Beginner! Completely!

[Meggie :)]

I will do a journal...I'll try and start one up today maybe with a picture of the tank...but I really need to know what equipment I need first...today is a good day to get them so I'd like to if I could. But I don't know what I'm getting yet equipment wise that's where I am needing the help right now haha I'm so saltwater clueless!

 

[SaltNoob]

ok ok ok slow down.

Powerheads... 50Gallons. 25X turnover would be 1250+ Gallons per Hour turnover.. Look at powerheads (good brand might be hydor Koralias). The box will tell you how many GPH it supports, so add em up and thats what you need.

Are you going to do a sump? I would recommend doing so or getting an external HOB skimmer if not. There are tons of them, id do some research.

Lighting: Depends on what you want to keep... T5HO's 24Watt bulbs will take care of most of your needs. If you want any nems or acropora things like that (tank needs to be established for months first anyway) id go Metal Halide. Heat may become an issue if you go that route, also LED's are getting better now, EXPENSIVE, but worth it if your in it for the long run. Colors with LED's are also quite stunning.

GET A REFRACTOMETER. You will be so happy you did. It helps you see where your water is, so if your water gets low you can look at it and day "oh salt is low, add saltwater" or "oh look salt is high, add RO water"... Helps stabilize conditions. Hydrometer is lazy and inaccurate.

Filters: Live Rock is your filter... That is why you should not skimp in this area. It is the biological filter =) you can do other filters... some produce lots of nitrates. read up on them though. LLjma does some great refugiums that act as great filters also.

-Tyler

 

[Meggie :)]

Thank you for all your help! And I'm planning on lots of live rock. Are all refractometers really expensive? Could do the hob protein skimmer for now, upgrade maybe to a sump in the future? And I will look at power heads as well, now that I have a good idea of what I need flow rate wise...

Okay I'll list what I have equipment wise so far/what i need

what I have
A heater (hopefully it works hah)
Two hob filters (300 gph each)

what I need
hob protein skimmer
Power heads that add up to 1250 gph or more
A new light
A refractometer

Missing anything?
Thank you all so much. Can't even tell you how much I appreciate all this help!

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

All I know so far equipment wise is power heads...don't k ow how many...do I need new filters? Protein skimmer? Sump? Refugium? Hydrometer or refractometer? Coulhget eg a hydrometer for now and invest in a refractometer later? what lighting should I get? Ahhhh so much! which of these do I need? Do I need anything else?

1 . Powerheads - i use Newave Range cheap and quiet (dont know if these are availiable in US). Other good brands abit more expensive are Hydor koralia, and top of my expense range would be Tunze.

2. Refractometer - Refractometer initial cost is higher but when it comes to salinity (i keep my reef at 1.025) its critical to a tank its kept right.

3. Protein skimmer - i use Deltec MCE 300 its considered 1 of the best to use for a 180 litre tank... also heard great things about bubble magus.

4. Refugium - heres a great link on how to make a cheap Refugium since u already have 2 HOB filters perhaps you could make a project similar to this?

5. Lighting - heres a popular topic lately soo many people ask about this and its 1 thing im not a 100% on lol T5 lighting is considered a minimum for keeping soft corals (like mushrooms)

im aware all my links are in pounds by the way you can google shop yourself to get a idea on price on your end across the pond?

 

[ainsy]

As others have mentioned GOOD quality live rock & plenty of it.

I agree with what Tyler has recommended powerhead wise but can also give a big thumbs up to any of the Tunze powerheads (although they are more expensive!)

As for a HOB skimmer for a 4ft tank I would recommend either a Deltec MC500 (expensive but good!) or the Aquamedic Tubofloater 1000

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

Dont mind that old timer MOD above meg hes abit slow

 

[SaltNoob]

Thank you for all your help! And I'm planning on lots of live rock. Are all refractometers really expensive? Could do the hob protein skimmer for now, upgrade maybe to a sump in the future? And I will look at power heads as well, now that I have a good idea of what I need flow rate wise...

Okay I'll list what I have equipment wise so far/what i need

what I have
A heater (hopefully it works hah)
Two hob filters (300 gph each)

what I need
hob protein skimmer
Power heads that add up to 1250 gph or more
A new light
A refractometer

Missing anything?
Thank you all so much. Can't even tell you how much I appreciate all this help!

Totally can do HOB skimmer for now. Get Two heaters that add up to what you need, so if one fails... it will not overheat the tank. Refractometers are like $50bucks. I'd recommend aragonite sand... pretty and much easier to clean than sand is.

-Tyler

 

[Meggie :)]

Okay so I found This refractometer ....good?

I found This for powerheads...do these look good?

And ainsy, I looked at the deltic mc500...way to expensive right now unfortunately...I also looked at the aquamedic tubofloater 1000...Much better price wise, but I also found This ...about 60 dollars cheaper...does this one look good? Or should I just stick with the aquamedic tubofloater 1000? Or if it is that expensive should I just get a sump? Or do I need a protein skimmer anyway? Which would be the best way to go do you think?

also just remembered I have a bit of birthday and christmas money to spend...normally I would save it, but it was given to me by relatives that live further away just for this tank...so I think I have about 125 or 150 dollars on top of what my parents can pay...but I'd still rather spend the least amount of money I can, but good quality things..I don't want to waste my money on cheapo things...

Thank you for all your help! Hopefully if all these things look good I can start ordering them today

 

[Meggie :)]

Thank you all! In addition to this^ post, how much would a refugium like ryan suggested help? Do you think I should have one? If i had a refugium would that replace the need of a sump? or vice versa?

 

[ainsy]

Dont mind that old timer MOD above meg hes abit slow

HeHe - That will be down to my age Ryan!



Meggie, Refractometer looks fine. The powerheads are the Chinese copies - I have used them & they worked fine but didn't last very long before they wore out.

The skimmer looks like a copy of a Deltec - So should work although I don't have any experience of that particular brand. Pump looks a little cheap though

 

[SaltNoob]

Dont mind that old timer MOD above meg hes abit slow

HeHe - That will be down to my age Ryan!



Meggie, Refractometer looks fine. The powerheads are the Chinese copies - I have used them & they worked fine but didn't last very long before they wore out.

The skimmer looks like a copy of a Deltec - So should work although I don't have any experience of that particular brand. Pump looks a little cheap though

I agree with the refracto... I REALLY love my hydor koralias low heat and pretty quiet (until a snail gets between the glass and the PH lol. RATTLES)... Also those are HUGE 1300 a piece wow. Id get 3 with less power so you have more control over flow =) up to you though.

-Tyler

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

i just did a quick fleebay search on hydor koralias and there really are some bargains to be had especially on the evolution 1400 pumps...

that skimmer you linked is a Sump skimmer though?
Search for something like Hang on Back skimmer, i like the reviews i read on the aquamedic turbofloater 1000 though seems a good skimmer that the snail ainsy linked

 

[Meggie :)]

How long was it until the powerheads wore out? Do you know of any less expensive powerheads/protein skimmers that should work?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh so much stuff!

Okay and this is the tank

And this is what's going on with the filters...since the plastic is there and it's cut to perfectly and snugly fit these filters, and I need to put on a protein skimmer, should I take off one (or both) of the filters entirely and replace it with the protein skimmer (maybe a refugium like ryan suggested)? Or just cut the plastic more? Do you suggest I keep these filters on or just take them off completely? Since their flow rate is only 300gph

 

[ainsy]

They lasted for about 8 months compared to my Tunze streams that are 8 years old & still going strong.

I can recommend the Turbofloater - I had one on a 4ft tank & it was brilliant. I never once regretted spending the extra on it. Good catch Ryan - I didn't spot that the one that Meggie linked was an in sump version!

 

[Meggie :)]

hmm I looked at what ryan linked...what if I got 2 or 3 of these powerheads ?

That protein skimmer is expensive! But I will try to get a hold of it if there aren't any less expensive ones... How does This one look? Or should I just stick to the aqua medic turboflotor 1000?

What do you think about the refugium? Or sump? Should I just remove the filters that came with the tank?

I'm really sorry about how many questions I have!
Thank you all so much I can't say it enough