What am I getting my self into. Can anyone help.

black777

black777

Member
My brother had salt water fish, I loved how he had his tank set up. I never dreamed it would cost about 1000.00 to start off. My sister inlaw bought me a fresh water tank at xmas 10 gal. I traded it in so I could go salt water.
I've read for a few hrs on this message board and wow, you guys sure know alot, and man your so helpfull to those you've replied to.
This is what I want to do: Get a 75 gal tank. Get a wet/dry. Get a skimmer. Get live sand. Get about 50 lbs of live rock.
What type of wet/dry should I get, what type of skimmer, I've read 1.5 lbs of rock for ever gal of water, and 3-4" of live sand. What's the best heater, and how big. What's the best water Power heads for moving the water. :notsure:
I haven't bought anything yet, so I'm going to take this slow. Please help with some info, I know can help. My wife and I are looking to have so much fun with this new hobby.
 
kamaqazi21

kamaqazi21

Member
First of all welcome! :happyfish
Well first you guys should descide what you want. A fish only with live rock, or a reef tank. Since you guys are just starting off i would recommend going with the fish only with live rock. Also reef tanks can get really expensive with the lighting and all the extra stuff you need to buy for the coral. So i think its best to go with FOWLR (the abbreviation).
Live rock costs anywhere from 4-7 dollars per pound, fiji is the most popular
You should use aragonite sand by carbisea about 60lbs of it and another 20lbs of live sand
With FOWLR you should go with powercompact lighting by coralife a 50/50 setup, that is one white tube and one blue tube.
About the wet/dry and skimmer, i think that you should consider and refugium i know they are better than the wet/dry and are more efficent. I do not have alot of knowledge about the wet/dry and skimmers so maybe other can also give you their input.
Hope i helped
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Originally Posted by black777
My brother had salt water fish, I loved how he had his tank set up. I never dreamed it would cost about 1000.00 to start off. My sister inlaw bought me a fresh water tank at xmas 10 gal. I traded it in so I could go salt water.
I've read for a few hrs on this message board and wow, you guys sure know alot, and man your so helpfull to those you've replied to.
This is what I want to do: Get a 75 gal tank. Get a wet/dry. Get a skimmer. Get live sand. Get about 50 lbs of live rock.
What type of wet/dry should I get, what type of skimmer, I've read 1.5 lbs of rock for ever gal of water, and 3-4" of live sand. What's the best heater, and how big. What's the best water Power heads for moving the water. :notsure:
I haven't bought anything yet, so I'm going to take this slow. Please help with some info, I know can help. My wife and I are looking to have so much fun with this new hobby.
Check the area for a used system...paper,craigslist.org, that big auction site and the classified board here....someone could be selling a very nice used system close to you.
 
fishieness

fishieness

Active Member
man, i wish i was doing everything your doing before i started. lol
yesh, before you decide what you need, decide what you want. that can help us choose the best decision for you.
and see if your area or state has a local reef club. her in CT, there is C.T.A.R.S. and you can just about always find something that you need that someone has for sale. plus we get up to 20% off some different local fish stores around the state. and once a month we have meetings with raffles that include anything from salt and frags to metal halide lighting! in a reef club, you can get used stuff very cheep, and new stuff discounted. try searching google for on in your area.
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
Hello! Welcome!
You all are at the right place. These folks are SHARP. Kama is correct about deciding what you want to keep. If you intend to add coral later, for example, you can make allowances now that will save time and money later.
EIther FOWLR or Reef, get the best skimmer you can afford. This will keep your water in better shape. This device becomes more important as your bio-load increases.
Expensive Lighting can wait if ya decide to go with FOWLR or want to postpone the reef. SOme lighting for your 75 (We have a 75) will cost several hundred to nearly 1000 dollars. :scared:
If you are planning on a reef eventually, then turnover rate will become important. A closed loop is preferable, but power heads do a good job. They are just more overt. 20 to 30 times(I think) is the number for a sps coral tank. THis is total movement from filters and power heads, etc. SORRY to be long winded. . .HTH
So what is it gonna be? FO, FOWLR, or the REEF PLUNGE!! Let the madness begin. . .
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Black, where are you located cause I know a guy who wants to sell his complete 120 set up. Complete with fish, LR, LS, sump, predrilled tank, al that jive...
Oh and as far as brands... Maxijet PH's are very reliable, Euroreef skimmer although it's expensive, I think the cheaper knock off is called ESM. And for heater size you'd want 3 watts per gallon, two smaller heaters will be more reliable than one large if it fails...
 
sleeper

sleeper

Member
Not sure why he needs PC 50/50 lighting just for a FOWLR...?
Black, I would go for it if you get a good deal but I wouldn't go out of your way to get "mid-level" lighting just for fish...
Anyway, BEST OF LUCK!!
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
Hi, and welcome. Maxi jet 1200 are really good power heads. and check out a aqua remora pro skimmer. I just love mine. I would shop on line for most supplies. I got the maxi jets for under 20 each, and the place i shop has them and other things on sale right now. I have the catologs sent to my house, and i can compare prices at home. Good luck with your tank.
 
black777

black777

Member
Well I think it sounds like fish and live rook first, I'll slowly work up to reef. So forgive me for this ? but mmmm what is a close loop. I want to go with a drilled tank, 3-4" of live sand, 50 lbs of live rook and the clean up crew I need to start the action, sycle.
 
black777

black777

Member
great, I love the idea of two heaters you guys sure know how to cover your self from a bad heater. this is good. After reading and all the help people are giving in this message board I'm going to feel a lot better on starting a tank. But I might have to wait another mouth or two. But I feel having a tank, you must have lots of patience. You guys have tought me this already.
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
A closed loop is an external pump that draws water from your tank and pumps it right back in. This is more powerfull usually and much neater looking than powerheads. There are closed loops that hang on/over the top of the tank. AND there are closed loops, sometimes with many ports, that use drilled holes in the back of the tank.
 
black777

black777

Member
Ok thanks. How many holes are drilled and were about in the tank.bottom, middle, near the top. I think the size of tank I want is 48" wide, 18" deep, and 20" high. Now is that a good size. Or would a 24" high be better, with the 24" high I herd that the lighting is not so good for coral. And for a 20" deep is it normal or is that to deep. I'm new at this so pleace for give me for the silly ? But I just want to buy a tank that is right for me. I'd love to go wide but for a start this is all I want to go with. Thanks.
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
I have seen some pretty elaborate setups on here with multiple holes for return and suction. I don't have any experience with a CL yet. THere is a bunch of posts about plumbing that deal with it and flow rates, how to build fuges, baffle placements, pump flow loss in different fittings. . . . :notsure:
Do some searches on plumbing and closed loops. THis is something that will be better for water movement and it is easy to setup before you install the tank. Sorry I couldn't be more specific. SQUIDD is the resident plumbing guy.
 
farmboy

farmboy

Active Member
Deep tanks are a matter of choice. They look neater as a reef, but yeah, they need more intense light to penetrate.
I like longer tanks, where we can have coral but still have plenty of room for fishes to swim. I day dream of an 8 footer! It is like 220 gallons!
 
black777

black777

Member
I was talking to a guy in Subury, he is the store owner. I said I wanted to get into a 3-4" sand bed, and he knocked it down. He said the bottom gets hard and if the fish dig up the bottom, the sand will "burp" he says. This lets out the gas, I forget what type of gas, and it can throw your tank into a spin. He has a underground system. If thats what you call it. I don't know what to do now? It seems like there is four different types I'v read about. Under bed, crushed coaral, sand and bair bottom. I realy love the look of a sand bottom. And he said that the sand in the water is to hard on the inpellers on the pumps? Wow, mmmmm Lots to think about mmmmmmm help me please.
 
black777

black777

Member
I found some more stuff on this board, by Dr Ronald L. Shimek about live sand wow. I'm going with 3-4" of live sand and that's what I needed to know. My ? are being answered slowly but surly. Now instead of getting a 20" tall tank maybe I should go 24 if I'm going with 3-4" of sand, any feed back
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top