Where to start

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!
CienFuegos

CienFuegos

AC Members
May 24, 2012
17
0
0
Hi all,

Well we are about ready to start our journey, but not to sure as to where to start to give our reef the best start. At this point we have the following.

35 gallon tank
RO/DI Filter
Salt mix
Protein skimmer
20lb live sand, 15lb dry sand (thinking of getting another 15lb bag of dry sand)



Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Rbishop

Rbishop

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 30, 2005
40,727
452
143
70
Real Name
Mr. Normal
Have you read the stickies at the top of this forum...good info!!!
 
the wizard

the wizard

Is it really Niko's fault?
Jan 28, 2010
717
0
16
Real Name
David
You will need to look into the lighting you will need for the corals you want to keep. You will need a hydrometer or refractometer to measure salinity. Are you going to run a sump?
 
CienFuegos

CienFuegos

AC Members
May 24, 2012
17
0
0
Hi all, yes I've read the stickies and thanks to it and another member I am going to start off with RO/DI filtered water. I guess my questions really are...

What should go in first??? Sand or water? I'm using two 15lbs bags of dry sand and one 20lbs bag of live sand. I'm guessing the dry sand should go on the bottom. I will let it cycle for two weeks then add rocks.

Since I have a 35 gallon tank, i was thinking of getting 10lbs of live cured rock (any online shops that you guys can recommend would be appreciated) and 25lb of dry rock. I wanted to let it cycle again for another two weeks all of this with no lights. Don't want to help Algae grow.

Which brings me to what I think my next step should be which is lighting. Because we would like to have coral, I'm wanting to go with LED lights... Again any reconditions would be great.




Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
TL1000RSquid

TL1000RSquid

AC Members
Apr 6, 2011
2,364
1
38
46
NY
For no mess tank filling, premix the water in a bucket or other container, put sand in your tank, put a garbage bag(unscented type) over the sand and pour in water. No cloudy water for days that way. I'd get a circulation pump in there as soon as you can too.

marcorocks.com sells dry/live rock combo, bulkreefsupply.com has dry rock.

Whats your budget for LED's?
 
ThatNewFishGuy

ThatNewFishGuy

AC Members
May 4, 2010
327
0
0
^Wow thats a nice trick. My water was so cloudy for days on end that I thought I had messed up with the tank at the very beginning.

The ecosaver rock and dry rock from marco rocks are gorgeous. It's definitely the one thing I would have done differently with my tank.
 
SubRosa

SubRosa

AC Members
Jul 3, 2009
5,643
1
62
Best to put the rock in before the sand. It minimizes pockets of crud building up where it can't be reached, and makes for a more stable and safer rockscape, particularly if you have diggers like Pistol Shrimp or Watchman type Gobies. And the plastic bag idea may well work better having the rock to pour against instead of the sand.
 
CienFuegos

CienFuegos

AC Members
May 24, 2012
17
0
0
TL1000RSquid said:
For no mess tank filling, premix the water in a bucket or other container, put sand in your tank, put a garbage bag(unscented type) over the sand and pour in water. No cloudy water for days that way. I'd get a circulation pump in there as soon as you can too.

marcorocks.com sells dry/live rock combo, bulkreefsupply.com has dry rock.

Whats your budget for LED's?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the great suggestion. As for the lights... I'm stuck, I think I have to do a little more research since I'm hearing some coral like low light levels while others require more (10,000k). That said I did see a marineland reef LED lights I wanted to get. I guess I would like to keep the cost to about $200


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
ThatNewFishGuy

ThatNewFishGuy

AC Members
May 4, 2010
327
0
0
Stay away from the marineland reef LEDs. Ive seen ads saying they are as good as metal halides...they are no where near MH. The PAR values just aren't there. With these you would probably be able to keep most softies and some lps alive in your tank, but they wont thrive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store
Top Bottom