I'm new, please help.

Thank you everyone for helping me out, I didn't know that I will get this much replies. This is great.

I have 4 questions.

1. Should I buy individual test kit or API master reef kit? If I buy API reef kit do I need to buy API saltwater kit as well?

2. I want to cycle my tank what do I put in it first. Example do I mix the salt and water first and then buy live sand and live rock or put everything in together all at once and let it cycle?

3. Do I need more power heads? Do I need wave maker?

4. I got Coralife Aqualight Pro 48" 250 Watt HQI and just found out today that my wooden canopy cannot sit on top of the light. I ask BigAls about the retro kit and they told me that they don’t sell it. The told me to modify my unit to stick it under the wooden canopy. Is that safe?

 

I got the Coralife Aqualight Pro 48" 250 Watt HQI. Maybe I just use sand instead of mud.

 

modify how?

 

You can make brackets to fix the lighting unit to the canopy, though it may overheat that way. You will want to make sure you have plenty of ventilation or things will get very hot. MH and HQI get hot as it is, so make sure you have adequate cooling for the lights. Coralife is pretty good with putting fans in their fixtures. You may be able to use L-brackets to attach to the canopy, or you can drill into the light and attach it directly to the canopy. Personally, I would go with brackets.

 

The master reef kit is cheaper I think. Is API a good brand or Salifert test kit?

So for 90 gal how much live sand should I buy? Do I buy some live and some dead sand? I think the dead sand will be live over time?

Modify how a good question is. They told me to take it apart. I called coralife and they advise me not to. If a child looks at the light for a short period of time will it harm their eyes?

 

Hi Mike,

I have to find another alternative. Maybe don't use the canopy.

 

Can sand really be alive if it's in a dried out bag sitting on a shelf? Argonite sand. I use crushed coral and I prefer it (purely for aesthetics), but you'll get some thumpers against it. Whatever you use, it will become 'live' on its own.

I use the master reef kit and the saltwater kit from API. They only overlap on Nitrate, you need what they both offer. They are much cheaper on line than at LFS, IME. They are quality. Plus a Mag test you'll have to get elsewhere.

A child's eye and an adult's eye are the same. That doesn't answer your question directly, but the eye finishes developing very early in life. If you can handle it... but I don't advise prolonged staring at any bright light.

 

For a 90G tank, I would use at least 90lbs, but would recommend 120lbs or so. My 150G has close to 200lbs. I used 160lbs (4-40lb bags) of dry Aragamax oolitic sand, then 40lbs (2-20lb bags) of live Aragalive Pink Fiji sand to seed the sand bed. Once bacteria grows, the sand will be live. I used the 40lbs of live wet sand to seed the dry sand.
Coralife will tell you not to alter their product, that will avoid headache of voided warranties etc. Another reason is because HQI lights need a UV filter to block the UV spectrum of light. I would recommend keeping the fixture intact, but use brackets on the canopy to hold the fixture in place. Or you can eliminate the canopy altogether and just set the fixture on the top of the tank with the mounting legs. I don't use a canopy on my 150G. I used a 260W CF fixture on legs, and now use a 250W MH / 130W CF tube fixture on a light stand. I wouldn't recommend looking into the MH/HQI lights at all, kids nor adults.

 

That’s great. That will save me some money on the sand.

Did you mean Magnesium Test?

About the eyes, as long as if not prolonged and they are ok, then I can get a way without the canopy.

So for my case I can buy 60 lbs of dry Aragamax oolitic sand and 40 lbs of live Aragalive Pink Fiji sand? I should mix them together or place the dry sand first and then the live sand?

I think I will return the canopy.

Thanks Peredhil and tigermike.

 

I agree with the oolite sand. Personally I like white too.

Crushed coral can create problems. With aragonite sand it makes it easier for creatures to sift through it. Also oolite is calcium base sand which is what you want vs. silica (quartz) sand.