Saltwater Newbie Please give advise

[McMillin5]

Hello, My name is Seth im new to the forum and also Saltwater, I just purchased a 75 gallon used set up last night, Im in the process of cleaning it all up and getting everything set into place..
Tank Included following
-75G drilled corner overflow box, very nice cherry stand
-2 CoralLife 1300 GPH Power Heads w/wave maker
-Coral Life 125g Skimmer
-30g arcylic sump
-Pinpoint Salinity monitor
-Marineland 48" LED Light
-small circulating pump <-- assuming for mixing saltwater not sure?
-Pro Heat heater
-small digital temp reader

I was told everything was here to get it going I think it is for the most part, Im new to the hobby, but I have being doing alote of studying on things so hopefully I can be very successful at this hobby as I find it very relaxing and interesting..

I am in the hopes of setting up a basic tank nothing crazy more for the fish,but I want to do some liverock maybe 30-50lbs I want it to be a somewhat open tank.. I also want to do some basic soft corals like anemones and things of that nature..

I have been looking at the Reefkeep monitor also I think from a beginner stand point it would be a bad investment I have been watching some youtube reviews about them and reading up on it but im not sure if it overkill for all im trying to accomplish..

Please give advise to if im heading the right direction lol Thank you Seth..:wave:

 

[Ciscokid]

Sounds like you have enough to get going.. You may have to upgrade your lights later though. I had the same fixture.

What kind of return pump do you have in your sump?

Read the forums to learn the basics first. This will save you time & money in the long run.

Start reading here:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153097

Have fun & good luck!

 

[Wmich2008]

Just so you know anenomes are not soft corals, they usually require a more established tank and higher lighting. What marineland light do you have? Your starting off right by posting and asking questions. Just go slow and take your time, do it right the first time because it is easy to get frustrated in this hobby.

 

[Chriscro]

id skip the controllers for a while. and setup the tank. get a nice sump figured with fuge. as for liverock 50 pounds is next to nothing. go for at least 75, and if you like the open concept hide a bunch in your sump. by the sounds of it though you have a ton of reading to do.

also marinland lights are good for softcorals maximum and wouldn't suggest using them for much else.

best word of advice would be to read stickies and other builds threads to learn from other people mistakes.

 

[FTDelta]

I agree with Wmich. I'd skip on getting an anemone for a beginner... for now. There are lots of beginner corals you can have: Mushrooms, Ricordias, Candy Cane, Torch, Zoanthids, Fox Corals, etc...

 

[fishgate]

For cleaning up the tank use vinegar, it removes almost everything.

 

[Fizz71]

+1 on what's been said on anemones, and corals but I also wanted to add that acans are great for colorful softcorals that do well in low light.

Also..I think your 30lbs of live rock is probably good to start, but get another 45lbs to 50lbs of dry (dead) base rock. Some nice porous reef rock that will be live enough within a year to call "live rock" but not break the bank now. Also look for local reefers that are getting out of the hobby, only about 10lbs of my 200+lbs of live rock were bought from a retailer.

A computer is probably and overkill at this point as well unless you have money to burn. I had my 240g setup for almost 2 years before I bought my RKL, and that was more to control the calcium reactor than anything else.

Good luck and keep asking questions....

 

[TomTheWicked]

I am in the hopes of setting up a basic tank nothing crazy more for the fish,but I want to do some liverock maybe 30-50lbs I want it to be a somewhat open tank.. I also want to do some basic soft corals like anemones and things of that nature..

Like others have said, an anemone isn't a soft coral, and really isn't recommended for someone just starting out in the hobby. Not just from an experience standpoint, but also from a "tank establishment" standpoint. They need to be kept in stable, established tanks to do well in captivity.

I have been looking at the Reefkeep monitor also I think from a beginner stand point it would be a bad investment I have been watching some youtube reviews about them and reading up on it but im not sure if it overkill for all im trying to accomplish..

I'm at the point in this hobby where I'm kind of transitioning from "absolute-newb" to "not-quite-so-newb". I'm still learning what effect certain things have on my tank, and how the little things can sometimes turn into big things. All of that being said, using a controller to automate some tasks is a good thing, but I decided it was best for me to do these things myself in the beginning (check salinity, ATO duty, check water temp). But, after about 6-months of learning my tank and its nuances and quirks, I'm going to invest in a digital monitoring solution (probably the DA ReefKeeper) in the hopes of using it as a supplemental tool (not a primary tool) for keeping my tank.

Please give advise to if im heading the right direction lol Thank you Seth..:wave:

Like others have said, you're definitely headed in the right direction if you're posting on here. Just remember that, while reading, you'll find a bunch of opinions and ideas that may conflict with each other (I know I did). Just continue reading and continue to post questions if you come up with any.:wavehand:

 

[Slystone]

I too am a newbie. I just got my reefkeeper light and think it is an important early investment as a temperature controller. Thermometer failure is common and they fail in the on position killing everything in the tank. I bet it is a common reason for people to bail on the hobby because of such a tragic loss. It also replaces a thermometer and light timers, so if you haven't already invested in those you aren't duplicating expenses like I did.