New Guy

[Flyboy450r]

Ok Ive been reading chicago's marine post in depth, and have been looking at everything on the internet I can and my head is spinning. I want to set up a 55 gallon tank. I plan to go with a acrylic tank or a glass one with starphire glass. I plan to go with a Nova Extreme T-5 Light fixture with luner lights. Im pretty sure thats perfect in the lighting department. Im seeing that i need 2 pounds of rock, and 1 pound of sand for every gallon of water right???? Also I get the feeling the remore pro with skimmer is the way to go. With 2 Koralia power head one at each end of the tank. The only thing I am 100 percent lost on is what i should run for a filter. You are telling him to sell his wet/dry soo I guess that is were I am at. Can anyone help me out? Shine the light on my situation.

[ChicagoReef]

Hi there, Welcome to the forum.

They said that with enough live rock and sand it becomes the biological filtration. I guess the main issue with the old wet/dry idea is that waste is trapped in the bio-balls and it causes ammonia and nitrate spikes. I'm glad you're reasearching a lot before you set your tank up. I wish I would've known half the stuff I do now before setting mine up. I keep on doing things over and over but I want to make sure it's perfect.

If we're snatching up creatures from the wild against their will we need to replicate their environment as closley to nature as possible. Keep researching and ask any questions you have on here. Everyone is very helpful. Good luck on your journy.

[Flyboy450r]

Ok then what do you use for a filter? I mean rock and sand, and the skimmer, but are you still running the sump? With carbon? Or live rock. Thats whats got me list. I understand the bio ball aspect but my head is still spinning

[ChicagoReef]

I removed the bio balls and i'm simply running it for additional water volume and circulation. There's a sack of carbon in there too which would be the chemical filtration. Biological is the sand and rocks. Chemical is the carbon and mechanical is the protein skimmer. Don't place live rock in your wet/dry.

[metalhead]

Ok then what do you use for a filter? I mean rock and sand, and the skimmer, but are you still running the sump? With carbon? Or live rock. Thats whats got me list. I understand the bio ball aspect but my head is still spinning

You can run a filter sock in the sump or a UV filter but it's really not necessary... All you really need to worry about equipment-wise for filtration is a good skimmer.

Otherwise your LR and DSB will provide all of the biological filtration you need.

[twisted]

Hey! Welcome to reefland! Great job on the research! Thats definitly the first best step to take. look into sumps and fuges while you are learning. its something that most end up adding after we learn about the pros and cons of what we already have. take your time so you can enjoy it for years to come!

[Parrothead]

Hey! Welcome to reefland! Great job on the research! Thats definitly the first best step to take. look into sumps and fuges while you are learning. its something that most end up adding after we learn about the pros and cons of what we already have. take your time so you can enjoy it for years to come!

With you looking at a 55, which I also have, a sump is very desirable for the following reasons

Extra water volume
Filter sock for carbon, etc.
fuge
a place to hide heaters, probes, etc.


Welcome to reeflands, just ask, we are here, physically anyway

[Flyboy450r]

Im looking at tanks at glasscages.com. I can get a (Reef Ready) SeamlessTank with a overflow, pre drilled holse, bulk heads and overflow cover for 325 or so. And for another 100 I can get the starphire glass. Does anyone else use the starphire glass. Id really love acrylic but my girlfried will be doing some tank maintance so I dont really wanna deal with the scratching. But for that price im torn between the two. Also for a 55 Im not sure what Koralia Power Heads to buy I would like to run two to help keep down dead spots so I dont need the K4. Im leaning toward the K3's. Im looking a eshsopps 200 sump. But Im not sure on what size return pump I need any suggestions? And Im torn on the skimmers. Im not sure were to look and Im not sure whats a good deal. I like the prices on the octopus skimmers. I dont really wanna go with a HOB filter. Im still stuck on my nova extreme lighting and Im pretty sure that is what ill order for the 450 bucks with luner lights. The reviews are great and its around my budget. Sorry to ask so much questions. I just like doing this as right as I can the first time. Also is a UV sterilizers needed. Thanks Mike

[twisted]

there are peeps that dont like the nova light..personally i have them and they work pretty good. i would recommend planning on better bulbs in the future though.

[Parrothead]

Mike, shop a little on the lights, go to the corals for t-5 lighting thread, ninong did a couple quick searches and posted the results, you can save a few bucks if you shop it, I also love the nova extreme pro 6 bulb, which is what I'm gonna be using, and when upgrading the bulbs look at geisemann bulbs

[Flyboy450r]

Well I really like have a intergrated luner light. I mean you have to set the mood right? But would it be better just to buy another light. Id like it to be tank mounted but there are lots of options. Should I look at a Tek light or is something else recommended. Also im looking at the Reef Octopus Extreme EXT-250 protien skimmer its 450 and thats about the most i want to spend. Anyone have anything to say about them

[Parrothead]

Can't help you on the octopus, I'm an AquaC kinda guy, the tek lights are about 100.00 more than the nova extreme pro 6 bulb, I know people that use both, haven't heard bad about either, I'm going with the nova, and it does come with mounting legs for the tank, lunar lights are an individual choice, your house is never pitch dark so there will always be some ambient(sp?) light around. I don't feel the lunar lights are worth the additional cost, JMHO

[Flyboy450r]

That is true but I work from dusk till dawn so I get to enjoy my creation most at night and on the weekends I don’t work. I also have to apologize for my forum etiquette this is my first time using a forum so I still am very new at this. I’m sure after a while I will get use to it.

[twisted]

yeah, you better watch your etiquette bud...these guys dont mess around with sloppy typing or poor use of the english language.....or drinking and typing and stuff like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Parrothead]

we ain't at that bad, just keep priorites straight, mention the tank then go right straight to the adult beverages

[Flyboy450r]

Im a horrible typer, and my grammer sucks. But thats all from the drinking. When Im sober I'm not to bad.

[Parrothead]

sober, is that really a word

[Flyboy450r]

Yeah im a pilot. They frown on that whole flying drunk thing. But what do they know.

[Steve McKay]

Yeah im a pilot. They frown on that whole flying drunk thing. But what do they know.

[Flyboy450r]

So i went with a glass 55 gallon tank with a built in overflow. No fancy glass. I got 2 K-3's. A mag drive 5 pump. A Eshopps 220 sump. And I struggled but went with the nova extrme t-5 lighting with lunar lights. Cant figure out what protien skimmer i want to go with. But ill probably order one today Im thinking the octopus pro.