Getting back into reefing

[mockranouse]

I've been out of the hobby for about 5 years now and am finally ready to jump back in. So I am not exactly a newbie, but I do feel a little out of touch with the hobby right now. Since it's been so long I figured I would try to get some input on here before I purchase anything and try to avoid some of the mistakes I made when I started my first tank.

I picked up a 29 gallon a while ago that I am planning on using for the DT. The tank is already drilled for a 1 1/2" overflow in the center and two 1/2" returns on either side of it. The best option for an overflow that I have found so far is the GH 700 kit.

I'm planning on doing a basement sump that will be directly below the DT. I'm still not sure what size to use for the sump. I foolishly got rid of my last tank about 6 months ago which was a 45 gallon. With the $1/gallon sale going on at Petco I will be picking up a 40 breeder for the sump.

For lighting I've been looking into the Reefbreeders Photon 24". I will be keeping mostly LPS as I did with my first tank, but I would definitely like to be able to keep some SPS as well. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read I should be able to with that light and tank. I am definitely open to suggestions in this area.

I think the biggest issue I am having is selecting a return pump. Most of the pumps that I have seen people use and recommend seem to be either too weak or overkill. There will be about 10 feet of head pressure to overcome and I still haven't found a consensus on what the return flow needs to be. I've seen some people say that only as little as 100 gph is sufficient. Of course I want to reduce up front cost as well as operating cost as much as possible. I have recently been looking into some DC pumps that look promising. Any suggestions in this area would be greatly appreciated.

I still have my RO/DI unit that I was planning on using. I will just have to replace the filters and resin for this. I also have my sand, rock, and protein skimmer that i plan on reusing as well. Are there any issues that could arise from reusing dead sand and rock?

So with all of that said, my current shopping list (to get me started with my first cycle at least) is as follows:

-Sump tank
-Return pump
-Lighting
-Stand and canopy (I plan on DIYing this)
-Couple of heaters
-Miscellaneous plumbing
-Salt
-Refractometer
-Power heads (Ecotech MP10 or Jebao maybe?)
-Overflow box and returns

Any input or recommendations are greatly appreciated. I feel like I may be a little overconfident in some of my decisions so far considering it's been 5 years since my last tank. It will definitely help to put my mind at ease if I get the input of some more experienced reefers.

 

[dabob79]

Look into a controller like the Apex for controlling your temps and monitoring the system. I thought the Apex was going to be overkill for my little 100gal tank, but after getting everything set up and seeing how awesome it is to have this information and control at my fingertips... WELL worth the money! Good luck!

 

[Indymann99]

+1 on the APEX

 

[ZeeSparrow]

Though I'm a relative newbie, it looks to me like you've got a good start on this. FWIW, I use a DC pump, Jebao powerheads, and Reebreeders Photon 48 (with mostly LPS and some easier SPS like birdsnest and monti cap which are both growing well... also have a happy little derasa clam on the sandbed).

As for selecting your return pump size, there's a calculator on here that I found helpful in figuring out what I needed. Personally, with a DC pump, I went over-sized as I knew I could dial it down if needed (mine is set to 4/10... way over-sized lol).

And just cause... another +1 for a controller. Not necessary, as I know there are a number of successful tanks without one, but the peace of mind is incomparable.

 

[mockranouse]

I definitely plan on doing a controller at some point, but that is just not in my budget at the moment. Maybe in about 6 months I will start looking into controllers.

ZeeSparrow, what brand DC pump do you use? One of the articles that I read about them had concerns with their longevity, but that was from 2013.

It looks like I will be going with the reefbreeders Photon 24.

 

[Fallling]

DC return pumps are a good option because they have different speed settings. I use a waveline, but there's also one from Jebao. I believe couple other manufactures have also come out with a DC pump very recently. Better to go on the bigger side than being too small... definitely make sure it'll be powerful enough to handle the head pressure. I use a regular pump on my return and a DC pump to run a manifold for reactors. 10x - 20x turnover rate seems to be pretty common and general consensus from the research I did back when starting my tank.

I was considering a reefbreeder's Photon and did quite a bit of research on them - lots of good reviews, and I'd still consider if if I was starting another tank. I think it's good, economical choice.

You should be fine reusing dead sand. Just make sure to wash it well.

 

[ZeeSparrow]

ZeeSparrow, what brand DC pump do you use? One of the articles that I read about them had concerns with their longevity, but that was from 2013.

I read the same concerns and can't speak to their longevity personally. I've only had mine running just under 6 months... Jebao DCT-8000.