Set up a Marine Tank

[johnny1beat]

Here we go, over the next few months i am looking to buy all the equipment need to set up a marine tank. A few fish a clean up crew and maybe a few easy to keep corals to begin with. The main tank would be a min of 4ft and I have a 2ft jewel I would like to use as a sump, after rehoming my tetras and apple snails that is ? My question, and this is a doozee is what do I need?

I want to spread the cost over a few months (to allow the wife to maintain the shoe budget) and buy alot of stuff from ebay. I want to use as much live rock(last thing to buy before fish and inverts) as possible and I am open to all advise.

I know this is one hell of a question but please give me an idea. Oh yes and finally, I am willing to put as much time into this as possible, but any advise on how to reduce mantiance would be .

I bow to the knowledge of the forum

 

[Miss Yeppys]

Im selling my set up if your interested i can send you pics this is the link which is just above yours http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=78416

Thanks

 

[Fishy411]

well i will give u a list and others can tell u what to get.

1- Tank ( u already have)
-Sump ( u already have
-Refugium ( u may not need depending on what fish u r getting
-2 heaters ( in case one breaks. u cna put them in yur fuge)
-Protien skimmer ( i know a lot of people on this site say u dont need one but u do if u dont want to Make the tank TON of work)
-Live sand
- live rock. With live sand or lkive rock you can buy base rock or Play sand and seed it with live rock and live sand so the price isnt as high. ( live rock is expensive!)
-Lighting. very high lighting for corals.
- Hood. U can use eggcrate for it as long as none of yur fish can fit through the slots and u arent keeping an octopus
- Powerheads for circulation\
-fish

I think i got everything. Good luck and remember Patience is key with sw fish.

Miss yeppy's stuff is a good deal. I think it has almost everything U could make her tank into a Fuge. That would be good.

 

[johnny1beat]

Thanks for the tank offer, but I want to buy slowly to keep under my monthly budget.

Ok first question, refugium what and why?

Thanks

 

[Navarre]

A refugium is not essential (unless you want a mandarin) but here are its uses..

Its basically a small tank or other water holding device. Its usually placed above the main tank and doesnt have to be very large. Water is pumped up from the main tank and into the refugium which should have algae or liverock etc. and then the water overflows and gravity feeds water back into the main tank. The beauty of this means that live will grow up here where it cannot be predated on. Pods and other such creatures will find refuge here and multiply. Because the refugium is gravity fed then pods etc will fall into hte main tank alive and become live food for the fish (great for mandarins).

 

[Fishy411]

A refugium is not essential (unless you want a mandarin) but here are its uses..

Its basically a small tank or other water holding device. Its usually placed above the main tank and doesnt have to be very large. Water is pumped up from the main tank and into the refugium which should have algae or liverock etc. and then the water overflows and gravity feeds water back into the main tank. The beauty of this means that live will grow up here where it cannot be predated on. Pods and other such creatures will find refuge here and multiply. Because the refugium is gravity fed then pods etc will fall into hte main tank alive and become live food for the fish (great for mandarins).

Or other dragonettes and blennys

 

[blout]

well i will give u a list and others can tell u what to get.

1- Tank ( u already have)
-Sump ( u already have
-Refugium ( u may not need depending on what fish u r getting
-2 heaters ( in case one breaks. u cna put them in yur fuge)
-Protien skimmer ( i know a lot of people on this site say u dont need one but u do if u dont want to Make the tank TON of work)
-Live sand
- live rock. With live sand or lkive rock you can buy base rock or Play sand and seed it with live rock and live sand so the price isnt as high. ( live rock is expensive!)
-Lighting. very high lighting for corals.
- Hood. U can use eggcrate for it as long as none of yur fish can fit through the slots and u arent keeping an octopus
- Powerheads for circulation\
-fish

I think i got everything. Good luck and remember Patience is key with sw fish.

Miss yeppy's stuff is a good deal. I think it has almost everything U could make her tank into a Fuge. That would be good.

Salt mix is a good place to start

 

[johnny1beat]

ok thanks for the tips so far, what is the best type/make of skimmer and powerheads to get and I will keep an eye out.

 

[Fishy411]

ok thanks for the tips so far, what is the best type/make of skimmer and powerheads to get and I will keep an eye out.

Well a Euroreef is the best skimmer ( for like 300$) but you could run a prizm and a Canister or two. Maxijets are the best powerheads.


I can believe i forgot salt mix!

 

[johnny1beat]

Ok can I have some views on the following skimmers:

Berlin Beast,
Red Sea Prism
Seaclone 100
There is also a Tunze 3160, but it is 3 years old and had a motor replaced?


Thanks again.

 

[Navarre]

I have the Red Sea. Its a nice skimmer but it does undreskim. CVery popular though so spare part woulkd be easy. I cant comment o the others as i have never used them.

Tunze are the rolls royce of powerheads. If you can afford a "tunze stream" then your tank will enter a whole new level of circulation.