beginning reef keeper!!

[maimz]

hey all..i have been wanting to get into this for a while and have just bought a 50 gallon tank..i live in owen sound ontario and none of the stores around here really know their stuff....i need some advice on what i am going to need to get going and how much loot its going to cost me to get a moderate setup in action..im really looking forward to getting a reef going in the very near future..any help would be great...

[ajx22]

Hello again maimz

First to introduce myself...I am AJ (ajx22) and I am the owner of AquariumPros.ca.

I completely understand your situation...and you are a perfect example of the reason we started this business. We have all been in your shoes before...and thanks to the Internet...someone new to the hobby can get some REAL advice on what to do and what not to do. Anyone who's been doing this for a while, can likely agree that it's an expensive enough hobby (addiction), without spending $$$ where it's not needed or on a product that isn't really what you need.

I'm not sure as to your exact position, so I'm going to write a novel here giving all the basics. This can serve as a reference point for others too.

Not knowing your situation... if you haven't yet...you really need to purchase a book like Robert Fenner's "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist"- TFH Publications. It will help you through the basics, and allow you to understand the basis for doing things the way we do. You have already taken the second step...ASK QUESTIONS from experienced hobbiests. This will be the best way to uncover information, advice and opinions. You will then need to decide what livestock you are going to want to keep. You will want to start off with hardy, beginner fish (Damsels, Tangs, etc.)...and work your way up to the touchier species. You may also want to keep corals (hard or soft). If you do intend on getting into corals...then you will want to base your equipment purchases with this in mind. It will be better to spend a little more on something now, then to have to re-do your entire set-up later!

I would suggest that you start your tank (50Gal) off as what's known as a FOWLR tank (Fish Only With Live Rock). This will give you a base to build on for corals too. When you start your tank, you need to CYCLE it before you can add livestock. What a cycle does, is allow the necessary bacteria to grow to assist in your filtration. There are many important parameters in a tank, the initial ones you will need to worry about are:

Specific Gravity - or Salinity (very roughly...amount of salt in the water)
PH
Nitrite
Nitrate
Ammonia


You will need to purchase a Salt Water Master Test Kit (offers the tests for all the above), and a Hydrometer. You will also want to consider an RO/DI unit or a source where you can get RO/DI water (tap water just has too many chemicals and unwanted things that will just foul your tank and cause algae outbreaks). You will also need to purchase Marine Salt. You will want to purchase at least enough for 75Gal as you will need to do water changes (your best value is the 200Gal tubs). Then comes the decision on a substrate. There are 2 major contenders:

Crushed Coral - Aragonite
Deep Sand Bed - DSB


I would suggest the first one to begin with, and if you decide to change later...so be it. A DSB is a great filtration device too...but you also will want to add critters to it to stir the sand up and that adds to your set-up costs. Both are good...sand is better!

You will also need powerheads for circulation. One in each back corner pointed towards the front middle of the tank is best. Two Hagen 402's would work well in your 50Gal...or another equivalent powerhead.

Another NEEDED item will be a GOOD Protein Skimmer. Post a poll for the others on the board to get opinions on different units. We have a few different models available here...and the Aqua-Medic line is GREAT to say the least. We also have the Red Sea Berlin line and others as well. Make sure to get one that's rated for larger then your actual tank though.

You will also need a heater. I would suggest a submersible unit, and you will want about a 150 - 200 Watt model.

As a beginner...I would also suggest a Wet/Dry Filter. This will help speed up your cycle, and give you better control over the water quality in the tank. I personally like the Eheim units, but there are others like the Fluval that are good too. Just make sure that it's a Wet/Dry Filter...as that Wet/Dry action is what will get your good bacteria to grow!!

You will also need to decide if you want a tank only or if you want to run a sump. I won't get into the whole sump/refugium topic here...as that's another whole story with TONS of options and opinions.

One other thing you will need is lighting. Don't worry about Metal Halide units yet...fish don't need them, only corals. Look into either PowerCompacts or Florescent (NO - VHO). The least cost would be to go with 36" NO (Normal Output) Florescent for now. You can always add to them later. Make sure that you have a proper ballast and water-proof end caps. Water and electricity don't mix well!

Once you have all this decided, then it's time to mix up the water and salt to the proper gravity and aerate it over night with a powerhead. Add the substrate to the bottom of your tank, and then place a dinner plate on top of the substrate and poor the saltwater mixture onto the plate (helps keep the water from clouding too much). Fill the tank to the level, and place your powerheads in the corners, install the W/D Filter and turn them on. The water will be cloudy for about a day...it will settle over time.

You will want to start off the cycle with something. Please don't use fish...as the tank is not suitable for a fish to live properly yet. Get a raw shrimp from your local supermarket, and add this to the tank to rot. Yup...I said rot. The dead animal will introduce ammonia to the tank, and this will be the start of your cycle. If you're going to add live rock...you can cycle with that too. There will always be some die-off with live rock, and this will start your cycle too. With everything circulating and the ammonia introduced...the helpful bacteria will start to develop in the filter media and the substrate and cause the ammonia to be consumed. Once this starts...you will see the Nitrite levels start to climb. You will need to keep testing the water until the cycle has completed and your water parameters are stable in the proper ranges.
SG=0.021 - 0.028
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Ph = 8.2

Now you have a cycled Salt Water Aquarium (about 6-8weeks later). So...now is the time to decide what you want to start off with for fish. I really suggest a very hardy fish like a couple (5) Damsels. Yellowtail damsels are a beautiful fish, and are very hardy too. Other people on the board will have suggestions for good start-up fish too.

That's your start-up in a short story. I am likely forgetting some things, as it's now 4am. I will review this post tomorrow, and see what I need to add/change.

Hope that this helps a bit...and just remember to ASK, ASK, ASK!

Goodnight...

[Norm]

Hi Miamz, I agree with most of what AJ said, except for the lighting and the fish to start off with. Don't skimp on the lighting you will regret it later, if you can go with vho to run the actinic and MH for you white light. But when your cycling just run the vho's even if you use a white bulb to get the correct color spectrum, Once you tank is cycled you can get some easy corals and put the MH to use. As far as the first fish goes Don't go with Damsels! "IF" the tank has cycled properly then I would start with a pair of O. perculas, which I guess is a type of Damsel but not nearly as aggressive as the yellow tail damsels. Also you will need to get a good clean-up crew if you have a bad outbreak of hair algae. I should also say you will probably want to start off with as much liverock as you can afford, check to see what kind of price you can find a 50lb box at. Any other questions be sure to post were here to help! :cheers:

[Sparrow]

Just read and read..... When I first started getting in to the hobby I must have spent at least 5-6 months just researching books, the archives of news groups, etc. I became familiar with terms such as sumps, halides, deep sand beds, liverock, berlin system, etc. Do a lot of research in to the type of set up you want. ie Do I want hard or soft corals; What type of fish do I intend to keep and what are their restraints; what is the likelihood of upgrading to a larger tank in the future; what type of equipment will I need; can I devote enough resources: time, money, and patience?

IMO, if you want to start it right... then go big and all out - but within reason. Most people that first opt for a moderate system often start to replace equipment after equipment after equipment. In the longrun it ends up costing you double the money if you started out the right way.

Try to figure out your long term and short term goals and sorta develop a plan from there. You can do it steps. For example, I'll buy the halides and supplment lightings now... which will let me keep any coral I want.

Look at used section of forums for cheap equipment. Order your drygoods from mail order companies because they save you money compared to local fish stores (LFS).

When someone gives you advice, see if his/her opinion contridicts with those of the majority or those who are well informed..

etc. etc. etc.

hth.

[Dman]

All very sage advice I must say,

I agree with most of what ajx22 had to say, it really is hard to sum everything up in one post, so keep reading and asking questions.

I also agree with Norm in so much as to his dislike or distrust of the feared Damsels, the majority of them are so aggressive that if they were the size of sharks, look out. But I disagree with the lighting tact, I successfully ran a 50 gallon tank with 4 NO's (Normal Output) and 1 250W Metal Halide. The light required to husband corals can be derived from MH's, the Actinics are to balance the colour and make it appear more pleasing to our eyes. I built the 4 NO's from used equipment which cost me about $10 for the ballasts and reflectors, a little wiring, some timers and endcaps (optional) and voila lights good enough for fish and most soft corals for less than $100. Buy the MH's from a message board or from AJ here at AP's sometime later, most of the critters and corals that you will want to keep under such intense lighting will require your system to be up and stable for at least12-14 months

Sparrow has the rght idea as well, read, read, read....

My last piece of advice is to see if there is a local club in your area, it's a great way to learn from people who can actually show you what they are talking about

HTH
Dman

[maimz]

well..after a long hiatus from the internet and a lengthy move slash writing my insurance adjustors exams(tres hard) and starting a new job i can finally settle down and ask some questions...

first off...what size tank will offer me the most flexibility down the road...i have a fair amount of space and my dad is a welder so he will help me build a stand from metal.....but more importantly than gallonage from what i can gather is tank depth....im assuming this is the case because i know that light is highly dissipated with the amount of travel from light to the bottom of the tank...

second...what is the ideal spacing in respect to the water lever from the top of the tank so that i know where to do the bulkhead

third...what ID should my bulkhead be...

fourth...what is the ideal distance between my glass canopy and the lights...im going to go with VHO and how many watts per gallon do i need?

fifth....what are the methods of returning water to the tank once it has been lifted from the sump...

sixth...what is the ideal substrate bed....btw..are undergravel filters a thing of the past? ive only read outdated books on the subject thus far...although they provided some good designs for airstrippers..that is protein skimmers before they had a name given to them......live sand?

seven....how do i rate a filter? and what filters are good quality? also....im assuming foam padding is also a thing of the past as most sources seem to be using bioballs....

eight...has anyone ever dealt with aquatic ecosystems?

nine...is one hole in the tank sufficient? or do i need another hole for returning water to the tank?

ten...since i am hearing that it may take months before my tank is established i may have to go freshwater for now until i move to toronto in 8 months....therefore i woul dlike to set up for saltwater early and get used to keeping a tank setup again...its been a while...thanks guys

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Based on question 10, I would just buy a book and read. I wouldn't bother setting up the tank because moving a established tank is very hard work. I moved one of my 33 gals (goldfish) to my new house(which was only a 5 km trip) and it took nearly a day to do.

Since you know that you are going to move in a short period time, I would just read and attend some club meetings. See what other people's setups are like and ask them questions about their setup. See what kind of corals you like (softies, LPS or SPS). Or do you only want fishes and only fishes in your tank. See some of the "real" reef equipment that are used in "real" reefs.

The learning curve for this hobby is tremendous, so just take it nice and slow. Within a year after setup, you'll have a pretty nice tank... Visit reefs.org and reefcentral -- read as much as you can.

- Victor.

[afss]

I agree. moving a tank sucks. I have moved 2 times, once from florida to toronto, another from toronto to st Catharines. Both times I had losses. Not extreme losses, but losses the same. Moving the second time took me a full day, with the help of a friend. Setting the tank back up took me another day.
If you are going to do this i think the best way to minimize losses is to buy a couple of the big colman coolers. one for fish, the other for rock. Drill a hole in the top of the coolers and put an air line in and put silicone around it. Get a battery operated pump and a few airstones, and you have a portable temporary fish tank. I moved from florida with these. seven day from tank down to tank up. I lost my percula, and a blennie, and a damsel on that trip. No corals were lost. The only reason i lost the 3 fish was because I got a bum set of batteries. All the other sets lasted 12 hours or so. this set only lasted a bit i guess. When i went to put new batteries in the ones in it were dead :-( and so were my fish. this was on day 5 if i remember right.
Any way good luck either eay.
BTW for anyone who is going to the states for a large shipment or is just moving locally you are welcom to borrow my temporary tanks. I have 2 of them
Scott

[george81]

maimz,

If you have the time, I would read and build. Make a nice metal stand. I made mine and made the 4 corners adjustable, lol finding a perfectly level floor. I used 3/4" ready rod and 4 nuts on some large plates. So I can jack each corner up.

Then you can spend the time building a sump/refuge, or what ever. Make a nice cabinet, do the plumbing wet test the unit. Decide on you canopy, retrofit system, with ventilation and fans, leave room for upgrades. Have fun and enjoy. When you move, you will have fun moving your setup with out moving animals or water.

I had to build a stand, sump, plumbing and test everything in 1 month, with only weekends to do it. Then I transferred everything from my old 33g to my new 120g, 7 hours away including a ferry ride. I would love to have had months to plan.
But everyone survived.

Lee
http://oberon.ark.com/~ldzielak\fish\tank_on_stand.jpg

[ajx22]

1.)There is no specific rule for size. The only thing that is a factor...the LARGER a tank you get, the more stable the water will be. Basically, purchase the largest tank that your space and wallet will allow. You CAN have a few fish in a large tank, but you can't have a lot of fish in a small tank. Also depends on what you are wanting to keep. Stick to standard sizes unless you have a specific need for a custom. I like my 100Gal as it was my first tank. My new show tank will be a 280Gal.

2.)You should place the bulkhead about 1" down from the top edge of the tank. You can also have the bottom of the tank drilled and use standpipes so you can adjust the water level to your likeing.

3.)Depends on the tank size. If you are planning on having a larger tank...then you will want a larger ID for the bulkhead so you can have enough flow. You can also have 2 bulkheads doing the same job to increase the flow and not have to have as large a bulkhead.

4.)You will want to keep the lights about 6-8" off the waters surface so water splashes and salt-creep won't effect them. As for the amount of light...this will 100% depend on what you intend to keep for livestock. Once you figure out what you want to place in the tank...then we can determine what your best lighting solution would be. If it's going to be a Fish Only tank...you don't need intense lighting...if you want different corals (hard or soft), then lighting becomes a factor.

5.)My preference is to use a 'spray bar' to get increased flow and to ensure maximum agitation. These are easily custom made out of drilled PVC, run along the back of the tank, and connected to your water return line.

6.)The most used substrate right now would be a DSB (Deep Sand Bed). Stay away from Undergravel Filters!! They are really not a filter at all, and will only cause problems in your marine tank! The substrate will also depend on what (if any) filtration you are using. A DSB with Live Rock and a sump/skimmer is all the filtration you need as long as you are timely on your water changes and other maintenance. If you're going to use a Wet/Dry filter in your tank too...then you could use Crushed Coral for your substrate or use none at all. This is yet another "depending on the situation" issue.

7.)Stay away from bioballs as they aren't needed. If you're running a system with a sump + skimmer + DSB + Live Rock - you won't need more filtration. If you want to use a filter - I personally suggest the Eheim 2229 Wet/Dry unit and use the EHFI-Substrate in it. Other then what I have mentioned, you will only need PowerHeads to keep circulation up - and you can use Activated Carbon or other 'sponges' inside the PowerHeads (if needed).

8.) - I'll leave this question to others on in the Forum

9.)Bulkheads (holes in the tank) aren't necessary at all as you can use a pre-filter/overflow unit and a return that goes over the tank wall. If you are getting a NEW tank...I would suggest that you have it drilled though. You can either have it drilled on the upper back wall, or on the tanks bottom and use a standpipe. I prefer using the standpipe method as I can adjust the water level easily. I use a 'Spray Bar' to return the water to the tank.

10.)Once you set-up the tank...you are looking at 6-8 weeks before the tank is stable (finished it's cycle) before you can start to add fish. Corals and other things like mushrooms, etc. shouldn't be added for another few months to ensure tank stability and allow YOU to research the care and conditions needed for the specific corals you intend to keep.

Speak to either REEFIN GEEK or Dman for some information on the REQUIRED books to purchase!!!

Hope that this helps...and sorry for the delay in posting!

Best Regards,
*~AJ~*



Originally posted by maimz
first off...what size tank will offer me the most flexibility down the road...i have a fair amount of space and my dad is a welder so he will help me build a stand from metal.....but more importantly than gallonage from what i can gather is tank depth....im assuming this is the case because i know that light is highly dissipated with the amount of travel from light to the bottom of the tank...

second...what is the ideal spacing in respect to the water lever from the top of the tank so that i know where to do the bulkhead

third...what ID should my bulkhead be...

fourth...what is the ideal distance between my glass canopy and the lights...im going to go with VHO and how many watts per gallon do i need?

fifth....what are the methods of returning water to the tank once it has been lifted from the sump...

sixth...what is the ideal substrate bed....btw..are undergravel filters a thing of the past? ive only read outdated books on the subject thus far...although they provided some good designs for airstrippers..that is protein skimmers before they had a name given to them......live sand?

seven....how do i rate a filter? and what filters are good quality? also....im assuming foam padding is also a thing of the past as most sources seem to be using bioballs....

eight...has anyone ever dealt with aquatic ecosystems?

nine...is one hole in the tank sufficient? or do i need another hole for returning water to the tank?

ten...since i am hearing that it may take months before my tank is established i may have to go freshwater for now until i move to toronto in 8 months....therefore i woul dlike to set up for saltwater early and get used to keeping a tank setup again...its been a while...thanks guys

[maimz]

i have been doing alot of research and for the most part it has been a successful endeavor...i am now thinking of drilling the tank i buy more than ever.....

Hey Lee-that is quite an elaborate setup you have there...i was wondering about what size the pipes in your tank are? and why you have chose to drill each corner of the tank and have a pipe on each corner.......also...is your return over the top as AJ suggested me to do? I guess if it is this would have to be acknowledged when constructing a canopy as i would like to have things as hidden as possible as far as out of the tank is concerned...

I was wondering also what the wattage/gallon should be as far as VHO lights.....for now i am going to get my tank drilled and getting a good setup going with a metal stand that my dad the welder is going to make for me.....i might even hassle him to make me a light canopy but im just happy with the stand for now...

AJ-when you mention how a standpipe in the tank using a hole through the bottom of the tank make controllling the water level easier...is this because the lenght of the pipe can be adjusted easily?

** On another note..i was thinking about something the other day that may be a good way to go about it...i was thinking of having dry pipes(no water in them) going into the tank that would house 1/2" flexible vinyl tubing which would lead up to a "wave maker" head and woudl provide water returning to the tank under water still without having to battle the weight of the water on the return cycle..thereofre at the top of the dry piping would be the wave maker....that would be connected to the top of the dry pipe...i think this would be great........and with this same design the height could probably be adjusted as with what AJ suggested....

Do you guys aerate the water with air diffusers? cuz if this was the case, a hidden pipe(dry method as mentioned above) along the back under the substrate bed could house air lines which could be further ran out under the bed....just a thought.....although i havent remembered seeing too many reef setups that had air diffusers.....

AJ-when you say spray bar does this mean that its just a bar across the back of the tank that allows numerous trickles for the return of water to the tank? I have seen rotating spray bars that are used in trickle filters...

So far because of the area i live in and the fact that i dont knwo how long i will be in the same location i am going to setup my tank for saltwater yet use freshwater plants and fish until i know the certainty of me moving to the city......id like to get the tank set up first and running as far as the plumbing, heating lighting etc. goes so that i am used to the setup before i get into salt water..this would allow me to do more research and buy a few books on the subject as well....thanks everyone...soon enough i will be a reefer....

[maimz]

hey just wondering....if i use a standpipe i must use a strainer im assuming.....what style of strainer has given you guys the best results?

[ajx22]

Hello maimz...


AJ-when you mention how a standpipe in the tank using a hole through the bottom of the tank make controlling the water level easier...is this because the length of the pipe can be adjusted easily?

EXACTLY the reason! If you have the tank drilled on the rear glass...the level is where the hole is - PERIOD. If you do a bottom drilled Standpipe...then by lengthening or reducing the pipe length - you effect the water height too. You can use a strainer or an end cap on the top of the pipe and cut "SLITS" in the pipe to provide the protective effect. Otherwise...there are actual strainers for this purpose too.

I would suggest that if you are already drilling the tank...drill one more for your return too. ...And yes you have the right idea as to what a "Spray Bar" is. In my 100Gal - I'm using a 36" section of PVC pipe with 1 3/8" hole drilled every 1.5". I have these holes facing toward the front bottom corner of the tank to add some different currents (I have my powerheads on the sides of the tank, facing toward the middle of the tank).

All of my water aeration comes from it's travels down to the sump. I'm getting enough just from this as I have the water "drop" a little to make some bubbles.

HTH...

[Dman]

I drilled the back of my tank when I purchased it. Had the vendor punch two holes exactly where I wanted them and I was off to the races, so to speak. I chose to drill the back wall for two reasons. First, most of the bottom drilled tanks I had run across were fairly noisy or required a modification commonly refered to as a Duraso, pass. Second, my tank is viewable from to sides, the front being a marvelous 36 x 72 inches, the sides however, are only 18 inches wide and the thought of losing 6 to 8 inches of viewing pleasure was unacceptable.
AJ with the configuration that I have I can raise the level of the water in the display tank fairly easily, lowering the level is impossible.



To raise the water level in my tank all I have to do is place an insert inside.

Drilling the tank to accept you return water line is a good idea but can be frought with danger if the laws of physics is greater than the capacity of your sump.

:spin:

[maimz]

ok...do you guys use a pump to draw water down into the sump or do you just rely on gravity? im still leaning towards drilling at the bottom....but im not sure yet...thanks again ..also do you suggest a pair smaller pipes to draw water in from each corner or one main larger pipe(if i did this i would couple them a 1" fitting for the sump line since 1" seems standard for pumps....also..have you guys ever seen the rotating spray bar that they have for pond filters that use a trickle system....they automatically rotate and have a 3/4" input..might be cool..

[maimz]

..this sounds cool as well....now what i would like to know is whether or not you would still drill at the top of the tank or at the bottom of the tank for this.....also..the risk in having a submerged return line from what i can guess is that if the return line stopped and the line was submerged it would drain your tank......on another note.....does the return line submerged cause it to work alot harder as it has to overcome the water in the tank..or is this only an issue on startup? also..i noticed that the wave maker heads are designed to fit 1/2" vinyl tubing but i dont see too many reefers using this(nor have i heard!) so i was wondering what this was all about.......thanks guys...slowly but surely! peace and happy holiday wishes to all!

[maimz]

anybody? AJ?

also...who is andrew? it was mentioned earlier that i should talk to him for a cleanup crew..im assuming that this is AJ? thanks..

[Ocean Images]

The hardest thing about starting and running a marine aquarium is all the DIFFERENT opinions you will hear. I have had my tanks for many years and I still ask questions...its a never ending cycle.
What I have discovered though, some people believe in Wet/Dry systems , some do not, some prefer 75 degrees, some 80 degrees, some like 12 hours of lighting , some prefer only 10, some will tell you to keep you salt level low .021 some will say keep it high .028, some are stuck on VHO, some say don't waste your money, some will say NEVER feed your corals, some say feed them twice a week, some say water changes every week, some say once a month, some say the biggest skimmer the better, some say the smallest bubbles the better, some say carbon for three days only, some say keep carbon 24/7, some prefer a Calcium Reactor, some say Kalk is fine, I can go on and on trust me........
I found that listening to one "trusted" source is the only way to fly at the beginning anyway, later on you can be the mad scientist type :D
You will be pulled in a million different directions(trust me) this is not a hobby that has only one answer!

good luck

[bertcmg]

Is there a connection between Live rock and Algae ?

I am new and would appreciate any answers

Thanks

Bert

[nigel]

Algae come with the availability of nutrient to feed them, with or without live rock an aquarium will get algae of some kind.
The die off from live rock help feed algae; however the life in and on the liverock can help deplete the nutrients in the aquarium.
The bacteria in and on the rock get the nitrogen cycle going, this still takes about 4 weeks to complete.

[Sohal Tang]

maimz....gravity is how the water returns to the sump....
The water is pumped up FROM the sump into the tank and
it OVERFLOWS into a OVERFLOW with a drilled hole (and durso pipe recommend) and from there to a flexible hose back to the sump... The overflow teeth are set slightly below the water surface level that you want in tank (very close to top usually) and
as soon as the water is over that level it overflows into the
overflow box and gravity takes it back to sump..... hope this
answers your question....

I am not a DIY type of guy....I strongly recommend you get some
expert advice on the plumbing..it is NOT something you want to
make an error at....no such thing as small plumbing error.....

GOod luck
Tim

Maimz...take a drive to Collingwood and come and see mine if
you like...should answer your question definitely at that point.

Tim
:)

[Chioru]

LOL ... so true

:toomuch:


Originally posted by Ocean Images
The hardest thing about starting and running a marine aquarium is all the DIFFERENT opinions you will hear. I have had my tanks for many years and I still ask questions...its a never ending cycle.
What I have discovered though, some people believe in Wet/Dry systems , some do not, some prefer 75 degrees, some 80 degrees, some like 12 hours of lighting , some prefer only 10, some will tell you to keep you salt level low .021 some will say keep it high .028, some are stuck on VHO, some say don't waste your money, some will say NEVER feed your corals, some say feed them twice a week, some say water changes every week, some say once a month, some say the biggest skimmer the better, some say the smallest bubbles the better, some say carbon for three days only, some say keep carbon 24/7, some prefer a Calcium Reactor, some say Kalk is fine, I can go on and on trust me........
I found that listening to one "trusted" source is the only way to fly at the beginning anyway, later on you can be the mad scientist type :D
You will be pulled in a million different directions(trust me) this is not a hobby that has only one answer!

good luck

[Lauriem]

Wow, that was a lot of info. A few months ago I purchased a saltwater tank. I really know nothing about them but have always LOVED them. SO there was an add in the paper that read, " 100 gallon aquarium includes: corals and live rock, 2 berlin skimers ice cap, trickle filter and oak cabinet" so I went to look at it and decided that I wanted it. The next day the owner helped me move it to my home (in Barrie) and helped me set it all up. I brought home with the tank about 70% of the water... so I didn't feel like I needed to go through the "cycleing process" Well the next day I set up the liverock and got everything going properly. There was tons of live rock with the tank but no corals really, just a rather larger rock with (what I finally think I have identified...) as some mushrooms, "Green striped and also solid bluish-purple ones. 2 riccordea (one purple and one peachy/orange) and many polyps..... allthough it seems weird to me that... I have many many polyps in my tank.... all over but it is like, single polyps all over. There is as many as 20 on one rock, but they are all single coming from the holes of the rocks and on top... but they are not in bunches all attatched, like I see in the stores or online....??
Well so I have had the tank up and running now for about 2 1/2 months and I have done water tests twice a week, now I am doing them once a week. Everything looks great and the way the books say it should so far.... The water is very clear.... I clean the skimer cups once a week....
Oh yea I forgot there was also a saddleback clownfish that came with it to and 3 hermit crabs and 4 smaller blue legged ones. OK well about a month after is was running (because there was only 25% of my own new water added to this tank) I bought a pink-tipped anemone.... I want a reef tank, not fish.... so I don't think this was the BEST choice (because it moves and all) but I love her and she looks great. I put her on a rock when I bought her but she moved to the bottom back of the tank. Now she is closer to the front of my tank and seems to have settled there. I was AMAZED to see how she ate when I dropped some brine shrimp close to her.... Well I also bought a emerald crab the same time I bought the anemone and thought the saddleback clownfish would have started to rub himself on her...but he hasn't. BUT my emeralc crab LOVES my anemone... He is always with her close to her all the time... Everytime I look to find the emerald crab, all I have to do is look close to the anemone. Is this normal?
Well yesterday I went to big Al's in Whitby and purchased a sifting starfish.... He seems to just bury himself and I have only seen him come up twice..... but its only been a bit. Well today I went to big Als in Barrie and purchased a colt coral.... I wanted a hardy coral and easy to care and grow so this is what looked best out of what they had, It looks beautifull though and it has a nice pinkish hue to it... It looks like a pink bonsia tree... I love it... Well now it is in my tank and tomorrow I will see how it is because my lights are off for the night...
Well I could talk forever about this but it is 3:00 am now and I should get some sleep.... but all the info anyone could give me would be great. I am amazed that I found a site that is so local.... I just moved to Barrie 3 months ago from Oshawa, so I am constantly between "big Al's" stores in Barrie and Whitby... Allthough today I found a site that listed over 20 stores between whitby and Barrie..... Well I hope to chat with some of you someday.... Can you chat on this program??? well thanks again on any info anyone can give me. I love the look of saltwater aquariums and I'm glad there is a site like this to help out beginers like me...
Thanks again

[psiico]

Are you sure those single polyps are corals and not christmas tree worms? Or aptasia? I ask because you say they are poking out from holes in the rock.

I don't know anything about emeralds and anenomes but my emerald likes to cuddle my open brain. He tucks himself under the edge of it and rubs his arms over the flesh of the coral. The coral used to retract when he did it, now it ignores him. He's not eating it.

[Lauriem]

Is there anyway I can attatch a picture for you to see the polyps on here. Then you can see what you think?

[ajx22]

Originally posted by Lauriem
Is there anyway I can attatch a picture for you to see the polyps on here. Then you can see what you think?
Please see the following for instructions:

http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/misc.php?do=bbcode (http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/misc.php?s=&action=faq&page=3#HTML)

http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_read_and_post#faq_vb_attachment_exp lain (http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/misc.php?s=&action=faq&page=3#attachments)


HTH,

[DC22]

Maimz, I too am just starting out, and I just had my tank drilled.....the determining factor for me on where I wanted my holes drilled was that the bottom of my tank is tempered glass....very difficult to drill. This made my decision an easy one. Just make sure you check your tank to see if the side panels and/or bottom are tempered before you get it drilled. I also decided to get my tank drilled for a closed loop system because if I decide not to use it I'll cap it for now but I can't decide to have it drilled after it's setup....just a thought and good luck with your setup!

[cancruiser]

This must be the oldest, semi active thread on this forum! It is good to see people using the search and archive features!

[DC22]

Haha oops, I didn't realize how old the thread was! :crazy:

[cancruiser]

Nothing wrong with the older threads. Many of them contain excellent information!. I was just commenting on how good to see people using the features and functions of the site.

[DC22]

Very true Cancruiser...there is a wealth of knowledge on here, it's very helpful to say the least! :wink-grin

[cam01]

here is one of my designs for a sump i have many more complicated designs if you would like to see them post your query

[jjrjr]

Thanks for the info, even if you are not starting a "New" tank, having this information at any time provides the basics you need to be successful in this "Habit"!


I believe that all new comers should always buy the biggest tank they can afford, The bigger the better. It allows for more mistakes and if you work, not home to test and watch your tank on a daily basis, the bigger the better!

I agree on the lighting, this is one expense you do not want to skimp on! Pay now or, you will pay later. If you are interesed in either soft or hard corals or animals, lighting is one expense you can not avoid. I have found that the lighting, blue especially, is nice at night when your sitting down and reading a book!

Good luck!

JJRJR:couch:

[Dave Longo]

Hey, I just moved up here near Owen Sound as well. Where are you located?

I have a 300g predator tank, and am working with Gardel's pets, are you familiar with them?

Get in touch with me, I'll point you in the right direction.

Warm regards,
Dave Longo