newbie help

T

tiberiusjones

Premium Member
Ok I finally got the Tenecor acrylic aquarium and set it up in the living room. It is a 125 gal Flat back hex. With acyrlic stand and canopy. The two returns are corner types and have holes at 6 inches from the bottom. I will post pics shortly. It came with a Aqua C Pro skimmer and mag 3 pump, two 300 Watt Heaters, and an Amiracle sump with just a filter pad sitting on a plate with holes.
I want to use it primarily for a Reef system. The lighting system consists of 4 T-12 110 10000k bulbs. There is also an 660 Icecap ballast that is defunct that I am sending back to get worked on.

My question is what do you recommend that I get to go with this to make a complete reef system?

I would like to buy some Live rock, got any recommendations for sources?

Testing equipment? Refratometer? PH meter? Calcium/Kalkwasser system?
I ordered a R/O DI system from the filter guys and will be getting some plastic tubs from home Depot soon.

Your recommendations are most welcome.
Thanks.
 
oh the pics are on my gallery

oh the pics are on my gallery

Forgot to mention that the pics of the tank when it was set up from the previous owner are already on my gallery. I will post pics of the sump and returns shortly. Thanks.
 
Not sure if you are ever over twords Nashville but this guy has 40 lbs for sell...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1041887

I would keep a eye on the local boards for live rock if you are in no hurry. A Freind of mine just went with a package deal from Tampa Bay Rock and it was well worth the money. The web site does not exagerate at all with what you get as hitchickers. He got a big anemone (the white with purple tips?) forgot the name, a few nice goronians, 3 different types of good macro alage 2 nice size stony tube coral things , a pepemint shrimp and a fish! A tiny little goby hitched in! This was just the things we saw right away. He did get a few bad crabs and 2 bad snails but he got them out right away. I was amazed at the life on the rock. I thought the website was showing you the "you might be lucky to get" rock but his package was awsome. The price per pound still beats local LFS prices that has no cool stuff on it. Either way you go unless you find a person getting out and just wanting rid of the rock, stocking a 125 is gonna cost you some $$$ :) Hope this helps...
 
You definetly need a refractometer (drsfostersmith $45) and you can get a reeanatic PH meter for $100 new and its well worth not testing all the time when you are a newbi and worry about that stuff a lot like I did. I love glancing and seeing PH and temp at anytime. A lot of folks use this recipe, me included, for calcium and PH. Kinda hard to find dowflake locally but it lasts forever if you get some....
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm

There is a company selling dowflake to aquariests in small baggie deals but IMO they are jacking the price a ton. Just order your own 50lb bag and pay the shipping and have a lifetime supply or split it with someone local.
 
Thank you

Thank you

I appreciate the advice I will check see if there are some live rock bargains there... now any advice on filtration and pump equipment? It seems like im missing something, the previous owner took out the powerheads, and it looks like he was running a Berlin Type of SUmp with a particulate filter pad...
 
I have a couple SEIO 1500's and love the flow for the money. They really move some water and its diffused so its noy a blasting stream like a PH. I would recomend the magnent mounts so you can direct them the way you want and because they are very heavy.
 
I like the "Panworld" pumps offered at Premium Aquatics. they are a knock-off of the Iwaki. Mine's virtually silent. I've bought most of my equipment from there and here on ETRC. They also have a $45 refractometer.

That said, Dr Foster's is a good reputable company that I wouldnt hesitate to order from.

Testing equipment, spend the extra for Salifert kits: calcium, Alk, Mg, nitrite and nitrate (did I forget anything that's must have?)
 
Calcium RX or peristaltic pumps if you're keeping SPS, otherwise daily dosing should suffice. I'd ditch the drip plate and just use it as a sump. Need a return pump (Panworld/Iwaki/Blueline/Mak/Coralife external are good) with head rating for the water return. Some PH/Seios/Tunze for circulation or a closed loop system. Fans to cool in the summer. The rest depends on what type of coral you intend to keep...

Best is to check out others' setups. Welcome to the money pit we call a hobby!

Dave
 
Depends on the size of the returns. I run about 1600 gph on my return through 2 1-1/4" PVC Stockmans (one for redundancy). It looks like Niagara Falls in my overflow. You probably don't need nearly that much, but I want to aggressively surface skim my main tank.
 
Go to the drain/overflow on RC homepage and punch in your numbers to see what 1" will handle.
 
Just start putting numbers into the drain/overflow calculator until you find the maximum flow rate that your overflow diameter will handle. Then you can use the other head loss tool to find the amount of flow a given pump will produce for your PVC run, including height you must pump the water to. You will have to iterate to find a solution that will work. Without knowing details about your setup, it is difficult for anyone to give you a specific answer.

Dave
 
ok i think i found one

ok i think i found one

Little Giant 'Quarium Series Magnetic Drive Pumps
from Drsfostersandsmith

4-MDQX-SC 5.3" x 11" x 5-1/2" 17.0 ft max head 1225gph at 3ft 1080 gph at 6 ft 675 at 12 ft 145 watts

waddya think?

Head Loss I calculated at 6.8 ft
 
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