Anyone else with a 36 gallon tank, need advice/help

[Sara7814]

I have been talking with a few others that have been very helpful. Now im just trying to get a feel feel for what i could do with it. i should have it friday. this is what i will be getting and as i have been told...there will be a few changes made.

36 gallon bow front w/stand
fluval (filter)
acura heater
bio active live sand
oceanic salt
hydrometer deep six ??? no clue what that is
thermometer

List of things I need to change/switch if I want coral
-live rock (in place of a bio filter)
-protein skimmer instead of a fluval
-refractometer instead of a hydrometer deep six
-Titanium heater (Won Pro) either/or acura heater
-rodi water filter
-metal halides 250 watts


Anymore suggestions/advice??

[wannareef]

what kind of coral do you want you could do most softies with what you are getting hard coral you will need the metal halides and the skimmer you should put live rock in no matter what the more the better i didnt see lights on the first list what kind of lights are you getting

[wannareef]

welcome to the reef tank
btw i grew up in biggs ca 25 miles south of chico

[Sara7814]

im not sure what its coming with.. just the normal ones with the tank for fish.. i wasnt sure what i would all need for coral.. so i thought i would join here and ask.. the pet store told me all i would need to change would be lights and a clear top... im not sure how to know if its soft or hard coral..

[Sara7814]

really..thats cool. i know where biggs is. im a total newbie... so you will have to bare with me

[wannareef]

most good websites will tell you light requirements for the different corals mushrooms polyp ricordea zenia star polyp all will grow with very little light you should put at least 30lbs of live rock in your tank it acts a filter and helps stabilize the tank

[wannareef]

thats cool usually no one knows where it is

there are a lot of good books also but you dont have to spend the money the internet will have all the info you need

[wannareef]

with a smaller tank like your getting you really have to pay attention to the water quality make sure you keep the salinity constant dont wast your money on a deep six they are not accurate get a refractometer

[Sara7814]

so do you agree with what i first posted about what i need and what i have?? i guess the pet store can help out with most of this to..
yeah i have lived here my whole life so i know a lot of places around me.

so do you think i can have some fish and coral together...or 36 is to small??

[wannareef]

you have to pick reef safe fish they wont mess with corals the list sound ok all my tanks are plumbed with sumps for filtration you definately should get a skimmer they are very helpful in taking out the bad stuff out of the water and some live rock it will give your fish places to hide and feel safe

[wannareef]

btw i just took down a 29 gallon tank kinda like the one your doing it probably takes 2 times the effort as my other tanks bigger is definately better but i still had soft corals and fish in the same tank

[Sara7814]

how many fish did you have.. and about how much coral?

[wannareef]

i had about 20-25 mushrooms 40- 50 polyps and 3 fish i also had 25 nassarius snails 15 astrea snails and a couple shrimp

[wannareef]

you definately need a thermometer get a digital one that sits on the tank they are cheap about $10 and definately dont get the fluval i wasnt sure what kind of filter it was so i looked it up not good for saltwater better off with a skimmer

[Sara7814]

ok..thanks.. so honestly did i do bad starting off with a 36gallon..and wanting both coral and fish??