new guy - new tank - new hobby

[Captainfester]

hey everyone.

diving right in to the world of reefing. dont have any idea what i am doing :spin1:

although i do have two friends who are heavily into it so i think i will be ok + all the info on here and the net.

so my plan is to start a 55 gal glass tank.

my friends are setting me up with all the "gear" that i need + some live sand and rock. probably will go the standard route of cycling with a damsel although have read some interesting ideas on here for different ways.

thinking small at first. for me less is more and the slow adding of stuff is the fun part to things. probably just get some rock set up. a couple clown and a nem when the tank settles out in 6 months or so.

do a dwarf angel, maybe the fire back or something and some soft corals.

obvisouly the "cleaner crew" is a must.

any ideas or thoughts on what to do or not do would be always appreciated.

 

[sponger0]

First I wouldnt recommend using a damsel. Its kinda cruel. Its like lets put you in a house with toxic gas until it fades away and see if you survive. Also, it will be a PIA to remove form the tank of you dont want it.

Now have you given a thought to how you want to filter? Sump? Drilled? Not drilled with overflow?

Also with an angel you have the possiblity of him eating corals.

These are all different things to think about and plan on. Before you begin to put it together, I would recommend doing research on where you want to take the tank. Although chemistry of it is a very important part of the tank, I think the planning phase has alot to do with how successful your tank will turn out.
Also if you want a nem, you need to look into what kind and what lights and environment they require. Are you going to plan on doing a reef?

 

[sjorford]

Don't bother with the damsel if you are using live rock and sand, those should be all you need to cycle a tank. If the lr is fresh from a working tank, then you may not even have a significant cycle.

Congratulations on joining the reefing world, go lock your wallet in the safe now and lose the combination!

 

[ezerasurfr]

Welcome to your new addiction!

Sounds like you're on the right track. Only thing I can say is be patient and keep on learning. You'll learn so much, so fast once you start keeping your water.

quick advice:

1. Get an RO/DI filter if you do not have one already
2. Wait on the nem until you have gotten the hang of your tank, they are delicate creatures and one "slip-up" can kill them.
3. Don't get discouraged when something dies, or when you get an algae bloom, or when you have your first tank crash. This is an incredibly enjoyable hobby, but things happen to all of us, especially within the first year.


And also, keep a journal. It will help structure your investment and keep you on a good maintenance routine.

 

[jlylec]

welcome fester...one of the most helpful things for me when setting up my last tank was reading through as many build threads on here as I could...try to find somebody who has built a similar sized tank and set up and done a good job keeping their thread updated. you can follow along and learn a TON. you're smart to take it slow. you may want to avoid a damsel as I've heard they can get nasty after a while and many people regret using them in the end. i'm no expert though. before you do anything research what you're thinking.

also...RC is an awesome research with some brilliant people and experience, but I'd also suggest searching for a local reef club too. It's really nice to have nearby resources at times. good luck!

 

[pmgaudio]

Don't bother with the damsel if you are using live rock and sand, those should be all you need to cycle a tank. If the lr is fresh from a working tank, then you may not even have a significant cycle.

Congratulations on joining the reefing world, go lock your wallet in the safe now and lose the combination!

+1 on this. I did the Damsel thing (And it took an HOUR and removal of LR to catch the little @#r. He stressed my Clown to the point of him not eating for WEEKS!.
I NEVER had an ammonia spike, due to the LR and LS I had in the tank before startup (Got it from a FRESHLY broken down setup). Been up for three months and am seeding more rock for my 45 build coming up.
There are other methods to cycling that involve a piece of raw shrimp, or even adding fish food a little once a day for a few days.
GOOD LUCK, and I hope all goes well for you.
This site is AWESOME for advise. I like paying particular attention to SK8R. He is an encyclopedia for this stuff!!!

 

[Captainfester]

wow thanks for the quick response and great support already.

for the record. i have no idea what kind of filter im going to use. i dont have room for the sump so i know that is out. like i said my buddy is going to basically set me up with what i should be using.

i would say a full blown reef is the way im headed. although i like negative spaces so it will probably have some holes or passes in there.

ive also heard that the damsel can be a pita


good news is i dont have to worry about locking up my wallet. im married and spent all my allowance on my motorcycle!

 

[ezerasurfr]

I had to put my large tank in storage and could not use my sump (landlord saw it and got nervous it would flood the bottom level)

I use a fluval 300 canister filter for carbon and run an eshopps hang on back 100 protien skimmer. Along with a 10% weekly water change, my tank stays very clean.

you'll pay around $250 for both together..

 

[scottv1025]

Everyone kinda said what i would of said . But one thing dont do the angel . If ur gona do any sort of corals . Stay away of any angels trust me . I just took apart a 180 for a flame that was reef safe for now 7 years intill this month