first thought or at the end thought?

[reef tank 2.0]

As I mentioned a few times in my threads, I am in the planning stages of what I would like to do. Right now, im deciding on a 75-125 gallon tank. regardless of which one i go with..........................at which stage do I start thinking about what fish/coral I would like to get?

regardless of which ones I want, I still need heaters, powerheads, skimmers, etc etc. right? So I should buy everything based on my tank size, get that set up, then think about the fish.....correct?

 

[whiteshark]

Here is what you need to decide right now. Are you only going to have fish and live rock, or is there even the slightest chance you will want corals? This will dictate the type of equipment you will need.

Next, you have to decide your budget. If it does not allow for certain equipment it is going to limit your tank size.

After that, you have to decide what type of fish you want. All fish have a general minimum tank size in which they will thrive. Check out the liveaquaria website for info there. If you want a 125 gallon reef, but can only afford a 75, it's going to limit your fish choices.

Generally, bigger is better when it comes to tank size. If you can afford it. You WILL want to upgrade in the future, might as well do it right from the start. That said, 75 gallons is a nice place to start.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

whiteshark -

glad I asked

Here is what you need to decide right now. Are you only going to have fish and live rock, or is there even the slightest chance you will want corals? This will dictate the type of equipment you will need. - I was really leaning towards the fact of having soft corals. im sure there are a lot of fish/LR that I could have in the same tank as the corals, right?

I am really leaning towards a 90 to 125 gallon tank. somewhere in there

 

[whiteshark]

So if you want to know if a certain fish you are considering will be safe in a tank with corals, that will also be displayed on the liveaquaria website. Here is an example:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+38+1116&pcatid=1116

Take note of the requirements listed. That particular fish requires a tank of at least 30 gallons, is reef safe (meaning it will not harm corals), and is semi-aggressive, which means it may pose a threat to other peaceful members of the tank.

There are plenty of reef safe fish out there that you could keep in a tank with some soft corals. Introducing corals means proper lighting and a good skimmer, so be prepared to include that in your budget. You may also want to consider something like a GFO reactor and a carbon reactor, though they are not strictly necessary.

That is a good size range of tanks to start with. I would get an idea of what fish you want and what their requirements are, then let that and your budget determine what size tank to get.

Regardless of what tank you get, some essential pieces of equipment include:

Refractometer
RO/DI unit
Test Kits
Heaters
Lights
Skimmer (this can be debated, but I see it as essential regardless of what route you choose to go)
Circulation Pumps
Auto Top-Off Unit (ATO)

These are things you should absolutely plan into your budget IMO. The size an quantity of some of these items will be determined by the tank size you go with.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I was looking at that compatability chart before you sent that............there are a lot of options!

I did not do a lot of reading but why are seahorses so dangerous to have? they look peaceful.....guess not

I will take what you have written and continue the planning stages.

thank you!!

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I'm thinking LR would benefit me in the filtration aspect of things, right? If so, then id most definitely get some LR

 

[whiteshark]

The fact that you say you don't do a lot of reading is scary. You should be doing a ton of it. At the very least read all the sticky threads in this forum many times over.

Live rock is a must have in every saltwater tank. It is your biological filtration.

Seahorses are not dangerous to other fish. They are too peaceful and will get out competed for food by almost everything else. They need a lower flow rate, prefer tanks with lots of macroalgae to grip onto, and need to be fed live food several times a day. They do not tolerate the conditions of a reef tank well. They basically need to be kept in a species only tank or maybe with some pipefish. They are quite difficult to care for and very demanding.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

whiteshark................

let me rephrase that, I am in day two of reading (when I can), when I said I havent done a lot of reading, I was referring to what I saw on that compatability chart. I saw that seahorses had all the RED N's and made me wonder why. Haven't even looked in to how sensitive they are or aggressive/non-aggressive. Just saw RED N's and proposed the question. I am still reading. Actually stopping at the library today to get saltwater aquariums for dummies. Hoping to have a better understanding of everything by this weekend.

 

[rocsec1]

Other things you'll want.
Controllable powerheads
A controller Apex or Reef keeper
Dosing pumps

Above all else know this is a hobby that get real expensive real fast. Both in time and money. However it is alot of fun and the tanks are beautiful.

 

[snorklr]

one of your largest expenses will be lighting...and what types of corals you want and the depth of the tank determine what you need...and another consideration is a chiller...and they're not cheap....i can tell you from first hand experience that when your tank hits 90 all your soft corals disappear

 

[reef tank 2.0]

dissapear? are you referring to color or do they die off?

 

[panhandler01]

You may be able to forego the RO/DI unit for awhile IF your LFS sells RO/DI water. Buying water from them can get expensive though.

 

[Reef Frog]

If you can imagine what animals you want to keep & what you want the tank to look like will point the way for the specific equipment that's best. This only comes from research & seeing excellent aquariums first hand if possible. Examples:

Like Tangs? A 75 won't do. You can keep small fish in a big tank, but you can't keep big fish in a small tank long term.

Want SPS? Figure on good variable speed pumps with a controller of some sort. Some lighting technologies are not suitable, others are ideal.

Want lots of fish or really big fish? You'll have more waste as a result. Don't skimp on the Protien skimmer then.

Will your tank be left alone for days at a time & don't know a reliable tank sitter? An ATO, auto fish feeder and perhaps a controller may be in the cards.

Lots of stuff to consider.