Hullo! etc

Alright 3reefers; long time lurker first time poster and all that...

Recently decided to get some salt water aquariums going after dabbling with freshwater for most of my life, but am wondering if I'm on the right track.

As a test I've picked up a 40 gal tall breeder with Ecosystem Refugium/skimmer, one Koralia 2, a Hydor heater and Rio 600 pump as a second hand package deal. The tank is currently filled with live sand (roughly 2" currently) and some live rock, and is obviously still going through its cycling process.

Here's what i propose to do in order to get up and running, if anyone can advise me on whether i'm heading in the right direction or not it'd be most appreciated.

Fuge: bio balls in chamber 1, 1" mud + 3" sand + LR + algae in chamber 2, sponge type media in chamber 3.

Lighting: one Current 36" 14k 2xMH/18xLED Sunpod. Had looked into Aquatinics but they're too much for my pockets at the moment.

Misc: RO/DI, ATO, Chiller or fan cooling. Vortech mp20 to replace the Koralia 2.

Asides from water conditioning additives and so on, is there anything essential I've missed?

Thanking you kindly,
HP

 

What are you planning- fish only or coral?

 

A couple of fish but mostly coral for this one.

Missionsix: Cheers! Essentially the breeder is a perfect way to show my wife exactly why we need to knock walls down and put a monster reef tank somewhere in this house. She's already chuffed to bits with the thought of having clownfish, once she realises we can't keep tangs and what not she'll cave in...

 

Agreed. I started with a 30 as a test tank, and got the hang of things quicker than I thought. Should have gone straight to 75+

Welcome to 3reef!

 

Save yourself alot of time, headaches and money and just show your wife some of the pictures on 3reef by fellow reefers and also their are many awesome books regarding the marine hobby with awesome pictures as well for you guys to drool over , set your dreams and look forward to!

 

Thanks for the blagging tips... ha ha...

Funny though, already tried much of what you lot have suggested. It all worked. So far the wife wants seahorses & seadragons, puffers, tangs, a picasso something or other, clams, ah the list goes on. Sadly that means getting at least two more tanks of much larger proportions. What a shame.

For whatever reason i like the proportions of the breeder and see it as being a nice little show tank in the future. Or a sump. Either way..

Ta for the welcomes, by the way.