Newbie to reef keeping

[lin2556]

Hi Everyone,
I just joined the group and am about to set up my first reef tank, a 26 gallon bow front desk top. MY hubby and I have experience in fresh water, been raising cichlids for years, but "my passion" has always been salt water.
I have been reading all I can recently on reef keeping.. books, Magazines and asked a lot of questions at my local aquarium shops, and am more confused now, then ever, as I seem to be getting many conflicting opinions.
My question to all of you is...does anyone have experience using the CPR Aquarics "Bak Pak 2" combo filtration system and protein skimmer? It says it can handle up to a 60 gallon reef tank and I am only setting up a 26 gallon. I would like to use the Berlin System, live rock, live sand and was wondering if this protein skimmer would be good enough for a reef system with basically soft corals, inverts and a couple of fish. Can't find much info on this product other than store clerks trying to sell it to me. I'm restricted as to what I can use for flitration as my tank is located on my desk top so a sump is out, I believe.
I also have dceided on the Current Nova extreme 4 bulb T5 combo lighting, is this enough for a few hard corals closer to the top of my tank?
Any advice you can share with me will be most appreciated. Bought my tank yesterday, really have the bug now to figure all of this all out so I can get started in reef tank adventure!
Thanks,
Lin

[smidoid]

Welcome to Reefland Lin. You're about 6 months behind where I was - so I know just how ya feel. I hope you're prepared to become very very poor!

First off, have a look through this

http://www.reefland.com/rho/past_editions.php

magazine. It's Reefland own publication and really rather good.

You're going to need about 30-45lbs of live rock (called LR here) and you're going to see a lot of abbreviations, see here:

http://www.reefland.com/forum/anythi...s-new-guys.htm

and your LR will come with some of these:

http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/hitchhikers.html

Live sand is just dead sand with life in it. Get some aragonite substrate (a small bag will do - some play sand in fact is ideal: "Oldcastle Tropical Play Sand from the Caribbean" is the right stuff, but be careful you check with the experts to make sure that it is "aragonite". It's marketed under several different names. Silca sand isn't as pretty (some say, it's less effective). You can make it live by getting an infusion of life from some LFSs or just wait and bacteria will colonize it. Mine has picked up the odd worm or two from the live rock.

Snapped! One worm...

After you've set it up, you need to let the tank cycle - I assume you already know how to do that.

You need to read these too:

http://www.reefland.com/forum/saltwa...roduction.html

and this (which will scare the willies out of you!)

Quarantine Tank Setup

and finally, when you need a bit of light relief, this:

Reefer Gags

Phew... hopefully someone else will help on the corals question as that's a bit specialist.

Here's a review (of sorts) of your skimmer:

http://www.3reef.com/forums/product-...2-a-32033.html

How's that for starters...

[lin2556]

Dear "Poor Nemo",
I'm right behind ya in the poor house! LOL
Thanks a million on all your advice and the many many links. Can't wait to get reading.
Just got back home from another local aquarium shop...they recommend the Deltec MCE 600 protien skimmer, say it's the best! Hmmmm! Off to do some surfing on this product. I imagine a big "OUCH" is in order when I see the price. LOL I
ll keep you posted as to what I decide on.
Later,
Lin

[lin2556]

PS.. I just realized you live in England....my best friend lives there too! She is in Witshire County in the wonderfully pictureque town of Malmesbury.
Hubby and I have been over 3 times and just LOVE the UK!!

[smidoid]

Yip. The Deltecs are quite costly. Probably overkill, but you can't really overskim (well apparently, you can, but not at this price). If you do get one make sure you check out this link!

http://www.deltecaquariumsolutions.c...ariumSetup.htm

Microbubbles are a pain (OK in small doses, but when you have a tank full of them, it's not funny).

If you think you're broke now, just wait until the bug really bites!!! At least this site alone and its many experts (Steven Pro, Ron Shimek and many others who will shoot me for mentioning them... Won't you N*****....) will keep you in reading material for - well, ever!

If you have friends this side of the water, you should probably have Skype to keep in touch: my Skype details are on the contributers page. Feel free to call.

Middlesbrough, BTW, is more like Detroit than Malmesbury!