?'s Before I Begin

bdc87

bdc87

New Member
Well first of I would like to say hi! My name is Brad and I love this site. After years of admiring reef systems and the beauty that comes with it I have decided to adventure into this rewarding hobby. I have read most of the post for beginners and these have answered many questions of mine but I still have some that could not be answered hopefully you can help me with these.
I plan on purchasing my tank sometime within the next 2 weeks. I haven't decided on the size yet at first I wanted to do a nano but I know larger tanks are more stable and allow for a larger variety of life. So my plan is to go with a medium size tank somewhere between 30G and 60G I love bowfronts so maybe a 36G or 46G.
-From what I've read skimmers are a must is the Seaclone 100 a good product and adequate for a 50G tank? I would like you to know the filter I will be using is a Fluval 305.
-What lighting should I use, T5 or HQI? And who is trusted company when It comes to lighting? I want my selection of coral to be as limitless as possible I’m more in it for the reef system then the fish. The only planned fish I want to do is false percula clowns.
-The closest store to me that sells RO water is 40 miles. Could I get away with using tap and using chemicals to cure it or should I purchase an RO system and recommendations for one?
- When it comes time for the rock I plan on getting 40% live and 60% base. Any recommendations on type of rock, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, ok to mix and match?
-For the sand is CaribSea Live Sand ok or do you recommend something else?
Anything else Major I’ll need except for testing equipment, heater and salt?
Thanks for the help in advance I plan on doing a log on this and I’m sure I’ll have more questions once the tank is cured.
 
kaingers

kaingers

Member
Welcome to the site Brad! It looks like you have been doing some really good research. I just purchased a 28 gallon bow front and absolutely love it. I highly recommend any bow front aquarium. I own a seaclone 100, and have had ok results with it (takes some time and patience to zero it in). There are much better skimmers out there. It all depends on if you plan on doing a HOB skimmer or an in-sump setup. A seaclone 100 would be adequate for a 50 gallon tank.
I don't have a whole lot of experience with the T5 or HQI metal halide lighting systems. I have a 130 watt PC fixture on my 28 and with that lighting I can support most all soft corals.
I purchase my RO water, don't know much about the systems out there. Will look into when I move down to Florida in December and get a bigger tank!
Fiji is going to be your most common type of LR. Don't go to a aquarium shop and pay $7-$8 a pound. You can find LR all over craigslist for half that price. Learn who close to you is in the hobby and if they have any connections. It will save you a boat load of money! I have Aragonite for a sand bed. IMO you should have between 1.5 and 3 inches of sand. Be sure to place your LR in the tank on the bottom glass and not on top of your sand.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask. There are a lot of experienced folks on this site that will be able to help you out. Good luck and post pictures of your progress.
 
bdc87

bdc87

New Member
Thank you for you reply. I actually work at a petstore but we only sell FW. I however can get a discount on the stuff we sell like a 56g Rec tank with clounm stand for $160 but I really want I bow. We do sell some saltwater products which is why I mentioned the products above, the skimmer would run me $56 and we have the caribsea live sand. I'll probably get what I can for my aquarium from the store I work at because of the good prices. But I don't want to sacrafice quality products over price. I know this hobby takes some money, time, and patience to get things right.
 
aquaguy24

aquaguy24

Active Member
go with the biggest tank u can afford...if u want no limits to wat u can add,the i suggest MH. current usa outer orbit. aqualight pro or hamilton to name a few..u want about 7 or more watts per gallon if u wanna do SPS corals..u can get away with tap water treated with chemicals but DI/RO water is best...as for live rock u can mix and match to get a look u want..CaribSea live sand is fine..i'd go with a sump/fuge if ur gonna do reef not the fluval 305.im running a pro clear wet/dry for my 90g but turning it into a sump soon...as for skimmers there are so many brands out there..which ever u get..stay away from low priced skimmer..but any skimmer is better then no skimmer..
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
hi!
i haven't had any experience with bowfront tanks, but i've heard that it's difficult to clean the glass, they are hard to aquascape, and difficult to take pictures through the curved pane.
i have also never used a seaclone skimmer, but this is the very first time i've actually heard a person recommend one. all i have heard has been negative. words like "junk" and "worthless" have been used on many occasions.
i disagree with "any skimmer is better than none". rather than buy a worthless piece of plastic that hangs on your tank, and clutters it up, put that money towards a better skimmer, or towards salt for waterchanges.
i would not use a watts per gallon rule for lighting either, due to the fact that a deeper tank will require more powerful lighting than a shallow tank(even if they both hold the same amount of water). sunlight supply, aquatinics, current, coralife, hamilton, are all decent quality. halides or t-5's will have to be your choice. i vote halides with actinic suppliment.
as far as R.O.D.I. units, they are only as good as the filters inside them. without the filters, they are just universal plastic casings, hooked together by tubing. some are more fancy with pressure guages, but you can get away without them. don't get caught up spending on a crazy expensive brand. i paid $100.00 shipped for mine, brand new.
i would not use treated tap water. i'd put an R.O.D.I. unit on my "must have" list.
mix and match the rock if you wish. just pick the most porous rock. don't buy super dense pieces. the more surface area on the rock, the better off you are. as for the sand- buy dry, sugar sized, aragonite based sand. there is no need to purchase "live sand". the dry sand will become live eventually, and it's much cheaper.
i think you should scratch the cannister filter as well. the live rock and a good quality protein skimmer are all the filtration you need.
 
bdc87

bdc87

New Member
My tank is limited by my space so 60g is the max. So I don't need the filter through any of the cycle stages? If not then I will sell it now and put the money towards a RODI Wich one do you use MR.X? Any recommendations for a skimmer around $120? Thinking about a 10G MEGAPRO Refugium Sump Wet Filter, your thoughts?
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
forgive me, but i firmy believe, that there is no such thing as a "good" protein skimmer for 120 dollars...not new anyway.
if your funds are limited, i'd try the "for sale" sections of reef forums like this one. you can get a used skimmer for about half price if you look hard enough.
you don't need a cannister filter for cycling. you don't need a cannister at all.
my thoughts on a sump are:
measure your stand on the inside, then research what basic tank will fit in it.
choose a standard size tank that has the largest footprint available that will fit in the space you have available for it, and purchase that.
partition it in 3 sections similar to a storebought sump for about 1/3 of the money, with some plastic or acrylic panels and some aquarium silicone, and your done.
i use a 100 gpd R.O.D.I. from a company called "pure water club".
it gives me 1ppm TDS, and was 100 dollars shipped to my door.
 
nuro

nuro

Member
i'vre got a coralife skimmer and i've read some bad reviews of them but i love mine, had no problems with it at all
 
bdc87

bdc87

New Member
The cannister is now for sale. I will order the 6 stage RO+2DI. Will measure the stand when I get it and put together a sump. I will also reaserch a good protein skimmer and try to find a good deal on it. I think I'm on the right track.
 
kaingers

kaingers

Member
Mr_X;2619487 said:
hi!
i haven't had any experience with bowfront tanks, but i've heard that it's difficult to clean the glass, they are hard to aquascape, and difficult to take pictures through the curved pane.
I believe you are mis-informed about bow fronts. If you do not own one and have not had experience with one, basing your judgements of them off of other peoples experiences is absurd.
i have also never used a seaclone skimmer, but this is the very first time i've actually heard a person recommend one. all i have heard has been negative. words like "junk" and "worthless" have been used on many occasions.
I stated that I own and use a seaclone and recommended looking into other skimmers. I also answered his question of if a seaclone would suffice for a 50 gallon tank.
Click to expand...
 
keith burn

keith burn

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2619487
i haven't had any experience with bowfront tanks, but i've heard that it's difficult to clean the glass, they are hard to aquascape, and difficult to take pictures through the curved pane..

Originally Posted by kaingers
http:///forum/post/2620588
I believe you are mis-informed about bow fronts. If you do not own one and have not had experience with one, basing your judgements of them off of other peoples experiences is absurd..
I have 3-26/48/72 (and love them)
And yes they are difficult to clean the bow(from experience cleaning)
And yes thay are not the best to aquascape(from experience)
And not the best to light as well
And as for pic all pic are hard IMO lol...
Imo basing your judgements of all of this off other people's experience is the only way we give the exp to others; helping to pass it on.
 
ci11337

ci11337

Active Member
seaclone sucks
T5's are best
RO system a must, unless you like hair algae
Take your time and get it right the first time
 
bdc87

bdc87

New Member
I'm now looking at a CoralLife Super Skimmer 125G NW. And do I need a wet/dry in my sump fuge?
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
kaingers;2620588 said:
Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2619487
hi!
i haven't had any experience with bowfront tanks, but i've heard that it's difficult to clean the glass, they are hard to aquascape, and difficult to take pictures through the curved pane.
I believe you are mis-informed about bow fronts. If you do not own one and have not had experience with one, basing your judgements of them off of other peoples experiences is absurd.
.

mis-informed? how can you tell me i am mis-informed about opinion? i said "i've heard". are you telling me i didn't hear it? what is the mis-informed part? did those people lie to me?
kaingers- other people will have opinions that differ from yours. it's not personal.
what is absurd is your aggressive response.
Click to expand...
 
kaingers

kaingers

Member
My apoligies for coming off aggressive Mr. X. I understand people will have their opinions. All I am trying to say is that if you have not personally experienced the complications you describe that come along with owning a bow front tank, then you are not qualified to degrade that style of tank. "Those" people who can't place their rock, clean their glass, or push a button to take a picture should probably go ahead and be placed on a disabled list. If we believed everything we read without trying it out for ourselves, we wouldn't get very far in life.
 
keith burn

keith burn

Active Member
Ok I will give you that, with a new reefer, but we all have opinions. We all cannot keep and run 1000gal tanks but we can use the experience of the 125gal we have and the experience of others to form our own opinions. We, as humans, pass on what we know by what we say and what we write; if we use what others have learned, the experience will be passed on. Being able to pass on our experiences and our wisdom to the next generation is what separates us from the apes.
 
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