Trying To Dive In...

[WayneVT08]

I'm really starting to think that I'm going to jump into the saltwater part of the hobby in the next 8 months. I'm trying to compile a list of things I'll need I think I have the lights picked out with the help of Musho.

I won't be able to have a sump, so I'll have to convert one of my TopFin 60's into a sort of mini sump/fuge. I really don't know anything I'll need. Besides the new lights and a better filter, thinking an Eheim, don't know what type though.

Would really love you guys to help me out like you have with my other topic, I just need to start compiling a list so that I can start figuring out how much I'll need to spend to get it started.

Thinking of getting most of the things from aquacave.com, since my LFS has a smaller selection of dry goods, or atleast what I've seen. I'll find out more about that on Saturday after I get home from that store. They have a lot of corals and fish, and that would be where I would be getting all my fish. No Petco/PetSmart on this tank, total small business, I don't trust Petco enough to buy anything from them.

But here's my list of things I know I'll have to buy as of now (no livestock or anything that goes into the tank itself, ex. livestock, LR, LS etc etc):

RO/DI System - I do need to find some things about these, how hard are they to hook up and how long they take, can I drink the stuff? If not, why not? Does it hook up simply to the underside of the sink and what not?

Large trash can - to mix the SW


TEK LIGHT T-5, 48" Light Fixture 4 x 54W lamps by Sunlight Supply* - Is this gonna be alright in the long run for corals and such? Why in God's name do the fixtures cost so much money? Do I have to hang it from the ceiling or can it clamp onto the ends of the tank?

(The filter is gonna be edited into here once I get some ideas from you guys and a decision on it on my part) - I can't do a sump under it because I don't feel comfortable drilling the tank and I don't want to do the plumbing. Unless I could possibly get a minute sump/fuge that is probably smaller than 15" long and 12" deep.

Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer - Musho recommended this but I really wouldn't want to shell out that kind of money, but I will if I really have to.
Tunze DOC 9005 Protein Skimmer - He also recommended this, but it is still a lot of money, but whichever one is absolutely better I would really consider getting it.

There are other thing's I'll need, I know, but let me know those things and I'll update the list. I really appreciate all your help guys. I would love to make it up to you somehow, maybe just having a successful reef would be nice.

 

[Musho3210]

coralife is low budget, tunze is much better than coralife, if you cant afford tunze but still want an ok skimmer, get the coralife 130 or 220, 220 would be better though. But tunze is just top quality. You said you want the best and you dont have a sump, so go with a tunze.

I would always start somewhere in the top quality area, not in the low quality, then buy a high quality later.

To make things simple:

If can afford a tunze, get a tunze

If you cant afford a tunze, the coralife would be next to choose from

 

[WayneVT08]

OK. I'm still looking a my LRC to see if I can find anything, hopefully this guy has a 40 gallon with stand, HOPEFULLY! and maybe I could trade him a 55.

 

[Musho3210]

if he has a sump to equal the water volume to a 55 gallon then you can do it if you want, but water volume is important since you dont like the 55 gallons dimensions

Volume is more important than footprint, especially for a beginner

 

[WayneVT08]

I posted a thread over there at the LRC to try to find a 40-50 gallon tank with a full set-up basically. and i found a guy pretty close to me apparently.

 

[SkiFletch]

Actually, tbh, I'd reccomend an AquaC Remora since you're pretty much forced to HOB operation for your skimmer. The AquaC IMO is easily as good as the Tunze and sits outside the tank, while most hanging Tunze's are internal (thus wasting tank "real estate"). Still not cheap, but IMO the best HOB skimmer in the States.

For the lighting, those Tek lights are truly top of the line. Heck, we use knockoffs of those things here at work to light up a warehouse-sized space. Things throw TONS of light. If you have a decent DIY spirit you can save yourself a lot of cash on lights, but remember, first nail down your tank/livestock before you go on thinking about lighting

And for the RO system, you have 4 "common" options in atlanta. First, get a hose connection and hook it up outside to the garden hose connection (should you have one). Second, if you have a washbasin in the basement or laundry area of your house, you can hook up a hose connection to the basin faucet (usually 3/4" hose) or you can get a valved Y splittler for your washing machine cold water line and do it that way. Third, you can buy a faucet connector for your kitchen sink. Or lastly, you can get a piercing saddle valve and tap straight into a copper pipe. That last method can be a bit tricky if you dont know what you're doing.

 

[Musho3210]

the only reason why i didnt recommend the aquac is because its around the same price of the tunze (a bit more if you want to upgrade the pump).

Lately remoras havent been getting that many good reviews

 

[sacramonel]

Please Please PLEASE do not get the coralife. What a POS!! It leaks all the time. Can't be tuned. And skims nothing. Tunze all the way!

 

[Musho3210]

Please Please PLEASE do not get the coralife. What a POS!! It leaks all the time. Can't be tuned. And skims nothing. Tunze all the way!

may i ask what model coralife are you talking about? My lfs uses a 220 model and it skims like crazy

 

[WayneVT08]

I was also looking this morning I think and saw some T-5's and they were a bunch cheaper and they had mounting brackets included with it. all for in the low 200's I think.

But if I do get a 36" tank, with a depth of more than 15 inches then I would get a different one, but here's the lights I found this morning before school.

http/www.aquamartonline.com/01695_1_3_1584.html

 

[SkiFletch]

pretty nice fixture there

 

[sacramonel]

Please Please PLEASE do not get the coralife. What a POS!! It leaks all the time. Can't be tuned. And skims nothing. Tunze all the way!

may i ask what model coralife are you talking about? My lfs uses a 220 model and it skims like crazy

I have the middle model, I can not recall which number it is. The problem with using a LFS as an example is that they are there all the time to constantly tune and look after equipment. Which is not something that many of us can do, nor is it practical for us. The Superskimmer will work but you have to look after it all the time. In my opinion it is too much of a hassle and the extra money spent on a AquaC or Tunze is worth it.

 

[Musho3210]

Skimmer part: Makes sense, i see your logic, but ive heard pretty good reviews on the 220 model, as well as seeing it work myself, even if they did constantly tune it.

Light Part: Not as good as the TEK, the nova uses one big reflector rather than individual ones. A lot of light is wasted between tubes, individual reflectors give off much more light since you dont waste as much. I wouldnt get the nova.

 

[WayneVT08]

Just thought I should add this about my 55 gallon freshwater, look at number 10. its mine.

http/www.ratemyfishtank.com/topmonth.php/s_2