New Reefer ?'s

trigger78

trigger78

Member
OK, here is my situation. I have a 55gal FOWL tank with 45 lbs lr that has been up and running for about 18 months. I'm moving in about 10-15 days. I want a reef tank at my new house. Since I will be posting quite a few questions I'll only ask a few on this thread.
What test kits will I need, and please specify the best brands?
What chemicals or trace elements will I need?
And one more. I want to be able to get most corals, so is it 7-10 watts/gal?
Thanks all,
Alex
 
himandher

himandher

Member
I use different test kits. For nitrates and calcium Salifert is the best. they are the best in general.
I use a quick strip test 5 in 1 daily, and then anything that looks out of the ordinary or not up to par, I do a salifert test on.
In a reef you need to be testing: nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, calcium, alkalinity, and ph. AT LEAST. These are the tests that I use. Some people test strontium, and other things.
As far as additives, I use a supplement called "reef solutions" by ecosystems. it has a white label and you have to keep it in the fridge, you add it daily and it has all the necessary trace elements, except calcium. If you do regular water changes you probably wont have to supplement calcium as most salt mixes have calcium in it.
I have also heard that if you are using a live sand substrate that as it breaks down it releases calcium into the system. Nobody has confirmed that to me though, but I have one and have never had to supplement calcium and I have lots of corals.
As far as lights and corals, honestly I am clueless. I have 2 250 watt MH and some blue atinics so I have never worried about light. I am sure some others will be able to give you good info on that. Good luck, and get ready its addicting:happy:
 
trigger78

trigger78

Member
Thanks, So you never have to do anything with the calcium. Thats good because I remember hearing or reading that you have to add something else or stabalize something else if you raise or lower calcium. I'm reading as much as possible for now. Will buy all the equipment, read some more, and then decide on how to set the tank up( where and fuge or sump all that good stuff).
 
himandher

himandher

Member
We supplemented Calcium once for about a week, without testing (STUPID) dont add anything without testing.
But when we tested the next week, our calcium was so high that it was off the charts. Also i must tell you though we have no SPS (hard corals) which really use the calcium in your tank.
We have 135 gallon, and a 30 gallon sump, we are considering adding a 30 gallon refuge as well, havent decided yet.
If you are just starting out, there is a small inexspensive book at Barnes and Noble that is definately worth looking into. It has several different types of set ups, and how to do it yourself for less money. there are lots of options when you are just starting, and not so many after you have started.
the book is Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook, by Dr. Robert J. Goldstein. Definately worth the $14.
I do know that having a powerful protein skimmer is just as essiental as having good lighting, so take that into consideration. :happyfish
 
trigger78

trigger78

Member
Thanks for the tip on the book. Will it give me tips on overflows, sumps, fuges, and such? My tank is glass and cannot be drilled so if I set up a sump and fuge I will have to have an overflow. I'm worried about the tank overflowing or the sump/fuge overflowing. Will the book explain all this?
Thanks again, Al
 
himandher

himandher

Member
:D yep it does, this book goes into all of that.
My tank is also glass, and you can have it drilled. (it is very exspensive, and needs to be done by someone with lots of experience.)
We didnt have ours drilled, and that is one of the things we wish we would have done. We have 2 overflow boxes on the back, and they are not bad, but sometimes they are noisy. But that is a good tell tell of when your water levels are low. The only real downfall is that you can see the boxes in our tank. But if you stack your rock high enough, you wont see them. Good excuse to have lots of live rock.
the book is supprisingly informational. We have bought tons of books, and spent lots of $$$ on books and bought this one too late. Wish we would have bought it when we were setting up.
 
pyro

pyro

Active Member
If you read the sticky at the top of the forum, there is a link to lighting 101, that will give you an introduction to everything light related.
Additive/Suppliment wise, I am giving a product called Myricle Mud a run. I use it in my sump and have macro algaes growing in it. It is supposed to constantly release the nutrients based off of your levels, I have my doubts about the stuff, but so far it seems to be working.
Don't add any additives you don't test for.
Overflows are a tough subject to explain briefly. Search for a thread titled Plumbing 101 or something like that under equipment and DIY, it is a big thread. I beleive they go over the basics of an overflow on the first couple pages of it. The point of an overflow instead of just a constant syphon is so your tank doesn't overflow. In a nutshell, the overflow only drops down to the sump what the return pump in the sump pumps up (the overflowing action is caused by the water returned from the pump, therefore making overflows nearly impossible).
 
trigger78

trigger78

Member
I just ordered it. Thanks! What brand of overflows do you have? The noise won't be a problem because the tank is going to be behind a wall in my office. It will be on the header going to the basement. That is the only place I can afford to put it in/behind a wall.
I found a deal on the book for 10.99.
 
himandher

himandher

Member
Great deal

The overflow brand, I am not sure:confused:
We bought a new tank and brought most of the old equipment from the old tank, those were included. But ... the book that you just ordered, has a pic of some overflow boxes and ours look just like that one. Sorry I dont have a brand name!
sorry just pulled out the paperwork, they are by Amiracle.
 
himandher

himandher

Member
no prob trigger.
When is the big change over? keep us posted, you should take before and after pics. You will be amazed. My before and after still amaze me.
 
himandher

himandher

Member
this is the old tank, and as you see it, is how it sat in the middle of the family room for a year on that hideous stand, and with all those cords and lights hanging off of it. It was so ugly.
 
trigger78

trigger78

Member
I'm going to Florida next weekend. I posted a thread on the fish board about a sand question. I asked about bringing back ocean sand because I have crushed coral in my tank that I will have to get out. 40lbs ls and 20 lbs cc. I don't want to go through the hassel of straining the cc as soon as I move the tank to it's new location so figured taking it all out and replacing with real ocean sand would be alright if I seeded it with my cc.
I'm moving into a house that I've owed for the pst 6 yrs or so but the thing is I haven't even been taking pics of all the renovations I've been doing over the past six months. I feel like an idiot but its like when I get out there I'm ready to work. I need to start taking them now before the drastic changes will go unnoticed. All the carpet has been ripped up and I've sanded all the hardwood. Staining the floor (if I do) putting the poly down, and painting all the walls, baseboards, crown, windows etc... then I will be done. So, My guess would be another two weeks before the tank makes it over there.
I'm going to put a tank in the living room bar that sperates the living room from the kitchen this summer. As bad as I want it to be the reef tank for more people to see I can't afford to buy two new tanks and eqiupment. I want an aggressive setup so it will go into the bar since my 55 gal is too small.
 
himandher

himandher

Member
:confused: Honestly I dont know about the live ocean sand. I am sure it would work. I have heard that if you do get it that make sure you get it from a less populated place, you know not on a public beach. who knows whats in the sand there. We use real pacific ocean water for our water changes, I imagine that the ls would also work. I would ask someone else, or post a new thread about it. I really am not sure, I would hate to misguide you.
 
himandher

himandher

Member
ummm we have about 150 to 175 lbs of live rock. We plan on adding more. at least building up the sides a little more. Its coming along, it is not a hobby for the impatient, which I am, so it is teaching me. I get so much enjoyment out of it though. And the reef changes almost daily, it is amazing. you will really enjoy it.
 
scuba_stev

scuba_stev

New Member
I have a newby reefer question if you guys dont mind.
I have a 50 gallon acrylic tank without a built in overflow. I assume I need an overflow box like the one in the pic above? Then the box is plumbed to a wet/dry (berlin) system down below with a heater and skimmer in the box.
or
can I run my Fluval 403 for filtration? What do you guys suggest?
Thanks,
steve
 
kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
JUst my 2 simple cents.. LOL
I have run my 75 reef without a sump for 3 years. If I had The SMARTS..LOL I would have had one...
I ran fluvals on all 5 of my tanks throughout the years. On my 75 reef now, I run
ehiem professional ll and a
Backpack 2 protien skimmer
I recently put on a fluval 404 for extra filtration to run carbon, phosphate remover etc.... because I started buying more coral.
my tank seems fine, no major problems.. so, JMO/E
Kim :happy:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top