Supply list for a newbie!

[SharkBait48]

Hey guys new to the forums and hobby!

So on Boxing Day I'm looking to start a reef tank and I am looking at either a75-90 gal. So I know I have to start off with the water and rock to get the bacteria up.
So what I'm wondering is what do you guys record that I get when I go in there?
Like a grocery list and your recommendation

Thanks guys!

 

[dvmsn]

Start with a good book. The Reef Aquariums volumes 1
-3 are very good despite their age.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

75 gallons is a good starting place. I'd skip the 90 and go to a 120 gallon if you want to go bigger since the 90 is only a little taller than the 75. Go to a website like liveaquaria.com and browse the pictures and see what kind of fish you want to keep and then house them in the appropriate size tank. Clowns, blennies, gobies, wrasses all can go in a smaller tank whereas tangs, angels, and butterflies go in bigger tanks since they get bigger.

 

[codeblue48]

1. Lighting (I would go T5). ATI is the best but you could go with a Tek Elite or an aquaticlife (in that order)

2. Powerheads (hydor is fine and more budget friendly. If you can swing the $ got with Tunze or Ecotech.

4. Sump (you can make ur own with a 40 gallon breeder tank and save $. The other option would be to buy a pre built sump. If u go this route I would recommend trigger systems.)

3. Protein skimmer (Bubble magus, Swc are good affordable choices. If money is not as much of an issue I would go with a Reef Octopus skimmer. There are lots f good skimmers to choose from though.

4. Heater (Eheim Jäger is a good option)

5. Return pump (Mag drives are good but are more noisy than other options. A tunze silence or eheim return pump are excellent options but are more pricey. Again, there are many options out there that are good.)

6. Tank controller (*optional* but highly recommended. I would definitely go with a Neptune Apex. One of my most favorite pieces of equipment.

7. ATO "auto top off" (also optional but a great thing to have)

8. Lots of multi purpose buckets and a couple of brute trash cans for water changes etc.

9. Ask lots of questions and go slow

Good luck!

 

[A_Z]

0. make a plan/stocking list on what organisms you want to keep, then you can plan the rest of the tank accordingly

ps if you get an ATI, get the dimmable one, great feature worth the extra $$

 

[sponger0]

0. make a plan/stocking list on what organisms you want to keep, then you can plan the rest of the tank accordingly

This is the best response. Figure out what you want to stock the tank with first. This can make the difference between getting a 75 or 120. The fish you may want, may be more suited for a 120...or maybe a 75 would be fine based on fish stocking.

Also, lighting, skimmers and other setup items can be determined by your livestock.

 

[MrTuskfish]

A quarantine tank is vital.

 

[Ghstwolf]

Research!! Read the stickies, go to Youtube and watch all the Bulkreef supply, NewYorkSteelo, and MrSaltwater Tank videos you can.. Then do more research..

I 100% agree with making a stocking list for your tank and stick too it..

There are tons of books that will help you setup a saltwater tank, some of them are OLD as dirt though.. (I've read some that still talk about undergravel filters and drip/bio ball filters for reef systems)

DO NOT rush anything, would be the #1 thing...

 

[MrTuskfish]

Start with a good book. The Reef Aquariums volumes 1
-3 are very good despite their age.

Its great to see a book mentioned on this type of thread. This hobby is far too complicated and has far too many contradictory opinions to learn from just cruising a forum. Sadly, most advice from dealers isn't what it was either; most are just selling and their advice is simply wrong, and often dangerous. Of course, there are still some knowledgeable LFS people; but they are few and far between.