Lots O Questions

[tufacody]

Need your advice

1)"Best" heater and controller for 180 gal? No chiller needed.
2)I want to set up a SSB. Where and what should I get - and where should I get it? Does shipping make the LFS the best place? I'm looking for the drive sand, will use LR to seed.
3)What is the best magnet for cleaning glass?
4)Setting up 180 softie, what powerheads should I get? Want nice ones. Where to buy?
5)What water testing kits should I get and where?

thanks all

[paulg]

1.Don't know much about heaters and controllers but heres a link for ya.... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?c=3578+3743 and http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...rs__index.html

2.You can get live sand form here.... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...21&pcatid=7321

3.I use a mag-float magnet...most of us use it....... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...83&pcatid=4083

4.You should use Koralia 4 power heads........ http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...5&pcatid=15955

5.Not sure what brand you should use but you can find those here..... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?c=3578+4345

Foster&Smith isn't the only place that sells reef equipment but it is by far the cheapest shipping I have ever seen.

[hng]

1. Ebo Jager heater
2. aragonite sand from LFS, don't buy live sand, it's not worth the price
3. get the appropiate size Mag Float
4. either Koralias or Tunzes
5. Salifert brand kits for ammonia, nitrate, and pH. You may want to add alk and calcium in the future but for a softy tank, it's not needed right away.

These are just suggestions, many others will work just as well.

[luvmylo]

Originally Posted by hng

1. Ebo Jager heater
2. aragonite sand from LFS, don't buy live sand, it's not worth the price
3. get the appropiate size Mag Float
4. either Koralias or Tunzes
5. Salifert brand kits for ammonia, nitrate, and pH. You may want to add alk and calcium in the future but for a softy tank, it's not needed right away.

These are just suggestions, many others will work just as well.

I agree with all of these other than the salifert. They have been so flakey lately that I don't trust them anymore. i've found that my api stuff's pretty accurate and affordable

[Hop]

1)"Best" heater and controller for 180 gal? No chiller needed.
How much other stuff are you planning on running on timers and such? I think the Neptune AC jr. with the DC8 is one of the best buys out there. You get a controller for heat/cool, light timers, pH control etc... Very decent price for what all you can do with it, even if it's in the future... Then just buy a decent heater and let the controller do the work. I run two 300 watt visitherms in the overflow...
2)I want to set up a SSB. Where and what should I get - and where should I get it? Does shipping make the LFS the best place? I'm looking for the drive sand, will use LR to seed.
Agree with the hng on this one... Dry arganite sand. Possible seed it with a cup from a buddy's tank and live rock.
3)What is the best magnet for cleaning glass?
Again I agree, a mag float is perfect and cheap, then find an old credit card for stubborn areas. I have a tigershark left over from my large acrylic tank and its a little much for my 190.
4)Setting up 180 softie, what powerheads should I get? Want nice ones. Where to buy?
I run Korilla 4s right now, but am saving for a set of vortecs. Tunze seems to be having a few issues lately and I'm trying to cut back on the size of the PHs in my tank. The tunze and vortecs are all the same price no matter where you buy, give or take $0.50.
5)What water testing kits should I get and where?
I like salifert for Mag and Ca... They have had issues with their alk kits lately, so I don't recommend them at the moment. Then I have a couple red sea kits for the quick check stuff like pH, ammonia, no2, no3 etc... For pH I just calibrate my Neptune probe every few months.

[jamessp01]

Originally Posted by tufacody

Need your advice

1)"Best" heater and controller for 180 gal? No chiller needed.
2)I want to set up a SSB. Where and what should I get - and where should I get it? Does shipping make the LFS the best place? I'm looking for the drive sand, will use LR to seed.
3)What is the best magnet for cleaning glass?
4)Setting up 180 softie, what powerheads should I get? Want nice ones. Where to buy?
5)What water testing kits should I get and where?

thanks all

I cant say weather the stuff Im going to list is the best or not, but its what I ordered:

1.)American Marine Pinpoint Dual-Stage Temperature Controller + Probe
Aqua Medic 250W Titanium Heater Element for Biotherm Controller/Monitor

4.)Tunze Turbelle Stream Kit TS24 - Two Stream 6101 + 7095 MultiController is what I bought, but I would also consider these:
Ecotech Marine VorTech Propeller Pumps with Wave Driver (2xMP40W Units) + Battery Backup (1xUnit) I think they would be much less visable than the tunze.

5. I bought salifert kits along with a American Marine Pinpoint pH Monitor

im not useing sand. and I have not got to the point of worrying about cleaning the glass yet.

hope that helps.

[tufacody]

Thanks guys. Any idea how many 30lbs of sand I'd need for 72x24, about 3 " thick? Is this stuff pretty good for reef tank or should I go with something a little heavier? Mostly softie tank

[bogey]

I would recommend the Vortechs. They have a smaller profile in the tank and since the motors reside on the outside of the tank, heat is not transfered to the water.

[tufacody]

ouchie! wassup with the price on those vortecs! Does that package come with two powerheads and some sort of wavemaker that makes them alternate on/off? Battery backuop is sweet though.

[tufacody]

****, more questions, sorry...
1)how much sand do i need for 72x25?
2)salt is heavy...do the online prices make it cheaper to buy online, even with shipping, than the average LFS?
3)what rubbermaid trash cans should I buy for water and LR storage?

thanks again all

[frankandmaura]

1)how much sand do i need for 72x25?
Here is a sand calculator. For a tank that size, this estimates 220# of sand.
2)salt is heavy...do the online prices make it cheaper to buy online, even with shipping, than the average LFS?
Not really - do you have a petco or a pet smart (they will match online prices). Dr's Foster and Smith do have great prices though, so if you are making an order do it there (a large order makes it more affordable).
3)what rubbermaid trash cans should I buy for water and LR storage?
I don't think it matters...I just picked up some from Lowes.

[crvz]

2)salt is heavy...do the online prices make it cheaper to buy online, even with shipping, than the average LFS?
Go to www.drsfostersmith.com and order a couple buckets (I normally get 5 buckets of ReefCrystals... but for a softy tank you're just as good using Instant Ocean). They're under $30 each and shipping will be less than $15 total.

3)what rubbermaid trash cans should I buy for water and LR storage?
Get some good brute trash cans from hd or lowes, and i'd recommend the wheels that they sell too. I like being able to move around 30 gallons of water without too much effort.

And in terms of glass cleaners, I really like my algae free brand cleaner, but cost was a wash. I think the magfloats are considerably cheaper for your size range, but my glass is 3/4" thick and they were both about the same price.

[crvz]

Originally Posted by frankandmaura

2)salt is heavy...do the online prices make it cheaper to buy online, even with shipping, than the average LFS?
Not really - do you have a petco or a pet smart (they will match online prices). Dr's Foster and Smith do have great prices though, so if you are making an order do it there (a large order makes it more affordable).

after trying a number of times, petco will not match online prices in my area... only petsmart.

[Geoff]

my favorite way to get salt is go to www.petsmart.com and print out the page that shows the price of a bucket of salt. take the printout to the nearest Petsmart. they price match their own prices.

G~

[luvmylo]

or you can go to your lfs and help support the little guy that works really hard to get you a good product but can't compete on price with the big box stores. The service you get will be far superior. (I don't own a store but do support them)