First Post/Details

[Deathsmile]

Hey everyone, ive been checking out these forums and have finally decided to join and become apart of the community here. Ive been fooling around with a little 14gallon Biocube and ive stepped up to a real tank. I just purchased a 110 gallon tank (48.5 x 30.5 x 18.5) with a cherry wood stand and hood.

The tank came with over 125lbs of live rock, wet/dry filter, pump (not sure what size, no sticker or anything on it :/ ) (2) 96 watt lighting systems, along with two more florescent power boxes and cables (meaning i can throw in 6 more lights if need be.)

It also included a bottle of PurpleUp, Kent marine Reef Carbon, PhosGuard Phosphate/Silicate Control, Melafix, and PimaFix Anti-fungal.

I purchased this all for $500 and im pretty sure i got a good deal.

I have the rock in the tank cycling with water i got from the Local pet shop (pretty sure its R/O water)

I need help though, im not sure what i should do, or what i should use or how i can go about the tank. My aquarium guy told me to trash the bioballs and set up a like...filter bag to filter the water, good idea? or bad idea? The water is new but still has stuff that came off the rock and such mixed in with it. Should i use the recommended carbon right now or the Phosphate control? Is my lighting enough for my reef tank, or should i throw in more or just get stronger lights?

Thanks for your help, time and effort, and i look forwards to becoming a regular on the forums :]

[gregony]

That's a great deal, the rock alone is worth over 500. Is the tank 30.5 high or is it 18.5 high? That would make a humongous difference in the amount of light you need.
I don't use any chemical filtration until after a tank is cycled. It's free that way. You'll need to change the water anyways before then. I've never used phosphate sponge, so I can't comment, other than it is expensive.
Braveheart quote (or reasonable facsimle thereof) "Shall we give them a volley sire? No, arrows cost money .... send in the Irish."

[Deathsmile]

The tank is 30 high. Im guessing that means id need to get stronger lights or add more in? im able to throw in 6 more lights just need to know what i need to add in. The rock has been in different water in the tank with it running, i just moved it, added new water and started pumping again. Sine the tank has been running for a good year, how long do i have to cycle it for? Im guessing the standard length due to the new water.

I need to pick up a protein skimmer but i dont have a lot of money so i want to get one that will get the job done with a little extra but not overkill on price. Ill put up pictures i have after dinner tonight.

[Parrothead]

where in florida?

Tanks,
Robert

[Deathsmile]

Im down in West Palm Beach. Bout an hour north of miami.

[Parrothead]

Damn, Why can't anyone from Jax join this forum

[Deathsmile]

haha, yeah i saw that you were in Jack, and was like "hes gonna be mad im not up in that area"

[gregony]

30" is pretty deep. I don't know if you'll get the penetration with T5's. Maybe someone else has been running T5's on a 30" deep tank and could testify as to whether or not they work. I would think, for SPS, you would have to have to have metal halide in that deep a tank. Maybe you could get by with an 8 lamp 54W T5HO system. If all you wanted were soft corals and mushrooms and such you would probably be able get by with a 6 lamp 54W T5HO fixture. I was in a LFS last weekend and they run four T5HO 54W Guisemanns on a 90 gallon (48wx18dx24h) in a Sunlight Supply Tek fixture and they're maintaining LPS and soft corals and have been for over a year. Unfortunately, the power compacts are obsolete. They make for ok lighting for a refugium.
If you start with fully cured live rock, but a new sand bed, you'll probably have to go through the whole cycle again. But that just gives you more time to look for a reasonably priced skimmer. Charlie (the guy with a million posts) recommends SWC for in sump skimmers. I've looked into them and they're a pretty good value for what you get. (Hint, Reef Central has them on E-bay with a best offer option). For a new skimmer you should expect to spend at least $200 for something decent for that size a tank. Used, who knows. I saw a practically new 48" Barr Aquatics go for 360 or so, that's a one thousand dollar skimmer.
The filter bag just keeps large chunks of crud from getting into your sump and wrecking the pumps that reside therein.
Unfortunately, you really need to know what kind of return pump you have, or at least how much water it moves. They sell flow meters, but you could just as easily time how long it takes to fill up a 5 gallon bucket and do the math.

[gregony]

Magglite in the for sale/trade zone thread has a used Lifereef SV2-24 with pump for $180. If it wasn't Christmas time I would be all over that. Lifereef makes a sweet venturi skimmer, probably the best you can buy. And magglite is in Florida.

[Parrothead]

Deathsmile,

Hey, Jax requires a special breed of person, would somebody please send me a road map so I can find my way out

Tanks,
Robert

[charlie]

Hey Parrot:

Google Maps

[Deathsmile]

Im going to be running a bare bottom tank, so no sand bed, if i do put sand in it will only be in the very front of the tank. i guess i should find out how many gph my pump can do before i get a skimmer for it? That way i can match the skimmer to my pump, or is it not really that big of a deal? Im new to all of this, my other tank never took all of this effort and such so i just want to get all the info i can so i do this right the first time.

Is there anything special i should do to my wet/dry to make sure my water stays nice and clean? The skimmer from magglite looks good, would that be good for my 110 gallon tank and have enough water flow for everything?

Excuse my n00bness xD

[Parrothead]

Deathsmile,

Go to reeflands home page, then go to area forums, then Northwest Montana Reef club, open that forum and fine the Motivated or what -- the rebuild of the 300, if you are going with a bare bottom this is a must read thread, and lots of pics along the way too. This a gorgeous barebottom tank.

Oh, and speaking of pics, we have a rule here, pics are a must

Also, start a build thread in the reef tanks section, that way you can keep track of what you are doing, and as my great and wise sage once said "and take a bunch of garbage from us idiots" actually it's his thread I want you to read,

And we do have fun here, sometimes too much

[Deathsmile]

That is a really really nice Tank Charlie has going on there, hot damn. I made a build thread with just some pictures in it. What else should i throw in? Just some details on the tank and such or what?

[Parrothead]

exactly, equipment, wish list that kinda thing

Tanks,
Robert

[Deathsmile]

Alright, will do.