Reef or regular SW tank?

[Greg J]

I’ve been doing the freshwater think for about 12 years, and have a good handle on that.(not an expert by any means, but it’s been a long time since I had any issues with my setup). . .

. . . But I’ve always wanted to have a saltwater setup. I’ve been browsing the saltwater stores, asking a few questions, and reading some online. I’m finding the saltwater thing somewhat intimidating .

What’s the difference between a reef tank and a regular SW tank?
Mini/micro/nano-reef, (are these all basically the same thing, and what’s it mean)?
Reef ready? (This has something to do with a tanks pluming right?)
Refugium?
Display refugium Vs. reverse photosynthesis refugium?

Any recommendations for a good book(s) on saltwater setups?

 

[Cearbhaill]

The only real difference between "reef" and other marine tanks is the presence of corals. These corals need much more intense lighting that other marine creatures and fish, so the initial expense can be quite a shock.

Nanos are tiny tanks (under 20 gallons or so) and are hard to keep as smaller volumes of waterare not as stable as larger volumes.

Reef ready means the tank has been drilled to accomodate plumbing to a sump. I have reef ready reef tanks and non drilled reef tanks- the sump is better but not every situation can go this way for various reasons.

A refugium is a different chamber plumbed into a reef system. It contains large algaes that consume nitrates. Most are run on a reverse light cycle as it helps keep your pH from dropping too badly in the dark hours. Some of these macroalgaes can be quite beautiful so a "display refugium" would feature them instead of hiding them in a cupboard with the rest of the sump.

I spent quite a bit of time with The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert M. Fenner, and hear that Natural Reef Aquariums and Your First Marine Aquarium by John Tullock is good also.

Do lots and lots of research before you begin- once you buy that first piece of equipment it will influence and/or limit everything else in the system, and making mistakes and having to buy twice is very expensive. Lord knows its costly enough as it is.

Here's a good FAQ
http://www.aquariacentral.com/faqs/reef/

 

[Greg J]

Thank You Cearbhaill, that cleared the waters for me (so to speak ), and I’ll check out those titles you mentioned.

I’m still a little hazy on sump and refugium. They’re both separate from the main tank right, so the difference is the function/contents? Is a sump more of a filter, and the refugium serves to protect its inhabitants from the inhabitants of the main tank (or vice versa)?

At the moment I have a 38-gallon thank that isn’t in use. If I used that for a sump, how large of a main tank could that reasonably support?

 

[OrionGirl]

A sump tends to be mostly just extra water volume and a storage place for equipment, while a refugium acts as supplemental filtration through the addition of algaes and animals that may be eaten in the main tank. A Fuge is also a good place to encouraged development of detrivores like bristleworms and pods of various types.

The size of the sump doesn't dictate the size of the tank, or vice versa. I have 55 gallon tanks as sumps for my 120's, and a 15 gallon sump on a 10 gallon main tank.