# 100 gallon Salt Water Aquarium newbie with questions



## xsputnikx

Hello everyone im new to the forums and this is my first post.. 

I am 28 I have been in the reptile keeping for years, I have had exotic birds, but here in the past few years my main intrest has turned to poison dart frogs, bout a month ago I set up a 55 gallon freshwater aquarium with great sucess and it has really lifted my spirits and been a great adventure...

I said I wasnt going to do a saltwater aquarium for various reasons including cost..setup etc.e.tc...

but I cant stand it anymore I have to have one.... 

I had someone give me a standard 100 gallon Glass fish tank... It needed some work done to it.... I fixed the leaks and it holds water fine now, but im going to have to replace the plastic trim around the top and bottom I could just leave it off but I feel I may need the added support that the frame gives once full of water.. 

I honestly dont have a lot of funds to work with and I have to save up for things a lot of time and get it a piece at a time.. 

I know there are a lot of things that I will need to purchase... but is there anything I can do without, or maybe wait to get later once I save up for it?...

My plans for the tank is to start off with some live sand, and live rock... get the tank cycle started.. and for a while just concentrate on adding reefs, coral...etc.etc... and once I get the tank establised and running solid for a while start adding fish..

I guess my main question is I want a good setup... I dont have to have top of the line but I dont want junk either... 

am I going to have to drill my tank?... or is there a easy way around that... 

what pump, what kind of filter works best?...

If I purchased like 100 lbs of (arogite) tropical play sand then went and got like 20 lbs of live sand would it eventually all become live sand?... 

I am sorry if my questions are overwhelming... but im just trying to get a good handle on everything and how and what should be done in what order...


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## onefish2fish

the most expensive purchases are prob. going to be your lights and skimmer. one of the cheapest things, the tank. LOL
The best filter for a saltwater tank is the skimmer, but you'll want to read online reviews as some are def. better then others. Live rock and good water flow will provide good natural filtering as well. Adding corals while you wait for your tank to be ready for fish sounds like a bad idea. The corals are very sensitive and i suggest waiting for a stable mature tank. I undertand its exciting but the more patience you have the more it will pay off, trust me. As for the best brand pumps thats a personal preference. Ofcourse some brands will be better then others. I personally like hydors for powerheads and mags for return pumps from sumps. You can use a play sand but be sure it is silicate free as well as pure or it will cause way more problems then what cutting the corner short will be worth. Quality live rock will "seed" the live sand over time. 
A good idea is to search your area for a local reefing club. These are great places to meet people with the same interest as well as trade equipment. another good idea is to purchase a refractometer from the start instead of a hydrometer. Seems like everyone makes this mistake, as refractos and far more accurate then hydroms. Ebay sells them pretty cheap. 
IMO drilling the tank is the easy way around it. the overflow boxes work but i never liked them. The best advice i can offer is to take your time and read everything saltwater related.
Welcome to the forum.


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## xsputnikx

my appologies I must have not been clear on what I meant.. im saying what I would like to do is work on one step at a time.. im in no hurry to do this project all in a day or a month even in fact I was thinking asside from live rock and sand I wouldnt even add anything else to the tank until the water levels were perfect and every bit of equipment I needed was purchased and installed i guess im just trying to figure out what order and how should I do everything ive been doing reading on the net for 2 days solid but im still lost cause of so many options


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## n1zjd

Im going about this just about the same way as you. Im less than a week into my build and purchasing things as I go. I would have to say one of the benefits of doing it this way and not being in a rush is that if you ask the right questions here on the forum people will be glad to walk you through your build. Keep in mind that this is going to be an expensive investment, and while you CAN cut a few corners, its obviously better to try and minimize doing so for your best chance of success. 

Personally I would want to buy true aragonite sand and live sand. Your sand bed and your live rock are very important as this will be your main filter system in the tank. Personally I woud buy 75lbs on dry Key Largo rock from Marco Rocks http://www.marcorocks.com and seed this with 25lbs of live rock from you LFS, or even better yet from a fellow reefers tank. This would be a good start 75 Pounds Key Largo Rock, <br>160 Pounds Bahamas Aragonite Sand<BR>pay $35 shipping only - KL75-160 160lbs of sand and 75lbs of Key Largo rock for $269. That might sound expensive but its really a great deal! Ive got over $200 worth of sand and rock in my 29G tank purchased locally, and I still need another $88 worth of live rock!

Heres my newbie build it you want to follow along,
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/starting-saltwater-aquarium/complete-newb-30-gallon-reef-36293/


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## briang

n1zjd said:


> Im going about this just about the same way as you. Im less than a week into my build and purchasing things as I go. I would have to say one of the benefits of doing it this way and not being in a rush is that if you ask the right questions here on the forum people will be glad to walk you through your build. Keep in mind that this is going to be an expensive investment, and while you CAN cut a few corners, its obviously better to try and minimize doing so for your best chance of success.
> 
> Personally I would want to buy true aragonite sand and live sand. Your sand bed and your live rock are very important as this will be your main filter system in the tank. Personally I woud buy 75lbs on dry Key Largo rock from Marco Rocks http://www.marcorocks.com and seed this with 25lbs of live rock from you LFS, or even better yet from a fellow reefers tank. This would be a good start 75 Pounds Key Largo Rock, <br>160 Pounds Bahamas Aragonite Sand<BR>pay $35 shipping only - KL75-160 160lbs of sand and 75lbs of Key Largo rock for $269. That might sound expensive but its really a great deal! Ive got over $200 worth of sand and rock in my 29G tank purchased locally, and I still need another $88 worth of live rock!
> 
> Heres my newbie build it you want to follow along,
> http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/starting-saltwater-aquarium/complete-newb-30-gallon-reef-36293/


A BIG +1 on aragonite . I don't know if they have silicone free play sand but crush aragonite is the way to go.


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## xsputnikx

Hey guys thanks for all your help im going to be hitting up lowes, home depot, and a few other places this sunday to see if any of them carries any argonite play sand... looking for either southdown or tropical play sand.... I will be doing a vinegar test to confirm if its argonite or not... as supposidly vin fizzes the sand but not the silica sand..... I have read numerous reports that sometimes they have it sometimes they dont.. so I may try a few pool supply places as well... and if I dont have any luck there I may just go ahead and get that package combo you guys sent me the link to cause that isnt a bad price from what ive seen..


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## n1zjd

No its not a bad deal at all! Ive got $232 in live rock for my 29gallon tank, thats only 29lbs worth, not to mention the sand! Theres no way I could afford to buy all live rock for a 100 gallon like that, $800 worth of rock would be crazy! Looking forward to watching your build. Good luck! 

BTW, before considering your brand of salt mix I would ask the fellow members, Im battling issues badly right now with what I started with for salt. Just trying to save you some headache.


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## xsputnikx

thanks for looking out for me on that one.. I was pondering this same question a few minutes ago browsing online and realized there were a few diff companies out there... that sell salt mix... 

I have some good news and some bad news... to report

i was measuring my tank trying to get a idea of the canopy im going to build for it as im a diy'er if possible and was going to hit up lumber supply sunday to get what I needed to start building it.. when something dawned on me.. 

the measurments in my head I took off the tank didnt add up so I went online to find a tank gallon calculator... and my measurments ended up being 48 long 18 wide 20 tall... I actually have is a 75 gallon tank.. I would never try to front or make something its not so from now on this is going to be a 75 gallon tank build lol... 

the person I got it from said it was a 100 gallon.. im kinda disappointed but at the same time happy because this means less sand and live rock, and water, and salt... which will help out a lot on the wallet...


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## n1zjd

Haha I hear ya man. When I started my thread I thought it was a 30G tank but found out later it was a 29. I need to request a title change myself. As far as salt mix, the stuff I started with was crazy expensive, like $26 for a 30 gallon mixture. I just bought a 200G box of Instant Ocean for $51.98 online at Saltwater Aquarium Salt: Aquarium Systems Instant Ocean & Reef Crystals Synthetic Sea Salt That includes shipping! And Pasfur recommended it to me so it must be good!


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## xsputnikx

thats not too bad for a 200lb bag now when im adding salt... what is the amount used per gallon?


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## NC Frank

Make sure it isn't tempered glass before you try to drill it! 

Get base rock from Marco Rocks. I would buy this:

75 Pounds Key Largo Rock, <br>160 Pounds Bahamas Aragonite Sand<BR>pay $35 shipping only - KL75-160

For 300 bucks shipped you get 75 pounds of base rock and 160 pounds of base sand pre-cycled. You can then add about 15 to 25 pounds of live rock from your LFS to seed the base rock and sand... and you know you are getting a quality product that is entirely reef safe.


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## NC Frank

NC Frank said:


> Make sure it isn't tempered glass before you try to drill it!
> 
> Get base rock from Marco Rocks. I would buy this:
> 
> 75 Pounds Key Largo Rock, <br>160 Pounds Bahamas Aragonite Sand<BR>pay $35 shipping only - KL75-160
> 
> For 300 bucks shipped you get 75 pounds of base rock and 160 pounds of base sand pre-cycled. You can then add about 15 to 25 pounds of live rock from your LFS to seed the base rock and sand... and you know you are getting a quality product that is entirely reef safe.



Also... a good LFS will get you some rubble from their live rock tank for free to help you seed when you buy live rock from them. Just scatter them behind your rock structure so they don't mess with the appearance of the tank and they will work wonders with seeding the base rock and base sand.


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## Pasfur

xsputnikx said:


> thats not too bad for a 200lb bag now when im adding salt... what is the amount used per gallon?


You will use about 2 cups for a 5 gallon bucket, but it will vary depending on temperature. Start just under this amount and add salt as necessary for your initial fill of the tank.

I agree with NC Frank and the comments in the 2 above posts. I would highly recommend using Marco Rocks, and using their sand.


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## NC Frank

Pasfur said:


> I agree with NC Frank and the comments in the 2 above posts. I would highly recommend using Marco Rocks, and using their sand.


I would hope that you would agree since I am regurgitating what you said to help me get started.


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## xsputnikx

ok.. a couple questions with getting the 75 pounds of dry rock, plus 25 from lfs will that pretty much fill up the tank and be all I need or will I probably need to add more pieces ive been told 1 lb per gallon then ive been told 2 lbs .... so im confused on that one... 

and is the base sand live sand or just argonite sand.... 

so with the salt I just add a lil bit let it settle test for the salinity of the water and then add more until I get the right amount.. ?

I am going to have a internal overflow in the rear middle of the tank.. and how can I tell if glass is tempered or not?... I had read somewhere that usually only the bottom sheet is tempered and that the backs are not on glass tanks so I was going for 2 small and 1 large holes exiting the back side of the tank right behind the overflow... with bulkheads.. that dropped down to a skimmer, calcium reactor... but I need some suggestions on what pump I need and what protien skimmer that would be a good ideal choice for this.. im going to have a sump tank in the bottom.. probably around a 10 gallon box out of the acrylic that will have a spot for sponge filter also..


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## Pasfur

xsputnikx said:


> ok.. a couple questions with getting the 75 pounds of dry rock, plus 25 from lfs will that pretty much fill up the tank and be all I need or will I probably need to add more pieces ive been told 1 lb per gallon then ive been told 2 lbs .... so im confused on that one...


The number of pounds per gallon is kind of an old wise tale. What you need is a reef structure for microfauna to populate and for fish to establish territories. You can't really say how many pounds, because different rocks of the same size have different densities and therefore different mass. For example, a Tennis Ball is much lighter in weight than a Pool Table Ball. As a rule of thumb, it takes about 100 to 150 pounds for your tank size, depending on the rock. Start with 100 pounds or so and add more as you see the need. Post pictures and we can help, or look at some of our tank pictures to get an idea of how much rock you will need. 



> and is the base sand live sand or just argonite sand....


Yes. You want aragonite sand, and it will become live in the near future after adding live rock. A handful of live rock rubble from the LFS will help. Just ask them for a small handfull of the crushed gunk at the bottom of their live rock vat. It will be loaded with copepods and amphipods to seed your sand bed. 



> so with the salt I just add a lil bit let it settle test for the salinity of the water and then add more until I get the right amount.. ?


I generally use just under 2 cups per 5 gallons initially. Allow it to mix well for 24 hours and then test. Add additional salt as needed to reach 1.024.

There are many good options for protein skimmers. The key will be measuring the space in your sump and finding a skimmer with the proper footprint. Here are some suggestions:
Red Sea Berlin X2 Venturi Skimmer with Pump
Marineland Pro In Sump Protein Skimmer 300 Marineland Pro Skimmer
Octopus Recirculating Skimmer - Medium - 6 in. | Venturi Models | Protein Skimmers | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com
In-Sump Protein Skimmer - G2 - 200 Gallon - 21 1/4 in. high | Venturi Models | Protein Skimmers | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com

The 2nd link above is the Marineland model. It has a tiny footprint and works great in small sumps. The 4th link is to the ASM G2. I use the ASM G3 on my 180 and have been happy with it.


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## xsputnikx

ok.. thanks a lot that helps clear some confusion... in a lil bit im going down to a local fish supplpy that I hear is really good that sells saltwater fish.. so ima talk to them and check out there prices...


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## NC Frank

xsputnikx said:


> ok.. thanks a lot that helps clear some confusion... in a lil bit im going down to a local fish supplpy that I hear is really good that sells saltwater fish.. so ima talk to them and check out there prices...


Just be wary of any advice that the pet store is going to give you. I would lean towards taking the advice of people on this forum (Wake, Pasfur, Dawn, etc.) than listening to anything that a majority of LFS owners will try to tell you.


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## xsputnikx

yah Ive heard a lot of bs in the hobby from lfs owners before... Im sure its like when I was dealing with reptiles a lot and still learning, some would have good solid sound advice, and even sometimes gave you tips and tricks that took away from buying extra stuff while others were just trying to increase sales in there shop by feeding me total b/s... 

I usually take in everyones advice for consideration but I usually confirm information before I believe it... 

like yersterday I was talkin bout my fish setup that im going to do with one of my clients and she actually told me not to get live rock because live rock was bad for the fish... im like whatever... I really stopped listening after that but she was basically saying that things came out of her live rock and ate her fish... .. i was like umm ok..


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## xsputnikx

Well it seems im back to square one again with the whole project I thought I had a plan of attack, but now I may have to buy another tank... as im having trouble locating a top and bottom frame for my tank... ive talked to a few vendors... and today at lfs she said she could probably order it.... but im not sure... guess I will know in a day or so


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## Pasfur

xsputnikx said:


> Well it seems im back to square one again with the whole project I thought I had a plan of attack, but now I may have to buy another tank... as im having trouble locating a top and bottom frame for my tank... ive talked to a few vendors... and today at lfs she said she could probably order it.... but im not sure... guess I will know in a day or so


Why is having a frame causing you problems? Was the tank home made? Before you scrap this tank, lets talk a bit. What are the dimensions of the tank? What thickness of glass did you use? How did you design the bottom? ("floating"?)


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## Bluetangclan

You could always build a frame. I was reading your plans assuming you end up getting a frame or a new tank. 
1. sand and rock. They have beat the rock thing to death so I wont add anything. 
2. heater.
3. Skimmer
4. lights
5. After everything is settled and your cycle is complete, think about what kind of fish you want, add what you think will be the cheapest and most peaceful longterm. Stay away from most damsels, there are a couple safer ones but not cool mostly even if they do look pretty and are cheap.
6. A few months down the road find a cheap coral you like and try it.
7. All the extra tech stuff that looks all shiney. Realistically there are a bunch of odds and ends that are cool to add but personally I havent found a use for them. Calcium reactors yeah, they are useful, I cant justify the cost. Phosphate reactor, it was cheap although if you dont have phosphate it really doesnt matter(I keep one just to get rid of trace phosphate.)

As to your drilling thing. You can get hang on the back overflows. I used these successfully for years with no problems. They take up space in the tank and I think they are noisy compared to an intank standpipe(my new 90(130) gal is absolutely silent except for the fans on the light) but they are effective and do the job especially if drilling is a pain. I think most tank bottoms are tempered but sides are not(dont quote me on this, not 100%). Over the back overflows do offer added utility however as they make it easy to have a tank off to the side for other things not in your sump, like a frag tank or fuge but is easy to disconnect if need be.


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## xsputnikx

well.. my major concern is im worried about the stability of the tank.. it was donated to me.. im not sure of how old it is.. it has some scratches but not very bad at all and im sure once filled with water they wll decimate for the most part..

there is some yellowing of the silicone and it was very brittle.. I peeled the old silcone off and I was able to find one small tube of silicone from the store and I repaired the bad section I filled it with water a few days after it cured and let it sit for bout 8 hours and no leaks.. but the top and bottom frame was damaged bad so I ditched it... ive had trouble finding replacement frames.. the girl at the lfs I went to is supposed to be emailing me when she can find me trim...

my main concern is if the stabilitiy of the tank will be less without the frame in it.. I am either going to use the tank if I can locate a frame or just replace it with another 75 or 100 gallon...... but either way im going ahead with the project and I found some very good blueprints for a custom hood and stand and im supposed to be picking up the lumber for the build tomorrow... so hopefully I can ge it built by this weekend... 

I went ahead and ordered me a salt gravity test... 

my main goal was to make the workings of the tank hidden as possible... and over the course of time as I aquire enough live rock I was going to have a entire reef wall across the back of the tank so you cant see the over flow.... 

I think I want a down draft style skimmer unless you guys think this is not good for a 75 gallon tank..


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## xsputnikx

honestly im more intersted in the corals.. and natural life of the live rock than the fish.. I may get a few clowns... or something but im not even sure at this point what fish i want..


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## Bluetangclan

I feel that way about my reef tank. I have fish since it is a bare bottom tank, in fact i could be considered over stocked, but aside from guests talking about them i hardly notice them. I havent had a fish loss in almost 8 months and have decided if I do(not trying to clear them out), I wont replace them since none of them are doing their assigned jobs anyway. Rabbit wont eat hair, coral beauty(blah), my clowns dont like each other but do not mess with each other either, mandarin actually did his job, just didnt do it fast enough(eat flatworms), 4 line wrasse didnt eat any(but it is a cool fish so G-Fresh stays, bonus points if you can name the movie that name is from), Chromises look nice and add color and movement. I like the smaller more less noticeable fish if you didnt notice. If things die out, I might stick with more reclusive fish in the future.
If you want oddball fish that are cool and fun to interact with but wont steal the show and compliment your corals I have some suggestions.
Hectors's and Harlequin gobies
Possum Wrass(one of my faves)
Blackcap basslet
Barnacle Blenny
Royal Gramma
marine betta/comet(also a fave)
Either of the Assessors yellow or blue
All these guys look awesome but wont distract from the coral or mess with it, and with a hundred gallon, all would be able to fit in my opinion. After your tank is established for awhile and you have a big enough tank to think about a mandarin or misc dragonette.


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## Pasfur

I just want to add that many tanks are made without frames. It is not at all uncommon. If you can provide the dimensions and the thickness of the glass then I can check with my contacts to confirm if you need a frame.


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## xsputnikx

sure thing pasfur... the tank dimensions are 48 long x 18 wide x 20 tall glass has a 3/8 thickness... I am making some progress I was able to go to home depot tonight and get 2 full sheets cut for a sump tank... that the sump is going to be 22 long x 16 tall x 12 wide... and I had the left over scrap cut at random sizes to match the wall to wall inner dimensions of the tank to make a few different chambers... im bout to go look at a couple pics of refrigerum sumps to get a idea of how I want to lay it out... 

but I wanted to ask is there a standard size bulkhead to use for the sump tanks and what do you guys recommend


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## xsputnikx

I was able to get a lil bit going for my diy sump tank I decided to go after a euro style sump











I got the plexi glass laid out










Next i created a hinge out of masking tape to make it easy to swing the end piece up after applying the plexiglass silicone










I didnt take a pic of each step but here you can see I got all corners siliconed to each other and held down with various support.. if i wasnt trying to do this on a budget I would have opted for a couple of trigger style clamps to hold everything together but instead I used the 99 cent masking tape.. and a change jar...

tomorrow I will test to make sure it is sealed good and holds water


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## xsputnikx

I found some good plans for a tank stand modified it to fit my 75 gallon and had the lumber cut at a local cabinet shop.... the wood I ended up using for the stand is super nice... and im really pleased with how it turned out.. 

I was able to get my stand built tonight I still have to go get some hinges, trim and vaneer for the stand, fill my screw holes with wood putty but the basic construction of it is done at least I will tackle the canopy tomorrow night

below is a few progress pictures





































and finally tank sitting on top of stand... it turned out nice and is very sturdy.. but its far from done


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## Pasfur

xsputnikx said:


> sure thing pasfur... the tank dimensions are 48 long x 18 wide x 20 tall glass has a 3/8 thickness..


Yes, you need a frame. You can cut 2 strips of glass 48'' long and run them length wise on top. Similar to how acrylic tanks are often made.


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## xsputnikx

Ok I'm lost on what u mean bout the 2 ztrips


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## Pasfur

xsputnikx said:


> Ok I'm lost on what u mean bout the 2 ztrips


Across the top. Strip#1 would touch both sides and the front glass. Strip #2 would touch both sides and the back glass. It is hard to explain. If you look at acrylic tanks you will see the design.


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## xsputnikx

I will go try to look up some and see, im still waiting on the lfs to get back to me on if they have one or not.... I am still kinda confused so I will try to figure it out.... what thickness would the glass need to be?.. im guessing at least 3/8?... I know the local hardware only caries 1/8 thick..

on some other notes I ran into a lil snag on the fish tank stand... the base was perfect but the canopy is not coming out right and I dont like how its looking so I went another better looking route with it 

I lucked up and got a protien skimmer from a friend for 40.00 so that helped me out a lot but it doesnt have a pump.. I dont know what brand the skimmer is but he said its 20 " tall and its a in sump... and would be good for up to 120 gallons..


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## xsputnikx

Hey pasfur I hate to be a pain but can u send me a link showing a example of the tank trim you are talking bout I Google's several tanks and just don't see what you you are talking bout


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## Pasfur

I don't know of any links. I am just speaking from experience seeing acrylic tank designs. The top of the tank has a lip that runs all the way around, or just on the back and front. The lip provides support.


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## Pasfur

xsputnikx said:


> I lucked up and got a protien skimmer from a friend for 40.00 so that helped me out a lot but it doesnt have a pump.. I dont know what brand the skimmer is but he said its 20 " tall and its a in sump... and would be good for up to 120 gallons..


You have to ignore completely the manufacturer rating on a skimmer. There is no standard for rating these units, so they just rate them for the purpose of sales. Post a picture and we can help.


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## xsputnikx

well scratch that on the skimmer cat... knocked it off the table and broke it... so much for that plan


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## xsputnikx

Hey guys its been a lil since my last post but a lot of things have changed.. with my direction of the saltwater setup.. 

I have went from the 75 gallon to a 55 gallon acrylic tank, but I may be netting a 90 gallon in a week or so if the deal goes thru..

I ended up joining a local reef club.. and picked up a ev 180 protien skimmer and a mag 7 pump.. I have finished building my euro sump.. and I have ordered all my plumming parts needed for my tank.. 

even though im upgrading im still going to do the 55 then after I swap over to the 90 if I get it.. I may start a second reef tank at a later date or just sell my setup and invest those funds into the 90g

I ordered the 40 lbs rock and 40 lbs sand from marcosrocks.com... and my friend mike who got me started into this picked up some live rock for me today.. tha were going to introduce into my tank this weekend to start the tanke seeding process... 

only thing thats left for me to do is get some lights, test kits, and my salt and I should be good to go


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## onefish2fish

the standard 90 isnt always better when compared to a 75 gallon. the 2 tanks are the same except the 90 is taller. this isnt the end of the world but if going with a reef it makes lighting more difficult. just something to keep in mind.


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## xsputnikx

yah.. I thought about that earlier actually... and my solution will simply be a thicker sand bed than what I would do with the 75 and some Mh and call it a day


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## xsputnikx

Ust to give u guys an update I got my rock in from marcos.... I is way better than I expected I'm very stoked bout this......j
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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