new 70 gallon

[mproctor4]

Hi all. I'm so excited, my hunny is getting me a 70 gallon aquarium for Christmas. I have been out of the hobby for several years so I am a bit rusty. This will be my first salt water aquarium that I am setting up from scratch by myself. Things have changed alot in the past few years I have been out of the hobby. I would like to get started getting some equipment for the aquarium and have a few questions. I have an 125 gallon eheim cannister filter in the attaic that I have saved in anticipation that I would set up an aquarium again some day--still works, just need a couple of hoses. I am wondering if I should use that or purchase a new filter. Any advise would be appreciated. My lfs is encouraging me to buy a wet/dry filter. I would like to keep maintance as low as possible but also feel I might benefit spending my limited funds on other equipment. I am planning on having fish only, later may add a few pieces of easy to care for coral. I still have a bit of base rock and will be adding some live rock on top of that. I also have been moving around buckets of crushed coral for several years---that used to be the in thing! After reading your comments on crushed coral, I will be using sand instead--guess I can get rid of the cc now--lol. I am wondering what size and how many powerheads I will need. Do you recommend a protein skimmer to start. I have never used a protein skimmer before with my fish only tanks so I don't know much about them. So far the only thing I have purchased is a refractometer so I am open to suggestions on everything else. The tank that he is purchasing has a glass top--will I get enough oxygen exchange with that? Thank you all in advance for your comments. I am already addicted to this message board. My poor boyfriend--he has no idea what he is getting himself into. He is getting excited too, is starting to look at the message boards as well--esp. the photographs--also getting drug along to the lfs. Can't hardly wait until Christmas--I do however, remember very well that patients is a virtue in setting up a salt water aquarium!

 

[snapperboy]

just a few quick thoughts ... 1st WELCOME to the boards! :jumping: I am still pretty new myself but i find myself reading here EVERY DAY :happyfish
So, if funds are limited i would just run the canister with some floss type filter, and maybe some carbon (but you gotta change it monthly). Then add an extra powerhead or just make sure you get a few that have a high gph rate so you have a lot of water movement in the tank. If possible, get a stand that can accomidate a wet-dry sump or refugium in the future. (it benefits the tank way too much to just pass on one altogether forever) BUY as MUCH live rock as you can to start (buy 50/50 base tufa or lace rock that will become 'live' to help offset the cost-check the lfs or the giant Eocean cove website). Definately get a skimmer, for a 70 gallon get something rated for 100G. i personally use a red sea berlin turbo and i empty the stank fish poo mud weekly, --works great and is cheap

I dont have experience with a glass top and saltwater, but i'd lose it; i had one on my fresh tank and was losing fish over and over :notsure: until i lost the top> now no problems

Patience IS the key, and read read read! Good luck!

 

[mproctor4]

Thanks for your response. I have not been able to locate giant eocean cove website, I will continue to look. I believe the stand I'm getting will hold a sump. I'm thinking I should just get the sump to begin with, guess I need to price it all first and decide on the budget. Definately want to make live rock a top priority. Thanks for your response.
Anyone else have any thoughts on the glass top? The problem is the stand doesn't come with a canopy and I'm not really handy enough to make one. NOt sure how else to mount the lights without a glass top or get a different stand---and I really like the one that it comes with + it is a perfect fit for where I need it.

 

[michaeltx]

99.9% of the time the canopy is a seperate purchase so you can still get the canopy later on or at the same time that will match the stand just be sure to ask the compnay you are buying to make sure they can get it.
you can use the glass tops for awhile till you get the extra funds to get one. there are cons to glass tops it can decrease some oxygen turnover but not really enough to be overly conserned about I used them on my tanks for about a year till I got canopies for them. they will trap heat in the tank so you will want to keep an eye on that as you set the tank up. The will get alot of salt creep on them causeing the lights to look dull after awhile and will need to be cleaned.
I prefer canopies though LOL because of looks and openess.
HTH
Mike