interested in starting a reef

[darkfenix]

Hi I've recently been looking into starting a saltwater tank I've kept fresh water for some time now but have always really wanted my own reef I have the 46 gallon tank,stand, heater,thermometer,canister filter. I planned to go and grab a protein skimmer, salt,some live rock, hydrometer is there anything else i would need besides this?

Is there any recommended type of lighting and how much rock is reasonable for a 46g bowfront?

Thanks in advance

 

[Anonymous]

Look into what kind of corals you want to keep. I didn't know and I got a Power Compact, then got Metal Halides because I wanted an anemone and sps corals.

Also consider what type of fish you want to keep, because I found out the 2nd skimmer I got isn't sufficient so I got a 3rd.

There is more to know, but I think more experienced reefers should explain.

 

[mr_X]

alot of us would agree that a cannister filter is not the best way to go on a SW tank. live rock and a skimmer is fine, and IMO the cannister will quickly collect detritous, and will produce nitrate.
i would either have the tank drilled for an internal overflow, or purchase a HOB overflow and implement a sump, to increase total water volume and make the tank easier to maintain(you can add your top-off water and any suppliments, and keep your protein skimmer in the sump).
as far as the live rock, some say 1 pound per gallon. i think you should add as much live rock to the tank that you can fit, and it still be pleasing to the eye. also keep in mind that you will want to have a good amount of circulation in the tank to keep uneaten food and fish waste suspended for as long as possible, so the protein skimmer can remove it. saying that, i would look into some powerheads.
the protein skimmer you choose should be rated for a much larger tank(most manufacturers over-rate their skimmers).
what will you keep in this tank? will you have corals or just fish?
if it's just fish, choose whatever lighting you think will make the tank look good. if it's corals, then you need to decide what corals you will keep, and then choose your lighting accordingly. if you are to keep corals, i suggest purchasing the strongest lights possible now, so not to do what most of us did, and end up buying lights over and over. read the threads marked "sticky" at the top of each subject. there is alot of useful info there. :wink:

 

[darkfenix]

ok so i can scrap the canister for the tank and just add it to one of my other fresh tanks. and instead go with purhaps 5'' of sand for alot of water control purhaps 50lbs of live rock. (not sure how to set up a sump seen lotsa diagrams but still a little confused as to how it all goes togather but grabbing a skimmer for sure since it seems recomended. and some powerheads

As for lighting I was looking at the SPS hard coarls with some mushroom and anemone mixed in and purhaps farther down the line an urchin or starfish. as for actual fish I was most interested in :
Ocellaris clownfish
any pseudochromis
some gobies
any butterfly

so if theres any particular type of lighting that works well and is cost effiecent for a tank 36'' long I'd be thankful for its identicication lol

 

[Anonymous]

ok so i can scrap the canister for the tank and just add it to one of my other fresh tanks. and instead go with purhaps 5'' of sand for alot of water control purhaps 50lbs of live rock. (not sure how to set up a sump seen lotsa diagrams but still a little confused as to how it all goes togather but grabbing a skimmer for sure since it seems recomended. and some powerheads

As for lighting I was looking at the SPS hard coarls with some mushroom and anemone mixed in and purhaps farther down the line an urchin or starfish. as for actual fish I was most interested in :
Ocellaris clownfish
any pseudochromis
some gobies
any butterfly

so if theres any particular type of lighting that works well and is cost effiecent for a tank 36'' long I'd be thankful for its identicication lol

As for sumps... http://stickycricket.com/aquarium/tank_ ... iagram.htm
http://dslinux.dyndns.org/~denise/aquar ... l#drilling
http://www.melevsreef.com/55g/55sump.html

I'm currently building my sump. I'm basing it on Haole's....
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/sho ... ump&page=3

For lights. You will need Metal Halide for your setup. You could get away with power compact for some SPS (assuming its placed at very top) but may not be adequate for an anemone. Both sps and anemone require a well established tank of 6 months (I broke the rule ;-))

Metal Halides get spendy. I spent over $700 on lights for my 50 gallon, but I've seen them sell for half the price for used ones. You can also get DIY kit, which is economical.

As far as list of fish. I dont know.

 

[Mike612]

Butterflies are not for beginner aquarists. They require excellent water quality to survive. Also, most butterflies pick at coral, anemones, and some invertebrates; therefore, they are not suited for reefs. Butterflies also need at least 75 gallons in my opinion to do well. A 46 gallon is too small for them.

In terms of pseudochromis, most are very aggressive. I've heard good things about tank bred pseudochromis, but I have no experience with them so I'll let someone else chime in to discuss it.

 

[mr_X]

i found this light on ebay....this will work for ya...
http://cgi.ebay.com/36-442W-Metal-Halid ... dZViewItem
you'll probably need to buy better bulbs then it comes with, but it's a good price.