Keegan, I read through your thread and want to address some concerns and answer some questions that haven't been answered yet.
First off <img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>
however the local pet store i work for has a RO/DI filtration system that purifies their water and they sell it by the gallon so would it be alright for me to buy that and use it instead of filtering my own water?
You can definitely get your water from a fish store that uses their own RODI set up. But I would recommend that you purchase your own RODI just for the simple fact that you are going to be saving money in the long run. Melev calculated the price of what it would cost someone to purchase, maintain (replacing filters), and mix your own salt water. over the course of a year. it will end up costing you roughly $0.09 a gallon for salt water, I say roughly because every water company charges differently for water depending on location, and of course the type of salt mix you use.
I don't know what you pay for ssalt water at your LFS but I would be amazed if you pay less than $0.09 a gallon.
I know the up front cost of a new system and everything is going to set you back but it all works out in the long run. calculate what you would spend in salt water from an LFS and see how long it would take you to pay off a new RODI.
yeah I've heard about the whole wet/dry filter thing, im gonna do some more research on it because i don't know too much,
A wet dry system worked well in the salt water arena years ago before the advent of sumps and refugiums. It's not necessary to have bioballs in a salt water aquaria any more due to the simple fact that we utilize the live rock to do most of our biological filtration. No need for the wet/dry setup, they are mostly reserved for fresh water tanks now a days. I know you are wanting to start off right and not pay for things you don't need, this is one expense you can do without. Get yourself a 20 gallon tank and make your own sump/fuge for a fraction of what the wet/dry go for.
Here is a great site to answer all questions about sumps and fuges
1. set up a sand bed do not use crushed coral it is a nitrate factory
+1000
I was in an LFS the other day and over heard an employee say that no one uses sand these days, everyone uses crushed coral..... my first thought was he was trying to make a sale..... it's shameful. But yes use sand, better yet use live sand, it will aid in a more diverse bio-filtration. don't go more than 3 inches deep unless you
fully understand deep sand beds (DSB) because they can turn toxic if you don't know what you're doing.
yeah i don't know much about a crushed coral bed, i had planned on going with a live sand bed and i think im still gonna stick with that plan. ill go ahead and get my sump up and going for the tank so that way i wont have to do it later and it seems to be highly recommended for starting a tank.
now when i add the sand and live rock and saltwater do i need to have the filters and sump running at the same time or just wait until i start adding livestock? and also would it be a good idea to add some fish food and crabs just to increase the bacteria build up of the water?
im reading constantly and im always discovering new things, this is a major help.
Yes have all your filters and power heads in place to get the water moving and filtering. Don't add any livestock until you have watched your ammonia rise and then fall to 0. Once that happens you can add a Clean Up Crew (CUC) consisting of an assortment of snails. once those are in place and are doing their job start adding your livestock.
Hopefully that helps and keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing some pics of your tank and reading more about your progress.
