Long time gone....

Welcome back!

Tank: Shop around, you should be able to find a 65 for fairly cheap. Too bad you weren't close to Cheyenne--I'll have one available in a month or two! Most of the kits I've seen are either over priced, or include lots of 'junk'--stuff you won't use. Seeing as I already have lots of extra unused stuff, I try to avoid getting more.

Lights: you may want to buy new bulbs, but otherwise, you'll be good for softies and such. The PC are really effective--check the wattage andmake sure you come in around 3-4 watts/gallon (can be ont he low side, as PC are more efficient that VHO and NO).

Filtration: I'm a big fan of the sand bed and live rock filtration, with powerheads and filters run with no media, for current. There are others ways to success--lots of people like using the filters with media. I prefer not to use chemical filtration, and mechanical filtration requires way too much maintenance IMO, and of course the biological filtration from the rock is adequate in every way.

Skimmer: Get the best one you can afford. Euro-reef are very good, but there are many nice ones. Avoid skilters--pretty well junk.

I would discard the chemicals you have. They do have a shelf life, and once opened, will break down. I'd worry that they will be toxic, but that's not based on any fact.

HTH!

Hello,

It's good to see that the salty bug never dies. I haven't posted many threads, but, I have read all of them. Marine setups have changed quite a bit, even within the past couple of years.

You're right about the fluvals, but, you can still use them if you take out any filter media. They basically become hang-on powerheads. I would try to give them away are use them for a freshwater tank. I'm not trying to be pessamistic (sp?) but, there are so many better ways. Especially, if you have the capital resources, as you stated earlier.

The most modern type of filtration consists mainly of live rock (about 1 to 1.5 lbs per gallon, depending on type), medium to strong water movement (depending on the type of corals you want to keep), and a good quality protein skimmer. Oh, I am a fair believer of the deep sand bed. I have read many articles for it and none against it. It sounds like a good philosophy.

As far as other mechanical filtration is concerned. There are people out there that use undergravel filters. There are those that use hang-ons. Even wet/dry trickle filters are outdated (they produce nitrate problems). Keep researching. there is no one proven way to setup a marine aquarium.

Mine. I have a 125 gallon Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR), I have:

1 Porcepine Puffer
1 Yellow Bellie Dog Faced Puffer
1 Stars-n-stripes Puffer
1 Yellow Tang
1 Tomato Clown
1 Snowflake eel
1 Banded Snake Eel
1 Volitan Lionfish
2 Yellow tail Damselfish
5 Blue legged hermit crabs

The best part of my set-up is that I DO NOT USE A PROTEIN SKIMMER. I have used the miracle mud setup for about a year and it has worked great.

Anyway. that was my 6 cents. I hope it helps.

sounds like your getting some good advice. I would also suggest looking into a sump and/or refugium. The sump will give you extra water volume, a place to hide some equipment, make water changes easier, and a place for a good skimmer. A refugium can help reduce nitrates and keep oxygen and pH levels from fluctuating during lights out.

JMHO

Brian

Since you have a stand already you may wish to find a 65 gallon that perfectly fits it. They aren't always exactly the same, especially with trim and whatnot.