55 gallon tank questions

[SuperLeet]

Hi,
heres the list of products Im going to get. Also the livestock list. Ive kept a reef tank for 5 years, but Im experimenting with new products so please tell me what you think! Or what i forgot. I have a pretty good budjet so tell me which products are BEST!

1 55 gallon (48x13x20)(glass)
1 oak canopy
1 oak stand

2 variable output icecap fans
4 icecap double endcaps
1 icecap 660 ballast


4 HO bulbs: (if you know better bulbs PLEASE tell me, maybe something from corallife?)
(all bulbs will be replaced with VHOs after 6 months, i just wanted the coraline to grow)

2 white actinic
2 actinic blue

some saltwater resistent mirrors, to make a reflector (suggestions?)

1 Eco Sand Plenum custom by Corals and Clams

1 protein skimmer (not sure which one) (will be added after 6 months)

1 200 gallon bucket of instant ocean salt

water question: Will tap water suffice? Will leaving it out for a day "fix" it? Will running it through carbon before mixing it with salt?

3 Maxi Jet 1200 power heads

1 200 watt visi-therm heater

1 Eheim ECCO 2235 (for carbon and filterfloss) (Should I use it as a biological filter?)

1 hydrometer

0 test kits (are these REALLY neccesary? Ive been able to just look if the corals are open to see if things are ok, but i suppose that if they are, which ones are the best, what should i test for to be the bare essentials. (nitrate, calcium and ph?))

Carib Sea aragonite Gravel - 40 pounds Seaflor special grade (for the plenum)

65 lbs of mixed aragocrete and fiji (Im thinking of trying out the man made live rock, but i really love seeing what comes out LIVE rock. I need something that barely touches the bottom. I do like florida rock a lot but the problem is that its heavy. Maybe somebody could suggest a awesome live rock dealer...)

11 pounds of Garf Grunge (nobody can tell me this stuff sucks I love it

)

I think thats everything. Please tell me if i missed something.

On to supplements

1 Sea Chem. Reef Plus
1 Sea Chem. Reef Complete
1 Sea Chem. Reef Calcium

do those sound right? Ive had good success with them, but there MIGHT be something better

1 SeaChem Reef Advantage (ive never used this is it good? Garf reccomended using it for every gallon of makeup water. The problem is theres more than one kind. Help!)

1 SeaChem reef builder.

reef janitors

1 timer (cheap walmart)

1 wavemaker for the 3 power heads (which is best?)


I think thats all.

I think im actually going to place a separate post for the actuall livestock. Thankyou to anyone who puts time into replying to this.

 

[Anonymous]

first off: if you have the money get a bigger tank than a 55.
there's not enough room front to back in that size. i know, i have one.
a 75 gives 6 (i think) extra inches front to back, yet is still 48" long.
if i had the means, i would go with a 75 or bigger. my dream is a 125 pre-drilled with built-in overflow.

 

[Anonymous]

couple more points:
-use reverse osmosis water, not tap water. tap water usually has phosphates, silicates, and many other troublesome substances. do your local supermarkets sell water? usually that is put thru a reverse osmosis (RO)filter. that would be great, and relatively cheap. if not look into a RO / deionized (DI) filter. these usually go for about 200 bucks. Spectrapure makes a good one. I use one from Kent with a special silicate filter. I like it.
-don't use Coralife bulbs. they don't hold their color long, and are often over-priced. i like URI bulbs.
-plenums generally aren't recommended anymore (watch the plenum people jump on this). pick up a book (or just search for articles online) by Ron Shimek on how to use a deep sand bed to complete the nitrogen cycle.
-do get ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and phosphate test kits. i like Fastest and Seatest from Aquarium systems.
-don't bother with the mirrors. paint the inside of the hood white. or get some vinyl gutter flashing (color = white) and use them as reflectors. other folks can give you tips. i'm not that handy.

 

[Quillen]

I think Tapwater is a bad idea, if nothing else, get some purifier. if you use tapwater, I think that there is more of a problem with PH. I would go with RO/DI, if nothing else you can often pick it up at a super walmart now

. Whatever size tank you like is fine by me.

I love my icecaps a lot, you might want to get the extender (rather then the normal) wire. I believe it is about $25, but the other one was a little short for me. After you get it, you can see what you think. I like the URI bulbs as well and they are cheaper. I like Instant Ocean. I like Fastest as well, get the big kit- it is worth it.

 

[pperez]

I agree with moe, get a bigger tank. A 75gal would be great. Its not that much more and the extra width makes all the difference. I have a 55gal now and can't stand it. Its hard to aquascape. The mirroe idea for the reflector sounds good to me. You really can't get any better reflection...

Keep the eheim empty. If you need to run carbon or floss then add it and remove it. If you leave it in there on a permanent basis, it will collect garbage that can lead to problems. I basically add b-ionic and do water changes. That seems to work for me. Get as many suggestions as possible, better to start of right then to spend a ton of money on garbage. HTH

 

[SuperLeet]

Ok, I just sold my 125 because of the length, I dont have enough money to buy metalhailides and like six vhos. I can get the 75 if 4 vhos will suffice. I want to be a be able to keep SPS, will 4 vhos be enough?

Also, what is a great protein skimmer?

Who is a great mail order live rock supplyer

Are those trace elements good?

How much more does a 75 cost than a 55?

Thanx

 

[SuperLeet]

would a 60 gallon be okay?

48x15x18?

 

[6_line]

as another dissatified 55 gallon tank owner...get at least a 75. That extra 6 inches will do wonders....

 

[Anonymous]

For reflective material you can use Mylar - it's flexible plastic-like sheeting with a mirror surface. You can find it here:
http://www.discounthydro.com/mylar.asp

 

[skylsdale]

Ditch the Eheim...canisters are a no-no in SW. Unless they are cleaned meticulously (many times a week) they just become a detritus trap and nitrate factory. Don't worry about biological filtration...the liverock and sandbed will take care of that.

 

[Anonymous]

If Metal halides are what is going to work best be patient and get them.

I bought mine used and got a damn good deal. Remember that a lot of people go out and buy all these pricey goodies and find they really do not have the time or want to give the effort required of this hobby. They trade in ther equipment or sell it back for pennies on the dollar.

Call every LFS within 3 hours of your town and start asking for used halides. Keep calling weekly and you will find some. You really have to be Johnny on the spot for deals.

 

[Anonymous]

i keep an acropora under VHO in my 55 and it is doing great. so it can be done.
but if i had the money today, i would upgrade to MH.

my buddy got a good deal on live rock (LR) from Flying Fish Express. 45 pound box of uncured for $99 + shipping. You could get the cured LR for the same price, but why if you're just starting a new tank?

 

[skylsdale]

As far as a skimmer, either a CPR BakPak or RemoraPro www.proteinskimmer.com would work...although I wouldn't go with anything rated for less.

 

[wasabi]

that was supposed to be 20 gallon refugium

 

[Solarreef]

Oh Wasabi, I though that just emphasized how much you like your 55gallon!

 

[arnjer]

Hi Super.....I just upgraded to MH and I really like them. I think if you want to keep SPS then your best bet is to get Metal Halides. I just read "A Practical Guide To Corals For The Reef Aquarium" last night and it's easy reading but it has some good info in it. I agree with the above posts as far as tank size....I just combined two 55 gal tanks into one 90 gal and I'm already wanting a bigger tank (maybe in a year or two). I am running 2x250 watt MH 10K's on the 90 which is only 4 feet long and the SPS I have are loving it. I don't reccomend using tap water without at least using the TWP(around $25.00). I used to use the Seachem products but have switched over to B-Ionic(it's easier than mixing the powder with water and not all of it disolving. I agree with the post not to use the Eheim filter also. I did some price checking before i went with the MH and if I remember correctly MO charge more for shipping the VHO bulbs unless you order like 6 bulbs and if you add it up I don't think I spent much more going with the halides than if I went with 4 VHO. I got my retro kits from www.premiumaquatics.com
I went with the PFO retro kits.

Jerry

[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: arnjer ]

[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: arnjer ]

 

[wasabi]

i love my 55,it is not that difficult to get the rock work looking good. and if thats what you can afford to light. i think youll be happy with the outcome i would recommend a refugium or sump i have a 220 gallon on mine.

 

[MFisher]

Sounds like a tank of mine

Go with VHO's from the start-you'll be happy you did. Mine have done a great job well over a year. Go URI-not coralife tho-they suck IME. Ditch the plenum-its unnecessary. Aragocrete? Its really iffy check the GARF files (if they're still here). Get the best skimmer you can-its the best money you can spend on your reef IME. Oh yeah keep reading and listening to advice from the experienced

Good luck, Have fun

Matt