noobie with corals needs help

[darklcd]

hey all

I have decided to make my 55 gal a full blown coral I know its a little small but i want to start out small and go from there. Once i have that mastered and my big one is set up I might switch to the big one.

I am wondering what kind of extra equipment I will need to run a good coral tank. I am not sure if I am going to go with sps lps or just stick with zoos it all depends on the info that i get on here.

here is what i have so far for my tank set up

- 55 gal tank (can't drill it)
- 30 lbs of base rock
- 30 lbs of live rock
- 2.5" gravel bed (not the best stuff but its working)

- hang on sump (wet/dry converted)
- 850 gph return pump

- 250 watt MH HQI
- 2 x T5 pure antic bulbs

- Seaclone skimmer (designed for a 75 gal tank)

tank has been running for about 3 weeks now and I know that I can't put any coral in for a while yet but I want to get my research started before I did anything.

My levels are starting to get to where I can put fish in the tank and I can't wait for that. I know I have to be careful with what fish I out in and make sure they will not eat coral lol.

I know I am going to need more equipment and that is why I am on here.

Anyone with any info would be a great help.

thanks again

 

[fatboyt123]

Do you only have one 250w or 2?

If you will want to keep sps one thing you will need to do is replace would be your skimmer.

Do you have any water movement in there besides the flow from the HOS, and Skimmer output? If not you will need some more powerheads or something to move the water around.

as for other things you might need maybe a Calcium RX and a Kalk RX if you dont want to have to manullay dose.

 

[tike]

Dump the sea "clown" it's a suckie skimmer.

 

[roscoe]

Dump the sea "clown" it's a suckie skimmer.

+1 on that!!! It says it is rated for 75g but it is more like it should be rated for a 10g. Man people fall for those things still?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Dump the sea "clown" it's a suckie skimmer.

I wouldn't say that, calling it a suckie skimmer presumes that it actually skims:lol::lol:

It is a waste of electricity and only pretends to be a skimmer.
"Camouflaged hole" waiting for your corals to fall in...

 

[darklcd]

sorry guys but believe it or not that is all I can get in my town for skimmers short of ordering another one on line I can't get anything.

besides the skimmer anything else I should know

 

[Myteemouse]

CORALS LOVE LOTS OF FLOW
You'll need (for LPS ) prolly 40-50x tank volume, for flow
SPS you'll need 50x +
Power heads and good ones
Korallia's are very affordable

 

[darklcd]

i was thinking about doing a nice closed loop with an external pump. As we all know 55 gal tanks don't give much space.

As for lighting I only have one 250 watt MH HQI and I am a little worried about adding a second. this 250 or at least that what it was susposed to be cook everything in my 30 gal tank when it was hung over the tank approx 8" above it so I am thinking I may have been sold the wrong light (ebay). Is there anyway that I can tell by looking at it?

 

[Skimmy]

1 250w m.h. + 2 54w t5's will be plenty.
I would ditch the pure actinic bulbs for some giesemann actinic+ bulbs for color and par.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=SL-531010&Category_Code=Giesemannt5

for flow, ditch the closed loop and create a gyre:
(this guy has 2 using multiple powerheads for his huge tank,
you would be using just one gyre with one powerhead)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz15R0gVMPA
with one of these:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...&Product_Code=CV-202B&Category_Code=Octo+Pump

now, the biggie...

ditch ALL that worthless hang on gear, and get a used glass tank/rubbermaid/cambro container to use as a sump.
then get this overflow box(knock off of CPR's weir design, but cheap)
http://shop.aquatraders.com/Continuous-Siphon-Overflow-Box-600-p/44011.htm
for a return pump you could use your 850gph pump you already have, and add a ball valve to throttle down the flow, or buy a nice, quiet, reliable return pump:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...OD&Product_Code=EHEIM1250&Category_Code=Eheim
or
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...D&Product_Code=EH-1100310&Category_Code=Eheim

you want the water from the display tank to go through the sump only 3-4 times an hour, this way the skimmer/media reactors/refugium have a better chance at cleaning the water, save the high flow for the display, not sump throughput.

next, the skimmer, yes the one you own is worthless, and you need a replacement, and there are a few cheap alternatives,
this one is my favorite budget skimmer:
http://www.nuocean.com/skimmers/bubble-magus-nac6.html

and this one is double the power for about $100+ more:
http://saltwaterconnection.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=4

also, a small media reactor for the sump, for carbon or GFO/phosphate remover:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...roduct_Code=MN-5040&Category_Code=phosreactor

so, in closing, it doesnt have to cost you an arm and a leg to make your system beefy
and stable enough for a full blown coral reef,
but you do need to make proper decisions on equipment to get the best bang for your n00b buck.
you could potentially do without the sump and just buy a decent hang on skimmer,
but you would be so much better off just doing one, it really helps with filtration,
not to mention it gets all that unsightly gear out of the tank and in the stand.

 

[darklcd]

well that sucked lol. I thought I was doing ok and I find out that the set up I have is sh!t lol.

ok i will have to look into all the into and see what I can do. Please keep the info coming I knew that the skimmer was going to have to be replaced but I thought I might be able ok with the stuff that I had.

the power heads sure I will throw those in if you all think that is a better idea for sure.

 

[SmileyFace1995]

1 250w m.h. + 2 54w t5's will be plenty.
I would ditch the pure actinic bulbs for some giesemann actinic+ bulbs for color and par.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=SL-531010&Category_Code=Giesemannt5

for flow, ditch the closed loop and create a gyre:
(this guy has 2 using multiple powerheads for his huge tank,
you would be using just one gyre with one powerhead)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz15R0gVMPA
with one of these:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...&Product_Code=CV-202B&Category_Code=Octo+Pump

now, the biggie...

ditch ALL that worthless hang on gear, and get a used glass tank/rubbermaid/cambro container to use as a sump.
then get this overflow box(knock off of CPR's weir design, but cheap)
http://shop.aquatraders.com/Continuous-Siphon-Overflow-Box-600-p/44011.htm
for a return pump you could use your 850gph pump you already have, and add a ball valve to throttle down the flow, or buy a nice, quiet, reliable return pump:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...OD&Product_Code=EHEIM1250&Category_Code=Eheim
or
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...D&Product_Code=EH-1100310&Category_Code=Eheim

you want the water from the display tank to go through the sump only 3-4 times an hour, this way the skimmer/media reactors/refugium have a better chance at cleaning the water, save the high flow for the display, not sump throughput.

next, the skimmer, yes the one you own is worthless, and you need a replacement, and there are a few cheap alternatives,
this one is my favorite budget skimmer:
http://www.nuocean.com/skimmers/bubble-magus-nac6.html

and this one is double the power for about $100+ more:
http://saltwaterconnection.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=4

also, a small media reactor for the sump, for carbon or GFO/phosphate remover:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...roduct_Code=MN-5040&Category_Code=phosreactor

so, in closing, it doesnt have to cost you an arm and a leg to make your system beefy
and stable enough for a full blown coral reef,
but you do need to make proper decisions on equipment to get the best bang for your n00b buck.
you could potentially do without the sump and just buy a decent hang on skimmer,
but you would be so much better off just doing one, it really helps with filtration,
not to mention it gets all that unsightly gear out of the tank and in the stand.

WOW that helped me out soo much ive been trying to setup a reef for my 44 or 50g idk yet but man, i actually was looking at that same protein skimmer, in ur other thread and i was told my overflow box is crap so thats a bumb
i figured out the same thing he did its kind of a bumb, but atleast we have everyone on here to help us noobs out

 

[returnofsid]

SmileyFace, NOW you're on the right track!!! Reading LOTS and LOTS of stuff will help you learn. Follow other people's threads around like you're a STALKER.

darklcd, you've got some great information so far. I like Skimmi's advice on a gyre!! Definitely worthy of some more reading.

 

[darklcd]

thanks Sis its nice to hear that not all my set up crap lol. I am still reading up on everything and I am still getting everything ready but on a good note.....MY TANK IS READY FOR FISH. I just checked all my levels and they are perfect for fish. Once I get my stand built and get my tank up and off the floor in my closet I will take some good pics and everything.

I just have to find something to take care of all the orange/brownish algae in my tank.

 

[SmileyFace1995]

SmileyFace, NOW you're on the right track!!! Reading LOTS and LOTS of stuff will help you learn. Follow other people's threads around like you're a STALKER.

darklcd, you've got some great information so far. I like Skimmi's advice on a gyre!! Definitely worthy of some more reading.

yeah thanks for the advice you've led me onto a good track