# Starting a brand new tank advice



## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

Now please remember I know nothing here...I tried searching through the forum but can't find the answers to those questions, clearly enough for me to understand. Please post links if there is something good that I haven't found.

Now my goal is to set up a reef tank. I really want to eventually add some fish(and Im embarrassed to admit this, but the list consist of the fish in Finding Nemo ...if they would fit my aquarium). Please advise me on what you think of the list as well. And let me know if I can even fit that list in my smallish 75g tank.

-Pair of Clown fish
-Regal Tang
-Moorish Idol
-Damsel Fish
-Cleaner Shrimp(Pacific Cleaner?)
-Yellow tang
-Puffer
-Royal Gramma

Again my tank is mainly to build a reef. Now what I need with, is figuring out how to set up the tank. In what order to I put what, and for how long? I am still needing to order a RODI system at this point and will be buying the Live rock when the right time comes as well. Also need help understanding the live/dead rock ratio for a 75g tank, I understand the sand bed should be either 1-2 inches or 5-6 inches. But what order do you set this up in? how do you guys fill the tank the first time? how long should the water be in the tank before you add sand and rock? 

Hope I make sense, thanks for the help.


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

The other thing is light, how much light am I supposed to use and for how long?


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*jgeag*

you will probably not be able to keep the puffer with the fishes that you want to keep ...the morish idol is a rather hard fish to care for a heniochis would probably be a better bet... get lighting rated at or above 6500 kelvin....brightness is depending on coral species but usualy T5s or a hqi metal halide will do just fine...dont forget your 420nm actinic....keep asking questions and you shall recieve answers..ADIOS....


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

DisneyCoralReef said:


> -Pair of Clown fish
> -Regal Tang
> -Moorish Idol
> -Damsel Fish
> ...


since you want a reef, and shrimp, i would skip the puffer. i would also skip the damsel personally. its one tang or the other, which in this case i would choose the yellow, which its pushing its limit in your size tank. absolutely not the idol, they have such a specific diet that it sadly wont last a few months let alone a year. 

if i was starting a new tank, i would fill it about half way with RO water, add some salt and turn on atleast 1 powerhead and heater. i say about halfway because the sand and rock will displace some water. i would also get some RO water and salt in a tupperware going with a powerhead and heater ( to make up for the extra water you'll need to add ) wait 24 hours, test salinity with refractometer. if things are exceptable 1.020-025 range, turn off powerhead for time being, start alittle bit of my rockwork, id then add either 1 inch (and under) OR 4 - 6 inches of sand. 2 inches is bad. you will notice the tank turned cloudy, which may take waiting another 24 - 48 hours for it to settle enough to see how to finish aquascaping your rock. ( which some people do outside of their tank, esp if the rock is dry )
keep in mind mixing RO and salt in the display can only happen the first time setting up the tank, when NOTHING is in it.


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

How do you know how much salt to use in the tank?


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

the packege has directions but i would personally start with a little less than they call for and test it after its been mixing for about an hour (i toss a power head in the bucket to keep things suspended) i like to run mine at a Specific gravity (SG) of 1.022-1.024.. when you find that you need to top of the tank however dont mix just used treated fresh water..


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

Perfect, thank you.

So from what I understand so far, i am going to need about 75 lbs of rock for my tank correct? now this being for a reef, should I be getting all live rock for this?(very pricey I know) can I get away with doing less live rock? From what I gather, soft corals are going to be the easiest thing to try to grow as a first timer(tho I would love to progress to more at some point).

Again appreciate all your help :notworthy: (...yes you may shake your head at me :frustrated: )


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

no head shaking at all one way to save cost is to get base (also called dry rock) and some live rock to seed it this will take a bit more time to mature but will really be cost effective... dont forget your live sand will also help in seeding the rock... if you want fast then all live if you want to go slow (highly recommended) mix base and live.... read some of my threads from when i started the 50 and you will see a great example of why to start slow and stay the course one crash and a load of money wasted will really put things in perspective...


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*rock*

im with bear .....seeding a tank and letting it settle out is the way to go...when i start a new tank and dont want to break the bank ki take a hammer to a nice piece of rock with coraline algae and shatter it to pieces ...then i spread it amongst the not so live rock....,also strategic placing will help fuse some rocks together......and i would always recomend thowing some live sand even just a few pounds to introduce some copapods and nematodes to get it up and running...well ....ADIOS...


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

DisneyCoralReef said:


> So from what I understand so far, i am going to need about 75 lbs of rock for my tank correct?


Not exactly. The weight of a piece of rock does not determine its size. (google "mass") Hopefully by now you have looked at enough pictures of actual reef tanks that you will be able to eyeball when you have added enough rock to your tank. If you use the Key Largo dry rock from Marco Rocks, then a 75 pound order will be good, combined with 10 pounds or so of live rock from the LFS.



> From what I gather, soft corals are going to be the easiest thing to try to grow as a first timer(tho I would love to progress to more at some point).


Not only are soft corals easier, they are in fact relatively easy to keep. It is keeping algae under control that is the challenge, which will be greatly determined by the bioload and quality of skimmer.



badxgillen said:


> take a hammer to a nice piece of rock with coraline algae and shatter it to pieces ...then i spread it amongst the not so live rock.


This is a great idea. Less expensive is to just ask the LFS to provide you with a handfull of the rubble from the bottom of their live rock vat. Most will do so for free, and it will help greatly to seed the sand bed. Obviously, you want to make this request at the LFS with which you actually spend money on other items.


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

Pasfur said:


> Not exactly. The weight of a piece of rock does not determine its size. (google "mass") Hopefully by now you have looked at enough pictures of actual reef tanks that you will be able to eyeball when you have added enough rock to your tank.


 :lol: I would be lying if I said I don't regularly look up photos and dream about what my tank will hopefully look like.




Pasfur said:


> If you use the Key Largo dry rock from Marco Rocks, then a 75 pound order will be good, combined with 10 pounds or so of live rock from the LFS.


 That's it?! I always assumed that the ratio would be a lot less dry rock to live rock. I like that idea. I think that's just saved me a few hundredsssss of dollars. Months ago I had found a Canadian Marco Rock guy. Still desperately trying to find his contact again to order some rock.




Pasfur said:


> This is a great idea. Less expensive is to just ask the LFS to provide you with a handfull of the rubble from the bottom of their live rock vat. Most will do so for free, and it will help greatly to seed the sand bed. Obviously, you want to make this request at the LFS with which you actually spend money on other items.


 That's great! will definitely do that. I went through the article section to see if there was anything on there about it, but is there a specific way to find -good- live rock. Are there specific things to look for when choosing your pieces?


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

So here is the latest update. The new skimmers have finally arrived in Illinois so Im waiting for them to ship me both the powerheads and skimmer. I also contacted our local store because 7 weeks I am still tank and standless as I wait for our stuff to arrive. I've called them since last week and they keep making excuses and saying they are checking up on it, then they never call back. Not in a rush to start the tank, but still pretty frustrated with this. Its the only saving grace they have is that I have no intention on starting the tank just yet.

To keep you posted.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

wow 7 weeks??? did you pay a deposit or pay for the whole thing? in your shoes i would be getting ready to ask for the money back and threaten to brin your business elsewhere... thats just me but then again i am all about A) instint gratification and B) getting my moneys worth when i spend it ....
just sayin....


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

bearwithfish said:


> wow 7 weeks??? did you pay a deposit or pay for the whole thing? in your shoes i would be getting ready to ask for the money back and threaten to brin your business elsewhere... thats just me but then again i am all about A) instint gratification and B) getting my moneys worth when i spend it ....
> just sayin....


I thought about it but unfortunately they are the only store here which is why I had half the equipment shipped from the states :shock: crazy shipping but it was the "cheapest" way to go because they were just to expensive.
I just got off the phone with them. Luckily I managed to get someone higher up and got a deal. They said that the city 3 hours from us where their headquarters are, somehow "dropped" that part of my order and didn't ship the sump down, so now they are giving me the option either between the smaller sump or the one bigger model. 

As it turns out the model below the one I ordered is to small for the skimmer and the model above is to expensive. I nicely but clearly explained I have already waited over 7 weeks for this equipment and I did not want to wait another who knows how long for the sump to come in. 

They agreed to let me have the larger model for the same price(which is good because it was already paid for!). The good news with this is that the tank, stand and refractometer have arrived(can't remember what else I had ordered), so all I have to do now, is find a vehicle large enough to pick this up in. 

Hopefully pictures to come to soon.


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

*Please view I need help*

Really need some help with this one please.

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/saltwater-aquarium-equipment/rodi-system-53221/#post488118


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

Alright! no idea if anyone is still reading or not but I'm getting pretty excited so I have to share.

so the RODI system has been ordered, and the Skimmer and powerheads are on their way from the states. Should take about a week to come in. We are picking up the tank and stand along with the sump and refractometer on thursday (woot!).

Hope to have lots of pictures to come! other than the sand and rock, we should be good to go with the equipment list(I hope)


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## pretzelsz (Jan 14, 2010)

Nice! Can't wait for pics. I hate it when I order something and something stupid that could have been avoided happens due to the people bought from... Good to see patience too lol... it gets harder as you go along as I am finding out myself...


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

i read every update faithfully!!!!!!!!! i may not always comment but i read


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## denrgb (Sep 14, 2010)

Congrats! We just ordered our first marine last weekend. Should be here on Sat. I'm guessing you're as excited as we are.

Still have to buy a few odds and ends yet, and finish building the sump, but it'll get there over the next few weeks.

Keep us up to date! Pictures too! Maybe we can learn a few things together as we build.


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

bearwithfish said:


> i read every update faithfully!!!!!!!!! i may not always comment but i read


Thank you bear! :-D


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## DisneyCoralReef (Feb 26, 2010)

*It's arrived!*

The most amazing day of the year has come! after a long day at work, I was able to go and pick up all this stuff! Wanted to post pictures here but i dont want to re-post the same pictures all over the place. They are going to be posted in the picture section in "building" thread.

Thanks again everyone!

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...ys-75g-saltwater-tank-building-updates-50807/


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