Newbie Needs Help!!

dirt sailor

dirt sailor

New Member
Hello everyone,
I wanna start out by saying that I'm very new to forums, I have never used them before so please go easy on me. I just got a used 100gal tank and stand with all the equipment for free. I don't think the person took very good care of it. The equipment is as follows:
1. hob syphon overflow box
2. wet/dry filter w/ built in skimmer
3. attached to the wet/dry looks like 10gal overflow tank
4. rio 2100 pump hooked up to a scwd wave maker
5.coralife 4 lamp vho electronic ballast kit? I don't even know what that is. I don't know much about lighting.
a. is there anything else i need besides a heater?
b. is this the best set up for this tank? all the equipment looks old and beat up. not sure what to do.http://files.saltwaterfish.com/images/smilies/shrug.gif
also the tank is acrylic and is scratched up is there anyway to fix it either polish or do have to sand it down then buff it out.
thanks
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Dirt Sailor http:///forum/post/3101468
Hello everyone,
I wanna start out by saying that I'm very new to forums, I have never used them before so please go easy on me. I just got a used 100gal tank and stand with all the equipment for free. I don't think the person took very good care of it. The equipment is as follows:
1. hob syphon overflow box
2. wet/dry filter w/ built in skimmer
3. attached to the wet/dry looks like 10gal overflow tank
4. rio 2100 pump hooked up to a scwd wave maker
5.coralife 4 lamp vho electronic ballast kit? I don't even know what that is. I don't know much about lighting.
a. is there anything else i need besides a heater?
b. is this the best set up for this tank? all the equipment looks old and beat up. not sure what to do.http://files.saltwaterfish.com/images/smilies/shrug.gif
also the tank is acrylic and is scratched up is there anyway to fix it either polish or do have to sand it down then buff it out.
thanks

Welcome....100g for free..you can't get cheaper than that.
do you have some pictures of the equipment? Do you know what kind of crtters the original owner kept?
 
dirt sailor

dirt sailor

New Member
I don't know what he had in there, it was already broke down when i got it. I can take pics and will post them
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Dirt Sailor
http:///forum/post/3101488
I don't know what he had in there, it was already broke down when i got it. I can take pics and will post them

Pictures will help...I am not familiar with the lights...I am thinking fish only. How bad is the tank scratched?
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
probably not familliar with the lights because they are the kind we used 15-20 yrs ago.kinda like the ones used in your gararge.
you can use them if you get new bulbs but you have to change them every 6 months because they will weaken and get out of spectrum and algea will become a nightmare.
you can buy an acrylic polishing kit to get rid of the scratches.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/3101500
probably not familliar with the lights because they are the kind we used 15-20 yrs ago.kinda like the ones used in your gararge.
you can use them if you get new bulbs but you have to change them every 6 months because they will weaken and get out of spectrum and algea will become a nightmare.
you can buy an acrylic polishing kit to get rid of the scratches.

What that means is then the OP needs to upgrade lights ASAP...why bother buying bulbs for somethig that usless.
 
bulldog123

bulldog123

Member
Yes you can remove the scratches. I buffed mine with novus three step cleaner and a multi speed dewalt. You can also just use wet sandpaper. Maybe someone else can help find that thread for you. More work but it will get the deeper scratches out. Its alot of work but it will save you some cash. If you dont want to diy there are people that will do it for you(at least around me). Oh yah if your buffer has to many rpm you can melt the acrylic. Just do a seach and you can find the details on removing the scratches.
Welcome and good luck.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Dirt Sailor
http:///forum/post/3101532
what light's would you recommend for a fish only tank?

This is important...sit down nd figure out just exactly what kind of tank you want...if you want coral, an anemone...fish only..whatever.
Lights will be a big investment, I stupidly began with fish only, and then went to a few soft corals, then to wanting everything saltwater...a full mini reef. As a result I landed up purchasing 4 different light systems. It cost a small fortune.
Always get the best lights you an afford for what you want to keep. This will save you money in the long run. Expect to pay anywhere from $300.00 to $1000.00 if you want corals. Starting around $250.00 for fish only. You can buy used equipment...always check to see how much replacement bulbs will run you and how available they are.
don't go fish only because that is all you can afford for now...a nice coralife power compact will run about $300.00...with that you can keep quite a few soft corals.
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
wow that is some old stuff.
i havnt seen a skimmer with an air pump in a long time that stuff must be well over 10 yrs old maybe 15.
that skimmer is useless.
you need to decide if this free tank is worth the money and time .
 
dirt sailor

dirt sailor

New Member
Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/3101775
wow that is some old stuff.
i havnt seen a skimmer with an air pump in a long time that stuff must be well over 10 yrs old maybe 15.
that skimmer is useless.
you need to decide if this free tank is worth the money and time .
Thats what I thought. I've been waiting to get a tank like this for a long time. So it's diff worth it. I not really in a rush and I wanna do this right.
also I have a fluval 404, cpr bak pak skimmer, and two maxi jet 1200 power heads that I used on my 46 bowfront tank would that work for now on the 100gal?
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
fill the tank with regular water and turn the lights on just to see how bad the scatches are.
My thought is, this obsession will kick in for you very shortly, and you will be purchasing new items soon anyways.
 
dirt sailor

dirt sailor

New Member
Originally Posted by mkroher
http:///forum/post/3101900
fill the tank with regular water and turn the lights on just to see how bad the scatches are.
My thought is, this obsession will kick in for you very shortly, and you will be purchasing new items soon anyways.
I have about three years experience with saltwater, but have been away for about two years due to overseas deployments.
Im already obsessed. I just don't know what kind of equip I need for this big of a tank. I'm used to smaller.
I have the concepts of what I need but need a little guidance on what types I should use.
1. Sump, refuge, wet/dry or canister?
2. Skimmers- hob or in sump?
3. what kinds are the best and average price?- so I can plan a head
I'm used to simple but I think I'm ready to upgrade and will spend what I have to, I don't want to skimp. Any suggestions?
Thanks
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
Originally Posted by Dirt Sailor
http:///forum/post/3101905
I have about three years experience with saltwater, but have been away for about two years due to overseas deployments.
Im already obsessed. I just don't know what kind of equip I need for this big of a tank. I'm used to smaller.
I have the concepts of what I need but need a little guidance on what types I should use.
1. Sump, refuge, wet/dry or canister?
2. Skimmers- hob or in sump?
3. what kinds are the best and average price?- so I can plan a head
I'm used to simple but I think I'm ready to upgrade and will spend what I have to, I don't want to skimp. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Sorry, but the title of your thread was "Newbie needs help", so I assumed you had no experience.
You already have a sump, so of course an in-sump skimmer.
Which skimmer to get is one of the most popular questions on this forum.
Something like this will work fine...
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=6
 
dirt sailor

dirt sailor

New Member
Originally Posted by mkroher
http:///forum/post/3101906
Sorry, but the title of your thread was "Newbie needs help", so I assumed you had no experience.
You already have a sump, so of course an in-sump skimmer.
Which skimmer to get is one of the most popular questions on this forum.
Something like this will work fine...
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=6
Sorry to mislead, I feel like a newbie since I'm just now getting back into it.
As someone mentioned earlier all of my equip is out dated, used and beat up. So I wanna start fresh piece by piece. I would like to start with the filtration first, skimmer and then lighting last as I fear that will cost the most.
thanks for the help!
 
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