First Saltwater Tank (29 Gallon)

[MO3N]

I have been into freshwater highly planted tanks for a few years now and wanted to try my hand at setting up a reef tank. I have been reading for awhile and would like to see what you guys think of my initial set up.

I have alot of equipment just sitting around from when I had this tank set up as a planted tank. I know some of them wont work but most of it will. I have heaters and a few hydor korilia pumps for flow. I also have Two different t-5 HO lights that have a total of 3 bulbs (2 bulbs in one and 1 in another). I also have a canister filter that I was thinking about using on the tank. I would remove all media and fill or place some live rock rubble inside the canister. My friend at the LFS said this is a good idea...I trust him fully with planted tanks but not sure about reefs. Is this a good idea or not? I like the look of a slightly blue tank but not too blue so I plan to buy one 10000K, one 15000K, and one actinic bulb or one 10000K, one 15000K, and one 20000K bulb. I plan to get about 10 to 15 pounds of live rock form the Fish store and maybe another 10 pounds of rubble (Some of there rubble is actually relatively large). I also have a Dion unit I know it is not as good as an RO unit but it is better then tap water for now.

My plan is to house some LPS and some easy SPS if my system can handle it. I will run the tank skimmerless for a few months then add a backpack skimmer once I am sure I like a reef. I also have an aquaclear HOB filter I may use for a fuge, but not sure. I will have a shallow sand bed, around 1-2 inches deep.

Currently Own
29 Gallon Tank
Power Heads
Canister Filter (may or may not use)
Heater
Dion unit

Need to buy
Way to Check Salinity
Test kit
Bulbs
Live Rock
Sand
Salt (instant ocean or oceanic natural salt)

I think that is it. Any advice or changes would be very helpful. I have a few other questions but they can wait tell later. I will post my stock list and other questions after my set up is critiqued. I have already written enough for a first post :rollface:

[MO3N]

Well one of my friends had a 38 gallon tank for sale and it was only 5 bucks so I figured getting a larger setup will make it a little easier. Do you think the same setup will work on a larger system. My lighting will switch to 4 36" bulbs.

[nuccadoc]

A tank that size would do well with a plenum set-up. You can run the tank with the canister filer you have, but you will have better success with a plenum. Go to garf.org to learn more about them. All you need is plastic egg-crate, fiberglass screen, and aragontie sand enough for about 3 inches. You can pick up the materials for a few dollars at Lowe's, Ace, etc.

[thegrun]

Sounds like a good start. Be sure to get a refractometer rather than a hydrometer for measuring your salinity, they are much more accurate less prone to faulty readings and really do not cost that much more than a hydrometer.

[dschnepf]

Sounds like a good start, I would invest in the skimmer as early as you can, it will make your expierence much easier.

[Jarret]

As far as what you need to buy.....

1. Go with a refractometer, way more accurate than a hydrometer
2. I've heard that Salifert test kits are great while Elos usually comes in 2nd after Salifert (you'll be wanting to check PH, Calcium, Magnesium, Alkalinity, Phosphate, Nitrite, and Nitrate for sure)
3. Sounds like you already have a plan for the bulbs
4. Same with the bulbs, sounds like you already have a plan as well (you can also check into Marco Rocks as I've heard a lot of great comments about those as well)
5. You can probably grab some live sand from the LFS for starting up your tank but as far as a base sand goes you could go with the CaribSea Special Grade Reef Sand - http://www.marinedepot.com/CaribSea-Substrate_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-CS-FISS-ct.html
6. You'll get a lot of different opinions about what salt to use and which works the best, IO Reef Crystals has seemed to work quite well for a lot of people

38 gallons is good, the bigger the better :) The same setup should work assuming the powerheads that you have will supply enough flow for the SPS corals. Which Koralia models are they?

[jenjen]

[welcome]

Looks like you're off to a good start, and have done your research. My only caution would be to warn you that while experience with planted FW is good, it does not really prepare you for maintaining a reef IME. Move slowly and research each decision, and don't assume that because you've maintained difficult FW you will instantly know how to maintain SW. Often those of us with FW experience actually have a more difficult start in SW.

I run one tank with a skimmer and one without. And while I agree having a skimmer makes your system more forgiving, if you keep your stock list light you should be fine. I wouldn't add any SPS until your certain you can maintain zero nitrates, which may require that skimmer. Most LPS should be fine. You'll want to keep your fish list light, and steer away from heavy feeders (ie: anthias).

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the stock list. :D

[MO3N]

I am very excited to get the tank up and running. It will be a few weeks before I can set it up. I am getting close to finals week so I'm a little busy. But that forces me to take my time. I have one question then ill post my stock list so far. The powerheads I have are a Hydor Koralia nano and a Hydor Koralia 5.

A guy at my LFS told me I should use marine bio spira to help get the tank ready faster. I am not sure if I want to do this because I am not sure if it will help or not?

My stock list so far is
Pair of clowns (not sure of the type)
Green Clown Goby
CUC (mostly snails maybe one or two hermits)
And any other advice would be helpful.

[MO3N]

I was just wondering the cycle time difference if I was to go with dry rock vs live rock from my LFS? the LFS charges $5.99 a pound for live rock and $2.99 for rubble. If I was going to get rock from marco rock the Key Largo rock about 50 pounds would come out to about $3.00 a pound but if it will take another two months to get it fully cycled I dont know if it is worth it to me. Either way I would use live sand from my LFS

And one last question about aquascaping my tank, about what size chunks of live rock should I try and get for a 38 gallon tank?

from marco rock can you tell them your tank size or is what you get just what you get?

sorry for so many questions but just trying to figure out what I want to do.

[jenjen]

The powerheads I have are a Hydor Koralia nano and a Hydor Koralia 5.

I'm not sure a K Nano will do a lot in a 29g, and I've never heard of a K5 before? I run K4's in my 180g and find them quite strong. What's the water movement like with this PH selection?

[jenjen]

Also, you do not need to add any sort of additive to the tank - it'll cycle on it's own.

The cycle time will not be much different whether you use live rock or base rock, as you will need to seed the base rock with a little live anyway. I'd aim for minimum 10% live rock, and the rest base. Choose whatever size & shape rocks are appealing to you, depending on what you're hoping to do for an aquascape.

Your stock list looks good so far. Nice and conservative. :)

[MO3N]

Now that I think about it I am not sure about the Second Hydor Koralia 5 it maybe smaller. It is currently at my parents house. I used it in my 75 FW panted for awhile before I got a second canister. But it didnt seem to have too much flow but I will have to check once my parents bring all my stuff over here.

I have always been conservative on my stocking list. For some reason im more into the plants in my FW tank and more into the corals in all the pictures I see. The only two fish I love are clown fish and Tangs but I know a tang is out so that just leaves me with a clown or two lol.

[jenjen]

I have always been conservative on my stocking list. For some reason im more into the plants in my FW tank and more into the corals in all the pictures I see. The only two fish I love are clown fish and Tangs but I know a tang is out so that just leaves me with a clown or two lol.

You might consider a YWG/Pistol shrimp pair, and/or a blenny. Both options which are very interesting personalities and would work well in you tank. Keep us posted!

[MO3N]

Well I ended up going with the 38 gallon. Have a friend that can hook me up with a 250W MH. He is also building me a hood for free. He is looking into building them more commercially so wants me to get his work "out there". I used Live Rock from a friends tank and the LFS. It has been up a week and will be another week or two before my hood is done, At that time I will start adding a fish or two and some coral. Should I start with the two clowns (will be going with a black and white clown) or a goby first?

Let me know what you think of the aquascape and give me any advice (taken when set up)
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/MO3N/Reef%20Tank/CIMG4534.jpg
Left island will be LPS, left side of the right island (the point part) will be Zoa's then sps on the rest of the right island. I know my tank is small but I love monti's so I will get one or two of those and just frag it to stay small.