New equipment (opinions)

[Rueda13]

I am coming close to beginning my first salt water tank. I will be doing fish and coral. Here is my equipment so far:
• 30gal Hexagon Tank
• Aquarium Heater 10in 200 Watt - Up to 55 Gal
• Aqueon Quite Flow %0 Pro
• Hydor Slim Skim Nano Internal Protein Skimmer 23-35gal
• LCD Digital Aquarium Thermometer
• Salinity Refractometer
• (2) Hydor Nano Evolution 240gph Wavemaker
• 0PPM Portable 100gpd RO + DI Filtration System
• TDS Meter
• AI Prime HD LED
Pending is
• Carib Sea 20lbs live sand
• 20lbs live rock (Fiji)
• Power strip surge protector
• Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix
• API Saltwater Master Test Kit
What do you guys think about the equipment so far? Any tips once I begin to cure the live rocks?

Thanks to all

[MondoBongo]

personal preference, but i would never do a hex or column tank. they're hard to aquascape and will be very restrictive to the types of fish you can keep due to their lack of length.

API test kits are good for tracking a cycle, but not much else. i toss mine out after i get through my initial cycle. salifert, red sea, hannah, seachem.. all make excellent test kits. i would recommend them before API.

don't bother with live sand. it's just wet sand in a bag, you're not going to get any benefit from it unless you wallet is too heavy. start with dry sand and rinse it very, very well before adding it.

[gone fishin]

Depending on your stocking list, the skimmer may be a bit on the small side. IMO most skimmer companies have a tendency to overate their skimmers.

[75mixedreef]

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

personal preference, but i would never do a hex or column tank. they're hard to aquascape and will be very restrictive to the types of fish you can keep due to their lack of length.

API test kits are good for tracking a cycle, but not much else. i toss mine out after i get through my initial cycle. salifert, red sea, hannah, seachem.. all make excellent test kits. i would recommend them before API.

don't bother with live sand. it's just wet sand in a bag, you're not going to get any benefit from it unless you wallet is too heavy. start with dry sand and rinse it very, very well before adding it.

Its a 30 gallon tank so I would take this advice with a grain of salt. You are already going to be restricted on the fish you can keep because of the size and aquascaping that should not affect you very much. The only thing to be cautious about with a hex tank is whirlpools. You do not want the water to swirl like that, it can kill your fish. As long as the power heads push the flow directly through the center, you will be fine.

Test kits for ammonia and nitrites are always good for monitoring the cycle only. In typical conditions you shouldn't ever get a reading on either, so I say go ahead with the cheap ones. For Alk, Calcium, and other tests, go ahead and get the better ones. Just don't get the master test kit, you don't need some of them and others are not good to get in that brand.

If you already have everything then you are good to go, if not then skip the skimmer and the live sand. Your system is small enough to get by without a skimmer if you do regular water changes.

If you are planning on this being a reef tank with LPS and SPS corals then you are looking at a completely different beast. In that case the skimmer is on the lower quality end, and your salt is intended for fish only. Price wise, dry rock is better than live rock. You can just get one piece of live rock to seed the tank. Get dry sand and rinse it, that way you get to pick your sand and it is cheaper. Eventually you will need a better skimmer but for now it will have to do, I always plan on a skimmer for my next tank though is it is less than 50 gallons. Get something sized for a 75 and if you upgrade you should be set.

[GoVols]

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

personal preference, but i would never do a hex or column tank. they're hard to aquascape and will be very restrictive to the types of fish you can keep due to their lack of length.

API test kits are good for tracking a cycle, but not much else. i toss mine out after i get through my initial cycle. salifert, red sea, hannah, seachem.. all make excellent test kits. i would recommend them before API.

don't bother with live sand. it's just wet sand in a bag, you're not going to get any benefit from it unless you wallet is too heavy. start with dry sand and rinse it very, very well before adding it.

+1... I'd never do a hex tank

Here's the skimmer. Ran it on a Red Sea 130. Best nano/small tank skimmer I ever used.

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_...FIPSNS-vi.html

[davehead86]

Save some money and buy a TUNZE ATO to top off the tank. It will save you from daily water changes.

Skip the LIVE sand, its not gonna do anything and costs more. Get a shrimp from the deli and put it in a filter bag in the tank for a few days to start your cycle.

Make sure its a high quality powerstrip. Not just some $20 thing that claims to be a breaker.

If your doing corals you need to have the lid off the tank, if you dont want fish jumping out get some of the light diffuser panels from the hardware store, cut to the tank top so you dont have fishies on the floor.

Oh and dont add corals for a few months (6). Let the tank cycle and go through all its issues and get your schedule set before adding corals. They can be hard.

Also make sure your fish and coral list are compatible.

Also make sure that you are not getting weed corals like GSP or Xenia without a plan for them. My GSP is on an island rock so that it wont spread to the main rocks and take over.

[Rueda13]

Originally Posted by 75mixedreef

Its a 30 gallon tank so I would take this advice with a grain of salt. You are already going to be restricted on the fish you can keep because of the size and aquascaping that should not affect you very much. The only thing to be cautious about with a hex tank is whirlpools. You do not want the water to swirl like that, it can kill your fish. As long as the power heads push the flow directly through the center, you will be fine.

Test kits for ammonia and nitrites are always good for monitoring the cycle only. In typical conditions you shouldn't ever get a reading on either, so I say go ahead with the cheap ones. For Alk, Calcium, and other tests, go ahead and get the better ones. Just don't get the master test kit, you don't need some of them and others are not good to get in that brand.

If you already have everything then you are good to go, if not then skip the skimmer and the live sand. Your system is small enough to get by without a skimmer if you do regular water changes.

If you are planning on this being a reef tank with LPS and SPS corals then you are looking at a completely different beast. In that case the skimmer is on the lower quality end, and your salt is intended for fish only. Price wise, dry rock is better than live rock. You can just get one piece of live rock to seed the tank. Get dry sand and rinse it, that way you get to pick your sand and it is cheaper. Eventually you will need a better skimmer but for now it will have to do, I always plan on a skimmer for my next tank though is it is less than 50 gallons. Get something sized for a 75 and if you upgrade you should be set.

I'm going to look into the mentioned brands for testing kits.

How much sand / rock would you recommend to begin the cycle?

[Rueda13]

Originally Posted by davehead86

Save some money and buy a TUNZE ATO to top off the tank. It will save you from daily water changes.

Skip the LIVE sand, its not gonna do anything and costs more. Get a shrimp from the deli and put it in a filter bag in the tank for a few days to start your cycle.

Make sure its a high quality powerstrip. Not just some $20 thing that claims to be a breaker.

If your doing corals you need to have the lid off the tank, if you dont want fish jumping out get some of the light diffuser panels from the hardware store, cut to the tank top so you dont have fishies on the floor.

Oh and dont add corals for a few months (6). Let the tank cycle and go through all its issues and get your schedule set before adding corals. They can be hard.

Also make sure your fish and coral list are compatible.

Also make sure that you are not getting weed corals like GSP or Xenia without a plan for them. My GSP is on an island rock so that it wont spread to the main rocks and take over.

I am going to definitely do coral, still deciding which one to go with. It will take more research. I hear LPS good for beginners.

I will also need to look into the light defuser panel. That should not be too pricey.

Any specific coral you recommend?

[GoVols]

Originally Posted by Rueda13

I am going to definitely do coral, still deciding which one to go with. It will take more research. I hear LPS good for beginners.

I will also need to look into the light defuser panel. That should not be too pricey.

Any specific coral you recommend?

Your said this is your first salt water aquarium.

To be honest... Just do fish with live rock (only) first.

When you get they hang of a (easy to keep fish species) tank then slowly advance while you grow your skill set.

Corals can come later.

[GoVols]

And I'll keeping working on my typo's (lol)

[Rueda13]

Originally Posted by GoVols

Your said this is your first salt water aquarium.

To be honest... Just do fish with live rock (only) first.

When you get they hang of a (easy to keep fish species) tank then slowly advance while you grow your skill set.

Corals can come later.

Well the coral was going to be much later after the fish and live rock have been stable for couple months. Sounds good thou.

[Hooloovoo]

Originally Posted by Rueda13

I am coming close to beginning my first salt water tank. I will be doing fish and coral. Here is my equipment so far:
• 30gal Hexagon Tank
• Aquarium Heater 10in 200 Watt - Up to 55 Gal
• Aqueon Quite Flow %0 Pro
• Hydor Slim Skim Nano Internal Protein Skimmer 23-35gal
• LCD Digital Aquarium Thermometer
• Salinity Refractometer
• (2) Hydor Nano Evolution 240gph Wavemaker
• 0PPM Portable 100gpd RO + DI Filtration System
• TDS Meter
• AI Prime HD LED
Pending is
• Carib Sea 20lbs live sand
• 20lbs live rock (Fiji)
• Power strip surge protector
• Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix
• API Saltwater Master Test Kit
What do you guys think about the equipment so far? Any tips once I begin to cure the live rocks?

Thanks to all

A lot of the equipment you already have is the same or similar to what I am running in my 20 G nano. I also have the Hydor Slim Skim. I can't say that it is a great skimmer, but it is very compact, relatively inexpensive, and adequate for my needs. I think the AI Prime is a great light for that size tank.

I see a lot of others commenting on the negatives of the hex form factor for a SW tank. While those criticisms are legitimate, you already have the tank, and there is no reason you can't turn it into a great SW tank within the constraints of the form factor. We are all dealing with some kind of less-than-ideal constraints with our tanks. It's all about optimizing what you have.

As far as some of the pending stuff goes, you might want to consider going with dry rock instead of live rock. There are pros and cons with both. Dry rock carries less risk of introducing unwanted organisms into the aquarium that you may later find yourself battling to keep under control. Of course, using live rock will speed up your cycle time, and I find it fascinating seeing all the strange critters that will emerge from it. In the end, it really just depends on your goals for the tank. If you want to keep a lot of delicate expensive corals, dry rock will definitely give you more peace of mind that you are not introducing things that will devastate your prized specimens when you least expect.

On the live sand, many are of the opinion that it really doesn't do much, but it looks nice, and unless you can save a lot of money on a good source of dry sand, I say why not just grab a bag of readily available live sand? Some prefer to skip sand altogether and just go with a bare bottom tank, but that just doesn't have much aesthetic appeal for me personally.

On the test kits, I would just suggest doing your homework on which kits not only perform well, but are easy to use and read. You should be able to find lots of videos on youtube, etc. on how the different tests work. No matter how accurate a test may be, you probably are going to procrastinate on performing it if the test procedure is a real pain. I don't know of one brand that nails it across the board for all the different test parameters, so I tend to be a little reluctant to buy those multi parameter kits. They may be great for one parameter, but not so much for another. I currently have the API pH test kit. It is extremely simple to use, but I find the results to be a bit of a challenge to interpret, and it is pretty low precision. I tend to like the Hanna colorimeters because I am bad at detecting subtle color variations by eye, but the colorimeters are not without their flaws too. Ultimately what works best for me may not be what works best for you.

Finally, I would suggest watching Bulk Reef Supply's "52 Weeks of Reefing" series on their BRStv youtube channel. I found it to be a great review of the various technologies commonly used in reefing these days, and it really helped me in getting back into the hobby after many years away.

I hope you find some of this helpful.

--Hoolovoo

[Rueda13]

Originally Posted by Hooloovoo

A lot of the equipment you already have is the same or similar to what I am running in my 20 G nano. I also have the Hydor Slim Skim. I can't say that it is a great skimmer, but it is very compact, relatively inexpensive, and adequate for my needs. I think the AI Prime is a great light for that size tank.

I see a lot of others commenting on the negatives of the hex form factor for a SW tank. While those criticisms are legitimate, you already have the tank, and there is no reason you can't turn it into a great SW tank within the constraints of the form factor. We are all dealing with some kind of less-than-ideal constraints with our tanks. It's all about optimizing what you have.

As far as some of the pending stuff goes, you might want to consider going with dry rock instead of live rock. There are pros and cons with both. Dry rock carries less risk of introducing unwanted organisms into the aquarium that you may later find yourself battling to keep under control. Of course, using live rock will speed up your cycle time, and I find it fascinating seeing all the strange critters that will emerge from it. In the end, it really just depends on your goals for the tank. If you want to keep a lot of delicate expensive corals, dry rock will definitely give you more peace of mind that you are not introducing things that will devastate your prized specimens when you least expect.

On the live sand, many are of the opinion that it really doesn't do much, but it looks nice, and unless you can save a lot of money on a good source of dry sand, I say why not just grab a bag of readily available live sand? Some prefer to skip sand altogether and just go with a bare bottom tank, but that just doesn't have much aesthetic appeal for me personally.

On the test kits, I would just suggest doing your homework on which kits not only perform well, but are easy to use and read. You should be able to find lots of videos on youtube, etc. on how the different tests work. No matter how accurate a test may be, you probably are going to procrastinate on performing it if the test procedure is a real pain. I don't know of one brand that nails it across the board for all the different test parameters, so I tend to be a little reluctant to buy those multi parameter kits. They may be great for one parameter, but not so much for another. I currently have the API pH test kit. It is extremely simple to use, but I find the results to be a bit of a challenge to interpret, and it is pretty low precision. I tend to like the Hanna colorimeters because I am bad at detecting subtle color variations by eye, but the colorimeters are not without their flaws too. Ultimately what works best for me may not be what works best for you.

Finally, I would suggest watching Bulk Reef Supply's "52 Weeks of Reefing" series on their BRStv youtube channel. I found it to be a great review of the various technologies commonly used in reefing these days, and it really helped me in getting back into the hobby after many years away.

I hope you find some of this helpful.

--Hoolovoo

Thank you very much for your detailed opinions. I'm now currently researching different test kits to see which would work best for me. Ph, alkalinity, nitrate,....what else would I need to test for?

[Hooloovoo]

Originally Posted by Rueda13

Thank you very much for your detailed opinions. I'm now currently researching different test kits to see which would work best for me. Ph, alkalinity, nitrate,....what else would I need to test for?

Here is a good article I found about what to test for and why:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php