New To Reefkeeping

[darock]

09-16-2008 12:10 PMdarock
Hi I,m new to reefing.
I have a Oceanic 58g reef ready tank,
wet/dry sump(Aquatic pro clear 75 system)
w/coralite skimmer(1100 rio pump attached)65G 325 gph
and 1700 rio return pump.
Two --

Koralia (3) Flow rate 850 gph
1. Is a 2" sand bed sufficiant
2. LS or DS
3. How much Live Rock
4. Best Place too Purchase w/best Prices
5. How long too CYCLE

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Many of your Qs depend on preferences and my answers are based on my opinion:

1. yes
2. makes little difference as long as some of the rock is live rock
3. depends on type corals or fish, but except for having tangs who need to have swimming room, buy as much as you can afford. Almost never too much
4. Fellow reefers, or have a 50 pound box shipped to you on line.
5. cycle till the tank parameters are stabile. at LEAST 1-2 months. Even after that, will have more mini-cycles as tou add more fish.
Add hardy creatures that you would like to keep slowly to keep the tank cycling. Perhaps an emerald crab to munch on algae.

 

[Sascha D]

Welcome to RF!

1. Sand is only required by the inhabitants you keep, unless you use live sand for filtration.
2. Its Preference.
3. The larger bioload you have the more LR or LS you need. You could always put LR into the sump if you want more swimming room in your tank.
4. I like to hand pick all my rocks, but if you dont care you will get much much more awesomeness from buying a box online.
5. The cycle is easy. It pretty much ends when it ends, just watch your parameters and it'll let you know hehe

Good luck!

 

[tike]

My Answers:
1) yes
2)Same as above
3) 1.5# per gallon of water
4)Same as herefishyfishy answer
5)Watch water params Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. When Ammonia and Nitrite are testing 0 AND you begin to see a little Nitrate show up in your tests then the tank is cycled. Could be as little as two weeks or as long as 2 months.

 

[gas4544]

Is your sump something like this?

http://www.pro-clear.com/cgi-bin/pr...p=Section 14 - Product Images;i=13;img=bb.jpg

 

[Tieg]

Also, when you do add your fish...don't add a bunch at a time. As mentioned earlier in a reply...the tank will have mini cycles and if you add to much at once you'll end up with a big cycle which will...well lets just say test not only the limits of your tank but the limits of your emotions