New to hobby component suggestions?

Im trying to start a 55gal reef tank and here is the list of components as of yet:

Ocean clear 340 canister filter w/ oceanrunner 650 gph pump
Reef carbonate, liquid calcium, Tech-m, strotium and molybendum for fertilizers
hydrometer 1.000-1.030
arag alive special grade (60lbs.)
prizm skimmers prizm deluxe rated for 100 gal
ETH in line heater
nova extreme t-5 w/lunar lights 48 inch 432 watts
2xkoralia powerhead rated at 400gph each
55 lbs of fiji live rock

any suggestions would be very much appreciated thanks.

 

If you are running a reef tank, you may want to consider getting an automatic calcium reactor. If you get a pH swing, your entire tank may crash bad. Your dkH will go bonkers and calcium will precipitate and all kinds of bad stuff. With a reef, you will want to keep the temp about 75-78F if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure you will probably get different answers with every person you ask though. You probably won't need the heater, unless it is in a cold basement. I bought a 1/4HP chiller before I decided to make my tank into a predatory tank instead of a reef, I still had to use it anyway.

 

If you haven't bought the skimmer I would recommend a Octopus Hang On skimmer. Do not dose anything that you do not test for. Depending on what brand salt you are using you may be OK with just doing regular water changes and it would also depend on what type of corals.

 

Is this what you *have* or what you are thinking of *buying*?

Is that light you mention the 8x54 model? With your 55g, you may find it overhangs shedding a lot of light into the room. It will fit though, if you use the legs. Mounting it in a hood might be tricky.

If you haven't bought these things yet . . . the skimmer can wait until after the cycle and you got some life in there. If you need to spread your money over time, anyway. Doesn't hurt to have it from the get go either.

Also, get some clean base rock to add to your total rock weight. It's cheaper and will turn LR soon enough.

Welcome to 3reef. Some pictures would be great!!!

 

That's my story and I am sticking to it!!!!!;D;D;D;D

 

wow thanks for all of the replies!

what should I be dosing and what test kits do you recommend?

no i havent bought anything yet and i am refering to the 8x54watt model.

also define base rock and where i could get some. (I have lfs but they are all very high end and i cont think that they sell anything but lr

 

If you use commercial aquarium salt (Oceanic salt mix, for example) you don't need to dose anything - at least not for a good long while.

The 8x54 is probably wider than your tank (front to back) so you'll have overhang and lost light. From what I've read on 3reef, that much light won't hurt, but probably isn't necessary for most corals. I think you'll find a 4x54 or 6x54 Nova Extreme to be a better fit on a 55g long and most corals get plenty of light. Though those two mentioned do not have lunar lights built in (some places still advertise that the 4x54 does, but Nova doesn't make them that way anymore). Because of that little detail, I went with the SunDial 4x54 with lunar lights and built in timers. Love it. Although the lunar lights are in the back and I think that's kind of silly. Should be in front, but I digress.

Base Rock is rock that isn't live rock. Generally limestone - the more holes the better (more surface area = more bacteria). It's usually less than 1/2 the cost of LR. If you have LR already, given some time, the base rock will become LR.

I use API saltwater test kit and API reef test kit. The only thing missing (well, "only" is a relative term) is Mg test - which I still need to get too.

 

well the only reason i chose the 8x54 is because the 6x54 is only sold on another website and costs the same as the 8x54 (386$) So I could just get limestone from home depot and clean it really well and hide it under the real live rock for a larger effect?

 

Your LFS should have a big bucket bin thing of rock not in water that they call base rock, dead rock or something like that. Just give your LFS a call before going and ask for Base or dead rock for a saltwater tank. Mine sells it for $1.99 (I am new and converting a FW tank over to SW and haven't picked my rock up yet) so I don't know if that is a good price.