I'm starting over! Looking for advice on a new reef (long)

[chromeweasel]

I'm moving in few months so I want to take this opportunity to either do everything right or get out of reefing. I've been mildly reefing for about 5 years in a very sub-optimal setup. By sub-optimal I mean I've been stuck with the following setup due to space reasons:

45 gallon pentagon tank
120 watts of PC lights
50-100 pounds of live rock
50 pounds live sand
3 powerheads on wavemaker cycle
temp range of 78-82 F
no sump
no controllers
no filters
no skimmer (got rid of it and tank actually improved IMO)
limited access to inside of tank

The live sand may not really be 'live' at this point. Its in the reef and I bought it as live sand, but I had several crashes and I've never seen any bristlewoms. I realize that's not the only thing that makes sand 'live' but I don't see any real life in there and have not noticed any pod activity over the past 2 years. I have not kept any sand-sifters like gobies or starfish that would have depleted it: I just don't see any evidence that's it's live and I feel it's worth pointing out since I'll be transferring it unless I'm told otherwise.

So I've only used PC lights and only attempted soft corals due to my lighting and filtration limitations. I've really tried to keep only the "easiest" things in all manners. Currently mushrooms, soft corals, bubble coral, and polyps. I've suceeded with them but havent seen a lot of growth. This is ok, I just dont want things dieing on me. I've gone the same direction with fish: I have just 2 perculas in the reef and a smaller (20 gal)FOWLR tank for a gold striped maroon clown and a snowflake moray.

Right now the tanks pretty much chug along on their own. I have to clean the 20 gallon tank regularly, but the reef is pretty self-maintaining. I dose B-ionic and do a water change here and there and thats about it. I don't want to spend a lot of time messing with the tanks, but my understanding is that if I set everything up right from the start, I wont have to.

So my plan right now is to by a 90-150 gallon tank and transfer the reef to it. I'll be making sure there is an overflow and sump, and I am thinking about all new lights for it. Possibly Metal Halide and PC or HO. I havent looked into lighting much in the past 2 years other than changing my own bulbs. So this is what I last undertood was ideal for a reef.

I expect that a proper setup with overflow and sump along with greater water volume and better lights will make the reef healthier overall. My goal is to create a peaceful reef that's as low-maintenance as I can make it. I'm looking for any advice on things I can add to the setup to reduce daily/weekly maintence. I realize that I need to mess with the tank to change the water, scrape off coraline, add some chemicals, and so on. But I want to make that as infrequent as reasonably possible. If there are products out in the last 2 years that make a big difference in maintenance I wouldnt know about them at this point.

Still with me? Sorry this post is so long!

I would plan on keeping (* denotes its already in my tank):

*Ricordea
*Purple Mushrooms
*Bubble Coral
Open Brain
*Button Polyps
*Green Star Polyps
*Featherdusters
Colt
Bubble Anenome
Elegance? (was kind of a mystery last I was on these boards)
Hammer/Anchor
Frogspawn
Torch
I dont care about SPS or clams

Yellow Tang
*2 Perculas
Flame, Coral Beauty, or Bicolor Angel
Sixline Wrasse
Royal Gramma
Longnosed Hawkfish
Coral Banded Shrimp
*Red Serpent Star
*various snails and hermits

So with all that said, metal halide lights may be overboard or may be a great idea anyways. I'm not sure. I want to keep things that are relatively low-risk as you can see from my intended lists. I hope to set up either mangroves or green macro in the sump. And with a tang it would not be problematic if it makes it into the reef (I think). I'll continue to use my wavemaker in the new reef but I'll buy bigger powerheads and set them up at alternate ends. I don't know anything about controllers and I dont plan to use any mechanical filtration. I don't plan to add a skimmer.

Any comments on my ideas? Thanks for reading this very long post.

 

[Len]

Wow, that sure is long

MH is still considered the best lighting. The only thing that has really changed is the addition of T5 lighting, which are currently the most efficient fluorsecent lighting.

Things to get to reduce regular maintanence:
1) Skimmer. I know you said you didn't want one, but this is by far the best way to regularly remove nutrients from the tank, thus reducing your need to water change.
2) Dosing pump to help top off the tank automatically. Some can dose multiple additives (e.g. Vario) so you can use it to dose any combination of additives in addition to freshwater.
3) A Calcium reactor is nice, even if you don't have hard corals. Dissolving aragonite has many long-term advantages for all your animals and will help keep you tank more stable.
4) Refugium is also another way to keep your tank more stable and nutrient poor over an extended period of time.
5) A controller can give you great peace of mind by logging the tank, paging you when there's a problem, and controlling all your electric devices. It's not needed if you're around, but if you plan to travel, I highly recommend the Neptune Aquacontroller.

Aside from that, the tank really shouldn't take much time to care for. Maybe others have some further ideas.

 

[Anonymous]

All I would add is to get the largest tank you can afford and make sure it is reef ready. Then I would say ditto to Len's post.

 

[jandree22]

All I would add is to get the largest tank you can afford and make sure it is reef ready. Then I would say ditto to Len's post.

i was gonna say the same exact thing. as hard as it is for me to fight the urge to go full blown reef, I'm gonna try to keep my 75gal sumpless and FOWLR until I'm outa college and get a more permanent residence and more money to work with. then I'm gonna go all out with a 180-220gal reef ready tank, halides, a quality efficient skimmer, etc. etc. I've learned that skimping out in the beginning will only come back to haunt you with dissappointment in the end. For once I plan to do it right

As you've probably realized, a semi-satisfying tank really ends up being not that satisfying at all... either go all out the right way or just save your dough, IMO. Skimping out by not getting a *quality* skimmer is a mistake, especially if you're looking to lower your water change maintenance. To keep the same water quality in a skimmerless tank, you'll almost definately have to up the water change amount or frequency, probably both. Also, if you aren't scared off by the initial price tags, it never hurts to go metal halide...unless you get double ended bulbs with no UV lens, but that's a different story

Also, in case you're not aware, any angel poses a possible threat to corals... although the 3 you've listed should be minimal. Also, hawks generally have an appetite for shrimp :wink: Finally, if you're crazy about all the lil critters that live in your sand/rocks, kiss them buhbye when you introduce a Six Line wrasse.