Last Chance to talk me down from my First SW Tank

[thelawnwrangler]

I am planning to purchase a 36g M90 Fluval tonight. Well at least give the money so it can be ordered.

Here is my plan:

Equipment that comes with tank
heater (will consider backup)
Fluval Protein Skimmer (will consider upgrade down the road)
Fluval lights (will consider upgrade down the road)
Power Head (will augment with another one)

Equipment I plant to get:
Tunze ATO
Refugium light and Cheato (next year)
In Tank Media stand to help correct poor flow design (as soon as it is built)
Powerhead (what flow rate for a 36 gallon do I want 240 or 500? was thinking 2 in the display)

What I plan to put in:
RO/DI from local fish store (will slip RO/DI under the wife approval spending limit later on in this process.)
Tampa Bay Live Rock - "The Package" I hope I am ready to do it justice

Livestock:
After tank cycles
First
2 - O clowns

Consider Later
Royal G
Some type of Goby (Not a dragonnet for the cops out there)
Firefish
Hippo Tang (jk glad you are still reading)


Timeline
Dec- make sure Live rock cycles
End of Dec- If water is good 2 clowns
1st Quarter Next Year- Refugium and consider if my protein skimmer is getting it done. Get RO/DI system
2nd Quarter- Is my water reef ready? so if the other trace elements are right consider how to get them right. Once right easy coral.

Thoughts? Advice? Pleas to not do it?

 

[chueu]

Better skimmer and lights is what I would say. You don't actually need the skimmer now, save first for a better product later?

As for lighting are you thinking of corals?

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Better skimmer and lights is what I would say. You don't actually need the skimmer now, save first for a better product later?

As for lighting are you thinking of corals?

easy corals maybe in a couple of months. Let the system mature, and let me demonstrate to myself I can keep the water correctly. On the Nano thread someone added a hob aqua c rem skimmer. I think a tunze would fit inside the sump. Do I get much uptick with the Tunze vs factory?

When you say save for a better product later you mean as in total system?

36 inches is all I have right now for space so kind of the biggest tank I can go. I guess something with the same footprint and sump is better.

 

[Deftones2015]

I say go for it. If you keep it lightly stocked you can get away with a lot more than a heavily stocked tank. From what I have read it seems like a nice little system. What kind of lights are the fluval lights? Depending how good they are, or aren't will depend on the coral you can keep. Do the lights come with it? If they don't I would save up for a good t5 or led set up that will allow you to grow coral for sure. You can do without a light while your tank cycles.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I say go for it. If you keep it lightly stocked you can get away with a lot more than a heavily stocked tank. From what I have read it seems like a nice little system. What kind of lights are the fluval lights? Depending how good they are, or aren't will depend on the coral you can keep. Do the lights come with it? If they don't I would save up for a good t5 or led set up that will allow you to grow coral for sure. You can do without a light while your tank cycles.

Comes with these (Light: 504 LEDS, 25000 K):
http://fluvalaquatics.com/ca/produc...rum-performance-led-strip-light/#.Vko4sNKrTIU

LFS said I could do easy coral with them. Internet said they are not worthy of my garbage. I guess since I am doing fish only first I can always upgrade if I really get into coral.

I heard a knock the glass wasn't low iron- unsure what that means to me. Water on the floor or sick fish?

 

[jayball]

Comes with these (Light: 504 LEDS, 25000 K):
http://fluvalaquatics.com/ca/produc...rum-performance-led-strip-light/#.Vko4sNKrTIU

LFS said I could do easy coral with them. Internet said they are not worthy of my garbage. I guess since I am doing fish only first I can always upgrade if I really get into coral.

I heard a knock the glass wasn't low iron- unsure what that means to me. Water on the floor or sick fish?

Low iron is much clearer, iron contributes a green tinge to glass. It is softer though so regular glass does not scratch as easy. In a small tank it does not make as much difference as a large tank with thick glass.

That light is under-powered and is not controllable but it is a shallow tank so you should be good for some mushrooms and other polyps higher in the rockwork.

 

[Deftones2015]

I think the low iron has something to do with how clear the glass is. On smaller tanks it's not a big issue. Sounds like a nice fixture as long as it is 25,000k and not 2,500k. I don't know much about led's. 25,000k will be a nice blue imo. It all depends on how strong the led's are. With fish only and cycling your tank, you wont have to worry about high end lighting. I read mixed reviews on the fixture, most said it did fine with softies, some lps. If it doesn't come with the tank, it may be worth not getting it, and asking around on here what kind of led's to get. You could get a much better fixture for the 170$ price tag. It's ultimately your choice though, everyone has different opinions. Best thing I have learned over the years is ask a question, read what people say(which will almost always vary) and do what you think is best.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I think the low iron has something to do with how clear the glass is. On smaller tanks it's not a big issue. Sounds like a nice fixture as long as it is 25,000k and not 2,500k. I don't know much about led's. 25,000k will be a nice blue imo. It all depends on how strong the led's are. With fish only and cycling your tank, you wont have to worry about high end lighting. I read mixed reviews on the fixture, most said it did fine with softies, some lps. If it doesn't come with the tank, it may be worth not getting it, and asking around on here what kind of led's to get. You could get a much better fixture for the 170$ price tag. It's ultimately your choice though, everyone has different opinions. Best thing I have learned over the years is ask a question, read what people say(which will almost always vary) and do what you think is best.

thanks for the reply- This setup will be $685 and come with a heater, Fluval Skimmer, Fluval Power Head, and Fluval Return Pump. Basically I need water, live rock, and fish. I have seen a consensus of meh on the original equipment, but reading the forum it sounds like you are always 1 piece of equipment from ideal so it feels like a good entry point.

My other option in this price range is Bio Cube and cutting it for a tunze protein skimmer. Limited lighting upgrades though.

I have read a ton and I think at some point I just need to get started and move from there. I also like the 36 because that is about the biggest water volume I can fit, and I think that is a real plus for a newbie.

Ideally I would be getting a drilled 75g but the wife killed that along with my spirit a long time ago.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Low iron is much clearer, iron contributes a green tinge to glass. It is softer though so regular glass does not scratch as easy. In a small tank it does not make as much difference as a large tank with thick glass.

That light is under-powered and is not controllable but it is a shallow tank so you should be good for some mushrooms and other polyps higher in the rockwork.

Jay thanks so in this case we are really just talking about how it looks and overall quality?

 

[jayball]

Jay thanks so in this case we are really just talking about how it looks and overall quality?

Not the overall quality, just how clear the glass is. keep in mind that this picture is some very thick pieces of glass. I would not worry about it on a smaller aquarium.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Not the overall quality, just how clear the glass is. keep in mind that this picture is some very thick pieces of glass. I would not worry about it on a smaller aquarium.

thanks this really helps- yeah I am not too worried I have seen the tanks and thought it was clear. Of course those really low irons are nice, but that is a place I am willing to compromise particularly with a first tank.

 

[Deftones2015]

I used to dislike the bio cubes, but have been reading some builds on bio Cubes and now I'm thinking about buying one myself.

I agree though, you should just take the plunge. You could piece together a nice 29 or go with a bio cube or stay with the fluval. Either way I'd ditch the light on the fluval and ask what a decent cost effective led choice is. Save a lot of money and be able to grow any coral. As far as the other equipment it all seems fine to me. Just take the plunge, take your time and enjoy the hobby! :beer:

Most importantly don't let anyone drag you down about a reef tank. Your wife will enjoy it I guarantee that.

 

[KafudaFish]

You should wait for the upcoming black Friday sales that are worth 10 to 15 percent off if you are dead set on this system.

 

[Deftones2015]

Something else I forgot to say, have the store check and show you the salinity of their saltwater, if you're using their saltwater. A lot of stores keep their salinity lower than you will want for a reef.

I would invest in an rodi unit as well, save money on that light, and invest in an rodi unit as well. You never know how often the store changes their filters. Junk water WILL cause a lot of issues later.

 

[jraker]

i have the exact same tank. mine has been up for a year now, and i am pretty happy with it. i use stock items, but i will get a mp10 for circulation soon. i am pretty impressed with the stock lighting, i grow sps under it.

i would recommend it

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Something else I forgot to say, have the store check and show you the salinity of their saltwater, if you're using their saltwater. A lot of stores keep their salinity lower than you will want for a reef.

I would invest in an rodi unit as well, save money on that light, and invest in an rodi unit as well. You never know how often the store changes their filters. Junk water WILL cause a lot of issues later.

Just buying Rodi water will mix myself, but probably my first pu chase. If I am fish only to start should I do a little slower salnity for fish? They will come from 1.018 - 1.021 range.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

i have the exact same tank. mine has been up for a year now, and i am pretty happy with it. i use stock items, but i will get a mp10 for circulation soon. i am pretty impressed with the stock lighting, i grow sps under it.

i would recommend it

Thanks for feedback. I think I will buy mp10 too.

I gave deposit no looking back now.