please help, I need advice...

Ok so im new to this whole saltwater thing and i need some advice getting my tank started... I currently have a 29 gallon tank, a 3 stage canister filter(no media but the foam) that cycles 265 gph, a 30 gallon tank heater, 40 lbs. of live sand, and around 30 lbs. of live rock. I just set this tank up yesterday and i was told by my LFS this was "all i needed to get started". I also purchased a test kit and realized that it doesnt test for ammonia. I would like for my tank to eventually contain fish and coral. Could anyone help me on choosing lighting? Are those compact flourecent lights from ebay any good?? And what type of media for my filter while cycling? Also, what exactly is a "sump"? Is this absolutely necessary? And do i need to be running powerheads while cycling? Any advice would be much appreciated... Much more questions to come!

 

Welcome to 3 reef!

Lighting- there are many options out there, each witht their pros and cons. Some of the types you may want to look at for corals are-
T5 HO
Metal Halide
Led
There are a lot of other more experienced people here who can help you with that choice- personally I use a 4 bulb t5 set up.
A sump is an external tank connected to your display tank. It adds more water volume, which helps keep levels stable. It can also be used to hide all your skimmers amd misc pumps- keeps the display tank nice and clutter free It can also double as a refugium, which is where many hobbyists keep beneficial or macroalgae (chaeto morphia or other types) which greatly helps with water quality (they suck nitrates right out of the water). None of this is necessary ( I actually run an intank refugium) but definitely helps.
I don't think you should have to run power heads while cycling, but you should definitely pick up an ammonia test ASAP. That way you can know all of your levels, and when you are finished cycling!
Also I would pick up a protein skimmer- probably second most important piece of filtration next to LR
Research is key in this hobby! Be prepared to read a lot!

Good luck!

 

+1 to what was said above, i too use 4 t5s and everything seems happy, i would get rid of the canister filter as it can become a problem if not cleaned properly.

your means of keeping water quality high should derive from; your live rock, skimmer,waterchages and a basic mechanical filter if you have one.

welcome to the hobby and goodluck!!! you will have along strenuous wait a head of you but for the love of all things holy DONT RUSH!!! be willing to let your tank run and cycle for at least 1 month and a half without adding anything live.

After that start with a clean up crew, composed of snails,shrimps and hermits depending on what you want to add later. they are a "cheaper" test unit to see if your water is in order but should not be added if the water is not stable.

once the clean up crew has been in there for at least 1 week then you can add fish also with week intervals. one should not add too much bioload at once.

 

for lighting, I would go LED, its a bit more upfront, but you wont be replacing bulbs, and your color will be better, as well as algae growth will be less then with metal halides, also metal halides are super expensive on power bills, leds are super cheap on power. If you have the option to do a sump, I would, but a canister works too, you just cant put a lot in it like in a sump. for instance with a sump you can have a refugium(for growing copepods and beneficial life), as well as helping to keep a balanced ph. a protein skimmer also goes in a sump and eleminates the need for less then reliable HOB protein skimmers. you can also add your heaters into the sump so there is less in your tank, making your tank more attractive. I could go on all day about sumps
Like i said about lighting, LEDS IMO are the best route. If your going to keep coral, and your going to spend money, spend it wisely on a good lighting system, dont settle for knock offs. I didnt see if you mentioned having a power head, you will need one or 2 in your tank to circulate the water through the LR as LR is the majority of your filtration in a SW set up. also sorry for the abreviations youll get used to it on here
your tank is smallish so consider this when choosing fish (i.e. stay away from tangs) keep to gobys and clowns and nano sized fish as this will give you the best options/results in a tank this size. you will want your salinity to be at about 1.024-1.026 for a reef, and ammonia, nitrates and nitrites at 0ppm. you will need to cycle anywhere from 3-6 weeks depending on your rock. any other questions feel free to ask, thats why were all here!

And BTW Welcome aboard

 

For lighting I see it as

T5- not as powerful as MH, but less energy and doesn't run as hot
MH- super powerful, lots of energy, plus I think there was some UV warning thing...
LEDs- really expensive start up cost, unless you're a DIY person. Less energy though

 

Read this thread. I put it together a little while ago and it helps explain what a lot of things are.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/whats-important-successful-tank-108699.html

As for the other stuff:

- It looks like you have plenty of sand, maybe a little light on rock.
- I'm not a fan of cannister filters except for maybe using as a mechanism to run activated carbon.
- I do believe that a good protein skimmer is a must if you're going to have corals. Others will disagree, but I haven't had a tank without a skimmer in the last 20 years.

As to the lighting:

- Since you're just starting out, I'd definitely stay away from metal halides.

- Compact flourescents are sort of like yesterday's news for aquarium lighting. They will work, but there are better options.

- I like LEDs, but they are very expensive.

- I'd recommend starting out with T5 HO (high output) flourescents. They are relatively inexpensive and cool running. Just remember to change the bulbs every 9 months to a year.

Here is a relativey inexpensive dual bulb fixture. This will give you enough light for soft corals and potentially LPS (if placed close to the top). If you want corals that require more light then get two of them.

Aquatic Life 30" Dual-Lamp 2 x 24W T5 HO Light Fixture - AquaCave.com

Another:

http://www.aquacave.com/Current-USA-30-Nova-Extreme-T-5-Fixture-2x24W-10K460NM-1137-P2297C1061.aspx

 

Wow, thank you for all the advice. You all are very welcoming! So ive been shopping around for different lighting systems within a decent price range and came across this: 30" Power Compact Aquarium Light Hood 96W Marine For Fresh/Saltwater Tank | eBay
Does anyone have any advice on these?
Also, What do you think about this protein skimmer? - http://www.ebay.com/itm/310355343858?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

For that price I'd still go with a dual T5 fixture. You can have more choice in bulbs and bulb life is between 50% and 70% longer in T5s vs compact flourescents, meaning you'll make up cost differences quickly with the cost of bulbs. You also get slightly more lumens per watt with T5s.

Haven't heard of that brand. I've found with skimmers you want to get a good one, spend a little more money or you'll spend it many times over finding the right one.

 

cool, thanks for the advice!

 

I think zoo med makes 30 inch fixtures that when you add the lights cost, end up being 75. I just got a NOVA fixture, we'll see how good it is