Trying to get started.

[Abide]

So my best friend and I have developed a strong interest in this amazing animal that all of you love. We want to get a tank going. It will be our first adventure into the world of saltwater. We are really going to try to find a peacock if we can. I was just wondering if anyone can tell me if i'm missing anything on my list to get started.
We plan on getting everything from premium aquatics and have figured out a budget of about 1k.

20 gallon acrylic tank

Figi Cured Rock 20-35lbs

60 lbs of live sand We still haven't decided on an exact type of sand yet, the black stuff looks pretty cool but we may just get a smaller finer white sand

The slowest Kent Marine RO/DI unit to save ourselves the trouble in the long run, and it would be a good investment for future tanks And heck i'll just start drinking from it, might as well(the only way we can justify the cost)

Digital Thermometer


A cheap hygrometer for quick easy checks

And a refractometer to make sure it's right

2 50 watt heaters

A chemical tester for the normal stuff


And then some simple stuff, Top off buckets, nets, algea scraper, a mantis and his prey. I know i've got to be missing something simple still, any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Thurge]

Light?
Mantis don't need a lot of ,light and with a peacock intense light can be detremental, so unless you want some low light corals, a normal output florescent light will be fine.

Skimmer. I would recommend an AquaC remora with the optional skimmer box and pump upgrade.

Skip the hydrometer if yoru getting a refractometer.

I would also recommend picking up a copy of "Conscienceous Marine Aquarist, bu Bob Fenner. Its a great book full of entery level to advanced information. Its one book I recommend every salt keeper have. It sill walk you through setting up your tank and the different kinds of filtration, and even species selection (which with a mantis, goes right out the wndow ) You should be able to find it at Petco or Petsmart locally.

 

[DanInSD]

If you're going for a peacock, get a 30 gallon tank. I just upgraded from a 20 to a 30, and the difference is significant. You'll be glad you did, from both "room" and "nutrient dilution" standpoints.

A refugium will also help with nutrient export. A little hang-on-tank fuge with some chaetomorpha can work wonders.

Make sure the heaters are either black plastic (e.g. "Stealth") or titanium. No glass heaters. (Whack! <crack> <sizzle>)

Dan

 

[helipilot]

For a peacock, how about some black pvc for it's burrow. I make mine with two pieces of 2" black pvc about 5" long. Then you add a 2" elbow and you have a great burrow for it to grow into. I got all my stuff from Home Depot for a couple of bucks.

 

[Abide]

I was planning on using the lighting system that comes with the tank since it has 2 x 36watts PC lights. 30 gallons is gonna be a little out of our budget. After researching alot more i think the m-tank with the refugium would be a better choice than the one with the skimmer. would i be ok with just doing this and frequent water changes since we will have a ro/di filter. And it would be easier to just add a skimmer to that one.
Thanks for the suggestions so far guys! Keep em coming!

 

[DanInSD]

I bought a 30 gal tank for about $130. If you can't afford, that, you're in the wrong hobby.

Trust me, you want the 30. Go a la carte. Do not get an all-in-one. Wet-dry filters are nitrate factories. Get yourself a 30-short (36" long), a *good* skimmer like the Remora, ditch the wet-dry, and get some cheap lights (unless you want corals).

You especially want the 30 if you intend to put in 60 lbs of sand. If you put that, plus 30 lbs of rock, you're talking about a 6" sand bed plus a boulder field above it. Maybe you'll have ten gallons of water left.

Don't make the mistake that I made and underestimate the amount of wastes that a peacock will produce. You NEED a skimmer, and a good one. Hair algae and you will be becoming really close friends.

Enjoy the ride,
Dan

 

[Pea-brain]

Thats funny, I bought an acrylic 30 long with stand for 30$. Its scratched up a bit, but not horribly. The original intent was peacock tank, but I'm thinking of finding a place to trade it in for a 30 high glass with overflows for a seahorse tank.....Look round for local deals. Thats how I got mine.

Dan

 

[Abide]

well i think we have managed to factor that in the budget. An all in one is just gonna be a much easier option for us here. There aren't many local LFS here in Louisiana and they are very small.

We may opt for this 32 gallon tank
and the stand that goes with it, yeah i was way off on the calculator for the sand, I just want about a 3 inch bed of the fine stuff.
How many lbs of live rock would a need for something that size?

 

[helipilot]

Are you dead set on an open tank? Peacocks have been known to jump.

 

[Abide]

fairly, we just really like the look of the m-tanks
I can always make some kind of screen. We really like the Smithii too so its gonna be a bit of availability on what the local places can get us, I dont really want to rely on someone to ship me one.

 

[DanInSD]

Again, you're paying a lot more than you need to for an all-in-one system that will be adequate but not optimal. That, of course, is completely your choice!

In any case, you can always add a sheet of lexan (or other plexiglass) over the top of the tank, with lots of holes for air.

Dan

 

[DanInSD]

Oops, forgot to answer the rock question. I usually go for two pounds of sand and one pound of rock per gallon. I use branched rock which I find to be less dense and more porous than "base rock". If you're using "base rock", make it 1.5 lbs/gallon.

Dan

 

[Abide]

Is that per gallon of the display area or the total system?

Are there any cleanup crews that wont get mauled and feasted upon?

 

[DanInSD]

Total system. Traditional cleanup crews (snails/hermits) will not survive. Cucumbers and urchins are fine IME.

Dan

 

[Abide]

well i finally found the local place (they had just moved into a new location but had a great setup, beautiful white tip in a huge tank) and they can set us up with a 40 and put it all together in my apt for less than most of that setup would cost us. Just not having to pay for shipping on rock and sand is gonna be nice. I guess i'll update later after we decide on a tank.

 

[tush]

when looking for tanks - i always try craigslist - then i can spend the real money i want on the rest of the system

 

[Abide]

I think we may have actually found a 60 almost local for really cheap with a stand and a canopy, no lights or anything else though so that maybe be a great idea. Jury is still out though

 

[Abide]

Well we're gonna be picking up the 60 gallon either tonight or friday evening.
Lights and return pump and some other goodies will be coming in by UPS tomorrow.
Gonna get it all set up and plumbed then off to the LFS maybe saturday or monday to get some sand and rock.
Then maybe we'll get around to getting one of these beauties after we get a clean up crew for it to demolish.

 

[ck1]

Don't forget to factor in wait time for the tank to cycle.

 

[Abide]

yep i have, and its gonna take the LFS a while to find one anyway