Whats your opinion?

Ok so I picked up a 30g tall tank (24" x 12.5" x 23") the other day and I'm thinking of going reef with this one. I'm asking around work getting an idea of what others think I should use for equipment.

Now I'm going to ask the community. Whats your favorite equipment, what do you think I should use.

I learned from my freshwater tanks what happens if you don't ask around on whats good and what isn't.

I already have an RO system that I put in for my freshwater.

What do you suggest?

 

Well, you will need a good lighting system. I would consider a TEK 4x24W T5 array for starters. With good quality bulbs (ATI, Giesemann or UVL) you would do well.

I like Mag drives for return PHs. I have used Rio as well. Rio is cheaper but not at trustworthy. That being said, I have three Rios. They work well enough for me considering the cost savings.

You have a few choices for skimmers.....actually, there are a ton of them out there. My top three HOB recommendations are

**Aqua Medic Turbo Flotor-1000 Multi-SL
**AquaC Remora Pro
**Octopus BH-100F

Titanium heaters are good. Get one with a controller.

Use base rock instead of live rock. Cheaper. It will become live soon enough.

Use aragonite sand. I stay away from crushed coral. I like the buffering capacity of AS.

For test kits, I like Salifert and Elos.

We'll stop there....that is a good start....you will get many recommendations to sift through. Soon enough you will see what is not being recommended...and stay away from those. Lighting and skimming are two things you do not want to skimp on. Getting on eBay and looking at the cheap lighting (odyssea) or skimming (Jebo) is dangerous. To do it right, you will spend about $500 combined for lighting and skimming. You have entered a very expensive hobby. Very enjoyable and rewarding.....but very expensive.

Have fun!!!! John.

 

Thanks PharmrJohn, What you said about the cheap lighting and skimming "Getting on eBay and looking at the cheap lighting (odyssea) or skimming (Jebo) is dangerous" is basically what those at work said too.

 

starting

I'd use that 30gal tall tank for your sump and get 55gal or more.

As far as equipment you get what you pay for..

you pay 100.00 for lights and they last 6months wow great.
if you pay 800.00 in turn they better be lasting 3 years min.

Skimming is keen in a reef tank IMO
If you have a 55gal tank with a 20gal sump then get a skimmer that's made for a 120gal tank.

rocks IMO i would go with base and after 1 month of cycling then add in live rock.Careful not to just add over 5lbs per week this will move back cycle time back to restart maybe.

sand IMO i would add live sand/substrate right from the start. As i learned just adding 10 pounds of live sand in one shot put my tank in week one of cycling.

I'm coming from a person with really no money to burn. If you had a good job and have the money yes add live rock. For me if i added 1/2 live and 1/2 base that would have been over 150 bucks. Just to have 90% be dead in the 1st week. Because my water was not cycled or not just right.

Pumps. you need to spend a little here as the less noisy they are the less stress the fish will be IMO

Have a great start,
Mike