Brand new and need help!!

So hi all, new to the forum but have been poking around here for the past few weeks! Have reallybeen inspired by everyone here. So earlier this week my partner and I purchased two tanks. One being a red sea max 130d for the master bedroom. And a 90 gallon deep blue pre drilled reef tank with stand and canopy! We are looking to make the 90 gallon in the media room a reef tank, as well the smaller in the bed room the same. We both have had tanks In the long past. We have no idea what equipment we really need we realize we need a protein skimmer and a sump. But there are so many out there and don't mind ordering from online. And if we purchase RO/DI water how do we transport it? Please give us all the insight you have!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

 

Welcome Degcds!

My wife and I just started our saltwater adventure as well. One thing I've found is everyone has their own opinion on the best way to do things so I can only share what works for us.

I believe the red sea max already has everything in pretty much a turn key box (minus a sump). I was looking at it in the past so I assume you're looking for the 90 gallon. It just so happens that we have a 90 gallon as well so that's where all my research has been focused on.

For the sump, we built our own. We took a 40 gallon breeder tank (36x16x18) and put 4 baffles in to create the chambers we wanted (total cost $105 with silicone and cut glass baffles). Did you want a refugium? We did so we could have a nice copepod breeding area for a future mandarin.

We have a cheap skimmer we got off craigslist with the tank and plan on upgrading it soon. Everyone has their own opinions on this and I like the SWC 160 cone, from everything I've read its well recommended with a small footprint. Someone with more knowledge can chime in with other skimmers they like.

If you have a utility area most people suggest getting an RO/DI unit and a TDS meter and making your own water. We're in a condo without that area until we redo the laundry area so we bought three 5 gallon water jugs. We screwed up here and just bought full ones from Lowes without realizing the water wasn't RO/DI. We mix up a new batch of water in a 17 gallon food/seed storage container on wheels we got from storeables with a small powerhead and a heater in it. I let it mix overnight, some people mix longer or shorter. While it's mixing I run to the local grocery store that has RO/DI machines. Supposedly the machines constantly test the water and if it's not 0 TDS then it won't dispense it. Takes me 20 mins total to start new water mixing and run out and get new water. Local fish stores will also sell RO/DI water and some will sell premixed salt water.

Feel free to ask any questions you have, but remember I'm fairly new to all of this as well. So make sure it passes a sanity test and agrees with what you've found elsewhere.

-Jim