Just starting out

[steelermike]

Hi All,
I am very new to saltwater aquariums. I had freshwater aquariums for years as a kid and in college. Once had a 55 gallon set saltwater with fish only probably 15 years ago but things have changed alot...I had a cannister filter with and undergravel filter with crushed coral. fast forward to now. When I bought my house it came with a 125 gallon tank and it has been sitting unused for 6 years. i would like to set it up but not sure exactly what I need. I have an Eheim 2217 cannister filter that was used to power the tank previously and also have a fluval 303 that I used on my 55. I have crushed coral for the 125 as well as heaters and power heads. I would like to attempt a FO set up to begin with and was thinking of using both cannister filters and purchasing a biowheel as well and using the crushed coral as a substrate. is this a recipe for disaster? I have been reading alot on here about using live sand and sumps etc, which I may eventually do, but don't really want to sink thousands of dollars into the tank right away. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, I have a double bulb flourescent hood for the tank..is it safe to assume that this cannot power any of the newer lights like VHO's etc?

 

[geoj]

You will need to figure out what fish you will keep. How messy of eaters they are will determine what you can get away with when it comes to set-up.

 

[gemmy]

Welcome! I would first recommend reading the stickies (which may be called recommended threads) in the new hobbyist section. There is a ton of useful information in those threads. Also, one major thing to consider when setting up the tank is what your ultimate goal with the tank is. I would recommend doing it right the first time. If you decide to do some of the upgrades later in the tank's life, it can lead to spending more money down the road. I would highly recommend starting off with a sump. It can easily be done for under a 100 bucks and you will have better filtration for your tank. As for the crushed coral, it's a somewhat debated topic. If it is not maintained properly it is a recipe for disaster. Also, some fish don't do well with the rough edges of the crushed coral. On the flip side, sand still requires some attention as well.