Please check my equipment list and reccomend alternatives

Hi guys. I come from Planted Freshwater land. I'm ready to move up.

Here's what I've got as a list of placeholder equipment. If a piece of equipment is good enough (ie, the little fuge pump) then great. If there's a better alternative, maybe you could help me make substitutions?

Have:
55 Tank ~(48")
30 Sumped
20 Quarrantine

200w shatterproof heater
API tests, misc supplies from planted freshwaters.

Considering:
PureWaterClub RO/DI;
KMD eCommerce Crop.

Something has to be done about the horizontal DI, right? I've got city water.

48" 216W T5 (2ea Act, 12k, w/ moon leds)

Decent lighting for 55g FOWLR with intent to grow simple corals/no difficult stuffs just yet?

EX100 Powerhead (for flow up from sump to fuge, trickle return)

I've read that you want a slow flow in your fuge. Figure I can set the 20 atop the sump and just use this to lightly pump some sumpwater through there.

EX250 Powerhead (for ro bucket circulation)

To keep it aired / heated / etc while it's in the bucket

Odyssea WP-700 Pump (sump to tank)

Maybe six feet of tube to get it up over the top of the tank and back in? enough volume with this pump?)

Coralife skimmer? Meh.. Dunno. So much skimmer debate, makes my head spin.




At a glance:
Are the pumps strong enough?
Are the lights good enough?

Other stuff I need:
Powerheads.. Koralias(?)
Skimmer.. Coralife(?) [insert expensive brand](?)
Salt, refractometer, foods, argonite, liverock



Thanks for any advice.

 

AquaC skimmer

 

I'm running a Coralife 125 super skimmer on my 55 gal. It works very good, plus I put up a thread on how to mod it.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/protein-skimmers/coralife-superskimmer-125-220-mod-46785.html

I also suggest Koralia #2 and #3 powerheads for great flow in a 55, get 'em on ebay from mntdewman1, great prices.

You'll find the freshwater test kits and saltwater test kits are mostly different.

 

+1 on the Aqua C skimmer. Coralife isn't a bad choice, but the Aqua C would be my first choice. I'm looking to buy one for my 38 very soon (just saving up for it and a ro/di unit).

Either 2 Koralia #2s or 1 #2 and 1 #3. Those Koralias are awesome.

Get a refractometer. Hydrometers can be way off, or they can be perfect. Better safe than sorry with this one. They have them on eBay. I know of one particular seller who's got them for $31.50 ($24 + $7.50 shipping). His are a very good choice. Wish I could remember the link......

 

The API kits do include some specific saltwater tests - I'm sure I'm missing a bunch though.

AquaC, they make the Remora right? I'll look into that.. Is there a preferred vendor?

The lights -- someone on one of my forums is selling a MH kit - South Pacific Sunlight 400watt 10k bulb, decent reflector, and PFO Lighting ballast BNIB for $125. Should I go that route instead of T5s or is it overkill for a 55-on-a-stand?

http://i522.photobucket.com/albums/w341/smith4ya/light/PIC_0986.jpg

Is it one of those "you'd better make it work for that price" type of thing?

Any pump gurus have input for my return pump selection? It seems pretty inexpensive, but I'm not sure what I should expect to pay for a return pump.

20 questions

 

the lighting is up to you, I have 4x54w T5 on my 55 and I have soft, lps and a clam under them, do have to have good placement for clam. T5s run much cooler and the bulbs last longer, but the MH penetrate deeper and have a nice shimmer. I would recommend the AquaC skimmer, i have the remora hob skimmer, works great. I would try not to skimp at this stage. You will come to find that as you progress in this hobby, you will want new and better fish, corals and equipment. save yourself some money and hassle now by going with better equipment, which by the looks of it, you are. goodluck1

 

your return pump is something I wouldn't want to skimp on nor should you on any other pump in your tank. The problem with buying cheap pumps is: #1 shorter lifespan, #2 stray voltage. If it were me I would look at a mag 5 for the return on a 55.

 

definitely go with good pumps

 

For test kits, you'd be in ok shape if you got both the API Saltwater Test Kit and the Master Reef Test Kit (you'll just get an extra Nitrate Test) and get a Red Sea Magnesium Test Kit.

If you get an RO/DI unit at www.buckeyefieldsupply.com they have very good prices and good quality, and the best customer service. Russ even called me back at 8 o'clock on a Saturday night to answer my questions, he's a great guy to do business with.

Get fine aragonite for substrate. It will help by adding buffering capacity to the tank water.

 

Is the AquaC more of a 'tried and true, old reliable' or current bang-for-buck forum favorite?

On the pumps, I hadn't taken into consideration electrical shoddiness, just wear/failure issues. I'll look around for a Mag - thanks for that bit

Buckeye Field Supply -- noted. Which Typhoon is appropriate? Call Russ for guidance?

Test kits.. The only saltwater-compatible test in my kit is Nitrite. Kit suggestions?

So far so good - I've been buried in the articles and DIY section to grasp some concepts. K+ for you guys.