Originally Posted by
Spectre879
I am looking for inspiration and information on starting a proper reef aquarium. I am hoping that someone can post pictures for the inspiration part.
Thats why I'm in the photography section. I am looking for information on proper, crisp lighting; testing equipement and additives and what to do about sumps. I have a 75 gal with limited storage space below. I am currently running off of a simple out-of-tank carbon filter and protein skimmer with one small bubble stone and a large bubble stone running the lenght of the rear of the tank. I wont lie, my set up is basic and primitive
My stock is also very small...
1 percula clown-2in
1 scopus tang-3-4in
3 figi devil damsel-1-2in
Well, if you are looking for crisp lighting, I would look towards a power compact fixture.
Salifert makes the most accurate and reliable testing equipment, and additives all depend on what salt you are using and what you are keeping. If you are using one of the cheaper salts, like Instant Ocean or Crystal Sea, you will need to add supplements for corals. If you are using Tropic Marin or Oceanic, the additives you add to your tank are a lot less. I use Oceanic salt, and because it gives me great trace elements, a calcium of 480, and a nice magnesium level, I only use Marc Weiss' Coral Vital, Tropic Marin Iodine, and I use Zoe, Selcon, VitaChem, and Garlic Xtreme as food additives. These last four are very important, as they help keep your fish healthy by providing them with a lot of vitamins.
Sumps are not always neccessary, but they sure help. The most important things are a quality protein skimmer, at least 1 lb. per gallon of live rock, and adequate flow (provided by powerheads). Hang on the back filters work perfectly fine if you have these 3 above things.
Here is a picture of my 210, as well as my 20 gallon refuge.
