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Brand new to the hobby

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by kschrobi, Apr 19, 2013.

  1. kschrobi

    kschrobi Inactive User

    101
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    Sorry for all the newbie questions but I would rather get some advice from people who know than assume and pay for it later. I am going to start a salt water aquarium real soon and am looking to do fish, live rock and eventually some corals but that may be down the road and probably going to start with easiest ones.


    My stand is currently 46 X 18 so the tank itself is going to be limited in size as I dont want any of the tank hanging off the edge of the stand. My wife is very particular about the stand as it must match the other funiture (all very dark brown wood) so I am hoping to use what I have (its a very solid real wood buffet table that is really nice but lacks space for a sump so for now I'll have to go sumpless) . I was thinking the 50 gal tank that measures 36.4" x 18.4" x 19". Would it be ok to have the .4 inches of overhang or should I move down to the 45 gallon tank (36.3" x 12.7" x 23.8" or even the 40 gal breeder (36.2" x 18.3" x 17"?





    Components - (I haven't bought anything yet so if you think something is wrong or have other suggestions I am all ears!)


    Lights - Coralife Lunar Aqualight High Output T5 Quad Lamp Fixture (Will this do basic corals?)


    Skimmer - Reef Octopus BH100


    Powerhead - Hydor Koralia Evolution Circulation Pump/Powerhead 1150 gph X 2 ( would 2 be too much?)


    Heater - Eheim Jager TruTemp 150 Watt





    I will be using live sand and live rock. I'll probably do about a 3 inch bed of sand so I think thats pretty straight forward but as far as the live rock what do you guys recommend? Order online dry, find someone local that has it pre cured?





    Thanks in advance for everyones help and I will be signing up to join the club today! Look forward to getting into the hobby as I have 2 small kids (2 and 4) that will love the end product.







     
  2. blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

    Cedar Rapids, IA
    Ratings:
    +738 / 5 / -0
    I'm not sure about the lighting, but all the other components are real good. I ran that same skimmer on my tank and it worked great.
    You want contact with the stand all along all 4 edges of the tank, so really you can't have anything hanging over. The tank rim is not that wide in the first place. Another option to look at is to make a stand specifically for the tank you want and stain it to match the rest of your furniture. Then you can build it with room for a sump. Kpotter2 could help you with that if its something you want to look into further.
    Best thing I can say is continue to ask questions and do research during this whole process. Do it right and reef tanks are a joy to have. Do them wrong and you have a disaster, and probably an unhappy wife to deal with LOL.
     
  3. erayk1 Well-Known ReefKeeper Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member

    981
    Coralville, IA
    Ratings:
    +35 / 0 / -0
    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!
     
  4. kschrobi

    kschrobi Inactive User

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    Awesome stuff guys, how much live rock do you guys recommend for a 40 -50 gallon tank? Any suggestions on where to get it fully cured and ready to go in the CR/Iowa City area? Or would it be smarter to get rock online and just put it in the tank while I cycle? I assume I have about 4 weeks or so for the cycling process so there wont be anything in the tank anyway to disrupt?
     
  5. bobsfish

    bobsfish Experienced Reefkeeper

    Ratings:
    +3 / 0 / -0
    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.
     
  6. Lee

    Lee Experienced Reefkeeper

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    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.
     
  7. Lee

    Lee Experienced Reefkeeper

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

    kschrobi Inactive User

    101
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    +0 / 0 / -0
    How do I access the Club Member section of the forum? I paid for the membership but its still not letting me into the members forum. Am I missing something?
     
  9. blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

    Cedar Rapids, IA
    Ratings:
    +738 / 5 / -0



    It may take a bit to get the membership activated.



     
  10. kschrobi

    kschrobi Inactive User

    101
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    I'm going to go with the 40 breeder tank. Is this live rock and sand a good choice or what would anyone else recommend?


    http://www.marcorocks.com/40poundbo...ymail.aspx





    Also there is a choice of fine or coarse live sand, any recommendations between the two?
     
  11. kschrobi

    kschrobi Inactive User

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  12. Maureen Experienced Reefkeeper

    Urbandale, IA
    Ratings:
    +329 / 0 / -0
    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.

     
  13. kschrobi

    kschrobi Inactive User

    101
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    +0 / 0 / -0

    So the marco rock is "live" as in I can drop the sand and rock into the tank, fill with salt water mix and I should be good for the cycle to begin? Or will I have to drop in a actual live rock as a seed for the marco and sand?






     
  14. Maureen Experienced Reefkeeper

    Urbandale, IA
    Ratings:
    +329 / 0 / -0
    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!
     
  15. Rocketmann

    Rocketmann

    242
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    +0 / 0 / -0
    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! :)
     

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