UV Sterilizer 13w

I'm lost on Powerheads though... I like a clean look and I want something that I could possibly hook up to a wavemaker in the future.

I'm planning on having a variety of Polyps, mushrooms, Gorgonions, bubble tip anenome... Nothing set in stone yet, there are so many to choose from and I wanna start with the easier species first to get some experiance before I screw up and loose confidence...

As for fish I'll probably start out with a couple clowns, Blonde Naso Tang, and a few Cardinals...

I'm not an expert, a beginner myself. I can tell you how I started out. First, I put a bunch of live rock, did a bunch of snails, a few hermit crabs then I slowly added a fish a week. Clowns I placed them as pairs.

As for your equipment, I would get the vortech, one mp40esw, and one mp10esw to get your water flow going. I would add a media reactor and use 1/3 phosbegone then 2/3 carbon media.

http://www.marinedepot.com/NextReef_...FRISCR-vi.html

then i would get yourself an RO/DI unit. depending on your budget you can get other stuff but they are not necessary. I love my neptune controller:

http://www.marinedepot.com/controlle...roller-ap.html

[peppie]

Dont go the overflow box route. Either drill your tank or buy one that is reef ready.
As for the powerheads buy the best you can afford.

[evoi19]

Welcome to the world of reefing!

You have the basics down as far as equipment, however you'll need a few other things. My theory has always been to do it right the first time. Initial cost may be more, but it'll save you money later...trust us! lol

1. ro/di unit - always recommended and it'll save you headaches in the long run
2. DIY Sump - If you're handy and comfortable in building one or finding a used one, it'll save you some money.
3. Lights - Invest in a good fixture. ATI or Tek are great
4. Dry Rock - Bulk Reef Suppy (BRS) or Macro Rocks are great to use. Unwanted pests, and cheaper than Live Rock. You'll have a longer cycle, about a month or so, but it's def. worth it.
5. Reators - Recommended but optional right now. Later down the road you'll probably want one. These hold carbon and other media such as GFO or bio-pellets. Inexpensive and efficient.

Powerheads, it's debatable. Since you're starting out with LPS and shrooms, you probably won't need a vortech mp40. They're great, but also $$$. How big is your tank? Some people like Koralia and while they're all right for the price, they tend to over estimate their gph, at least i think they do. Tunze is a good middle ground. Reliable and affordable.

Good luck

[pentrix2]

i agree with peppie. Only buy the best powerheads that you can afford. Get a 250w or 300w heater. you definitely want to drill those holes or get a reef ready tank.

for my tank, an additional two more holes were drill on the upper back to get more water flow to my sump. i like your protein skimmer because of the small footprint and it's quieter than mine.

[OregonReefer]

+1 on the RO/DI

Take the money you save making your own sump and put it to a good 4 or 5 stage RO/DI

[reefjunkie42]

+1 for all above. you should build the biggest sump possible, you should get the largest(widest) tank possible,make sure it is drilled,don't go with a overflow box..the only good ones are too exp,go reef ready also you should invest in an RODI,& Skimmer right off the bat! as far as UV, id skip it and save money for LEDS,Vortechs,or a calc reactor..much better investment IMHO. oh yea and WELCOME TO REEF CENTRAL!!!
I cant recall for sure but i remeber seeing a list somewhere of the 10 most important equipment for a saltwater set up and it looked something like this in no particular order>>>>1.tank2.sump3.lights4.skimmer5.rodi6.calc reactor8.wave9.heater10.chiller

+1 for the xp1000sss great little skimmer im currently running 1 on my 90+30 sump

[lacosta28]

I would go with a vortech mp40w-es pump if you can afford one. They are pricey but you will not be disappointed. You would only need the one mp40 for your 75g tank. They have tons of different modes of operation, can communicate wireless, and the power head is on the outside of the tank (uses magnets to transfer energy). I have 1 mp40 on my 90g and my corals are doing great. I may add an mp10 later but it isn't needed right now.

[debben69]

Ok how does this sound then?

-Go up to 90 gallon Reef Ready tank
-DIY I'm guessing 30 gallon sump
-NextReef MR1 Complete Media Reactor Kit
-48 Inch 6x54 Watt AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture w/ 4 LEDs
-Super Reef Octopus XP1000SSS
-JBJ T3-300 True Temp Heating System w/ Controller & Titanium Heating Element 300W
-SpectraPure® Maxpure 40 GPD RO/DI System
-EcoTech Marine MP40 Vortech Propeller Pump w/ Wireless EcoSMART Driver
-Danner Mag-Drive Supreme 12 1200 GPH Pump

[lacosta28]

That is a great start to your list. My setup is 3 months old and it is a lot like what you are planning. I have a 90g tank, the jbj 300w titanium heater w/controller, and the vortech mp40w es prop pump. I only have 4 54w t5 lights and my corals are doing great. I love my vortech pump and will never buy any other brand after seeing what it can do. My heater has performed great so far. I like the heating element along with the plastic shield around it, especially since snails are constantly on it. The controller is awesome too. Remembers settings in a power failure and it is all digital.

[tkeracer619]

I would go with a Eheim 1262 for a return pump. If maintained it should last a very long time.

Have you looked into controllers? Go with a titanium heater and use it with a controller from digital aquatics, neptune, or profilux.

[lacosta28]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

I would go with a Eheim 1262 for a return pump. If maintained it should last a very long time.

Have you looked into controllers? Go with a titanium heater and use it with a controller from digital aquatics, neptune, or profilux.

The JBJ heater comes with a controller.

[Sk8r]

Just a note before you get started: a naso tang grows to about a foot and a half in length and requires a long 180 gallon tank at minimum: they're an impressive fish, but shouldn't be cramped, for one thing because they have a tremendous oxygen requirement and need room to move. If this is truly the primary fish you want, best take that into account from the start. OTOH, there are many beautiful tangs that are quite happy in a 90.

[BigGimp77]

Seems like these guys have you in the right direction. Just wanted to stop buy and say welcome to RC.

I (like alot of folks here) came from freshwater also. I've found salt water is so much more satisfying IMO! Once you start, you'll get hooked!

[Sk8r]

yes.

To Reef Central

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by lacosta28

The JBJ heater comes with a controller.

You can get a $35 finnex titanium stick and at minimum a $120 reefkeeper lite controller. It would cost $20 more then JBJ but would do a lot more and get you into a reef controller for very little extra investment.

[lacosta28]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

You can get a $35 finnex titanium stick and at minimum a $120 reefkeeper lite controller. It would cost $20 more then JBJ but would do a lot more and get you into a reef controller for very little extra investment.

I wasn't aware of the reef controllers when I was first buying everything. I still like my jbj heater. One of the best things I like about it is no suction cups. The heater and probe use magnets which makes things so much easier. The controller is easy to use too. I plan on buying a neptune controller eventually but isn't something needed right now.

[debben69]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Just a note before you get started: a naso tang grows to about a foot and a half in length and requires a long 180 gallon tank at minimum: they're an impressive fish, but shouldn't be cramped, for one thing because they have a tremendous oxygen requirement and need room to move. If this is truly the primary fish you want, best take that into account from the start. OTOH, there are many beautiful tangs that are quite happy in a 90.

Yea after reading that sticky I realized that I'm not gonna cramp a naso in a small tank... I read somewhere else that they are suitable for a 120 gallon which is possible for the future but I trust you guys more than a website that sells fish. Thanks for the tips guys! Also what model heater and reef controller combo do you guys recomend? I'm interested in spending more money if its worth it. This stuff is getting more and more complicated, lol

[tkeracer619]

It really depends on what you want to do with it. You can always expand the Reefkeeper lite if you want to. If you want to control your vortechs the apex and profilux can do that.

As for heaters they are about all equally as bad now. Ehiem Jager are popular and seem mostly reliable. Stealth heaters explode. They will need to be replaced every few years regardless what brand.

[debben69]

So I discovered glass-holes.com... I wanna try drill my 75 gallon... My question is do I go with the 700gph or the 1500gph overflow box? Is 700gph enough to run through my 30 gallon aprox sump or should I go with the 1500 and just ball valve it? I'm gonna be running the mp40es (that thing is so neat!) so flow shouldn't be a problem. And another question how do those overflows work with waves?

[tkeracer619]

The overflow only returns what you feed the display. The size of your return pump dictates the flow to the tank. Your drain needs to be rated for more then your return pump.

Check to make sure the tank is not tempered.

[debben69]

Well I'm wiping the dust off this thread. I started adding water to my 90g in october and things have been going very well. I got involved in a local club with some very nice people with some very good advice. I've made some mistakes but they have been there instantly to help correct things. I've got to the point where I've been there to help some new members myself get things rolling for them. I went with a 90g with a 30g diy sump built by a 30 year reefer originally from California. I call his place the coral factory lol! I have yet to loose any coral or fish. I rarely did when I was into freshwater but I figured I'd at least kill something! (fingers crossed) I'll list my equipment and live stock for you guys with some pictures.

90g RR AGA
diy sump and fuge
mag 5 return
mp40
neptune apex
reef octopus xs-160
dual filter socks
2 brs reactors gfo and carbon
apollo reef dimable leds
40lbs brs eco rock
50lbs live rock

powder blue tang
flame angel
5 blue green chromis
scooter blenny
shrimp golby
ocelaris clown
coral banded shrimp
20 blue hermits
20 red hermits
15 nass snails
5 turbo snails
5 magenta snails
5 certh snails
2 emerald crabs
1 large zebra hermit
1 large red hermit
orange linkia star
2 sand sifter stars
serpent star
orage brittle star
large fighting conch

tricolor hammer
purple pocilipora
orage monti cap
green monti spogodes
green bushy acro
pink monti digiti
Hyacinth Birdsnest
elkhorn
ricordia mushroom
red mushroom
green bicolor frogspawn
green hammer
green candycane
eagle eye zoa
orage zoa
aussie duncan
common duncan
purple milli
unknown palys
cabbage leather
xmas favia
lord acan
carnation chilli

[BigCountry74]

good skimmer and RO/DI unit.

buy those and the rest will fall into place.

and welcome to the real deal. you will never look back on freshwater. i know i want. unless someone gives me a 400+ gallon tang for sting rays or something hehe