30gal... Where Do I Start?

[CountryBoi]

Right, i have a 30 gal, long, shallow, tank (setup for trops ATM). I went to a not so local marine specialist yesterday and got a quote for what i need to set up my tank just wanted to run it past u guys to see:
1> is this correct, does it contain everything i need?
2>is it priced well, or too expensive?

Arcadia Luminaire T5X4 = £220.00
20Kg Live Rock = £220.00
Live Sand = £22.00
Normal Sand = £4.00
Swing-Arm Hydrometer = £15.00
2 x Test kits = £7.50 each
Eheim Classic Filter = £99.99
25kg Salt = £49.99
Pizm Skimmer = £99.99

I think that was everything!
Your opinions please!

 

[Chac]

Right, i have a 30 gal, long, shallow, tank (setup for trops ATM). I went to a not so local marine specialist yesterday and got a quote for what i need to set up my tank just wanted to run it past u guys to see:
1> is this correct, does it contain everything i need?
2>is it priced well, or too expensive?

Arcadia Luminaire T5X4 = £220.00
20Kg Live Rock = £220.00
Live Sand = £22.00
Normal Sand = £4.00
Swing-Arm Hydrometer = £15.00
2 x Test kits = £7.50 each
Eheim Classic Filter = £99.99
25kg Salt = £49.99

I think that was everything!
Your opinions please!

You should be able to get loads of bit online a good bit cheaper IMO

Lighting

Liverock

Go with Normal Sand - Livesand is a waste

Testkits - salifert are the best - you will need Ammonia, Nitrate, Nirite, pH & Phosphate

What you thinking of using the external for ?

Salts about the right price - what type is it

Seio Powerheads

You will need around 20x tank volume

Have you ever treated the tank with copper in its Fre... Fres... (sorry cant say that word) Days

 

[CountryBoi]

The filter is for filtration i guess!?! I'm just goin by what the chap in the shop was trying to sell me!?! But i turn to u guys for expert advice! Do i need the power heads? Is that the Light i'm after

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, you need powerheads more than you need a filter. In a modern aquarium, live rock is your filter. It houses all the necessary bacteria and dentrifying life to complete the nitrogen cycle. Canister filters only have the opportunity to process the cycle through to the point of nitrate. In fact, if not cleaned regularly, canister filters can trap detritus and lead to an increase of nitrates in the tank and are generally only used for carbon or other chemical filtration.

Powerheads are necessary to make the LR work. With enough flowrate across the LR it will do its filtering thing . 20x flowrate is a good number. If you're ONLY doing fish only, you can go lower than that, but if you want to keep corals, you're gonna want at least 20x if not more (30x+ for SPS).

 

[Chac]

If you are using Liverock for Biological Filtration then a External really isnt needed (they are know to become Nitrate factorys)

Powerheads/Stream/Seios are one of the most important peices of equipment as the cononising bacteria on your live rock require a flow of water - this comes from your powerheads etc.

(The only consideration you need to give to Live Rock after it is in the tank is FLOW, or the colonising bacteria will simply die, for your tank I recommend a Flow of no less than 20x, I personally go for a higher flow than other, (mine is almost 40x) you also do not want any dead spots on the live rock (ie no flow over), I used to use Spray Bars, Rotators & also have mod'ed my powerheads to give and open flow instead of a direct flow.

The Bacteria that colonise this rock are both aerobic and anaerobic and there only job in life is to control the levels of nitrites and ammonia

You could use the external to house Live Rubble rock, antiphos, Nitrate remover etc.

 

[CountryBoi]

I'm defo not after a fish only! if you guys can recommend the equip u would use for my tank it would probably help. Chac i read a reply of yours just now on another thread and u recommended not using T5 lighting for hard corals? what are the differences between hard/soft corals? SPS are the little round ones right, i want them too! i don't have the external yet so if it won't benifit the tank i won't get it.

 

[Chac]

SPS Corals (Short/Small Polyped Stony)are generally the hardest to keep, they need intense Metal Halide Lighting (althought there are examples of SPS being kept under T5's) & very good water quality

LPS (Long Polyped Stony) Again as SPS, are generally concidered hard to keep Corals for Newbie but there are example througt this family that will be happy in lower light tanks & are slightly hardier

Both SPS & LPS Coral are made up of a calcerous skeleton with flesh on top

Soft Corals are much easer (Generally) to keep, they will tolorate most light & Flow levels & to a degree are more tolorant of swings in tank paremeters

Personally I would stay away from SPS, Start with Softies & maybe afetr a load of reasearch branch in to LPS

Equipment I personally would use

Skimmer
I would use this skimmer in a 30g Tank

Powerheads I would use Seio Pumps

Lighting depends on your decision on Corals

 

[SkiFletch]

As always I agree with Chac. I'd start with easy softies like leathers, mushrooms, and zooanthids. Then you could try some easier LPS like Euphylla genus types (hammer, frogspawn, torch, galaxea), maybe a bubble coral or a few types of brains and open brains are pretty easy to care for as well. As Chac mentioned, harder LPS like echinopora, acans, and blastos along with SPS like montiporas, acroporas, pocillipora, and others should be avoided until you've got some salt under your belt

Edit: And just as an fyi, ESPECIALLY for corals, if you dont know what you're buying, ask them to put it on hold and ask here about its requirements, can save you a lot of headaches

 

[CountryBoi]

So your saying to stay away from a cannister filter alltogether then? If i have loads of live rock and a couple of power heads along with a set of 4 t5s (two actinic, two ??), a skimmer and that should do it? i like the look of the galaxea, zooanthids and maybe a mushroom, i've also seen a "Fungia repanda" in my LFS would all these have enough light under t5s?
I have been thinking about what to stock the aquarium with would a clean-up crew of 2 blue legged hermits, 3 scarlet hermits, a cleaner shrimp, a starfish of some desciption, and various snails be suitable for me. Fish i'm thinkin of 2 x clown (not sure which species to go for) a goby (again not sure which 1), a cleaner wrasse, and a firefish (u get the idea)! Would this be an ok stocking level obviously to be reached over a period of time. I'm also thinking of getting an urchin do they have any specific requirements?
I think i might put a few tube worms in there aswell?
Anemones do you think there is one that i could keep in my aquarium that might house the clowns, i know they require lots of light, would the t5s be ok?
If theres anythng i have said you don't aqree with please let me know!

 

[callell]

So your saying to stay away from a cannister filter alltogether then?

You can (as stated above) 'use the external to house Live Rubble rock, antiphos, Nitrate remover etc.' - I have done this in the past with good results

If i have loads of live rock and a couple of power heads along with a set of 4 t5s (two actinic, two ??), a skimmer and that should do it?

Pretty much yes, get the biggest skimmer you can afford also try to get one that is rated to 3 or 4 times you tank - dont try to save a $ on skimmer they are very important

i like the look of the galaxea, zooanthids and maybe a mushroom, i've also seen a "Fungia repanda" in my LFS would all these have enough light under t5s?

Galaxea's are LPS Corals that prefer higher light levels & are not really for newbies, Zoo's are one I have had some good results with but intermitent failures, I have sometimes been stumped on what to do for the best with Zoa's, currently I have mine under 250w MH lights & they are doing well, water changed every 10 days, Muchrooms will do fine under most lights

I have been thinking about what to stock the aquarium with would a clean-up crew of 2 blue legged hermits, 3 scarlet hermits, a cleaner shrimp, a starfish of some desciption, and various snails be suitable for me.

Cleaner crew looks fine but maybe hang off on getting the starfish just for the moment as they do not do well in very new tanks, they also require long acclimitizations

Fish i'm thinkin of 2 x clown (not sure which species to go for) a goby (again not sure which 1), a cleaner wrasse, and a firefish (u get the idea)! Would this be an ok stocking level obviously to be reached over a period of time.

Look ok just take your time in stocking

I'm also thinking of getting an urchin do they have any specific requirements?

I hate Urchins they bulldoze everything in the tank, they will knock over your corals as well

I think i might put a few tube worms in there aswell?

Have never had any problems with either featherdusters

Anemones do you think there is one that i could keep in my aquarium that might house the clowns, i know they require lots of light, would the t5s be ok?

NO - a 30g is not a good sized tank s for an anemone, they require intense lighting, near perfect tank conditions & have a healthy dislike for filters (meaning they get torn to peices by them)

 

[CountryBoi]

Do u think it would be a good idea to put a sump on my aquarium to increase the volume aswell as aid with filtation? maybe instead of a canister? can i add a sump without drilling?

 

[l337dave]

Do u think it would be a good idea to put a sump on my aquarium to increase the volume aswell as aid with filtation? maybe instead of a canister? can i add a sump without drilling?

yup - you'll need an overflow box. be very careful when you are planning a sump you need to make sure that you have enough space in your sump for if the power goes off and sump starts to fill and you need to consider what will happen if the power comes back on and the overflow box doesn't start syphon again.

I've had to dry my carpet out once already when a hose came off the canister filter I don't want to have to do the same with X gallons of water from the sump!

so I'm planning mine _very_ carefully


dave.

 

[CountryBoi]

Is there anywhere i can get decent info on building a reliable sump with an overflow box?
Also might sound really stupid but, what stops the pump emptying the contents of the sump into the tank and running the sump dry and what stops the sump oveflowing if the pump stops?

 

[SkiFletch]

melevsreef.com

 

[littleimp]

External filter is good for rowaphos, carbon & live rock rubble. (ditch the ceramic media)

Prizm skimmer is an extremely unpopular skimmer. An aqua-medic bio-floater £120 or if you can afford a bit more a deltec hang-on £170 would be soooo much better.

Other than that you seem to be getting good advice & will be on the right track. Save you a fortune buying rubbish & then selling it to buy some decent stuff!!!