Setting Up New Reef Tank

[saltwater2]

I am starting to set up a reef tank. The tank is a 56 gal tank. 30 inches long 18 inch.wide. 24 1/2 inches high. I need to know if uncured rock is the way to go to cycle the tank the best? I would like some feedback on the right protein skimmer to use. Is the seaclone brand sufficient for the protein skimmer. When starting a tank do you use live sand with uncured rocks? Also the lighting I am concerned about. With the tank being 30 inches long I am limited. I need lighting good enough for coral. I can't hang the lighting fixture. I have a 9 foot ceiling.
I would appreciate any feedback on these questions I have regarding my new tank setup. By the way I use to have saltwater tanks about (3) years ago. Since then I have been into freshwater. I did have a 46 bowfront reef tank then. I just need some help again getting started.
Thanks.

 

[ice4ice]

First off, you need to cure your live rock in a separate rubbermaid container of sorts to take care of alot of die offs during shipping. This process will take approx. 4 - 8 weeks. Cured live rock still need to be cured as well but won't take as long.
Seaclone skimmers are garbage. Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel w/pump is not a bad to start with. There are other good brands as well. Stay away from Prizm skimmers - they're no good either.
You can get PC lighting but then again it depends on what of type of corals you're planning on getting.

 

[saltwater2]

Thanks for the feedback. I heard that you can finishing curing the live rock in a new tank. Right now my tank is empty. Can I get the uncured live rock and cure it in the tank? That should help cycle the tank with a protein skimmer. I was told to not use any light in the tank until the rock was cured. Also, should I use live sand when I put in the uncured rock?
I appreciate the information on the protein skimmer. I will check into getting a coralife super skimmer w/pump.
I have been checking the websites about lighting for my tank. Since my tank is only 30 inches long I am limited to the kind of lighting that I can get.
I do want to have corals in the tank. I know I want to have an anemone. What is your suggestions on these questions I have, since I am fairly new at this again.
I would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks

 

[teresaq]

yes you can cycle your tank with uncured rock. I would just scrub it good in another container before putting into your tank. your cycle should tanks 6 weeks or so anyway, so its good to start everything together.
as far as lighting. Do you have a canopy?I just bought one for my 150 gal for 199.00. If you want info on where to look, e-mail me. m0m24 at earthlink dot net. if you want unlimited corals, then vho or mh or a combo of both in a canopy would be the way to go.
I used an aqua remora pro on my 55 gal and it did a great job.

 

[saltwater2]

I appreciate the feedback.
I have a glass top on my tank. I need a lighting system that can sit on the glass top. One that won't heat up the tank. I am having trouble though finding a strong enough light system that come in a 30 inch long size. That I can use to keep corals in. My tank is a 56 gal. It is only 30 inches long. 18inches deep and 24 1/2 inches high. Any suggestions? One other question do you use live sand when you start with uncured rocks in your tank?
I was wondering what happens if you start with cured live rock from the store instead of getting it on line. What happens to the rock when you are cycling the tank. Will the organism die off on the rocks while the tank is cycling? With the ammonia etc spiking?
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks! :notsure:

 

[cymbal67]

you can cycle with uncured rock, you can cycle with anything you want to. the difference is going to be how long will it take. that will all depend on the condition of the rock being used.
on lighting, i had the same issue, needed strong lighting and i have a 118g corner so i was limited on space. i had to find something that would fit into a 25x14 space. coralife makes a retro fit with those dimensions, we didnt even have to move anything on the setup, just bend the sides in a little. they also make a non-retro fit kit that may work for you as well. i think its 24x15. it comes with either a 150w hqi MH and 2 65w actinics and 2 led moonlights. or one with a 250w hqi MH and the rest being the same. my tank is 30" deep and i still only went with the 150w seeing how it was HQI. it is a great light!!!! lots of glow effect with the actinics and moons.

 

[chipmaker]

Makes no sense at all to cycle your rock in a separate tank, Put it in yur tank and start the cycle. 30 inxch lights are not rare. Checkout some Coral life lights. I would get rid of thre glass top however as it is going to lead to a lot of hedaches like salt creep and also retain heat, plus salt spray will obscure the glass and diffuse the lights on top. Better to go without any top and suspend or mount lights above the tank on a chain or legs than place on top of glass tops. I would scrub the rock that 9you get "very lightly" so you do not remove any good stuff. If it was mine I would not scrub the rocks at all........fresh or dechlorinated wtaer or rodi will kill any good stuff as well as bad stuff on a rock coraline included, so if yur gonna scrub em at alal use a salt water mix even if its a weak one like 1.020 to do it with.

 

[saltwater2]

I Appreciate The Feedback.
I wanted to mention that I have to leave on the glass top. I have the tank as a display tank in my waiting room for my music lessons. I can't keep an eye on kids waiting in that room. I can tell them, but you know kids they are curious. I feel that they might throwsomething inside of the tank if the glass was left off. I can't mount it on the ceiling because the ceiling is 9 ft. high.
I am interested in finding a lighting system that can stand on legs on top of the glass and have the light still reach inside the depth of the tank. Remember I have a 24 1/2 inch high 56 gal. My tank is only 30 inches long and 18 inches deep. I would appreciate any feedback on strong enough lightning for that size tank. With the tank being 30 inches in length. I have been looking on different websites for my lightning system. I can only find compact systems for 30 long which does not have enough wattage for corals inside.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks

Judy