NEW and need some help...

fishytim

fishytim

Member
First of all I want to say thanks to all the posters on here. I have really enjoyed reading.....
For about two weeks I have been reading alot about saltwater tanks. I have come to the conclusion that I REALLY want to go ahead and start mine. Currently I have a 30 gallon Long tank. I am in the process of building a stand and canopy. Here is my problem. The more I read the more the infomation seems to be contridictory.
I would like to set up a reef tank. I figure I am going to throw about 20 lbs of figi live rock for the base and then another 10 lbs of some upper scale live rock (the kind of LR is yet to be determained any suggestions?).
I am going to put sand at the bottom of the tank.. How much should I put in and how deep should it be? Should I use live sand? The floor is 12x36. It's 16 inches tall.
What kind of lighting do I need? I would like to have some coral in there and maybe some inverts (anneys for my clowns eventually)
I am building the canopy so I can custom build it to meet my needs. I am a little confused on the lights? What kind of lighting and how much power is needed?
I plan using a powerhead and a protein skimmer for filtration? IS this good enough with the live rock and all?
What type of cleaners do I need? Snails? shrimp? etc.
Have I missed anything?
If you were going to do a 30g reef tank how would you set it up????
Thanks!!!
Tim
 
robchuck

robchuck

Active Member
Welcome to the board Tim!
You are starting on the right foot by researching before even purchasing equipment. This will save you lots of money and headaches later on, as you'll be able to buy what you really need up front, rather than spending countless dollars upgrading to that equipment.
Your live rock plan sounds good. I personally prefer Pacific rock over Caribbean rock. Marshall Island rock would be a great choice for your upper-scale rock.
Live sand isn't necessarily needed. You could add an araganite-based playsand such as Southdown, and life from your LR will eventually take hold in the sand. Sand depth is probably one of the most debated topics in the hobby right now, so rather than making a recommendation on depth, I would encourage you to read up on the benefits of a properly stocked DSB vs. shallow sandbeds or bare-bottom tanks.
Power compact lighting would be more than adequate for your tank, but if you eventually want to keep anemones, then metal halide would be a better choice. You mentioned that you are building a canopy, so a retrofit lighting kit would be a good choice. Just be sure to build the canopy tall enough for whatever lights you choose and build it with enough ventilation to keep things from getting too hot.
The amount of live rock you plan to add should be enough biological filtration. A protein skimmer is definately a beneficial addition. An in-sump model would be best, but there are some good hang-on models on the market. You will probably want more than one powerhead for water movement; aim for turning over your tanks volume at least 10x's per hour.
For cleaners, I've found various snails to be the most efficient. Any crabs I've had, besides emerald crabs, have been terrors in my tanks.
As for things you may have missed in your first post, I would highly suggest using RO/DI water. Also, I would recommend using a sump if possible. A sump makes your tank much more flexible as it allows you to add more water volume to the system (making it more stable), keeps equipment out of the tank, and possibly even has room for a refugium.
The three things I've found to be most important for keeping a reef tank in this order are:
1) Good water quality - this starts with using RO/DI water; careful monitoring of tank parameters (keeping them as consistent as possible), followed by careful adjustments when needed
2) Proper lighting - metal halide is probably overkill for keeping mushrooms and polyps and such in smaller tanks, but is practically essential for keeping light loving SPS corals, anemones, and clams
3) Good flow - this keeps things moving around your tank and keeps junk from building up and polluting your water; good flow will also help prevent bad algaes from growing
Good luck with your setup, and feel free to ask away around here.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top