New and need advice

Hello everyone,

I am just getting into the hobby and I have alot of questions. I am picking up a 75g tank that is already drilled and am about to start shopping for all the other accessories. Can anybody supply me with a shopping list of all the things I will need to start out. I have a great idea of what I need, but everywhere I read tells me I can do with out some stuff to start. I want to make sure I do this right the first time so I am not afraid to spend a little extra money at the beginning. I really don't want to be sharing my horror stories on here... To the most part I would like to be starting with some of the easier fish and corals.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

 

Things you should look into are:
Skimmer
Lighting
Sump/Refugium setup
Pumps
ATO (Automatic top off system)
Powerheads
Something to keep the fish in (glass tops, etc.)
Plumbing components
Heater
Phosphate reducer

Im no expert, and definitely dont claim to be, but those are some items that you will need (some optional) to get you going!

 

I think true speed got most of the things I would recommend.

I would say don't skimp on the skimmer, lighting. Those are very important components.

 

Perfect,

Thanks for the quick reply.

Any personal recommandations on brands? I've read a lot of reviews, but I would like some insite from people that are using the product. I work in web marketing and I know how easy it is to put a review up. With that being said, I am always a skeptic reading online reviews.

I guess the only real thing that I pick up from reading is to stay away from cheap knock offs and chinese ebay models.

 

Top of the list should be a RO/DI system or a trusted source of RO/DI water, owning your own is best though so you alone control its quality.

Water is the single largest ingrdeient in a reef system and everything depends on its quality and consistency. None of the things listed so far mean a thing if you don't have a stable system to start with. Good water and good salt.

 

+1 on everyone's advice I would also look into an RO/DI unit if you want to do corals & start the right way.

I recommend the 90gpd SpectraPure model: Untitled Document

As mentioned, don't skimp on good equipment if you want to have a successful experience.

- Lighting is a huge factor in what you want to keep. For a 75g tank I would suggest a 6-bulb T5 fixture. Brands to look for TEK, TEK Elite, ATI, AquaticLife. You would want to stick with higher end bulbs like ATI or Geissman for best output.

- Skimmer depends on if you're going to have a sump or not. Good HOB skimmer's are Deltec, Reef Octopus. In-sump has some nice less expensive Bubble Magus, or Reef Octopus.

- Powerheads I recommend Vortech's if you have lots of $ to spend or Koralia Evolutions for good quality and less expensive. You would do good with say 2 Koralia Evo's at 750gph each.

- Heaters, I'm a fan of Jager Ebo heaters or Stealth heaters. 250w-300w should be fine

- Two Little Fishes Phosban 150 reactor for running media like Rowaphos or Chemi Pure Elite. It will keep your Phosphate levels under zero so you won't have to deal with nuisance algae.

Best of luck, with anything, research, ask questions, before doing anything.

 

My tank:

Skimmer - ASM G Series
Lighting - Sunlight Supply T5/MH system
Sump/Refugium setup - DIY
ATO (Automatic top off system) - DIY
Powerheads - 2 Koralia 1400s
Something to keep the fish in (glass tops, etc.) - DIY
Plumbing components - PVC
Heater - ViaAqua
Phosphate reducer - Phosban Reactor
RO/DI Unit - AirWaterIce Typhoon Series

I love the items I have for my tank! Purchased everything from my Uncle who had this stuff for roughly 4 years and everything runs like it's brand new.