setup suggestions

grizzy

New Member
Suggestions or comments on any and all phases of my setup is greatly appreciated. I plan on keeping 5 or so small fish (percs, gobies, & a bangaii,) and these corals--- anchor, frogspawn, trumpet/candy, torch, pagoda, button polyps.
Tank-- 55gl drilled w/ 20gl sump
Skimmer-- Euro Reef ES-5 model 2. Which pump should I use to send the water back to the tank? Any info on this new skimmer?
LR-- 70 lbs. from Gulfview.com
LS-- 3-4" dsb of southdown. Any good "live sands" or products to seed it?
Lighting-- 440w VHO (Ice Cap) 2Actinic URI/2Aquasun URI 48" bulbs.
Hood-- DIY. How high should I mount the VHO's? How many fans?
Powerheads-- ??? How many? GPH? Brand?
Heater-- Wattage and brand?
Test kits-- What tests will I need to begin?
Critters-- What type of crew? How many snails, crabs, etc?
Hydrometer-- Good type and brand?
 

josh

Active Member
Originally posted by Grizzy
Suggestions or comments on any and all phases of my setup is greatly appreciated. I plan on keeping 5 or so small fish (percs, gobies, & a bangaii,) and these corals--- anchor, frogspawn, trumpet/candy, torch, pagoda, button polyps.
Tank-- 55gl drilled w/ 20gl sump
Skimmer-- Euro Reef ES-5 model 2. Which pump should I use to send the water back to the tank? Any info on this new skimmer?
Great skimmers, can't go wrong there. How high is the reurn going to be back to the tank? Are you going to have any junctions are valves in the return?
LR-- 70 lbs. from Gulfview.com
Sounds good, I have heard pretty good things about them. They come with a lot of life so be prepared for a long cycle.
LS-- 3-4" dsb of southdown. Any good "live sands" or products to seed it?
Go with atleast a 4", no less than that. As around you area, surely there is a local reefer that can give some sand. Once the cycle has completed get a good sand activator kit ( det kit ) I would reommend inland aquatics.
Lighting-- 440w VHO (Ice Cap) 2Actinic URI/2Aquasun URI 48" bulbs.
Sounds good, you won't want to upgrade to MH down the line will you? If so just get it straight away and save some money.
Hood-- DIY. How high should I mount the VHO's? How many fans?
Once again, make sure you want VHO... very good lights don't get me wrong but trying to save you headaches. For VHO just a few inches would be find. I would run to fans, one on each end of the canopy, one blowing in and one out.
Powerheads-- ??? How many? GPH? Brand
You will want atleast 10X the gallonage. No remeber the return pump will add to that. as for brand, get maxi jets. A sea swirl would be nice for the return pump.
Heater-- Wattage and brand?
I would get two, just incase on dies. Won bros titanium heaters are nice and you don't have to worry bout them breaking as with the glass ones. I would get 2 150 watt.
Test kits-- What tests will I need to begin?
I would get the seachem pachage that includes pH, ammonia, trates and trites.
Then once you goto a reef ( months down the line ) Get either laMotte or salifert calcium and alk kits
Critters-- What type of crew? How many snails, crabs, etc?
Get as many snails as you can fit in there, atleast one per gallon. Get nassarius and cerith snails and one or two fightings conchs for the bed. I would stay away from crabs, they are omnivores and can eat the corals.
Hydrometer-- Good type and brand?
They are all pretty much the same. If you have the money get a refractometer as the float types tend to be unrealiable.
 
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