Starting small, need help, confused!!!

[Mouse]

My suggestion would be that if you dont intend on using MH or a Ca reactor to go for a very small tank, like a nano reef. Its just that if you go big and budget you will spend allot of money on something that's really not that worthwhile without these pieces of equipment.

On the other hand why dont you go for the bigger tank, save money by not buying MH or Ca reactor and go for a FOWLR, (fish only with live rock). Then at a later date you can upgrade to a reef and spend allot on decent MH lights and a good reactor. In the meantime what you have saved on the lights going for a FOWLR can be spent on a decent skimmer, i really cannot stress the importance of this piece of equipment. Your circulation on a FOWLR is going to be considerably less, so agin you will save money there. But what i would do is possibly have the tank drilled ready for a closed loop circulation system and just block off the holes untill you can get the better pumps that are required to keep corals. What do you think, get back to us and we will devise a cunning plan.

 

[Miklos]

Well, I was reading the GARF site and Fenner's book.Both sources suggest that I can just use vho lighting and keep most of the corals I want including hard corals .They also both suggest strong skimmers and powerheads.Both sources also say I can keep up calcium and other vital elements up with weekly doses of additives.I assume you do not suggest this method due to the constant replacement of vho bulbs and additives.But I like this route beacuse it is simple and seems easy to maintain.When I saved alot of money after college,getting a career,and paying back loans(hundred years from now!!!,just kidding),I will then buy a 180 gallon tank witha calcium reactor,lifreef sump and strong skimmer.But fopr now I might be able to setup this 75 g tank at the college and have teachers take care of it during the summer.I do not want to go with small tank due to the problems associated with small tanks(rapid changes in ph,temp,and salinity)
Nick

 

[reefatic]

You will be fine with the VHO for softies and most LPS. I would suggest a mix of actinic and 50/50 with maybe an aquasun thrown in for good measure. Use the URI brand as they are the best. Search for the sand threads by Dr Ron on reefcentral.com for everything you want to know about sandbeds. Precision Marines HOT-1 is a great hang on skimmer, and would be fine for your application, but it is much easier and better in the long run to go with a sump. It increases work space, water volume, versitility, skimmer options, cleans-up the look of the tank, and is just plain better IMO. There are many ways to make them virtually silent as well, just do some research on sump designs. If you do decide to go sumpless, expect to have 3 or 4 maxijets in the tank, a heater, your skimmer, and perhaps a place to put carbon occasionally. A CPR backpac skimmer gives you a little "sump space" in its bio chamber to put your heater and/or carbon if you need it.
The only additives I would add are salt water for water changes and B-ionic 2 part calcium additive daily. The rest are not necessary, trust me.
Your fish choices are fine for a 75, but the tang police will say that a yellow tang in a 75 will need a new tank in a year or two.
The best place I have found to buy dry goods is reeffanatic.com, they have the best prices I have found on most everything. There are even coupons floating around for them.
Don't believe everything GARF tells you, or fenner either for that matter. Read everything you can get your hands on. You could easily have MH lighting without a chiller, all you need is a couple of fans in the canopy. You don't need to add anything but calcium, the Instant Ocean salt mix will have all of the necessary trace elements to sustain your corals. Keep up the research and spend that money wisely. I am spending half of that 3000 on my 75 (36x24x20) and have a calcium reactor, Icecap VHO, metal halide, great skimmer, plenty of water movement, 90 pounds of rock, sand, and all of the rest of the fixins. One more thing, GET AN RO/DI UNIT!! Water quality is one of the most important things there is in this hobby. OK, enough from me. Take what I said with a grain of salt, read what everyone else is doing as well. This is what I have learned from years of research, but there are a million other good ways to do it. You will find one.

 

[Mouse]

I would just like to add that a CA reactor will eventually save you money in the long run when compared to the cost of dosing b-ionic. But thats calculated over a long pereod of time. From what your suggesting by the way of care and maintenance over the summer i would still highly recomend a FOWLR system. Still its up to you.

 

[Miklos]

Well I reread some parts of my six books ,alot of articles on this site and now I am very confused,I do not have the money,with going to college to afford a large tank.The largest tank I can buy is the 75 gallon tank which I will give myself a three thousand dollars spending range to setup and stock the tank.I was going to go with a 180 or 125,but that would cost probaly over five thousand dollars to setup and stock.I prefer to not use certain equipment due to problems that might arise and cost.First off,I would like to not use a calcium reactor due to the excessive equipment needed to use it.I also prefer not to use metal halide lighting due to the amount of heat they cause and the probality that I will need to buy a chiller.I would also prefer not to use a sump due to the noise and problems that might arise.Well I prefer to use a HO protein skimmer such as an aquamedic turbofloater 1000 HO.I also prefer to use an icecap hood with 4 110 vho bulbs and keep lots of Indo-pacific soft corals and fish.I plan on using aquacultured rock and some cb fish.Now the questions.1)The best places to buy the fish and equipment? 2) How deep a sand bed and where to buy dry sand and what types and where should I buy my Live sand from? 3)Could I keep a yellow tank,flame angel,two percual clowns ,one banngai cardinal and one firefish? 4) Can I get some ideas what are the best skimmers to buy and will I be fine adding two tablespoons twice a week of Seachem additives like reef calcium,reef plus, and reef complete.Also would I be fine adding two table spoons with one gallon of freshwater with reef advantage and reef calcium changing each additive powder each week per instructions from GARF.Would this be enough for the corals with additions of phytoplankton (actually that is three questions)?Please offer me alot of suggestions and advice ,tell me if I am on the right start and ask me questions so I can learn how to improve on my site.
Nick