new to the hobby

[diggs]

I have been looking for a tank (75 to 120) for a month or so and came acroos a great deal. I think? I purchased used a 200gal show 110gal reef and a 58gal show all oceanic brand with stands and complete wet/dry filter systems, they are all complete set ups including drift rock drilled tuffa and drilled lava. I currently have the 200 set up with africans but would like to do salt in the 110. I do not know where to start! best fish lighting reef sand rock etc. any help would be great.

 

[lion_crazz]

Yikes, that is quite the loaded question.
First off, you will need a protein skimmer, a filter (wet/dry or sump is recommended), heater, and live rock. I would recommend at least 100-120 lbs. of live rock. Are you considering do a reef tank? If so, you will have to invest in some high-powered lights. You may want to do metal halides in a tank that deep.
A great book to check out is The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner. This will get you off to a great start in the marine hobby.

 

[diggs]

all three tanks have a wet/dry. do you have a good sorce for a protien skimmer for the 110. should i start reef or can i add later

 

[murph]

Originally Posted by diggs
all three tanks have a wet/dry. do you have a good sorce for a protien skimmer for the 110. should i start reef or can i add later
I would recommend an ASM for the skimmer. Reef can come later just get things started for now. Fill tank about three quarters of the way with RO/DI purified water. Buy your salt mix and a hydrometer and mix the salt right in the tank and use a pump to circulate. Mix to about 1.022 for now. If you want to spend the money on a refractometer and the LFS has one go ahead and get one, calibrate it with RO water and mix tank water to 1.025 SG.
Let circulate for 24 hours and then get some some aragonite sand from the LFS. About three 15 pound bags should do for a shallow sand bed depending on the dimensions of your tank. Rinse thoroughly in a five gallon bucket, its dusty, and then us a large cup to put small batches of sand in your tank. Water will cloud a bit that's OK. For a shallow sand bed keep it under two inches of sand.
Fire up your wet dry and double check on the plumbing etc. No filter media is necessary other than some poly filter to help clear up the cloudiness from putting your sand in the tank. Let run until water clears.
After water clears, about 24 hours, head back tot he LFS for some live rock. You can go half base half LR to defer some of the setup cost. Shoot for at least a pound per gallon. Put rock in tank. In a separate container mix up enough new saltwater to top off the tank and do so.
Your already done. Now just introduce an ammonia source to get the tank cycling. A dead raw shrimp is how a lot of people do it or just a pinch of flake food every day for a week will do it also.
The Africans you referred to I assume are cichlids. Basically everything is the same. Except for the addition of LR and salt and of course live stock selection.
Good luck, expect to spend a few bucks and welcome to the hobby.

 

[diggs]

I am sorry but am not well versed yet what are you refering to when you say "You can go half base half LR to defer some of the setup cost." the base would be????

 

[lkb3493]

He means base rock. It is much cheaper but it is not "live". If you put live rock with it the live rock will seed the base rock in time and the base rock will also become "live". Live rock is MUCH better but you can get less live and compensate some with base rock because the cost is high for live rock....

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by lkb3493
He means base rock. It is much cheaper but it is not "live". If you put live rock with it the live rock will seed the base rock in time and the base rock will also become "live". Live rock is MUCH better but you can get less live and compensate some with base rock because the cost is high for live rock....
Yup...I started out a little over a year ago with half live rock and half base rock...it's all live now...and so is the base sand that I started with. The base is MUCH less expensive, but in the end, with patience, it all goes live. ***)
Good luck and post pics when you get things running.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[diggs]

I will make sure to post pics. Thanks for all the help