Brand new to the hobby

Your in the right place. I agree with David above about not having any overhang (not worth the risk). The other stuff seems to be sufficient. If you want to do corals with that light. I might suggest taking the stock bulbs out and replacing them with ATI brand (aqua blue +, Fiji purple, etc.) Things will look and grow much better than standard bulbs. I LOVE flow, so 2 of the power-heads would be an absolute minimum for a tank the size your talking about. I'd like to see at least 4 pumps in a tank that size in various positions. Last thing, a 3 inch deep sand bed is too much for my tastes, 2 in max for me. I would use an aragonite type and not sugar sand to avoid "dust storms" in the tank. Avoid crushed coral, the pieces are too large. Hope all that helps!

 

The rule of thumb is 1 to 1.5 lbs per gallon. I have a 60 gallon and probably have 80-90 lbs. I like to use dry rock myself, rather than buy rock off someone else..you just inherit whatever issues they had. You'll have your own issues, so best to start fresh...lol

I got my dry rock from Bulk Reef Supply. They have some very nice Pukani, but I know many people have use Marco Rock. ACC has Marco rock for $3/lb. If you use dry rock, it's still critical to cure your rock for 4 to 5 weeks to kill off any residual organic matter.

 

To clarify Bob's post... ACC= Anemones Clowns & Corals They are located in Washburn near Waterloo and I would highly recommend taking a visit. Their staff should take good care of you with answering questions and showing you what you need.


You can start out with the dry rock and then buy a few pieces of actual Live Rock to seed it. If you're patient, you can also keep your eyes on the buy/sell/trade forums for someone getting out of the hobby or downsizing.


I personally like less rock than 1lb to 1.5lbs per gallon, but it's all relative to porous/light the rock is, and what your personal taste is. I like less rock so there is more room for fish to swim & corals to grow.


I personally would take the 40 breeder over the 45 gallon so you get the extra width in the tank which allows you to arrange the rocks a lot easier. You want to make sure you leave enough space (at least 2-3&quot/DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/wink.gif between the rock and the glass so you can easily scrape algae off the glass. Most people use a "mag-float" or similar as it becomes a 2-3 times a week chore....If you do use a magnet scrapper just be careful you don't get it near the sand or you will get sand grains stuck in it and scratch the glass.

 

Oops - I didn't realize the actual dimensions of the 40 breeder was 18.3".. You definitely do not want overhang on the stand.

 

I have ordered both BRS and Marco rock and found that BRS seems a little more substantial and had less breakage in shipping. Marco is a little lighter, more fragile and had more waste from breakage. http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-reef-saver-dry-aquarium-live-rock.html Both are good products. Many people like Marco sand, wrasses love it and it is fairly inexpensive. Some people have problems with sand blowing around in their tanks and some don't. I think some of this is due to where the power heads are located and where flow is directed.

 

It is not live but will become that way as the tank cycles and bacteria grows. You will need to add a dead shrimp from the grocery store or a small amount of frozen fish food to start the cycle. You don't have to add live rock or sand, you can if you want to, you might be able to get something from a GIRS member in your area. It might help if you visit Anemones, Clowns and Corals, they probably have everything you need. Start slow take your time and enjoy the process!

 

Get a piece of real live rock from LFS and then freak out like the rest of us did when you see all the strange hitchhikers that tag along. I've had tiny starfish, little tiny clams, spaghetti worms, bristle worms, aptasia, etc. Fun fun!