# New 3foot reef aquarium. Set up tips required



## JonandJo (Nov 2, 2013)

Hi guys. 
My wife has convinced me to sell my tropical tank and buy a reef tank. Normally I would take time and research properly everything I need to know. This time is different it's all been rushed and I have so many questions my head is exploding. Any hints tips or dos and dont's would be appreciated. 

Firstly I do want to keep the odd coral and eventually possibly increase the number. 

Deep sand bed or not?

What makes a good clean up crew, fish, snails and other critters. 

Like with my tropical should I invest in a test kit or would a senseye thing be better. 

I want my tank to end up with its own Eco system. 

How much rock should I put in? Should I put some in sump next to skimmer?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

First rule is Go Slow and have patience... if you do not you will have unnecessary headache and financial expenditure.

Do your research! Almost everything you put into the tank from the live rock to the clean up crew is living. You do not want to start throwing things together only to have life forms suffer form ones lack of knowledge. Salt water fish and inverts have a very different compatibility chart. Often when you add one thing you may no longer add a list of other things due to incompatibility. Equipment needs to be researched as well, size of system, bioloads, and future goals should all be considered or you will be buying a piece of equipment several times over for whatever reason.

I personally do not like deep sand beds unless they are remote and well maintained via inverts. The area used can be much more productive removing nutrients via macro algae.

You will certainly need a good test kit or two. And some different reagents or titration kits for calcium, alkalinity, and mag if you are going with stony corals.

I like keeping a little rock in my sump, I could elaborate but basically the more the merrier as long as there is no flow dead spots.


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