Hello! 1st Saltwater tank planning - On the right track?

[Octoo]

Greetings from Portugal (sorry my English will not be perfect),

Its been a few years since i dont have fishes, but i always had freshwater aquariums. I always had the wish of having a saltwater tank and i want to venture on it in the near future. I know it will be a challenge, but i'll also learn a lot. I will take things really slow and wont rush anything.

I have so many questions lol but i will just write the material that i think its necessary as well some questions and i'd really like to know your opinions and if i'm on the right track.

This will be a FOWLR.

-Aqurium 66 gallons: https://www.aquaristikshop.com/aquaristic/Akva-Stabil-EffectLine-black/698050/ what do you think? I have doubts about the cover with the lighting, because most saltwater tanks i see are open and the support for the lighting is a few inches higher and i believe they have more room to use more/different lighting?
-Protein Skimmer (HOB): Reef Octopus Classic 1000 - I've read many good reviews about this one.
-Heater
-Thermometer
-Refractometer to check salinity levels
-Cleaning magnet
-Fish net
-1(?) Powerhead for waving. https://www.aquaristikshop.com/aquaristic/Aqua-Medic-EcoDrift-4-1/360060/ is it good enough?
-Substrate. https://www.aquaristikshop.com/aquaristic/PREIS-Bora-Bora-Sand/333010/ Should i use live sand or is it not necessary?
- RO/DI water, now that will be a problem lol, because i dont understand nothing of that system and how it really works to produce good water for the tank. Really, i'm an authentic noob. I think this is the one i'm most worried about.
-Sea salt - https://www.aquaristikshop.com/aquaristic/Aquarium-System-Instant-Ocean/552001/ Is this one good?

I will not use a SUMP and the reason is somewhat stupid lol. It's because when i see other people tanks on youtube, i see their sump and i just get scared, there is such a "mess" of equipment, tubes and connections, and i'm really bad and doing those things, believe me. Also, i'll use a HOB skimmer, so a sump wont really be essential, right?

-Livestock: A pair of clownfishes for the beginning and some cleaning crew: Blue leg hermit crab and Astra snail (if i can get those here).

-About 25/30kg of premium fiji rock or this fijian rock: http://rockncritters.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=10

-Quarantine tank (i will only quarantine 1 fish at a time):

-10 gallon tank
- 1 sponge filter (i will use that sponge filter when cycling the main tank and when its done i will then cycling the quarantine tank and will use that sponge filter there)
- 2 pvc tubes
- 1 fake plant
- heater
- basic lighting

-Test kits: Which ones i will really need for cycling the main tank and for the QT? Is it also necessary to use any product in both cases or only if fishes get diseases in the QT?

Damn this is a big text, sorry guys. Dont know if you have the time or the patience to read all of this, but the brave ones who make it to the end, please let me know your opinions.

Thank you!

 

[bertoni]

I would have an ammonia kit for the cycle. Nitrite and Nitrate testing often is recommended, and a nitrite kit probably is a good idea.

For testing after the tank is running, I'd have an alkalinity kit, thermometer, and refractometer, as well as an ammonia kit in case of emergencies. So you only need an alkalinity kit. Keeping the alkalinity in line will help with pH, and there are some processes that might deplete it, including coralline algae growth. If you want coralline algae, you probably should have calcium and magnesium test kits. Other kits might be useful for troubleshooting, but those could wait.

For the quarantine tank, I'd probably feed PraziPro or some sort of praziquantel as a preventative. Having some Amquel or other ammonia binder on hand would be important, as well. The main tank might need some in an emergency, too.

 

[OrQidz]

Hi Octoo! It sounds like you are doing a lot of research so that is great. I'm glad you are planning to have a quarantine tank. Many people skip that, only have diseases strike their fish later.

The reason many people keep the tank open at the top is because a reef tank with powerful lights and lots of pieces of equipment in the water can make the tank run hot. With a FOWLR, the lighting doesn't have to be so strong so you may be ok with a covered top. However, you will get less gas exchange so you will need to be sure that you have good water movement at the surface of the water. On the positive side, there is less water evaporation if your top is covered.

With the top on the tank that you have in mind, is there an open spot to stick the skimmer? Often there are things that need to stick out the back of the tank. If the top completely covers the surface, that could be a problem.

I think 30kg is around 60 some pounds for for a 66 gallon tank that is about right.

I don't know the equipment you have linked personally, but that is the kind of thing you will need. So I can't make a recommendation on those

RO/DI - very important if you have a reef with corals, still important if you have a FOWLR but can be less critical. Depending on your tap water. Some is full of nutrients and makes for a lot of algae. Do you have a fish store that sells pre-made RO/DI? If not, it's really not that bad. Think of it this way: water goes from your sink or plumbing into the RO/DI maker. Bad stuff gets filtered out. Pure water comes out one hose, the removed stuff and waste water come out the other hose. It's a little more complicated than that, but really it's not too scary.

I personally don't bother with live sand but it wouldn't hurt. All the sand and rock will become live in time.

Any kind of marine salt made for marine fish tanks should be ok for FOWLR. If you have corals you need to be more concerned with calcium, magnesium and trace elements in your salt mix.

Have fun and welcome to the hobby!

 

[LuizW13]

You could also consider an All In One tank with the sump and filtration compartments built in to the back of the tank. That's what i went for. I have an Innovative Marine 25gal; it looks really nice.

There's a few pictures here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2645407

 

[Octoo]

I would have an ammonia kit for the cycle. Nitrite and Nitrate testing often is recommended, and a nitrite kit probably is a good idea.

For testing after the tank is running, I'd have an alkalinity kit, thermometer, and refractometer, as well as an ammonia kit in case of emergencies. So you only need an alkalinity kit. Keeping the alkalinity in line will help with pH, and there are some processes that might deplete it, including coralline algae growth. If you want coralline algae, you probably should have calcium and magnesium test kits. Other kits might be useful for troubleshooting, but those could wait.

For the quarantine tank, I'd probably feed PraziPro or some sort of praziquantel as a preventative. Having some Amquel or other ammonia binder on hand would be important, as well. The main tank might need some in an emergency, too.

Hi, thank you for the reply.

Appreciate the tips, i'll just have to read more about cycling both tanks as i'm not entirely sure yet how is correctly done.

So do you recommend using that products in the QT even if there is no problem with the fish?

Thanks!

Hi Octoo! It sounds like you are doing a lot of research so that is great. I'm glad you are planning to have a quarantine tank. Many people skip that, only have diseases strike their fish later.

The reason many people keep the tank open at the top is because a reef tank with powerful lights and lots of pieces of equipment in the water can make the tank run hot. With a FOWLR, the lighting doesn't have to be so strong so you may be ok with a covered top. However, you will get less gas exchange so you will need to be sure that you have good water movement at the surface of the water. On the positive side, there is less water evaporation if your top is covered.

With the top on the tank that you have in mind, is there an open spot to stick the skimmer? Often there are things that need to stick out the back of the tank. If the top completely covers the surface, that could be a problem.

I think 30kg is around 60 some pounds for for a 66 gallon tank that is about right.

I don't know the equipment you have linked personally, but that is the kind of thing you will need. So I can't make a recommendation on those

RO/DI - very important if you have a reef with corals, still important if you have a FOWLR but can be less critical. Depending on your tap water. Some is full of nutrients and makes for a lot of algae. Do you have a fish store that sells pre-made RO/DI? If not, it's really not that bad. Think of it this way: water goes from your sink or plumbing into the RO/DI maker. Bad stuff gets filtered out. Pure water comes out one hose, the removed stuff and waste water come out the other hose. It's a little more complicated than that, but really it's not too scary.

I personally don't bother with live sand but it wouldn't hurt. All the sand and rock will become live in time.

Any kind of marine salt made for marine fish tanks should be ok for FOWLR. If you have corals you need to be more concerned with calcium, magnesium and trace elements in your salt mix.

Have fun and welcome to the hobby!

Hi thank you. I'm glad to be here!

Yes i'll have a QT and i will take my time, i wont rush anything.

haha you're right, i will use HOB skimmer and obviously that tank can't be an option, i have to go for an open one. I didn't even think about it. Anyway, i'm sure it's easy to get a light support for any open tank? As for the lights in a FOWLR tank, something like 4 T5 is it ok?

Yes i know that the simplified way of the process is like that, but then it looks much more complicated for a noob like me haha. Not sure if there is some store that sell it pre-mad, but i'm sure there is. But i know that making that system in our home will be less expensive in the long term and well, i think it's a much better solution than buy the pre-made water.

Yes i know that corals require much more attention, even with the lights.

Appreciate that!

You could also consider an All In One tank with the sump and filtration compartments built in to the back of the tank. That's what i went for. I have an Innovative Marine 25gal; it looks really nice.

There's a few pictures here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2645407

Hi, thank you.

That looks really nice, well done

 

[Arnallop3]

Yea fluval makes some nice cubes as well w everything built in. Not sure about the skimmer. Sometimes it'll be cheaper than buying all the items seperately

 

[bertoni]

So do you recommend using that products in the QT even if there is no problem with the fish?

I probably would treat with PraziPro even without any visible symptoms. Most fish also get a freshwater dip. You should check on what each species of fish can tolerate before treating them.

 

[Octoo]

Thanks.

I've decided i will go to an aquarium building factory located nearby and ask to build one with this measures:

-39' length
-24' width
-20' height

Capacity for 80 gallons. What do you think?

Thanks.

 

[Octoo]

Hi again. When i asked for this tank building, they wanted to know if i'd want it already drilled and with a column for the sump. I'm not sure what the column is?

But since i'll not use a sump and i'm not sure if i'll be using it in the future, it could be a good ideia to already have it drilled, but on the other hand the water level would be much lower without the use of sump.

 

[allendehl]

Hi again. When i asked for this tank building, they wanted to know if i'd want it already drilled and with a column for the sump. I'm not sure what the column is?

But since i'll not use a sump and i'm not sure if i'll be using it in the future, it could be a good ideia to already have it drilled, but on the other hand the water level would be much lower without the use of sump.

Hey Octoo, super noob here as well and planing for my first tank. Just read an article here that explained about the "drilled tanks". Basically is making the tank ready for an overflow to the sump. If you use an in tank skimmer you may not need it but you never know in the future if you'll change your mind.
I suppose you can plug the holes or something if you don't plan in using it now but that is just me and my newbie common sense. Check that statement first.

Good Luck!