SW newb questions

K

Kaluden

AC Members
Feb 23, 2008
145
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Shakopee, Minnesota
Allright, let me begin by saying that this is going to be a LONG time in planning (probably a year or so to get everything and then get it started.)

What I am planning is to end up with a sweet 125g setup with stand and canopy and make it look freaking awesome. Now originally I came to the conclusion of 125g because I personally kind of want just a FOWLR tank with one Porcupine Puffer and one Lionfish. I would buy them both small and let them grow up together so that neither tries to eat the other. I have been told this should work since they both tend to just try to eat anything that fits in their mouth. I would then have some smaller fish that would stay within the liverock work that will probably take me a decade to buy, lay out, then build up in a way that I liked.

Then my wife goes and throws in the idea "Hey, what about a nice reef setup with bright colors and coral and anenomes and blah blah blah." I realize that the lighting requirements for that all the sudden makes this an even more expensive adventure and cancels out my aggressive oddballs.

So I am curious. If people had a 125g tank, bare, with a stand and canopy, what would you buy in order to make this run? What could I possibly include in a lionfish / puffer setup that would make the wife happy? What could I possibly include in a pretty little reef setup that is odd enough to make me happy?

I know pretty much nothing about saltwater, I am trying to do some research, I could use some pointing towards sites with lots of information. How big of a sump would you set up under something like this? how many times would you drill this for overflows?

:help::help::help: for the love of god, give me some advice because I am just not sure where to begin researching :wall:
 
Well for starters, if you buy a reef-ready tank, it will have built-in overflows so you wouldn't have to worry about drilling it, just plumbing the sump. For a sump, I'd use the largest tank I could fit under the main tank. I'd probably think about using a 40breeder for a main sump and a 20gal for a separate fuge or something like that.

You're right, for a reef setup, you're looking at some serious lighting. You could probably do something like 3x 250w metal halide lights and that would be sufficient for most corals. I think there are some stickies in the marine section or some articles, I know Grins has a few links in her blog for good starting places when looking at building a reef tank.
 
That all depends on if I can get a RR tank, is the drilling and overflow the only difference between RR and not?

I kinda figured that it would need a 40g or so, What size tank would be good for a QT tank for something that size? If things grow I would still like to be able to stick them in the QT...

I was kind of afraid you would say metal halide... lol
 
from what ive heard, you can do a lionfish with a reef, but, the downside is, they are poisonous, and you really need to watch your hands when placing corals etc.., and they will eat most smaller,reef safe fish..
puffers are a no ina reef, as they will eat corals..
At one time, i was considering a preadator reef, with a moray, a lion, and shark of some kind, with alot of corals... but ive kinda decided to go more traditional with a tang, and some wrasses...
 
well thats my problem, I try not to be a "traditional" type of guy... And honestly, the possible danger with the lionfish while I clean and rearrange things, is part of the appeal, what can I say? I am probably a little sick in the head lol.
 
The smaller toby species of puffers can go into reefs, you just have to be careful with what kind of corals you pick out. They don't like corals that taste bad to them. You couldn't put anemones in with them though because they might nip at them and get stung. I don't have corals in my tank though, thats just what I've heard from people keeping their tobys in a reef.

If I were you, I wouldn't get corals and get a *big* aggressive tank :D But thats just because I know I will never be able to keep corals because every tank I get has to have a puffer in it! lol
 
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