Brand Spankin' New

[Spike913]

Hey everyone, I am brand spankin' new to the aquarium hobby. My friend introduced me to this forum and lately I've been reading newbie threads. I'm digging the Welcoming on this forum.

In my house we used to have a 36'' Wega TV between two walls but moved it somewhere else. Now theres a big Space in my living room with nothing filled in it. My dad wants to have an aquarium over at that place so I'm pretty much the one doing the research and what not. I just recently finished my Finals and don't plan on taking summer school. I plan on getting a job and do the begining stages of the aquarium before Fall semester starts. I just got a quote from all the stuff needed to get started. Just wonderin if anyone wanna give out their $0.02 =]

Acrylic Tank 38Lx24Wx30H (125g tank)
30'' Maple Stand
15'' Maple Canopy
2x 250watt metal halide
65Watt power Compact actinic blue lights
Custom Sump Filtration System
CS6-2+ Euroreef Protein Skimmer
RIO 2500 Return Pump
300 Watt Heater
10x Live sand (20lb)
100lb? Live Rock (From Tonga)
Diatom Filter Bag
32Watt Refugium Light
4x 4'' Cooling Fans

I plan on putting in Zoanthids, Soft Coral, SPS Coral, Mushrooms. Clown fishes, Mandarins, Flame Angel, gobys, and 1-2 tangs. Not sure if that is asking too much for my tank. Hopefully what I plan on doing is "Newbie-friendly" and not too much maintenance/experience. Quite expensive but nothing finalized. Still tryna figure out whats best to do and wheres the best place to buy. THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

[Casey]

Welcome to TRT! Sounds like a good start you have in mind maybe change the rio they have a bad rep.

[Loverotties]

Welcome and defenitly get rid of the RIO!!

[VWD]

Welcome, Sounds like You have a good plan, I am with everyone on the rio pumps.

[the_colonel]

Welcome to TRT. Best advice once you get started: Take it slow.............

[skeety]

Acrylic Tank 38Lx24Wx30H (125g tank) NICE!
30'' Maple Stand
15'' Maple Canopy
2x 250watt metal halide Good choice!
65Watt power Compact actinic blue lights
Custom Sump Filtration System
CS6-2+ Euroreef Protein Skimmer
RIO 2500 Return Pump agree with the others....do NOT get a rio, unless you like fire! Also....what's the gln/h rating? if it's 2500..that seems a little high for a return pump. With 125 gln, I'd aim for somewhere around 800 gln/h.
300 Watt Heater
10x Live sand (20lb)
100lb? Live Rock (From Tonga) Probably not enough. Recommended is 1-1.75#'s per gallon (depending on the porousness of the rock)
Diatom Filter Bag
32Watt Refugium Light
4x 4'' Cooling Fans

Every thing else looks good.

But the most important question...what is it you want to keep in the tank? meaning...what's the ONE coral/fish you want most of all.

A good practice is to figure this out, and then center your tank around that. The one critter you find most appealing and important will dictate what set up you should have....and what all you can put in the tank with it.

Let us know, and we can help you better from there.

[tims]

Originally Posted by Spike913

Acrylic Tank 38Lx24Wx30H (125g tank)
30'' Maple Stand
15'' Maple Canopy
2x 250watt metal halide
65Watt power Compact actinic blue lights look at VHO's
Custom Sump Filtration System if it has bio bals , you dont need them in it.
CS6-2+ Euroreef Protein Skimmer
RIO 2500 Return Pump it will do but you will replace it sooner then later..look at mags or external
300 Watt Heater might want to have two heaters so one is not working it's butt off
10x Live sand (20lb)
100lb? Live Rock (From Tonga)
Diatom Filter Bag
32Watt Refugium Light
4x 4'' Cooling Fans

also lok at Closed loop sytems for your tank. they are a great way to add flow to it, since you are going with an acylic tank you can drill it or have it drilled for one.
take a look at some of the sponors here for various pricing on pumps and skimmers and ..everything, that will also give you a good idea on what you are paying too.
get some books and read everything you can.and always ask.

Welcome to TRT..

[Spike913]

Okay well since the last time i posted I've been going around LFS finding which place is actually out there for me rather than trying to get the most out of me. The first quote was somewhere around $5,000 and the one I am going with is saving me more than $1000. A couple of days ago I went to go put a deposit on my soon to be aquarium so here is the final list... Anyone wanna give me an insight on what to expect and what I need to prepare myself with?

38x24x30 Tank
30'' stand
14'' Canopy
Sea Clone Skimmer 100
Rio pump HyperFlow 26- I kept on insisting on you guys' advice on the Rio but the owner said this is a "NEW" one that came out.
amquel & noaqua cycle
MH light system 175w 20,000k

The owner has this really nice big one up for display on his store and i think hes giving me the same set up as he is so I'm trusting him.

I plan on making my tank mostly Soft coral, LPS, Zoanthids, and Mushrooms. As for fishes, I plan on getting around 6-8 fishes as my tank develops. Mostly the ones that are newbie/coral friendly and the ones that eat the same food, Flakes, Pellets and Nori.

[mapster]

Here my two cents:

Sea Clone Skimmer 100

Saving money is not always a good thing. The Euroreef blows this skimmer out of the water.

MH light system 175w 20,000k

If you are planning on keeping LPS, Softies, Zoa's and shrooms, save your money on the MH lighting and put it toward the skimmer. I would look into 440w of VHO lighting instead. Later you can upgrade to 250w MH's if you decide you want to try SPS corals. 175w isnt going to get it done in a 30" tall tank.

amquel & noaqua cycle

Skip it. Good quality live rock is all you need to cycle the tank.


Those are just my opinions. Welcome to TRT! Good luck with the new tank.

[wharyat]

I'm with Map. The sea clone is not exactly worth what it's built of. Fluorescents will be enough for what you plan to start with.

The price sounds a little high to me, but I'm more into DIY'ing everything.
Check out the Geoff skimmers in the DIY forum, they work great for a fraction of the price.

Search for "rio shock"

JMTC too.

[Junkzoo]

Welcome to TRT!

[tims]

I agree with everyone. save your money on the skimmer.
check the prices with some of the sponors here. you might be able to get better equipment for the price.

No need for the ampquil or other junk at all.
a Rio is a Rio. look at a mag if you want an internal pump.

[kwjones]

The only thing I can add is the dimensions for your tank is closer to 118 gallons. A 40 inch long tank with the other dimensions is 124 gallons, which is close enough to round off. If you really have your heart set on Metal Halide lighting, you might want 3 of them over a tank that long. I think 1 MH light is good for about a 2' square. You could get away with 2, but it might be a little darker than the rest of the tank on the ends. Not a big deal when supplemented with VHO or PC lighting.

Deffinately get an RO/DI water filtration unit. There's some great deals on EBay for 90 and 110 GPD 5 stage filter set ups with a small tank for RO drinking water.

[AriZonaD54]

Everyone hit the nail on the head.. lose the friggin rios! Go with MAG DRIVES. Way more reliable

[Twitterbait]

Has anyone mentioned you don't want to get the Rio???... Oh.. ok good. I agree on going with VHO lights and dropping the money on the skimmer. a good one can do wonderful things for your water quality. For pumps i use Gen-x and have used Iwaki and they are both good.