Specific equipment questions regarding my new 45 gal reef tank.
- Thread starter ColbyWade
- Start date
Thanks Lpsouth1978, fully agree with you.
It's much better (and cheaper) to become an expert in making, maintaining, and deploying saltwater prior to anything going in the tank. Take your time, if you make sure you have stability in all 8 parameters, you will be much much happier in the end, or you can read the 100's if posts here monthly of what happens if you don't.
It's much better (and cheaper) to become an expert in making, maintaining, and deploying saltwater prior to anything going in the tank. Take your time, if you make sure you have stability in all 8 parameters, you will be much much happier in the end, or you can read the 100's if posts here monthly of what happens if you don't.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. YES.
I made this mistake when I started out last year. I told myself if I just bought all my stuff from the same guy, I'd be good right?
Nope. I got Ich. And Pyramid snails.
The point of quarantining is to buffer your main display tank from having any parasites, diseases, or unwanted things getting into it. You can NEVER trust someone elses quarantine process, only your own.
Your choice on whether to do it or not. I sincerely wish I had.
(My Fallow period ends today. I just finished nearly three months of quarantining and treating my fish seperate from my display, while running the display with no fish, to treat Ich.)
EDIT: Your live rock, for example, would have brought whatever things were in that tank into your tank. Any good, and any bad. It doesn't mean you shouldn't quarantine going forwards, because some things are fish specific.
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Crooked Reef
Active member
It looks like you have already decided, but the prime hd has the same pucks as the hydra. You can spread them anyway you like to avoid shading. Two prime hd will have the same power as one hydra 26. DO NOT GET THEM WET. Not even a slight bit of the corner. Mine dipped about half an inch of the board in the water and fried it. This is pretty much true of any light, but I have had t5 fuxtures fall half in a tank and still work.
my vote would go to a Kessil 360, love the shimmer the kessil gives. The AI's seem nifty with all their neat features and things that are seemingly pointless.
yeah, gotta do some water testing. I'd put lights on for a bit and heat and see what happens in a month. I've always waited at least a month before adding fish or corals every time I've started a tank. The test results are the determining factor.
get a heater, get some light, get some flow, throw something dead in there, see what happens.
oh, and say goodbye to your "budget".. just start throwing 50's out the window while you're driving down the highway. That's reef keeping.
yeah, gotta do some water testing. I'd put lights on for a bit and heat and see what happens in a month. I've always waited at least a month before adding fish or corals every time I've started a tank. The test results are the determining factor.
get a heater, get some light, get some flow, throw something dead in there, see what happens.
oh, and say goodbye to your "budget".. just start throwing 50's out the window while you're driving down the highway. That's reef keeping.
My water is so freaking clear and you can barely tell its moving, but there are little flurries on the rocks that are blowing all over the place.
I want to be a water parameter expert before I add fish, I think that is a great idea. Is that as important when it comes to snails, crabs, and shrimp?
Also what is the best recommended qt method?
I'm going to get my heater tomorrow, but I assume the water is around 70-72 degrees, that's how I keep the air in my house anyways.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
I want to be a water parameter expert before I add fish, I think that is a great idea. Is that as important when it comes to snails, crabs, and shrimp?
Also what is the best recommended qt method?
I'm going to get my heater tomorrow, but I assume the water is around 70-72 degrees, that's how I keep the air in my house anyways.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
70-72 would be low for the conventional wisdom I've heard, but not so low I think it would 'harm' any of the bacterial colonies or whatever that is in your tank. I keep mine around 78 to 80, and I've seen people saying 76-82 is the 'desired' range, but it used to be less.
IIRC, snails/crabs/shrimp are less tolerant towards some parameters and more tolerant to others. It is as important, so don't add much of a cleanup crew until you know the parameters in the tank.
Basic starter test kits that are a MUST (In my opinion)
- Something to measure salinity (I suggest refractometer)
- Ammonia
- Nitrite
- Nitrate
If you plan to get corals down the road?
- Alkalinity
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- pH
- Phosphate
The first batch will get you through the cycle. I would include pH too, but others might say otherwise. Its not really essential, but its good to know if things go weird.
I believe the best QT method to look up is the tank transfer method. You will find more then a few threads covering it. Its the least stressful on the fish compared to proactively treating them, or doing nothing.
IIRC, snails/crabs/shrimp are less tolerant towards some parameters and more tolerant to others. It is as important, so don't add much of a cleanup crew until you know the parameters in the tank.
Basic starter test kits that are a MUST (In my opinion)
- Something to measure salinity (I suggest refractometer)
- Ammonia
- Nitrite
- Nitrate
If you plan to get corals down the road?
- Alkalinity
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- pH
- Phosphate
The first batch will get you through the cycle. I would include pH too, but others might say otherwise. Its not really essential, but its good to know if things go weird.
I believe the best QT method to look up is the tank transfer method. You will find more then a few threads covering it. Its the least stressful on the fish compared to proactively treating them, or doing nothing.
There is a few all in one master kits.
One kind usually has pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
One usually has the 'Coral' ones, Alkalinity, calcium, magnesium.
The only all in one kit I know with everything is 150$ by some company starting with an N name.
Test kits you should get quality... I wouldn't personally recommend API after using it.
Salifert test kits I've quite enjoyed.
Fish inverts tests
Salinity
Temp
Nitrate (more of a test for level of export)
Phosphate (so you don't feed algae growth)
Corals nutrients
Nitrate (so you don't starve corals)
Phosphates (same, small amounts good for coral)
Calcification (Stoneys)
Mag (so the next too don't just come together immediately in the column, we want corals to uptake)
CA
Alk
Softies
Iodide (beneficial to leathers, gorgonians and shrimp)
So 8 tests.
I put them in a worksheet for later study.
I like the ranges of NSW best, no more, no,less.
Salinity
Temp
Nitrate (more of a test for level of export)
Phosphate (so you don't feed algae growth)
Corals nutrients
Nitrate (so you don't starve corals)
Phosphates (same, small amounts good for coral)
Calcification (Stoneys)
Mag (so the next too don't just come together immediately in the column, we want corals to uptake)
CA
Alk
Softies
Iodide (beneficial to leathers, gorgonians and shrimp)
So 8 tests.
I put them in a worksheet for later study.
I like the ranges of NSW best, no more, no,less.
fwiw i use the red sea "marine" kit and the "foundation pro" kits. They seem decent. You end up doubled on KH tests. I also use a hanna PH meter, refractometer for salinity. Should be able to wrap up the "master kit" and a refract for 75 or so totaled. I'd also suggest getting a 35ppt calibration fluid for your refract, as its far more accurate.
after calibrating my refractometer with distilled water, then checking it with 35ppt calibration solution i found it was 2pts high (reading 37ppt) then calibrated to 35ppt with the solution and compared to another known good and they matched. I have a friend who works in a lab that was able to confirm this.
after calibrating my refractometer with distilled water, then checking it with 35ppt calibration solution i found it was 2pts high (reading 37ppt) then calibrated to 35ppt with the solution and compared to another known good and they matched. I have a friend who works in a lab that was able to confirm this.
lpsouth1978
New member
I don't personally think there is anything wrong with using the API kit to start. It is cheap and will give you info you need when cycling a tank, like ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. Beyond that you will want better test kits. The API are simply not accurate or sensitive enough for a reef tank. The nitrates only go down to 25 (which will still kill corals) and I think the phosphate only goes down to 5 (most aim for less than .04).
If you start with API just get the Saltwater NOT the Reef (as it is basically useless as mentioned above). Once the cycle is done and you are ready to seriously test Alk, Calc, pH, Mag, Phosphates, Nitrates, etc, get better test kits.
lpsouth1978
New member
You will get a lot of opinions on which is best. Many on here seem to prefer Red Sea Pro or Salifert kits. I like the Lamotte kits, though they only have a few that work for reefs. Also the Hanna checkers have a pretty good following, especially the ULR phosphorus checker.
hkgar
Active member
Oh, oh. Relax a bit. Take it slow. get good test kits and like everything else in this hobby everyone has a favorite. Some of the better brand test kits are Red Sea Pro, Salifert and Hanna checkers. Do your research, pick the ones you want and stick with them.
DO NOT chase specific numbers but strive for consistence. Corals, particularly SPS absolutely love consistency. Learn the "acceptable" range for each test and settle in there. Don't even bother with PH, it's a brat and does what it wants.
Softie tank test
Nitrates (0-5)
Phosphates (0-.05)
SPS/LPS add
Magnesum (1250-1450)
Alkalinity (dKH) (7.5-11)
Calcium (380-440)
Not everyone will agree with my range #'s :rollface:
