Newby to reef keeping

coralreef18 · 06/24/2013, 08:21 AM

I know everyone starts out this way and its just a major learning curve to go though but I'm probably going to have lots of questions. I'm still reading and learning as much as I can before I get my hands dirty to eliminate any small errors. I have a background in Raising Poison Dart Frog. Love the colors of them and being able to create a visual habitat that everyone can enjoy. I've been doing that for over 14 yrs now. Now its on to a new adventure and have always wanted to create and maintain a saltwater reef tank. So the first thing to get an idea for a tank. I am not sure if its better to go with a cube size or a standard style tank. Also I was looking into around 55g tank. Ive been reading smaller tanks are harder to keep do to high maintanence. Also any suggestions on begginer corals or fish would be awesome!

thegrun · 06/24/2013, 09:00 AM

I would recommend starting with at least a 28 gallon tank, a 40 breeder or 60 gallon tank both make great first tanks. There is nothing wrong with starting with a cube (50 gallons or more) if you like their shape.
Here is a good website for easy to raise corals:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/cor...5-Easy-Corals/
As for fish look for those listed as easy to care for.

stingythingy45 · 06/24/2013, 09:45 AM

FWIW,don't get a 55 gallon standard tank.
I had one for a couple years and the front to back length is too narrow to make a nice rock wall/sand bed.

coralreef18 · 06/24/2013, 10:49 AM

Thanks for the relpies! I was thinking that a standard tank would be a little narrow. Besides making a custom tanks, are there any tanks that have a good width that aren't cube?

Lateralus · 06/24/2013, 11:13 AM

There's a 52 or 53 gallon tank (not sure which) I believe is 18 inches wide but if im not mistaken they are pricey. Also a 40 gallon breeder is a great tank 36"x18". I'd say its one of the most popular sizes. I like to call it the little big tank.

t00lfan · 06/24/2013, 12:56 PM

Good to do the research and ask questions. As long as you don't go too deep so lights can penetrate. It is true smaller tanks are less stable with everything including the top off of freshwater from evaporation can be a rollercoaster for salinity. Lighting is important as well as what you will do for flow. Live rock/fuge/skimming is best for filtration in my experience. I had many growing pains with trying to get the flow right since many pumps just spray laminar flow. In my experience going cheap just gets expensive becuase you just end up paying more to fix the problem so my best advice is try to get what others have had success with. There are many right ways. My favorite pump for my tank is my vortech pump which creates more irregular flow and a undertow effect that is really hard to match. I wasted hundreds on so many laminar flow pumps and had so many dead areas which is what you want to avoid. Fish clowns are hardy, blennies & gobies are cool smaller fish. Another thing as try to go as big as you have space for and can afford. Most of us start small and then think now that I did this I want to go bigger and spend more money on a bigger tank. You will see, this hobby can be addicting.

crsswift70 · 06/24/2013, 03:28 PM

75's are nice as are the aforementioned 40 breeder. 75 has the same length as the 55 but is wider, same width as a 90 but is shorter. Plenty of real estate but not overly deep to cause light issues.

06/24/2013, 08:21 AM	#1
coralreef18 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 5	Newby to reef keeping I know everyone starts out this way and its just a major learning curve to go though but I'm probably going to have lots of questions. I'm still reading and learning as much as I can before I get my hands dirty to eliminate any small errors. I have a background in Raising Poison Dart Frog. Love the colors of them and being able to create a visual habitat that everyone can enjoy. I've been doing that for over 14 yrs now. Now its on to a new adventure and have always wanted to create and maintain a saltwater reef tank. So the first thing to get an idea for a tank. I am not sure if its better to go with a cube size or a standard style tank. Also I was looking into around 55g tank. Ive been reading smaller tanks are harder to keep do to high maintanence. Also any suggestions on begginer corals or fish would be awesome!

06/24/2013, 09:45 AM	#3
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	FWIW,don't get a 55 gallon standard tank. I had one for a couple years and the front to back length is too narrow to make a nice rock wall/sand bed. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

06/24/2013, 11:13 AM	#5
Lateralus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: St. Charles mo. Posts: 756	There's a 52 or 53 gallon tank (not sure which) I believe is 18 inches wide but if im not mistaken they are pricey. Also a 40 gallon breeder is a great tank 36"x18". I'd say its one of the most popular sizes. I like to call it the little big tank. __________________ Mike Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef/ 40 gal sump. Born on 5/30/13.

06/24/2013, 12:56 PM	#6
t00lfan Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 149	Good to do the research and ask questions. As long as you don't go too deep so lights can penetrate. It is true smaller tanks are less stable with everything including the top off of freshwater from evaporation can be a rollercoaster for salinity. Lighting is important as well as what you will do for flow. Live rock/fuge/skimming is best for filtration in my experience. I had many growing pains with trying to get the flow right since many pumps just spray laminar flow. In my experience going cheap just gets expensive becuase you just end up paying more to fix the problem so my best advice is try to get what others have had success with. There are many right ways. My favorite pump for my tank is my vortech pump which creates more irregular flow and a undertow effect that is really hard to match. I wasted hundreds on so many laminar flow pumps and had so many dead areas which is what you want to avoid. Fish clowns are hardy, blennies & gobies are cool smaller fish. Another thing as try to go as big as you have space for and can afford. Most of us start small and then think now that I did this I want to go bigger and spend more money on a bigger tank. You will see, this hobby can be addicting. __________________ Ocellaris are clowns, and so are people. Current Tank Info: 90 gal. mixed reef tank (SPS, softies, LPS,3 Clams)with 10 gallon fuge and 30 gallon sump. Lighting 2 250 MH 20k radiums with 4 t5 HO ATI(1actinic 1purple and blueplus) Last edited by t00lfan; 06/24/2013 at 01:03 PM.

06/24/2013, 09:00 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I would recommend starting with at least a 28 gallon tank, a 40 breeder or 60 gallon tank both make great first tanks. There is nothing wrong with starting with a cube (50 gallons or more) if you like their shape. Here is a good website for easy to raise corals: http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/cor...5-Easy-Corals/ As for fish look for those listed as easy to care for.

06/24/2013, 10:49 AM	#4
coralreef18 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 5	Thanks for the relpies! I was thinking that a standard tank would be a little narrow. Besides making a custom tanks, are there any tanks that have a good width that aren't cube?

06/24/2013, 03:28 PM	#7
crsswift70 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Spanish Fort, AL Posts: 1,032	75's are nice as are the aforementioned 40 breeder. 75 has the same length as the 55 but is wider, same width as a 90 but is shorter. Plenty of real estate but not overly deep to cause light issues.