After 2 years im getting back in!!

[ifoundnemo]

Greetings ALL. I moved 2 years ago and my tank crashed just before I moved so setting it back up was not a priority. But as of today I want back in. I have a 90 gal tank, power heads, return pump, and about 100 lbs of rock that are just sitting in a container I used to transport them after they were dry. Everything else (lights sump skimmer) were all damaged or lost during the move. I have a few questions.
How should I clean my rock to get it ready to go into a tank to cycle.

What's with the LED lights? They are new to me What do you guys like.. I have seen $200 to $1500 I don't know the difference.

What skimmer and sump do you recommend I want to have coral with some fish in my tank when done.

How should I clean my pump and power heads? I have seen some people say use vinegar and water but I was always a purest and never used "chemicals" near my tank.

thanks in advance:thumbsup:
Brian

 

[ZeeSparrow]

Vinegar is the most recommended cleaner I've seen. Some people even use it to dose their tank (carbon dosing to help reduce nitrates)! You can use that to clean your rock as well. I did, then cured it in a Brute trash can.

Sump - DIY. Petco's dollar per gallon sale is on now... pick up a 29 gallon from there, then get some glass cut. I'm not the handiest person around and I made mine.

As for LED, I went with Reefbreeders Photon 48 for my 75G. Others recommend ones from Ebay as essentially the same thing, perhaps with less controllability.

 

[thegrun]

As far as LED lighting goes you tend to get what you pay for. If the corals you plan on keeping do not need a lot of light there are several inexpensive lights on the market that will work, but if you want high light demanding corals like SPS, clams or anemones I would invest in quality lights. I love the AquaMaxx CO-2 skimmer for your tank.
Plain white vinegar is the cleaner of choice with very little downside even if some of the vinegar got into your tank.

 

[leviburns89]

From what I've read, you would need to use a 1/1 ratio of vinegar to make use of what you are trying to do.
Most people use a 1/10 ratio of muriatic acid/ro water.
You are essentially burning the outer layer off the rock to expose and remove any potential phosphates that may leach into the tank for months otherwise.

If you are simply trying to make sure the rock it "clean", a good soak in ro water, and a scrub with a brush is all you need to do.

I only recommend the above if you know the history of the rock in use. I have a thread started on bleaching rocks due to heavy aiptasia and mojanos outbreaks.

I have heard other stories about "deathrock" from Craigslist and unknown sources, that I would recommend avoiding if you want to use the natural approach of not using chemicals to clean the rock.

I should also say, regardless of where it came from, all my reading here mandates that you take the time to cure the rock before you even put it in the display tank.

 

[leviburns89]

Here's a thread I found useful

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2049855