In the planning phases.

Hello all.

So back a couple years ago my parents started a salt water aquarium. I was in love! And always have had a thing for salt water aquariums. Although my parents had a FOWLR, a trip to the LFS was always a treat. Anyways I have decided to start one myself. Its about 10 years since I was "in the game" but still remember some key bullets about owning a salt water aquarium. I have not bought anything yet, like the title says im in the planning zone right now. And still persuading my GF to help out when I do go away from time to time for work. So here we go.

My plan- I would like 100 gallon tank. I know bigger is more expencive but like the idea of a small water parameter freaking out and not instantly killing everything. I also would like a reef. lots of Live Rock and lots of inverts. mushrooms, polyps, anenomies etc. Gentle fish no triggers or lion fish but a tang maybe? goobies have always been my favorite like the mandorine gobby.

Some things I still need to figure out.
-the tank. Probubly gonna by used since its a lot cheaper. Would like acrylic just so I can put bulkheads in the bottom.
-the sump. Im leaning towards a sump with a refugeeium as well as Protien skimmer all in one style. Refugeium will most likely wait until the tank starts to mature.
-Lighting. I have no idea on this subject what I would need. Im assuming I need to know the depth of the tank as well as demission's.
-Main pump. x20 seem enough GPH? will one suffice? depends of the sump right?
-wave makers and a controller. controller is a big must for me. I looked at a couple and only a PH probe? why not ammonia or nitrate/nitrite?
-RO/DI, yea ill get one of these. Can you drink this water?
-Live Rock, 1.5lbs per gallon? so 150lbs? some in sump some in display?
Live sand, thinking 1-2"s?

SO as you can see still planning but don't want to buy something and realize I wasted money or could have done something different. I guess Im just introducing myself and if any of you have recommendations, please don't hesitate.

Thanks

-the tank. Probubly gonna by used since its a lot cheaper. Would like acrylic just so I can put bulkheads in the bottom.

You can still put bulkheads on the bottom if it's glass. My preference is glass, I've owned acrylic tanks in the past, and no matter how careful I was I'd always end up scratching them. But like I said that's me. As far as lighting goes, that'll depend on what your planning on keeping. HTH!!!


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First welcome David. Where in Hesperia are you. I'm closer to oak hills. Glass or acrylic is fine with bulkheads on the bottom. I love my acrylic tank. As far as a fuge in your sump I would definitely have one. Start it when you start your tank. Lighting all depends on preference, price, and what you want to keep. Turn over for your pump is debatable so it's up to you. Apex for your controller I recommend and wave makers are fine but I prefer running vortech pumps. Rodi is a must and we are fortunate here that our tap is pretty good so your filters last a long tine. If you want to drink the water just add a line before it goes into the di section. Rock depends on how porous it is the more porous the better and you can get away with less in the tank. Sand sounds about right. LMK if I can help in any way

I also recommended glass the way to go . and I have a leemar top of the line glass tank 188 gallons 650 regal price 1990

Thanks for the replies. PGR11 I'm on the Mesa. Just moved here last year. I understand lighting is going to be dependent on what I keep. During the cycling and first couple weeks is lighting that important? Do I need lighting at all during this phase? Ohh, PGR11 were do you go as far as your LFS?

No light is needed during the cycle. It will just cause an algae breakout. Your gonna get some but no need to add to it. We have 2 places here in the desert but both are not great. One is worse. I suggest going down the hill to rancho cucamonga and visit tropical reef fish store. Jason will help you out and he lives here also. What's your budget right now? I'll advice you not to buy just because something is cheap but low quality, you'll end up spending more trying to get better quality in the future.

PGR11 that's exactly what Im trying to avoid. I definitely want to plan and explore some ideas and choose the best idea for my situation/wants. I like the idea of waiting on lights. I know they can be expensive. My budget, well id like a system to start around 2k. I know some things can wait like lights, but im thinking aquarium, stand, skimmer, sump, live rock and sand, salt, (controller can wait too), pump/s, plumbing, ro/di to first start out with. And keep that for a month. "cycle" after the cycle that's when Id like to add inverts, after there water cycle, a couple fish. Once the tank matures idk 6 months, start looking into corals, calcium reactor, nice lights etc.. The theme im looking for I guess is a gentle reef, lots of purples and "florescent night life". I wont buy anything until early April. And I thought of another idea just recently. The room Id like to have the aquarium is adjacent to the garage. Could I plumb through the wall and have a Rubbermaid sump in the garage? another 50-100 gallons? but then was thinking more expensive skimmer, another 100lbs of live rock more powerful pump etc.? But like I said, I still have yet to buy the aquarium. lol. But I will

Shot you a pm

That's pretty nice. We will see coming the next 2 weeks. Whats a normal MX week for you guys? Once the tank is cycled with a fish or two and live rock? I was thinking test water parameters twice a week, monthly water change, feed everyday, lights on/off everyday. anything else? with a controller would make it a lot easier right?

Not quite sure what you mean by MX? If you get some free time feel free to stop on by and we can talk reef

Whatever you do don't believe him when he tells you the shack in the back is a fish room. ..

But seriously all jokes aside, hope the op realizes how lucky he is to have a veteran in the game so close to help him get everything in order ....most of us had only the same 2 there for us....Trial and Error

Thanks for looking out lol...

Oh im super excited. I cant wait to get this started.

So after some thinking, Im leaning toward a rubber-maid sump in the garage. If I were to do this, and place the skimmer inside the sump, were would I put a refugium? Can I plum a separate small tank before the skimmer? So the flow of water would be from Display tank, small refugium, Protein skimmer inside sump, sump, return pump display tank. Is this ideal? Am I missing anything as far as filtration and plumbing?

A question you have to ask yourself is what purpose do you want the refugium to hold? If just for harboring pods and other beneficial critters, then a small or medium fuge can do the job. If you want your fuge to hold larger filtration responsibilities, then go with a good sized/large fuge that can hold a good amount of diverse macro algaes and micro fauna.

+1 to what Jesse said. Also take into consideration where we live. If your going to be putting the equipment in the garage just remember we have very cold winters and very hot summers. Much more so then down the hill. Don't let this last winter fool you we get very cold. Heating and cooling your tank water if in the garage will cost you in your utility bill. I'm not saying don't do it just remember it will be expensive

Exactly why I ask the questions. Thx. Didn't even think of that.