Hey I'm new and I need help with a setup

[tylerturbo]

Hey,

I'm looking for a 100-~125 gal tank setup but I don't know where to get the tank and what equipment to get and what coral, fish, and inverts would be.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks,
Tyler

 

[returnofsid]

You've come to a great forum to find great and friendly information!! Welcome BTW. Start off by deciding what type of tank you want. You mentioned coral, fish and inverts so I'm assuming you want to set up a reef tank. Now you need to decide if you want to set up a tank with Soft corals, LPS or SPS...or all of the above (which isn't recommended by the way.) This will largely determine your lighting needs.

There's a lot of great reading on here available in the form of forum threads and great articles. Read a lot!!! A great book to either buy or check out from the library is The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner. You'll find it's worth buying!!

Look at a bunch of info that's available on here to help you decide what type of tank you want to go with. Don't be afraid to ask any questions at all. We all started somewhere!! This forum has been invaluable in the help I've received from it and from the friendly members!!

Check out some of these articles.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=23

Here's a great one with TONS of pics of members tanks. It may help you decide what type of tank you want.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=70

I'd also recommend doing some research at www.wetwebmedia.com

One more suggestion....look for used equipment for sale on the forum. You'll find great deals and it'll save you a TON of money. I saw you already asking about a tank for sale on another thread...so I see you've already got that idea down!! Again, Welcome to Reef Frontiers and welcome to an unending addiction!!!

 

[tylerturbo]

Thanks so much ill look into all that thanks

Uhh also what are some of the equipment i would need

I roughly have an idea but nothing set in stone

 

[returnofsid]

Well, you'll need lighting and a skimmer for sure. I'd also highly recommend an RO/DI unit. If you choose to, you can run a sump/refugium under the tank. If so, you'll need either a drilled tank or a HOB overflow box to move water from the tank to the sump and a return pump to get the water back to the tank. You'll also need several powerheads for water circulation. You can also run a closed loop system for circulation, in which case you would need another pump. It all depends on what kind of money you want to spend and what type of system you're looking for. Some go all out with equipment and get calcium reactors, phosban reactors, automatic pH probes....etc.

 

[tylerturbo]

Hmm I might go all out but you can add the other things over time right?

 

[NC2WA]

Tyler,

Sid has pointed you in the correct direction for doing your research.

When I made the move to saltwater 10 years ago, I did almost 3-4 months of reading and research BEFORE I even attempted to buy a tank and put water into it. I asked alot of questions from people who had saltwater tanks and visited forums like this. If there is one word that exemplifies a successful saltwater tank it is: PATIENCE.

I have seen too many hobbyists jump right in, buy a tank, fill it with water, then stock it with too many fish at once, then a couple weeks later, they want to know what is wrong with their fish. I second the motion in reading, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner. I have this book and still use it as a reference book to this day. When you are ready to make your fish selection, may I suggest Marine Fishes, 500+ Essential to Know Aquarium Species by Scott Michael. He gives a nice snapshot of every fish.
<Sorry for the rant, but I am passionate about this hobby and just want to make sure you succeed in it>

As far as equipment, it will depend on the type of system you want (ie, FO, FOWLR, Reef, etc...), but it general you will need the following items to get you started:

Tank
Protein Skimmer
Lights
Heater
Pumps
Powerheads
Stand/Canopy

 

[tylerturbo]

I think im going to go for a Reef type of system and i will make sure to check out those books...do you know if borders or barnes and nobles carries the books? if not maybe the local tropical fish store will carry the books

Thanks so much

Edit:

Im thinking about DIY tank because a family friend is a construction like guy and does alot of stuff around the house and stuff soo does anyone know the measurements for a 125g tank or 150g tank

Thanks again

 

[NC2WA]

Tyler,

Well, an AGA type tank's measurements are:

125 Gallon 72x18x22
150 Gallon 72x18x28

However, since you doing a DIY tank, you can customize these measurements any way you want.

 

[kendog261]

If there is one word that exemplifies a successful saltwater tank it is: PATIENCE.

PATIENCE AND MONEY

 

[NC2WA]

This is true. Lots of both

 

[JACK WANDER]

I Am About To Buy A New Reef Tank (nano) Is The Built In Sump On The Tank A Proper Option Thanks Jack Wander

 

[NC2WA]

what type of nano model is it? Oceanic, JBJ ??

 

[Krish]

I Am About To Buy A New Reef Tank (nano) Is The Built In Sump On The Tank A Proper Option Thanks Jack Wander

Welcome to RF! As for the tank, you can go all in one like some nano's are with the extra chamber in the back or you can just buy a small tank (referred to a nano as well) and add in your own sump or even go sumpless. Just keep in mind that the smaller the water volume of any tank, the less stable it is

 

[NC2WA]

Jack,

I would add the following comment to Krish's reply.

...the smaller the water volume of any tank, the less stable it is...[the quicker you need to correct any change/problem in the tank]

in other words, you have less room for error in a small tank as you would in a larger tank.

 

[slojmn]

Good point on the size of a tank. It really is a catch 22 for new reefers. Going small seems so much more doable and easy, yet in truth a larger tank, or the larger water volume, is easier to maintain for stability and water parameters. I really encourage you to take your time and read, read, read. Find out the pitfalls of reef systems, the mistakes others have made, and the successes. I like the saying...nothing good ever happens fast in reefkeeping . I spent 4 months researchign and gethering equipment before ever putting water in my tank. I built my first reef around one fish and went from there. My second go around I did things totally different just to try new stuff and have a different experience. Neither way was superior just different.
Figuring out what kind of inhabitants you want to keep is one of the first steps. Then figure out the needs of those inhabitants and if they can co-exist together in a small space. The equipment will fall into place once you decide which animals you want to keep. If you are going to try stony corals, especially sps you may want to consider a calcium reactor or you might want to just add a 2 part recipe to keep the parameters up to meet the demands of the stonies. If you are going for a softy tank you wont need this equipment. You will still need to maintain good water parameters but the softies won't be sucking up all the alk and calcium. Decide if you want passive fish or aggresive fish...they don't do well together. You need to go one way or the other. If you want to keep wrasses, for instance, you will need a sand bed for most of them and you will want a canopy, they tend to jump when startled. I have an open top on my tank and no sand bed...so I keep no wrasses . These are just some of your options. The books suggested are excellent books to have for resource. Keep asking all your questions in detail here, people will help you a ton. The folks here have no interest in steering you one way or another for monetary reasons. It is all good info, albeit our own opinions based on our own experiences, but there is not the monetary interest that your lfs will have when suggesting what you should buy or consider. Above all, take your time and consider the animals every step of the way. the more patience you have, the slower you go, the more incredible reef tank you will have .

 

[jwilcox891]

reef ready tank or tubes over the back?

I'm also doing my research before setting up my first reef tank. I've found a great saltwater-only shop that seems to be run by a knowledgable guy. He's suggesting I start out with a reef-ready tank. The tank is predrilled in the back near the upper corners, with PVC fittings that allow water from the surface to flow out and down to the sump. There would be a pump to return the filtered water. The particular tank that he's suggesting also has a closed-loop system near the bottom that takes water in from two openings near the bottom corners, circulates it through a pump, and returns it directly back in through another fitting in the center near the bottom. All of these openings are in the back of the tank.

Another place that I visit regularly only has "regular" aquariums (not reef-ready). They suggest hanging a hose or tube off the back to siphon water from the tank into the sump. There would be a second tube and pump to return the filtered water back. Both tubes would hang off of the back.

Which is better? Do the pre-drilled fittings tend to leak in a reef-ready tank? In a "regular" tank, do the hoses tend to gather air bubbles and eventually stop siphoning? What do those of you with experience tend to recommend?

 

[mmkeeper]

If you can afford the cost the reef ready is the way to go. Unless you know how to drill glass or acrylic. It is a cleaner and safer way to go.
Welcome to Rf. The best thing is to ask questions and do your homework. go slow save money.