to those new at this but wants a reef tank
- Thread starter rustytank
- Start date
flower
Well-Known Member
I know you were trying to be helpful and I appreciate that, I added a few points to your post to help clarify, and challenged a couple, I hope you don't mind.
Originally Posted by RustyTank http:///forum/thread/385456/to-those-new-at-this-but-wants-a-reef-tank#post_3380449
To all of those who wants to start a marine aquarium bit still not satisfied in a fish only tank and a FOWLR tank here are some ways set up a reef tank. Expenses will be depending on the environment for example to those rich people out their that runs their air conditioning units out their wit the temperature 72-78 Degrees Fahrenheit or 22-26 Degrees Celsius you will not need a chiller because the water in the tank will be the same as the external temperature, but one thing you'll need to do for this to happen is to ventilate all external sources of heat like for example the lighting system. If your in a hot or cold place you'll need either heater or a chiller to keep a stable aquarium temperature.
so here are the things you'll need
a stand
the aquarium acrylic or glass (50 gallon)
2 T5 lights (39 watts ~ 3 feet / 863 mm)
A 100w heater/1/4hp chiller (depending on the environment)
40lbs of live sand
50 gallon salt water mix
some live rock at least 20% of the water volume of you aquarium not including the volume of the live sand (conversion link)
and a protein skimmer
(30 Gallon)/canister filter/sump
a calcium reactor(optional) if you don't have the money to buy a reactor you can just buy supplements
if you choose to go for the sump you'll need
a return pump
some lighting
live sand
activated carbon
ceramic rings
some water lining hose or PVC (we will be going for a gravity fed system to the sump which means you'll do some sucking to get the water moving)
in a reef tank setup biological filtration is not that recommended unless you'd like to grow lots of algae so a good skimmer is important to control the algae growth.
mily: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; color: red; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN">Natural (biological) filtration is very important in a reef tank, and algae is a natural part of keeping fish. There is good algae and bad algae. We use CUCs of snails and such to keep the algae cleaned up.
Week one
curing of the live rock and assembling the tank
1.prepare the saltwater in a container measuring the specific gravity in between 1.023 and 1.025
2.rinse the live rock in a bucket of prepared saltwater to rid of unwanted debris. and arrange the live rocks in the tank as desired(placing the lie rock first is important because if a fish digs into the sand it might take the foundation of the rocks causing it to collapse)
3.pour the sand into the aquarium and surround the live rocks.
4. and carefully fill the aquarium with the prepared salt water.
5. install the equipment. filters lighting, etc. (run the equipment but don't turn the lights n yet to avoid undesired algae growth)
6.for the next four weeks perform a 50% water change and check for ammonia and nitrite this should be zero and also check for the pH. levels should be 8.1-8.4.
week five. LOL...you mention water parameters but never say how to get those numbers. The most important thing when you do a saltwater tank is use your test kits which you never mentioned. Time means nothing, you can set up a tank and unless you do something to kick start a cycle nothing is going to happen. So saying week 5 do this or that is not how to decide to add anything. We use a chunk of raw shrimp to do that (not a live critter to suffer).
adding the first inhabitants
1. you'll need some hermit crabs some snails, never add star fish they'll consume calcium most corals are made of calcium We have star fish why would you say NEVER
2. use a timer to control the lighting of the tank on and of every 12 hours (if having sump simultaneous wit the sump. display tank lights on sump light off Unless you have macro algae doing this means nothing.
week seven
adding your first corals
1. perform a water change at least 25%
2. acclimate and place the corals on the live rocks
(you can add some polyps and mushroom corals)
week nine
adding more corals
(polyps, mushroom, and some other corals as long as their compatible to one another)
week eleven and thirteen
1. perform another water change at least 25%
2.add a total of 8 fish all should be reef safe and wont eat shrimps 2 scarlet cleaner shrimp, and 3 Hawaii feather duster 8 fish in a 50g tank and then add another 3 is WAY overstocked unless you select very small SW fish. In my 90g I have never had more than 8 fish, and only one medium sized..the rest small. You can only add maybe 2 fish a month never try and stock the tank all at one time.
3. and after another 2 week perform another water change and you can add another 3 fish
keep watch on the water parameters.
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WATER PARAMETERS
Parameter
Suggested Level FO
Suggested Level FOWLR
Suggested Level Reef
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Specific Gravity
1.020-1.025
1.020-1.025
1.023-1.025
Temperature
72-78°F
72-78°F
72-78°F
pH
8.1-8.4
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8.1-8.4
8.1-8.4
Alkalinity
8-12 dKH
8-12 dKH
8-12 dKH
Ammonia (NH3)
Undetectable
Undetectable
Undetectable
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Nitrite (NO2)
Undetectable
Undetectable
Undetectable
Nitrate – Nitrogen (NO3)
< 30.0 ppm
< 30.0 ppm
< 1.0 ppm
Phosphate (PO4)
< 1.0 ppm
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< 1.0 ppm
< 0.2 ppm
Calcium
350-450 ppm
350-450 ppm
350-450 ppm
Magnesium
1150-1350 ppm
1150-1350 ppm
1250-1350 ppm
Iodine
0.04-0.10 ppm
0.04-0.10 ppm
0.06-0.10 ppm
Strontium
4-10 ppm
4-10 ppm
8-14 ppm
perform water changes at least once a month and for healthier corals check for the Calcium, Iodine, etc. as on the table above.
Enjoy your tank and Good luck.....
1guydude
Well-Known Member
hmmm....Welcome to the site! I know ur tryin to be heplful but i also disagree with some of the things said here. :/
I dont know how long uve been doing this, prob longer than i but idk.....
Everyones got their own way of doing things i guess
I dont even need a chiller lol i live in Wa where the weather is usually pretty wet and mild!~ but watever welcome rusty!
I dont know how long uve been doing this, prob longer than i but idk.....
Everyones got their own way of doing things i guess
I dont even need a chiller lol i live in Wa where the weather is usually pretty wet and mild!~ but watever welcome rusty!
btldreef
Moderator
There are many topics that already exist with much better advice than what you are giving here in this thread in the Recommended Threads in the New Hobbyist section. Please go read through them before posting up incorrect information. We do our best to try to keep incorrect information off the site.