Starting my First Reef!!! Advice, help, anyone with any opinions would be great!

[nikkibabee]

Ok everyone, Not sure who needs help setting up a tank but this is my beginner's list of what I got to prepare for my tank and the pricing. Thank you Ming for your help again! I hope this helps someone. Also, if anyone sees that we missed something please let me know.

59 Gal Tank w/ Sump/ pump/ and stand $450 picked up
Rocks - Not cured - 50lbs and #15 Tonga (Cherry Picked) $197 with shipping
Digital Thermometer (2) $20 with shipping
RO Unit w/auto shut off $155.00 free shipping
Heater(100Watt for now, my apt gets hot), Salt(2 160gal Buckets), Tests, Hydrometer, mag-float (Medium), cheap powerhead for curing live rock $187.75
Float Valve $11 plus $10 shipping - Total $21
30 Gal Cube SeaHorse Tank W/Stand and Canopy(Canopy by JHale, Thanks!!) picked up
Skimmer - AquaC EV180 $250 picked up
Home Depot - Vinyl Tubing, timer, garbage bin for RO Water(32 gal, food grade), clamps, adapter $109.50
Float Valve for auto top off and TDS Meter $49.43 with shipping
Scraper, replacement blade, 2 ball valves u-tube, plastic clamps (2) with shipping $34.13 (Had $5 coupon!!)
Fans (2 small) with shipping $4
2 Bulkheads, t-adapter with shipping $21.43
70 pounds of live sand, dosing with shipping $99.97


Here are some pics!!! WooHoo..

MaxiJet 1200 for Syphon

Still Need:
nice looking powerheads - aestheticly pleasing
chiller - Probably later on
lights
aquacontroller - Probably later on
Dosing
QT with hanging filter w/bio wheel and heater - NEED ASAP


I don't think I am missing anything. It cost a lot to set up a tank. If it is your first time you should make sure your bank account can handle it!!

Right now I am on the 1st week of curing so still a ways to go...my rocks were gorgeous...Got them at MarcoRocks.

 

[basiab]

Possibly both, I want to set up a tank that can hold just about anything.
Am I asking for too much...lol?

The problem is that corals give off chemicals to ward off compitition. You can't se it nor can you test for it but it is there. That is besides their ability to sting any other coral within reach of it or its tentacles. So when you start mixing corals you have chemical warfare. It can be reduced by using charcoal and more water changes. But at some point you are going to see that some corals improve and others decline because they are being overpowered by another coral. So your lighting, calcium and everything else may be perfect but yet the war will take its toll.

 

[latino277]

Replace the Hydrometer with a refractometer:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=REFRACT-PA&Category_Code=Hydrometer

Also why are you getting a set of PH for the curing and another for the display? Why not just use the same PH and save some $$$$?
take a look at these:http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...roduct_Code=T6055.000&Category_Code=Tunze2237
and
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...roduct_Code=T6045.000&Category_Code=Tunze2237

And back to your lighting, Are you setting up a canopy or do you want a system that sits on the tank frame?

you should also look into a phosban reactor or 2. You can run one with phosphate media and another with carbon.

 

[nikkibabee]

So I filled up my first bin of RO water!! woohoo...going to mix in salt and change the rock water from my Marco Rocks which have been curing since last week...Getting excited, but still no water in the tanks yet...hope you all like the pics even though they make my tanks look tiny. One is a 59 gal, the other is 30 gal cube. The sump Ming thinks is 10 gal. He has been a great advisor with my tank setup!

 

[NYreefNoob]

all i can say to you is take your time you will be happier in the long run, as for powerheads id suggest the tunze nano 6025's get 2 of them. hof gets them i think they are about $62 apiece , great flow and has magnet and aimable. also i would suggest the phosban reactor. personally i would have bought lr on here and saved $$$$. as for lighting i really liked my t5's great color combo's you can run. cost less in the long run and less heat and electicity. my nano i do have a 250w mh also. i do have a chiller and love it. the prime 1\10th hp has built in controller for the heater. and as other's stated start of with lps zoa's ect. make sure you can maintain that before diving into the sps

 

[nikkibabee]

I am actually really happy with the rocks that Marc had sent me. He really has a great selection and they are very pretty. Getting ready for my aquascaping. Also, the lighting I will be getting Luminarcs from Tony in Long Island. I am definitely taking my time. I am in no rush to start putting things in my tank till I feel comfortable. I also am trying to take my time because I am going for aesthetics and that costs extra. Ming is talking me into the vortech which I just may gift myself for the holidays. I am getting a Phosban reactor...it is actually on order...thanks for your input though...I really appreciate any help I get. I also wont have sps for a while. I plan on starting simple to avoid maximum disappointments.

Nikki

 

[ming]

I do have T5's as well and do love it, but I steered towards the single bulb luminarc for several reasons. Its a lot easier to setup a single bulb, then wire up 4 or 6 bulbs together. If a bulb pops, its annoying to find which bulb popped in T5's. Changing bulbs is also easier in general. Heat is not an issue for her since she has an A/C near the tank. Electricity is not an issue since its free for her. The last 2 are the best arguments for going with T5's and they don't apply in this situation.

Also, I think the sump is more about 15 gallons. When filled to where it should be... it'll be about 7 gallons more or less full/empty

 

[House of Laughter]

Nikki, you'll need to cure the Marco for longer than a week - I usually do 3-4 weeks on them.

House

 

[nikkibabee]

Yes, I am curing for a month I believe.

 

[autoponicz]

no center brace!! that rocks! :thrash:

looks like you have learned alot already.....keep us updated with pics..

 

[bigbris1]

Funny how you can tell who gets no action by reading this thread.

Nik, Slow down! When you told me you bought the 30something cube for a seahorse tank & assumed you were a vet! One tank at a time. So far you have already spent a boatload of cash & this is just the beginning. Go slow. If this hobby will teach you anything it's patience.

Maybe you can set up one tank & use the other for a QT tank for now. If you take anything away from what I wrote here, take this: if you slow down you will save yourself A LOT of cash. Trust me. My whole setup damn near paid for itself.

 

[nikkibabee]

Thanks Bris, it's actually Nikki, and I appreciate your advice. I am setting both tanks up at the same time but had no intentions of getting any horses till I cared for other fish first. I should be more detailed in my notes because it seems that being vague can result in responses such as yours. My plan is to actually start with gobies, including 2 Jawfish and a cowfish. The horses will come when my tank has settled.

Thanks for your advice.
Nikki

 

[Cathi]

59 Gal Tank w/ Sump/ pump/ and stand $450 picked up
Rocks - Not cured - 50lbs and #15 Tonga (Cherry Picked) $197 with shipping
Digital Thermometer (2) $20 with shipping
RO Unit w/auto shut off $155.00 free shipping
Heater(100Watt for now, my apt gets hot), Salt(2 160gal Buckets), Tests, Hydrometer, mag-float (Medium), cheap powerhead for curing live rock $187.75
Float Valve $11 plus $10 shipping - Total $21
30 Gal Cube SeaHorse Tank W/Stand and Canopy(Canopy by JHale, Thanks!!) $275 picked up
Skimmer - AquaC EV180 $250 picked up
Home Depot - Vinyl Tubing, timer, garbage bin for RO Water(32 gal, food grade), clamps, adapter $109.50
Float Valve for auto top off and TDS Meter $49.43 with shipping
Scraper, replacement blade, 2 ball valves u-tube, plastic clamps (2) with shipping $34.13 (Had $5 coupon!!)
Fans (2 small) with shipping $4
2 Bulkheads, t-adapter with shipping $21.43

Spending Your Unborn Childrens' College Fund: Priceless!

Welcome to reef keeping. Good luck.

 

[nikkibabee]

Not planning on having kids....;-) Is it me or are there very catty people on this board....very unappealing.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Not planning on having kids....;-)

If you want to try it out I can lend you my 2 terrors for a day just to make sure :lol2:

You're doin good Nikki keep up the good work.

 

[nikkibabee]

I already babysit a 3 yr old and a 1 year old everyday...lol...great birth control.

Thanks Brendan, Im trying my best to do this right. Just got to keep reading up and asking questions.

 

[Cathi]

No ones being catty, just our way of welcoming you.

 

[nikkibabee]

Scary.:help:

 

[cb747]

Your setups look fine and your game plan sounds solid! I assume youll be using the 30 for horses? I have the same setup for my horses. Welcome to the umm addiction!!

 

[OctaviousMonk]

Sweet setups, I have always loved those oceanic 30's