(newB) Reef Tank Starter

[mrinelfrlz]

hello im glad to be a part of the forum now and i know just by reading some of the threads here that it is a very informative site and i now i will learn much here
here is what im looking at getting so far
tank-65 gallon
water treatment-WaterGeneral RO6100+DI 2 OUTPUT REVERSE OSMOSIS RO + DI(100 gal per day since i live out of town hard water sucks)
lights-36 Inch Power Compact 95 watts x2=192 watts total(i know this is on the low end of the rule of thumb but can it work?
filter-Marineland 350 Magnum Pro Canister Filter(350 gph)
protein skimmer-Jebo- Reef Style Protein Skimmer(290 gph)
#! powerhead-Maxi-Jet 900 Maxijet (230gph) Submersible Pump
#2 powerhead-ZooMed Power Sweep 228 powerhead PS-40 (270GPH)
heater-Submersible Auto 300W 15 " Heater
now the total gph comes out to 1140/65gallons=17.54 i know this isn't 20 turnover but how is all of this for a good start?
along with lights are those ok for a while i know im low on rule of thumb
LR-im starting with at least 40 lbs right off(i know its abit under)
LS-im getting 95lbs (rule of thumb)
now this is everything just to start out with
also about hang on side refugiums would these benefit me because sumps scare me im at work at night and if it overflowed i would be IN TROUBLE!!!

thanks for any and all help

 

[laxzach]

Well you are already off to a good start by being a member of these forums.

I dont know if you need 40 lbs of LR right off the start. You can add that gradually and also I would wait untill after your cycle to add tons of rock or else some of the rock will die off. Also I dont recommend the Powersweep power head. I have one and they are bulky and stop rotating often. I would recommend a maxijet 900 or 1200 in place of the powersweep. Also I would recommend that you get hydroflos for both of your powerheads. They are a major help with water circulation. As for everything else it looks good. Good idea on getting a RO/DI unit. I would love to get one but they are so expensive, I am making tons of trips to walmart to get distilled water.

 

[mrinelfrlz]

laxzach
thanks for the info just trying to do this right so there are less headaches
also if you email me i can tell you a good place to get a water system that is if you look for good feedback

 

[geridoc]

Good list, and a good approach, asking here first. I would not get a 300 w heater. If you feel you need 300w, get two 150 w units. That way, if one dies, the tank will still have some heat, but if one sticks on, it won't overheat quite so fast. Also, I wouldn't be so concerned about a sump overflowing - there are many plans in the DIY forum for returns that have siphon breaks in them so that the sump won't overflow in a power outage. You could then put the heaters and skimmer in the sump, preserving space and looks in your DT. Third: you don't really need a 100 gpd RODI system. The high output membranes on these are less efficient and get exhausted faster. Take a look at 75 gpd systems from a number of places. I have the airwaterice typhoon III, and it is great, but others have different units, and are happy, too. Your lights are a little on the dim side, which means mainly that you will have to confine yourself to less sensitive corals such as shrooms and zoas. Anemones are iffy, and clams more so. Keep asking questions - make your mistakes here, rather than in your tank.

 

[mrinelfrlz]

check

also thanks for the tip on the water filter system and i will look arround for the DIY forums
also i will look into higher wattage lights i thought so i just had to ask
but what if i go over the rule of thumb theory?

 

[rbaldino]

Originally Posted by GeriDoc
Good list, and a good approach, asking here first. I would not get a 300 w heater. If you feel you need 300w, get two 150 w units. That way, if one dies, the tank will still have some heat, but if one sticks on, it won't overheat quite so fast. Also, I wouldn't be so concerned about a sump overflowing - there are many plans in the DIY forum for returns that have siphon breaks in them so that the sump won't overflow in a power outage. You could then put the heaters and skimmer in the sump, preserving space and looks in your DT. Third: you don't really need a 100 gpd RODI system. The high output membranes on these are less efficient and get exhausted faster. Take a look at 75 gpd systems from a number of places. I have the airwaterice typhoon III, and it is great, but others have different units, and are happy, too. Your lights are a little on the dim side, which means mainly that you will have to confine yourself to less sensitive corals such as shrooms and zoas. Anemones are iffy, and clams more so. Keep asking questions - make your mistakes here, rather than in your tank.
The best way to keep a sump from overflowing is to not fill it all the way. If you run a sump, fill your display tank to the return nozzle, fill your sump near to the top, turn on the pump, and let water from the sump fill the remainder of the display tank.