New Tank Setup

[scarecrowman]

I have seen some great info in this forum so I thought I would post this here. I am about to set up my first saltwater tank (125 gallons) and am trying to figure out what kind of equipment to get. Beyond that I am trying to decide on fish (what kind, how many, etc). I wanted a few clowns and an octopus but I also love the look of the lionfish and huma huma. I was also thinking of an eel. How many fish would you put in a 125 gallon tank? Also, you can probably tell I am new to this as I am sure all these things wouldn't go together. Any advice? I was planning on using sand on the bottom (not sure which kind to get). Should I get live rock or just the dead stuff? Any help is appreciated, sorry for all the questions.

 

[dlight692000]

for a fish only tank get crush coral and live rock. octopus' arnt a very good choice because they shoot ink and go nuts and will eat everyhing in the tank. i have a 125 check out my fish/pics the site is in my profile. i would ry to get a predrilled 125 with a sump filter (wet dry and skimmer) amiracle makes some good wet drys. i love triggers but let me stress this, with a tank like that take it slow!!! you could get all the fish and realize you dont want them. you could do a lot of cool stuff with a 125g we just have to find out what is best for you and how much time you have to give your fish. make a list of the fish you want and we will tell you about them and tell us how much you are willing to spend and it will give us a good idea on equipment for you.

 

[scarecrowman]

Thanks for the reply.
Well, in the long run money dosen't matter much. One of the reasons I am doing this is to occupy some of my free time so I should have time to spend with it. I definatly agree on taking it slow, I am just trying to learn as much as possible before I do anything. I am picking the tank up from a friend this week and the stand I think I am building myself with a friend. I have been reading about all the different kinds of equipment but am not sure which woul dbe best.
The fish I was thinking of were the ones I mention3ed above, although I am still looking around. The larger fish seem a lot cooler (but I do love those orange clowns).
Is live rock hard to get going? I was reading about the different kinds of lights and wasn't sure on that either. Thanks for the help.

 

[dgs174]

Okay that is alot of stuff in there. First, octopus with triggers=bad. I have not heard many good things on this forum about octopus with other fish. Many people decide to put them in a dedicated tank because they can often be "predators."
Second, get live rock and live sand it will make everyone happier in your tank and plus it will "cycle" through the nitrogen cycle quicker. Definately go with a live sand mix with argonite. The substrate has calcium in it which buffers the water to the ideal pH.
Third how many fish? It depends what setup we are going for. Many a few triggers if aggressive but if it is FO (fish only) maybe more. I have an obsession with triggers because of their personality and intelligence so it is your choice. I would recommend triggerfish because your tank is a good size, an eel could also definately live in harmony with a 2 or 3 other triggers in your tank for a while.
Fourth, equipment. I would suggest searching in the Equipment and DIY forum, but you will definately need a good filter that will turn the water several times in an hour. Power heads are necessary to keep good water circulation. A wet/dry is a good biological filter which is quite necessary. A protein skimmer is a must in an established tank. Water: get ro or ro/di this will cut back on diatoms and make your fish happier. Lighting: how much do you want to spend. If it is FO you can get away with a sort of cheap setup, but if you want more out of your tank you will have to spend more. Once again I encourage the use of the search tool.
I am sure I left out something, but I hope that I helped.
Dan

 

[scarecrowman]

Thanks for all the info. I have been looking around and there are a few fish I am almost sure on (trying to find more pics and info). I would like to go with:
Lionfish (not sure which kind)
Huma Huma
Eel (maybe snowflake?)
What else would be good in this tank (125 gallons) or is this enough?
Thanks again for the help, going to try and find more info on filters now.

 

[lionfish]

LionFish says.......
Well, I see you are new here and I would like to welcome you to the board. Next, filter systems, lets see here. I will tell you what I have in my 125 gallon aggressive tank. I currently have a Protien skimmer, a wet/dry system, and a UV sterilizer. These all keep the tank clean and free of bacteria. Most people go with a sump, as they can really clean a tank.Those are good choices to look into for filters. The 3 fish I have in my 125 are a Black Volitan Lionfish, a Picasso Trigger, and I am moving my Harlequin Tusk over there and seriously thinking about a Snowflake eel. Of course you could choose from a wide variety of fish which would take a while to list but I would suggest you got a Dwarf Lion, a Snowflake Eel, and the picasso Trigger. However you must watch the trigger because as the get older there scales turn into a hard armor and can eat a Lions fins. But it usually doesn't happen but just something to look for. Phew, well, hope this helps.

 

[robbytt]

First off WELCOME! I learned the hard way but your already on the right track. -PLAN OUT YOUR TANK- I like learning by trying but you need to do research first. Definitely utilize the search function -- Good luck!!!
RobbyTT

 

[bobj]

1. THE TANK
125 gal tanks are usually pre-drilled at both ends. They also weigh 1100 pounds. So a good stand is important.
2. THE PUMPS
Since you have two returns you will need two pumps. Probably in the range of Rio 2300.
3. THE BIOLOGAL FILTER
Wet/Dry under tank sump will be fine.
Live rock is a biological filter and will decrease the cyling time. But is you need 100 pounds and the cost is 8 to 11$ per pound do you really want to do this in a fish only tank?
4. PROTEIN SKIMMER
Definately a must. You can do it without it but it is probably not worth it.
5. LIGHTING
Fish only tanks without live rock only require cheap daylight lighting. You can purchase Halide lighting for 200 to 600$ if you want but no matter what anyone says it really doesn't make a difference. There is no literature documentation that supports Halide lighting in a fish only tank.
One additional comment. Live rock supplies invertabrates that you would not normally buy. But in one year the bioloical filtration abilility of the live rock is equal to the dead rock you can buy. Dead rock cost 1.50 to 2$ per pound,
You can have a fish only tank with dead rock and cheap lighting if you are willing to be patient with the cyling process and adding fish.

 

[heithingi]

Hi,
The Nature's Ocean live sand works great, and can be seeded with live critters either through LR or through a bag of LS bought from a LFS. I bought 80 pounds from this site to use in my 120, and really like it! Great stuff. I would never use anything but LS, personally.
Lynda

 

[scarecrowman]

If I decide to go with live sand (which is what I really want) and regular dead rock, how hard is it to add live rock later. Is it ok to mix both? Also, would putting a grouper with a lion, trigger and eel be to much? If not that is how I might do it (not all at once, but over time). Thanks for all the posts, it is really helping me out.