Hello/advice and guidance

[Doughbwahh]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum and a newbie when it comes to tanks. I have had fresh water in the past (several years ago) I'm now interested in a reef tank. Nothing major to begin with - slowly but surely! I just have a few questions, and I'm hoping some of you veterans can answer them for me!

- Power heads, how are they powered? Via a pump or ac?

- protein skimmers - now I understand I don't need a canister filter in a marine tank, if I use live rock and a skimmer. I only have a 30 gallon tank to get going with, would the reef octopus bh1000 fit? I understand it's over kill, but I plan on upgrading the size in the future and eventually going for a sump. But not right now.

- can anyone suggest a brand of led's that would be fit for coral that I could fit over head to the tank? It's 80cm in length.

With all of that out of the way, I know I need the heater, do I need a lump for anything?

Sorry if I sound like an idiot, I'm trying to do as much research as I can and really appreciate your help on this. I'm really looking forward to the start of something new. I find it so interesting. I know some of you will read this and be like :lolspin: but if you don't ask, you don't learn!

Thanks for the help.

-dough.

Edit - sorry, if you can suggest decent power heads for water flow, that would also be brill!

 

[mcgyvr]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum and a newbie when it comes to tanks. I have had fresh water in the past (several years ago) I'm now interested in a reef tank. Nothing major to begin with - slowly but surely! I just have a few questions, and I'm hoping some of you veterans can answer them for me!

- Power heads, how are they powered? Via a pump or ac?

- protein skimmers - now I understand I don't need a canister filter in a marine tank, if I use live rock and a skimmer. I only have a 30 gallon tank to get going with, would the reef octopus bh1000 fit? I understand it's over kill, but I plan on upgrading the size in the future and eventually going for a sump. But not right now.

- can anyone suggest a brand of led's that would be fit for coral that I could fit over head to the tank? It's 80cm in length.

With all of that out of the way, I know I need the heater, do I need a lump for anything?

Sorry if I sound like an idiot, I'm trying to do as much research as I can and really appreciate your help on this. I'm really looking forward to the start of something new. I find it so interesting. I know some of you will read this and be like :lolspin: but if you don't ask, you don't learn!

Thanks for the help.

-dough.

Edit - sorry, if you can suggest decent power heads for water flow, that would also be brill!

(Powerheads)
Power heads are powered by your wall outlet and may either be AC or DC (with DC the speed/pattern is typically controllable)
Many use either the jebao rw/pp series (cheap and not overly reliable) or the maxspect gyre $$$ but excellent flow (or jebao clone) or Ecotech MP series (expensive but very good/reliable) or tunze (not crazy price and super reliable)

(Skimmer)
A bit overkill on a skimmer is usually not a problem.. That one should be just fine.. eshopps makes some decent/small hang on ones too..

(LED)
Without opening a massive can of worms as you will get pros/cons from plenty of people about any fixture but..
about 100W of LED should be just fine for your tank.. (and it won't need to be on 100% power.. maybe 50-60%).. Of course SPS corals may need a bit more light.
There is cheap/simple/pretty reliable with the OceanRevive or Reefbreeders fixtures (or any of the similar ebay fixtures)
Then there is Kessils (some like them.. some don't)
Then maxspect/radions,etc.. which are higher dollar and feature "fancy" functions that no one really needs but many want like wifi controllability, storm modes,etc..
I don't think there is really a fixture that everyone agrees is the "best" but there are really few complaints about oceanrevive and reefbreeders for the lower cost fixtures.. They grow corals just fine..

(Lump)
Not sure what that is? sump maybe?
If sump then that just allows you to expand the water volume in the system and give a place to "hide" equipment like skimmers/heaters and to also have small macro algae refugiums for nutrient export and giving a place for smaller beneficial creatures to survive/hide..

 

[mcgyvr]

oh and just about everything is covered here..
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074
and just reading a few other stickies and just hanging around here reading a few posts..

 

[Doughbwahh]

oh and just about everything is covered here..
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074
and just reading a few other stickies and just hanging around here reading a few posts..[/QUOTE

That's fantastic! Thanks very much for the info. Sorry for the spelling, I did the post on my phone, it was supposed to say sump not lump. I really don't want any lumps - that would be bad! :idea: