Finally got her

The Gervers · 03/20/2016, 10:37 AM

So my wife and I are major fish heads. For the last two years we lived on the road(for my job) and visited just about every aquarium from Chicago to California. Needless to say we both are enamored with the underwater world. Currently we have a 55gal freshwater community tank with about 26 members to said community very happy, live, and well. We made a trip and ended up stumbling upon a dollar per gallon sale and picked up a few 40gal tanks to add to our collection of 3 10gallons and the 55. I have been back and forth about starting a reef tank for awhile now but since I would have been maintaining it by myself ( she originally wanted no part of maintenance on the tanks) I had decided against it. Well, she has had a change in heart as of recent and decided she also wants a reef tank and is willing to help with the maintenance. So my plan is to move my community tank into one of the 40's and possibly use two of the 10's as well for breeding my Angel's(freshwater). Which will leave the 55 for the reef tank.

So our background aside, where to start as far as equipment ( we will be using a trickle tower sump for a filter). Parameters to "live by" with the water, tips, tricks of the trade, anything is welcome.

Fish that would be good to start with and that we could also add others with later on.

Setting this puppy up.
Live rock live sand amounts
Water tests
Everything
We are excited to do this but we want to go about it the right way, not the cheap way.

Sk8r · 03/20/2016, 11:39 AM

A good reference for starting out and along the way is the SETTING UP folder, which is marked with a red arrow. Congrats on the new venture and

To Reef Central

Marinenthusiast · 03/20/2016, 01:37 PM

Congrats. If you want to do it the right way, i would highly suggest being pacient and doing lots of research before jumping in. I'd recommend going with a sump, there are many benefits. I'd go at least 60 pounds of rock and about 40 pounds of live sand. Do your research on skimmers (i like bubble magus) and lights as well (i have t5s now but leds are a good option as well). There are a lot of factors involved with keeping a saltwater tank which you will learn over time. Go slowly and ask lots of questions.

ForeverNoob · 03/20/2016, 01:47 PM

Congratulations!

Martini5788 · 03/20/2016, 02:01 PM

Is there a particular reason you want to use the 55 vs one of the 40's for the reef?

Flippers4pups · 03/20/2016, 02:23 PM

Welcome to the hobby! My advice, with twenty years in the hobby is go slow and read everything. Be wary of LFS's advice, some will sell you anything to make a sale.

Starting out: equipment.... Tank and everything that goes with it. No rush to get it wet.

1.) Reef ready tank, stand and sump. (Trust me, you'll end up here at some point. Save time and money by getting these up front)
2.) return pump
3.) heater
4.) powerheads
5.) ATO (this not needed at first, but trust me, you'll want one!)
6.) Lights (this has everything to do with what you want to keep and, and what you may want to keep down the road. Fish only or fish and coral. Etc...)
7.) RO/DI (this not needed at first, but use only and only RO/DI water from day one.)
8.) Water test kits and refractometer. (Must have.)
And 9.) Good quality skimmer.

Everything else can wait and should wait till you have all of this covered and tweaked before anything living touches water.

As Sk8r stated, read the stickies here on RC on how to get started.
Once again, welcome to the hobby!

The Gervers · 03/21/2016, 06:11 AM

Just want it to be the main display though I do like the width on the 40's vs the 55

The Gervers · 03/21/2016, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marinenthusiast

Congrats. If you want to do it the right way, i would highly suggest being pacient and doing lots of research before jumping in. I'd recommend going with a sump, there are many benefits. I'd go at least 60 pounds of rock and about 40 pounds of live sand. Do your research on skimmers (i like bubble magus) and lights as well (i have t5s now but leds are a good option as well). There are a lot of factors involved with keeping a saltwater tank which you will learn over time. Go slowly and ask lots of questions.

LOL the research is why I got into this hobby from the get go I love to study fish and the habitats that they come from. With LED would you not be limited to the coral you can cultivate?

The Gervers · 03/21/2016, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flippers4pups

Welcome to the hobby! My advice, with twenty years in the hobby is go slow and read everything. Be wary of LFS's advice, some will sell you anything to make a sale.

Starting out: equipment.... Tank and everything that goes with it. No rush to get it wet.

1.) Reef ready tank, stand and sump. (Trust me, you'll end up here at some point. Save time and money by getting these up front)
2.) return pump
3.) heater
4.) powerheads
5.) ATO (this not needed at first, but trust me, you'll want one!)
6.) Lights (this has everything to do with what you want to keep and, and what you may want to keep down the road. Fish only or fish and coral. Etc...)
7.) RO/DI (this not needed at first, but use only and only RO/DI water from day one.)
8.) Water test kits and refractometer. (Must have.)
And 9.) Good quality skimmer.

Everything else can wait and should wait till you have all of this covered and tweaked before anything living touches water.

As Sk8r stated, read the stickies here on RC on how to get started.
Once again, welcome to the hobby!

Thank you, quick question, will the RO system remove chlorides and chlorimines?

chefbill · 03/21/2016, 06:35 AM

In my opinion, you would be much better off using a 40 breeder as a reef tank as opposed to the 55. 55 are too narrow front to back to allow much in the way of aquascaping. Plus the 40 breeder has a better footprint , will use less lights, and is just a better shaped tank.

CafeReef · 03/21/2016, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gervers

LOL the research is why I got into this hobby from the get go I love to study fish and the habitats that they come from. With LED would you not be limited to the coral you can cultivate?

Not really, (there is of course debate to this thought). LED's have come a LONG way in the last decade. With a good LED unit, Radion, Hydra's, Reef Breeders Photon, Kessil, even AI (there are lots more) you can have very successful growth from softies, sps, lps, leathers etc.

sde1500 · 03/21/2016, 07:19 AM

LEDs can grow just about any coral you'd want for sure. And as others have said, I'd probably use the 40 as the reef tank. The extra space front to back with make things a lot easier when creating your aquascape.

For RODI, I'm pretty sure BRS has one that can handle the chloramines, though the filter will need changing more often. If you do not get one right away, most LFS sell premade water, salt or fresh.

Trickle tower, looks like some kind of wet/dry filter. I'd say just get/make a more normal sump, and add a protein skimmer to that. If you want something to trap detritus, get a sump with a filter sock.

Welcome, and get ready to do a lot of reading haha. Do you plan on drilling the tank? I use a HOB overflow on my tank, its very reliable and I'm not too worried about ever having issues with it, but some days wish I had tried drilling the tank.

The Gervers · 03/21/2016, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martini5788

Is there a particular reason you want to use the 55 vs one of the 40's for the reef?

[QUOTE=chefbill;24415048]In my opinion, you would be much better off using a 40 breeder as a reef tank as opposed to the 55. 55 are too narrow front to back to allow much in the way of aquascaping. Plus the 40 breeder has a better footprint , will use less lights, and is just a better shaped tank.[/QUOTE
I absolutely agree and am planning to use it and keep my current 55 set up as freshwater though it may get converted into a heavily planted rainbowfish tank

The Gervers · 03/21/2016, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sde1500

LEDs can grow just about any coral you'd want for sure. And as others have said, I'd probably use the 40 as the reef tank. The extra space front to back with make things a lot easier when creating your aquascape.

For RODI, I'm pretty sure BRS has one that can handle the chloramines, though the filter will need changing more often. If you do not get one right away, most LFS sell premade water, salt or fresh.

Trickle tower, looks like some kind of wet/dry filter. I'd say just get/make a more normal sump, and add a protein skimmer to that. If you want something to trap detritus, get a sump with a filter sock.

Welcome, and get ready to do a lot of reading haha. Do you plan on drilling the tank? I use a HOB overflow on my tank, its very reliable and I'm not too worried about ever having issues with it, but some days wish I had tried drilling the tank.

We have already been considering the RODI systems just didnt know if they would handle tap water. filter changes are no problem to me just all a part of the experience lol plus it will help on the freshwater side as well.

As far as drilling the tank, yes I do and am very proficient at drilling glass, but everytime I do my rear end clenches up until the deed is done, I really need to start investing in plastics.

The Gervers · 03/21/2016, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CafeReef

Not really, (there is of course debate to this thought). LED's have come a LONG way in the last decade. With a good LED unit, Radion, Hydra's, Reef Breeders Photon, Kessil, even AI (there are lots more) you can have very successful growth from softies, sps, lps, leathers etc.

Good stuff LED's are a bit more cost effective, I was holding my own reserves on this as well

Flippers4pups · 03/22/2016, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gervers

Thank you, quick question, will the RO system remove chlorides and chlorimines?

Yes. Depending on the cartridges you use and how long/much water you make.

03/20/2016, 10:37 AM	#1
The Gervers Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 7	Finally got her So my wife and I are major fish heads. For the last two years we lived on the road(for my job) and visited just about every aquarium from Chicago to California. Needless to say we both are enamored with the underwater world. Currently we have a 55gal freshwater community tank with about 26 members to said community very happy, live, and well. We made a trip and ended up stumbling upon a dollar per gallon sale and picked up a few 40gal tanks to add to our collection of 3 10gallons and the 55. I have been back and forth about starting a reef tank for awhile now but since I would have been maintaining it by myself ( she originally wanted no part of maintenance on the tanks) I had decided against it. Well, she has had a change in heart as of recent and decided she also wants a reef tank and is willing to help with the maintenance. So my plan is to move my community tank into one of the 40's and possibly use two of the 10's as well for breeding my Angel's(freshwater). Which will leave the 55 for the reef tank. So our background aside, where to start as far as equipment ( we will be using a trickle tower sump for a filter). Parameters to "live by" with the water, tips, tricks of the trade, anything is welcome. Fish that would be good to start with and that we could also add others with later on. Setting this puppy up. Live rock live sand amounts Water tests Everything We are excited to do this but we want to go about it the right way, not the cheap way.

03/20/2016, 11:39 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	A good reference for starting out and along the way is the SETTING UP folder, which is marked with a red arrow. Congrats on the new venture and *To Reef Central* __________________ 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%.

03/20/2016, 02:23 PM	#6
Flippers4pups Home made abyss Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lake Saint Louis, MO Posts: 2,047	Welcome to the hobby! My advice, with twenty years in the hobby is go slow and read everything. Be wary of LFS's advice, some will sell you anything to make a sale. Starting out: equipment.... Tank and everything that goes with it. No rush to get it wet. 1.) Reef ready tank, stand and sump. (Trust me, you'll end up here at some point. Save time and money by getting these up front) 2.) return pump 3.) heater 4.) powerheads 5.) ATO (this not needed at first, but trust me, you'll want one!) 6.) Lights (this has everything to do with what you want to keep and, and what you may want to keep down the road. Fish only or fish and coral. Etc...) 7.) RO/DI (this not needed at first, but use only and only RO/DI water from day one.) 8.) Water test kits and refractometer. (Must have.) And 9.) Good quality skimmer. Everything else can wait and should wait till you have all of this covered and tweaked before anything living touches water. As Sk8r stated, read the stickies here on RC on how to get started. Once again, welcome to the hobby! __________________ Don Reefing since 1993 Current Tank info: 125 gallon DT , 125 gallon basement sump. Rw 15 & Rw 8. Panworld 150ps return. Reef Octopus 150 skimmer, 3 165w mars aqua led.

03/21/2016, 07:19 AM	#12
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	LEDs can grow just about any coral you'd want for sure. And as others have said, I'd probably use the 40 as the reef tank. The extra space front to back with make things a lot easier when creating your aquascape. For RODI, I'm pretty sure BRS has one that can handle the chloramines, though the filter will need changing more often. If you do not get one right away, most LFS sell premade water, salt or fresh. Trickle tower, looks like some kind of wet/dry filter. I'd say just get/make a more normal sump, and add a protein skimmer to that. If you want something to trap detritus, get a sump with a filter sock. Welcome, and get ready to do a lot of reading haha. Do you plan on drilling the tank? I use a HOB overflow on my tank, its very reliable and I'm not too worried about ever having issues with it, but some days wish I had tried drilling the tank. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

03/20/2016, 01:37 PM	#3
Marinenthusiast Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 30	Congrats. If you want to do it the right way, i would highly suggest being pacient and doing lots of research before jumping in. I'd recommend going with a sump, there are many benefits. I'd go at least 60 pounds of rock and about 40 pounds of live sand. Do your research on skimmers (i like bubble magus) and lights as well (i have t5s now but leds are a good option as well). There are a lot of factors involved with keeping a saltwater tank which you will learn over time. Go slowly and ask lots of questions.

03/20/2016, 01:47 PM	#4
ForeverNoob Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 75	Congratulations!

03/20/2016, 02:01 PM	#5
Martini5788 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Beaufort, SC Posts: 2,303	Is there a particular reason you want to use the 55 vs one of the 40's for the reef?

03/21/2016, 06:11 AM	#7
The Gervers Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 7	Just want it to be the main display though I do like the width on the 40's vs the 55

03/21/2016, 06:35 AM	#10
chefbill Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 530	In my opinion, you would be much better off using a 40 breeder as a reef tank as opposed to the 55. 55 are too narrow front to back to allow much in the way of aquascaping. Plus the 40 breeder has a better footprint , will use less lights, and is just a better shaped tank.