New to saltwater. Opinion needed on a 50g tank

[godzen]

Hi,

So, I finally got the green light to make the switch to SW from FW. Saw on Craigslist a "complete" setup which I think is a good deal for under $500.

Equipment:

• 50 gallon tank w/stand. No sump
  CPR Aquafuge2 PS Refugium w/ Protein Skimmer 23.5" moded with maxijet 1200
  Coralife 36 Inch Aqualight Pro 1x150W HQI MH Lamp + 2x65W PC + 2x1W Lunar LED which needs new bulb which probably total $100
  titanium heater
  50+ lbs Live rocks with some basic corals (he's generous on this as he has some extras)

So, whether this is a great deal or not, it seems like a good starter tank for me as it is bigger than the nano but small enough to be manageable. The problem is, when I came to check out the tank which was left neglected in the garage for a few months, there were algae all over the glass which he agrees to scrape out first. The other potential problem is there were aptasia all over the place. He said he put some Berghia in there to clean them out but my question is, should I just start over by drying out the rocks and scrape them off and recure or should I bring it home and wait out for the Berghia to do its work and add some meds to kill of the aptasia?

What is your general thoughts on this setup? Below is the photo he used on craigslist but I later found out it's a couple of years old and was taken when he first started the tank. Like I said, rock and setup is pretty much the same but tank is pretty darn dirty and just needs to be clean up. No scratches though. Is it good for a beginner? I know some of you will advocate for a sump but I heard unless setup correctly, a sump system is rather noisy and I need it quiet for wife's approval. Maybe later when I get the hang of things, I may add and overflow or go with a complete new setup. Also, is the filtering enough? I'm looking to stock 4-5 fishes at most with some basic corals to start out. I have an extra rena xp3 canister filter for my FW. Can I just migrate that over? Do I need to do anything first before putting it in this tank? Is it recommended to add this canister filter to the setup?

What else do I need to buy to get ready? These are all I could think of right now. Please help me add to the list so I will only need to order one time

• RO/DI unit, new light bulbs,

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BRo3MsiDQ657ExYFbLk4pP2zQV_T-zCwxFDn7SnZwrw?feat=directlink

 

[NC2WA]

IMHO, you can do better, keep looking..there mere fact the tank is filthy and apstaia ridden is a drawback to me...but again personal perference..

the size of 50-65g is a good starter tank..I agree RO/DI unit is something that will pay for itself in the first year...personally, the rena xp3 canister is a nitrate trap so it is not needed

 

[godzen]

Thanks friend

 

[NC2WA]

oh, and before I forget...

Welcome to RF !!!!!

:bump2:

 

[user 26995]

Definately, welcome to Reef Frontiers.

And yes, you can find something better. I know of one that would be perfect. Let me see if I can hook you up with the owner.

 

[Shane and John]

Welcome!! I will agree that you can do a Lot better. I would suggest you look at the classifieds.there is a 65 gallon that I believe would be a better choice.
This is a GREAT site. Do lots of reading and ask lots of questions!!!!!


If you do decide on the one from your post..I would cook the rock to ensure to start pest free!!

 

[Shane and John]

Ok..well scratch the 65 gallon I mentioned,it's sold already. Good luck what ever you choose to do..

Shane

 

[user 26995]

Oh, sorry, that was the same one I was thinking of.
But you can do better so keep looking.

 

[NC2WA]

I did a quick search on craigslist and there are some tanks available...

 

[user 26995]

My first tank was a standard 55 gal. I've learned alot on this forum and one thing I wish I had done in the first place is found a tank that had a built in overflow. Oh and bigger. I ended up replacing it with a 75 gal with a built in overflow (reef ready) tank and I love that tank.

 

[godzen]

Thanks guy. Yes, I've decided to go tanks that have built-in overflow. It seems 100% of experienced fish keepers I've asked all think a sump is a way to go to save time & money in the long run. I've already made a 40% deposit on the setup. If he doesn't offer to refund it to me (minus $20 for the trouble), I will just take what I can. The rocks do look nice but are covered with corals and aptasia. Would boiling for 20 minutes help? Do I need to add acid or something?

 

[NC2WA]

to rid the aptasia you want to place in a brute container, add muractic acid (some use bleach) and then cover with a lid so NO LIGHT can get to the rocks for several weeks. the key is NO LIGHT IS NEEDED otherwise your time is wasted.

boiling is another option if you dont feel safe using bleach or acid, but after you boil you need to cover with no light for several weeks.

 

[godzen]

to rid the aptasia you want to place in a brute container, add muractic acid (some use bleach) and then cover with a lid so NO LIGHT can get to the rocks for several weeks. the key is NO LIGHT IS NEEDED otherwise your time is wasted.

boiling is another option if you dont feel safe using bleach or acid, but after you boil you need to cover with no light for several weeks.

nice...how long to boil it for and is it safe? Will the rocks explode or release toxic fumes?

 

[Shane and John]

Boiling the rocks is definatly safe. When I cooked some rock I boiled for 10 minutes, flipping the rock because it was very large for the biggest pot that we had. I then let the rock cool down and put it in a large plastic Rubbermaid tote and covered it. The rock was dry and stayed dark for 30 days. This took care of all of the pests. I know there are other ways of doing this,but this is what I did and it worked well for me. Good luck with however you choose to do it, you definatly don't want these pests in your tank. We always dip any new corals we get to try to eliminate the possibility of introducing new pests.
It seems these things come out of nowhere,after over a year of our 34 gallon being set up,we have noticed a few popping up ourselves..

 

[user 26995]

They do just show up some how dont they. I have had a 3 gal pico tank set up for just over a year now. I have not put anything in that tank for at least 6 months and the piece I put is is clean. Just last month I started seeing aiptasia. Just one, then all of a sudden here there are 5-6 of them. You can try your hardest, but you cant really get away from some of the pests. So when you do get them, sorry, but even starting out with new clean rock, you will probably get them, just keep a close eye out for them and kill them as soon as you can. There are a number of ways to deal with them, so when the time comes, we are all here to help. I am going to try to catch one of my peppermint shrimp and put it in the pico. Or maybe try to find a berghia nudi.

 

[Shane and John]

Yes,it seems it is inevidable to get some pests. I try very hard to keep a pest free tank, what a challenge..lol
We have 2 peppermints and they do ok, but the majanos is my struggle now. I am afraid to Kalk paste because they are very close to my Acans. I am looking into the majano zappers. I am not much of a DIY guy but the 120$ price tag of a professionally built one is out of the question at this time. I just had knee replacement surgery and the medical bill come first.
Boiling watter is what I used in my 120 gallon and it worked really well, but they were not close to my prized corals either!!!

 

[user 26995]

Yes,it seems it is inevidable to get some pests. I try very hard to keep a pest free tank, what a challenge..lol
We have 2 peppermints and they do ok, but the majanos is my struggle now. I am afraid to Kalk paste because they are very close to my Acans. I am looking into the majano zappers. I am not much of a DIY guy but the 120$ price tag of a professionally built one is out of the question at this time. I just had knee replacement surgery and the medical bill come first.
Boiling water is what I used in my 120 gallon and it worked really well, but they were not close to my prized corals either!!!

Majanos, in my experience do not set their foot very deep. I have always been able to just pop them off the rocks. I had a couple come in on some coral I bought and I tossed them into my 34 gal tank. Later decided I didn't want them after all, they had crawled out on top of the rock and I just pulled them off. I have had red ones and green ones and brown ones come in on rock with coral. They all just popped off with my fingernail.

 

[Shane and John]

Thank you for sharing that. I will give it a try..that's good info for all of us!!!!

 

[jrgilles]

Keep looking. You will want to avoid the aptasia.

Also, beware of used tanks. I personally would buy a new tank, as I bought a used sump, and within a month or two, the silicon seal broke and there was water everywhere. Had to take it apart (remove baffles etc.) and remove it to get it fixed. Huge pain in the butt.

Petco or petsmart have a $1 a gallon sale maybe twice a year, and you can get a new tank and not have to deal with resealing it. Better not to risk it imo.

Also, doesn't really seem like a good deal, even if it was aptasia free. I would also consider the sump route. You will be way happier and you can make it quiet. Easier to get it set up properly at the start when there is no water than to try to retrofit it later. It will take some more up front effort, but you will be glad you did it.

rob