Mentor Needed - as I start preparing for my first tank

[TravelerBob]

Finally my basement is getting finished... Took forever to find the right contractor, but he starts later this month. I plan to build out a small fish room and then get my first saltwater tank. I've been researching things forever, but I still have a million questions about the setup process. I live in Belleville. I've looked at all-in-one systems and see that Red Sea is coming out with a 240 gallon (total capacity) tank in early 2020. I'm not sure if an all-in-one is the best route or if I should try to do it all myself or what....? I like the fact that it already has a refugium, but I would also like to do a 2nd one in the fish room that connects to it and houses a UVC filter, etc. I also am curious if I could build the wall around the all-in-one tank and stand to make it look more like a built-in or if it is best to just let it free stand on the outside wall of the fish room, but created an access panel between the tank and fish room. Would like to find someone that has already gone through this and could provide me some feedback and what to do next. I read through the forums, look at you tube, subscribe to CORAL magazine, etc, but still have a million questions before I really start acquiring "stuff" for the tank/room. Thanks!!

 

[clevername]

WELCOME!!!

(more to come)

PM if you want to talk over the phone/text.

 

[cobra9]

I would recommend hitting peoples houses to get idea's. I know it changed how I set my stuff up. Most people are more then happy to walk you through there setups.

 

[huff747]

Not sure I've been at it long enough to be a mentor but I have a Reefer 750 XXL and live in Glen Carbon if you want to come take a look at Red Sea tanks. I like the tank, I cut their metric plumbing so I could put a better gate valve on and put a flow sensor on the return. Looks like they are improving their stands, they had to send me a retrofit kit for mine so that never gives you a warm fuzzy feeling.

 

[Djbeasley05]

Feel free to send me a text and we can schedule a time to meet. I work in Belleville, live in Granite City

618-219-0888


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[clevername]

I would recommend hitting peoples houses to get idea's. I know it changed how I set my stuff up. Most people are more then happy to walk you through there setups.

Exactly this!

 

[Nanook]

https://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2700999

 

[TravelerBob]

Thank you for all of the great replies!! I will definitely be in touch with those that gave me their contact information. I am really curious about setting up a fish room. I will have the tank on one side (now thinking about a 310 gallon Planet Aquarium) and the sump/refugium on the other side of the wall in a small fish room (probably about 11'x8'). Interested in how to have the walls/floors prepared due to salt spray, humidity, etc. How to set up electrical (will have 4 dedicated breakers for fish room + 1 for tank and stuff on the tank wall), plumbing, which sink to get, etc.... Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I am on the east end of Belleville just a minute from Eckerts off of rt15. Thanks!

 

[Djbeasley05]

Thank you for all of the great replies!! I will definitely be in touch with those that gave me their contact information. I am really curious about setting up a fish room. I will have the tank on one side (now thinking about a 310 gallon Planet Aquarium) and the sump/refugium on the other side of the wall in a small fish room (probably about 11'x8'). Interested in how to have the walls/floors prepared due to salt spray, humidity, etc. How to set up electrical (will have 4 dedicated breakers for fish room + 1 for tank and stuff on the tank wall), plumbing, which sink to get, etc.... Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I am on the east end of Belleville just a minute from Eckerts off of rt15. Thanks!

I know all about running dedicated circuits for fish rooms!


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