Need advice on new set up.

[pamspam2000]

Hello and thank you for reading my message. I will be setting up a 75ga. TruVu tank with trickle filter in back soon and would like to have some informative input on what you feel would be the best method. I would like this tank to house Clown Fish, Anemone, some LR (but not a ton), and maybe a cleaner shrimp or two. If at all possible I would like to stay away from the below the tank sump system. In the past ( 5 yr. ago,) I spent lots of time and money through error after error and your suggestions will help in starting/maintaining the aquarium the right way. Thanks in advance

[beach bum]

Hi Pam,

I'll address a couple things that pop out to me. First the issue of expense since you mentioned it, anemones require lots o' light, so investigate how much you will need to comfortably support the type you want. Light can be the biggest financial hurdle. If you want a reef tank vs. fish only, which it sounds like you do, higher quality lighting should help make it easier to add more of the coral specimens that might strike your fancy at the LFS. I hate shopping in the "low light" tanks at my LFS!!

About your filtration, I do not use a trickle filter so I cannot comment, but the LR you add to aid filtration is beautiful as well. And you don't need a ton! For pure aesthetics I use almost 2lbs. per gal in my reef tank, and 1lb per gal in my FO (both fiji) - I like the look it creates. The bacteria present in LR and LS will both help to "filter" you water of ammonia and nitrite, but to eliminate buildup of nitrate (tolerated some by fish, and less by inverts) you will need to use either a deep sand bed (4 to 6 inches is the going rate I believe), macroalgae (in tank or in sump), protein skimmer, or 'manual' exportation (i.e. water chages). Or all of the above

If you do plan on more than a FO tank, I might also suggets getting a tap water filter of some kind. Good water quality starts with quality water - cheesy, I know, but I had to say it!

Also, I'm jealous of you're 75, my biggest is a 55. A 75 can house a lot more than a clown/anemone and a couple cleaner shrimp - so think about what else you would like to keep, that makes setup choices much easier since there is no specific reef tank set-up "formula".

The more experienced reefers on TRT should be able to help you with some more specifics, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Have fun.

chris

[carolina98]

Ditto everything chris said... all excellent advice. Considering the fact that you want an anemone somewhere down the road (only for experienced reefkeepers, read up on these guys before buying one), the protein skimmer or refugium setup is a must. So are the lights. To estimate the cost of a complete reef setup, most say to calculate approximately $50.00 per gallon. That includes livestock. But, be prepared for this expense if you plan to keep a more difficult species, such as anemones.

The best money you could spend at this point is on a couple of good reefkeeping books such as, The Natural Reef Aquarium by John Tullock, or The Consciencious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fuller. Amazon.com is having a great sale on these books right now.

You're on the right track by researching before you start, and by knowing your goals. Keep up the good work, and you'll do fine!

Best of luck, and Welcome to the Reef Tank!

[Rick O]

Hi Pam. Welcome to The Reef Tank. The first purchase you should make is some books. Research will help you avoid many mistakes. Others will be able to make other recommendations but one of them should be The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner Also visit the archives of this board. You will find a lot of useful information there. Here is an article about anemones that everyone should read before aquiring one.

This is a great hobby but can be rather frusterating at times. Take it slow and ask lots of questions. If there is a reef or aquarium club near where you live I would encourage you to get involved with it. You may find someone that can mentor you through the beginning and it's a great way to meet people that share your interests.

HTH, JM.02, IMO
Rick

[carolina98]

Wow, Rick! I just noticed that I said Fuller instead of Fenner on that book. Wonder where THAT came from... Duh! Thanks though, glad you listed that with the right name!

[Rick O]

I was typing as you posted so I didn't even notice.

[Doug1]

Welcome to the Reef Tank Pam Not a lot to add to the advice already given , but a few thoughts
The tank you have or are getting is more suitable to a Fish Only setup, the wet dry is not the best choice for a reef tank, and hard to do much with once the limitations are realized(tho it can be drilled to make an awesome overflow for a sump)
If after you read up and study you still want to try a pair of clowns and an amemone, I would suggest finding someone who has an E quad(bubbletip) that has split and get one of the daughters, rather than buying one from LFS(most likely wild caught) then get a pair of tank raised Maroon clowns(Premnas biaculatus) and let them grow up and pair off. These clowns normally host with bubbletips in the wild and this way you reduce the demand on wild rescources

[Doug1]

tag for archive

[FishDaddy]

Hello PamSpam,

Great to have you with us!
Current thinking favors Live Rock; Deep Sand Bed; skimmer; big under tank sump.
By all means, start with The Conscientious Marine Aquarist! Add Aquarium Corals and The Reef Aquarium I&II as soon as you can.
Here are some good sites with more helpful info for setting up your new tank"
http://saltyzoo.com:8081/
http://www.wyx.com/iheo/tank/new.htm
http://www.hobbyschool.com/reef/
Also, some excellent articles:
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/n_cope.html
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog...ek_090698.html
http://www.reefcentral.com/northernreef/sumps101.htm
Again, welcome to TRT!
Dick

[hayday]

doug-

quick follow up question on your post about the wet/dry filter:

do you have any plans or advice on how to drill one's wet/dry filter to make it a sump? currently, i have a wet/dry filter, though i'm scrapping it as a filter now that i have the dsb, and plan to use it just for water agitation. i'm looking to add a sump and have been thinking about drilling my wet/dry filter for just that purpose.

-hayday

[Doug1]

Hayday, why do you need to drill the wet dry to make a sump?

[hayday]

doug-

to quote your previous post, "the wet dry is not the best choice for a reef tank, and hard to do much with once the limitations are realized(tho it can be drilled to make an awesome overflow for a sump."

i'm asuming that there would need to be some mechanism to get the water from the wet/dry unit down to the sump. this tells me that the wet/dry unit would need to be drilled so that the water can go through the wet/dry overflow, into the wet/dry unit, into the sump and then back to the tank. correct?

so my question would be where to drill in the wet/dry unit? somewhere along the bottom, maybe underneath where the bioballs would be housed? my unit is a hang-on-tank rectangle. there is an overflow cup inside the tank with a u-tube that takes the water back to the unit. the water then flows into a seperate chamber where it trickles over the bioballs. in the chamber next to that is a powerhead that returns the water to the tank.

i guess i wouldn't need to drill the unit to make a sump, but rather to get the water to a sump. i'd simply use the wet/dry unit as the means for getting the water out of the tank and to the sump.

-hayday