Just starting out. What to get?

[cgarsmokr]

I want to start this hobby but I'm confused about what products are the best. Tanks, skimmers pumps, lights etc. I'm thinking about a 75 or 90 gallon tank with some acripora and other hard corals.

[crustin]

[welcome]

[crustin]

this is a must read http://www.reefcentral.com/modules.php?s=&name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=1

[Sk8r]

Good. SOmeone with a vision.
Corner or straight wall?
My All-glass tank is predrilled: this means you don't have to buy a hang-on-back [HOB] downflow: HOBS take up room and connect with U-tubes which can be a PITA.
YOu need a durso kit: a standpipe and hose arrangement that drains the downflow to the sump as quietly as can be done.
You'll want something bigger than my protein skimmer, which is an Urchin: I'm a 52.
You'll want as big a sump as you can get: that's where the downflow drains to, where your RETURN PUMP sits, along with your heater, your topoff float, and maybe your skimmer, and maybe an in-sump refugium, which diminishes algae and breeds pods.
[Why a topoff pump and reservoir? These tanks run with no lids, and they evaporate a lot to keep them cool enough for the corals to survive [80 degrees.] You want an automatic delivery of fresh water to your tank several times a day. The autotopoff does this.]

Ro/di filter is a very good idea: this lets you produce your own highquality water which you can salt and use, or use for topoff. Since my 52 evaporates about a gallon a day, you get the picture. I use a portable ro/di which I hook up via the washing machine and use an old salt bucket for my reservoir.

Lights, and ballasts to drive them: there's a big expense: I use a 250 metal halide with my acropora corals, backed by 2 actinics, in a pendant reflector with fans at either end to keep the bulb from overheating. This requires 2 ballasts, which aren't cheap. They're on timers, ordinary hardware timers. You'll also want a shield: they call it a canopy: that protects you from the mh radiation. It's completely open-topped and holds the bulb the requisite 9 inches off the water surface.

And your test kits: alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, salinity, ph, and temperature [run 2 thermometers: one may lie].

You're starting in summer. Plan to have a fan blowing on your sump to keep your tank cool enough. You can switch it off in winter. You're in michigan: this will be less worry than, say, arizona.

And that's about it.

[sir_dudeguy]

hey, welcome to rc!

TANK-

bigger is always better..but of course more expensive. I would just look for the cheapest tank w/the longest warranty, but if you have extra money to spend then get whatever one you want! lol.

SKIMMER-

dont skimp on this one at all. i've got an aqua c remora on my 55 and its awsome...but thats a hang on one...if you dont get a sump, then you need a hang on one, but i think aqua c makes one for bigger tanks like yours...like the pro version i think is for bigger tnaks.

PUMPS-

you wanna go for at least 10 times the total volume turnover/hour. if it was a hundred gallon tank, then you'd want to get at least 1000 gph (i think...did i do that right?)
I dont have experience w/hard corals, but i think they need more flow

LIGHTING

i think for hard corals, your best bet would be metal halide lighting, but i'm not sure how many watts.. i just know you wanna get bulbs that are at least 10,000k or higher

this is just a very basic rundown w/much more to be covered

oh ya, you wanna get 1-2 lbs of live rock per gallon also...this will be your filter basically

[cgarsmokr]

Thanks for the info. Anyone else want to offer any advice, feel free. Thae more the better.

[fservillon]

ok, my .02 here:
if i was setting up a new tank, i would go with the following:
90gal reef ready, with durso stand pipe
coralife superskimmer 125, i read it's good bang for the buck
dual 250w 10,000k or 14,000K metal halide fixture w/ either t5 or vho actinic. note that i would get a fixture that has stands to elevate the light. this way, evaporation and air circulation would be better than in a close canopy for less heat problems, imho.
100-110lbs of live rock
barebottom
2- 3 seio 2600's or couple of tunzes if i can afford them
eheim 1260 return pump with a ball valve to adust output of the pump.
2 - 100W heaters
i would also hook up a phosban reactor to run carbon and phosphate remover media
55G glass aquarium divided into 3 compartments. tank drains into skimmer, then the fuge w/ cheato to help with nurtient export, then to the return pump back up to the display.
i think that about covers the basics if i would be setting up my new tank.
then the fun begins...stocking it.. dig deep bro, it's gonna be expensive..but a lot of fun. again, just my .02, hth and goodluck.

[chip721]

This is the most beautiful (habit-forming), rewarding (expensive) hobby that I know. Enjoy. And as another reefer recently said "Run now while you can." :p